Economy

Increasing pessimism about housing is driving Fannie Mae's estimates for originations this year down a little further.

The Portland, Ore, company also benefited from lower expenses and an improved efficiency ratio.

Former Chair Janet Yellen defended the Fed, expressed worry for the economy and gave advice to women on the rise at the MBA Annual Convention this week.

MGIC Investment Corp.'s quarterly earnings were again driven by better-than-expected loss development, and those favorable results should be seen in the other private mortgage insurers' results as well, an industry analyst said.

Exploration and adoption of new technologies is essential for achieving strategic goals and satisfying the needs and expectations of mortgage borrowers.

The departing CEOs of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac oversaw significant cultural and operational shifts that made the housing finance system safer and more responsive to market needs, but a tough job lies ahead for their successors.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have launched an online clearinghouse with resources to assist lenders in serving borrowers with limited English proficiency.

With home mortgage rates climbing to a seven-year high, typical homes in the Albany, N.Y., region have become less and less affordable this year, according to a regional real estate agents group.

The Twin Cities housing market, after one of the most frenetic summers on record, is beginning to cool.

It's a critical time in Washington, with many key institutions in the mortgage and housing industries getting new leaders. At the Mortgage Bankers Association, there's a renewed focus on maintaining effective influence with decision makers on initiatives like housing finance reform, innovation and the evolving needs of home buyers.

From discussing the future of mortgage tech to debating the shifting sands of political policies, here's a preview of the big issues, topics and ideas when the industry gathers in the nation's capital for the Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention & Expo.

The share of homes for sale listed with a price cut hit its highest level since 2014, but the reductions themselves are shrinking, according to Trulia.

Retiring baby boomers will intensify the affordable housing shortage unless public officials find a way to add significantly more low-cost homes to the market.

More than 20% of the houses listed for sale in the Dallas area have had at least one price cut in order to try and move the property.

Manhattan landlords are offering tenants more deal sweeteners than a year ago as developers continue to add supply, and mortgage rates and taxes are drawing in would-be home buyers willing to stick it out a while longer in the rental market.

Real estate prices surged on Maui in September but sales for single-family homes and condominiums were lower than the same time a year ago due to shrinking inventory.

Prices paid for vacant land in Philadelphia have plummeted to their lowest levels in three years after peaking in 2017, an indication that the city's development boom led by townhouse, condo and apartment projects is losing steam.

Mortgage rates, after a brief respite last week, rose to their highest level in over seven years, according to Freddie Mac.

One report found that 95% of homebuyers searched websites before buying a home, and that number jumps to 99% among millennials. In short, almost everyone starts shopping online, and a vast majority are going to Zillow.

Home price index swaps, treated as a second lien on a property, will be used to reduce the default risk associated with low down payment mortgages, one of the program's creators said.