Housing

More than 1 million homebuyers qualified for a mortgage in the third quarter, the first time since the financial crisis that lenders reached such a threshold, according to research by the Urban Institute.

The House approved a bill 427-0 that would revamp the Federal Housing Administration’s condominium loan program and expedite the approval process for Rural Housing Service guaranteed loans.

Mortgage applications declined last week, despite having a favorable comparison to the previous week, which had only four business days, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Home prices rose in December in both yearly and monthly comparisons, according to CoreLogic.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency's Duty-to-Serve rule must include a substantive commitment from the government-sponsored enterprises to purchase chattel loans.

The national median-priced home requires 21% of median incomes for purchase, Black Knight Financial Services said.

Urban homes are now worth more than suburban homes, as Americans place a greater value on living in cities and in high-rise condos, according to Zillow.

Lenders are originating more mortgages for subprime borrowers, according to Equifax.

TFS Financial in Cleveland reported a higher fourth-quarter profit, citing a $1 million negative loan-loss provision.

Radian Group reported net income of $287 million, compared with $960 million for 2014, but that year's results were boosted by a tax allowance reversal.

Contracts to purchase previously owned homes rose less than forecast in December, indicating more tempered progress in residential real estate early this year.

The number of U.S. mortgages that were underwater continued to improve in the fourth quarter, although there are still millions of properties in the category, according to RealtyTrac.

The U.S. housing market continued to improve in November, as some local economies continued to bounce back from the recession, according to Freddie Mac.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is reducing the mortgage insurance premiums it charges on Federal Housing Administration multifamily loans to encourage the renovation of affordable housing units and promote energy-efficient upgrades.

Interest rates on fixed-rate mortgages dropped again this week as the Fed decided to hang tight on interest rates, according to Freddie Mac.

The homeownership rate in the U.S. rose for a second straight quarter as job growth and loosening credit put an end to almost two years of steady declines.

Umpqua Holdings in Portland, Ore., posted stronger quarterly earnings because of an increase in mortgage banking fees and lower costs.

Residential markets will continue to rise in value over the next 12 months, according to Veros Real Estate Solutions.

NVR Inc. in Reston, Va., reported more new orders and a higher mortgage capture rate in the fourth quarter from the previous year, the homebuilder reported Tuesday.

A drop in interest rates due to global economic worries fueled an increase in mortgage applications last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.