Economy

Sellers across Washington and California have a lot to smile about, as cities in these two states ranked among the strongest housing markets in January, according to Pro Teck Valuation Services.

W.J. Bradley's method for retention relies on cutting edge data and analytics; leverages the strength of their retail branch network; and borrows common-sense advice from the father of self-help.

Fannie Mae reported net income of $14.2 billion last year, a sharp decline from the record $84 billion in 2013 that was inflated by accounting for tax credits.

A new service allows mortgage servicers and investors to identify the risk of homeowners association "super liens."

Here's a preview of some of the most interesting and important presentations scheduled at this year's MBA Servicing Conference, as selected by the editors of National Mortgage News.

Fannie Mae's first risk-share transaction of the year is for $1.5 billion.

California's existing home sales remained in a squeeze in January, with limited inventory and rising prices cutting affordability, the California Association of Realtors reported.

A federal relief effort that set aside nearly $2 billion in housing aid for troubled Californians is being expanded to help older homeowners avert foreclosures on their reverse mortgages.

Bay Area home sales posted their slowest performance in seven years last month.

When it comes to the most important part of sales, how do the people who represent you show up and serve your clients?

Mortgage rates for 30-year loans rose to a seven-week high, increasing borrowing costs from close to historic lows.

Freddie Mac will return $900 million to the Treasury Department next month, bringing total payments to nearly $21 billion above what it received in federal aid after the 2008 credit crisis.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued more than $651 million in Indian Housing Block Grants in February.

Mortgage servicer PHH Corp. posted a net loss in the fourth quarter, as its mortgage production and servicing segments both struggled as the year ended.

Home sales in January were lower than a year earlier due to tight inventory and higher home prices, according to Re/Max.

Foreclosures and delinquencies may seem like problems from the past, but servicers are still struggling with a massive backlog of distressed loans and a return to normalcy is at least two years away, if not longer.

As a deep freeze grips parts of America in a typically slow season for housing, first-time buyers are flocking to Redfin Corp.'s property tours and classes, signaling their renewed interest in the market.

The housing boom rolling across central Philadelphia showed no signs of weakening last year, but a population exodus could be on the near horizon if little is done to fix the city's schools and tax structure.

Rent prices continue to surge like a red tide in the Tampa Bay area — something few welcome.

Donald Klepper-Smith, chief economist and director of research for New Haven, Conn.-based DataCore Partners, cautioned against reading too much into the decline in home sales when comparing 2014 to 2013.