Economy

While Fitch and CoreLogic predict home prices will rise next year, Redfin is forecasting a 1% drop in the second and third quarters.

Spending on furniture and related items fell nearly 12% from the year-earlier period in October.

The 30-year average declined for the fifth consecutive week, as purchase demand picking up at the same time, according to Freddie Mac.

The Federal Reserve's vice chair for supervision said new definitions around community development activities and the ability for banks to invest outside their immediate assessment areas could be a boon to Native Americans and their communities.

Stress tests suggest systemically important depositories could weather current risks. Meanwhile, single-family arrears remain low, but that business could be impacted.

In Canada and the U.K., borrowers can take mortgages with them from home to home. Some say this feature could unlock the U.S. housing market, but others say it would be more trouble than it's worth.

Even if the 30-year fixed were to slip further to 6.4%, it is not enough to end the seller's strike, economists said.

While the government-sponsored enterprise cut its origination forecast for this year, the Mortgage Bankers Association's updated forecast was unchanged from its October prediction.

A complicating factor is that many consumers do not understand how their real estate agent – on either the buy- or sell-side – actually gets paid, Clever Real Estate found.

In her first remarks since the release of a sweeping report on the banks, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Sandra Thompson urges them to strengthen underwriting and communication with their members' regulators.