Origination

Contract closings decreased 0.7% from a month earlier to a 4.04 million annualized pace, National Association of Realtors data showed Thursday.

Doug Duncan explains why different players in the market have such contradictory takes on the real estate market right now and how to reconcile their varying outlooks.

Fewer of these mortgages are paying off, adding to the amount of credit on investors' books, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

Lenders are brushing up on ways to minimize losses associated with the increasing costs to fund mortgage pipelines.

The FOMC held its target range for the federal funds rate at 5.25% to 5.5%, while updated quarterly projections showed 12 of 19 officials favored another rate hike in 2023, underscoring a desire to ensure inflation continues to decelerate.

And bond market pricing has moved higher in anticipation of today's Federal Open Market Committee announcement even though most expect no increase in short-term rates.

The large companies are facing macroeconomic pressures because of high mortgage rates, Fitch said, but the American Land Title Association noted the industry's strong financial position.

Major real estate players are headed to trial next month over challenges to current commission practices, in which the seller covers fees for both themselves and the buyer.

On average since 1970, new home sales volumes decline 7% month-over-month in September and 13% quarter-over-quarter in the final months of the year, according to analysts. 

Housing costs grew to an average of $2,632 during the four weeks ending Sept. 10, according to a Redfin report.