Appraisals

Strong housing demand continued to outpace supply in June, in large part because millennial buyers are on the rise, according to First American Financial Corp.

For the seventh year in a row, property taxes will rise again in Los Angeles County, thanks to a brisk real estate market and construction boom.

Houston area home values continued their upward track, while rental rates dropped in June, a new report showed.

When market prices rise faster than comparable home sales values it is imperative for lenders to ensure property valuations are accurate, support the sales price and completed in a timely fashion to keep deals from falling through. (Part four in a four-part series on the mortgage industry's response to the housing inventory shortage.)

Federal regulators issued a proposal Tuesday that would increase the threshold at which commercial real estate transactions require an appraisal, a move that could give some lenders sizable relief.

Two West Virginia law firms have won a federal case against Quicken Loans that stemmed from allegations the lender suggested home values to appraisers who are supposed to be objective.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's efforts to provide representation and warranty relief to lenders that perform automated data validations before loans close will improve mortgage credit risk assessment and lower costs for lenders and borrowers.

North Texas real estate agents sold a record number of houses in June.

Property owners estimate their homes are worth 1.7% more than appraisers do, according to Quicken Loans.

The number of borrowers underwater on their mortgages is below 2 million for the first time since 2006, as rising home prices are improving homeowner equity and creating new lending opportunities.