Mortgage rates

December home sales in the Houston area jumped 14% from the year before, capping a dramatic turnaround over the course of 2019.

Mortgage applications decreased 1.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis from two weeks earlier amid the annual end-of-year slowdown despite lower rates from global tensions, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Consumer perception of the housing market ticked up slightly in December, as potential buyers remain bullish about making a home purchase in 2020, a Fannie Mae report said.

Instability among foreign relations typically drags down long-term interest rates and the latest crisis with Iran could be a catalyst for a drop in 2020, according to NerdWallet.

Yields on the 10-year Treasury slipped in Jan. 3's morning hours as investors moved money into safer instruments following the U.S. attack that killed an Iranian general.

November's foreclosure starts hit their lowest level since Black Knight started tracking this data in 2000, while the foreclosure rate reached a 14-year low.

If the first weekly Freddie Mac report of the year is any indication, there could be far less volatility for fixed mortgage rates in 2020 than there was in 2019.

Home prices in 20 U.S. cities rose at the best pace in five months in October, posting a second straight acceleration as real estate markets showed fresh strength at the start of the fourth quarter.

The drop in home buying power heightened the risk of misrepresentations on purchase mortgage loan applications during November, as consumers are more willing to fudge information in an uncertain market, First American Financial said.

Contract signings to purchase previously owned homes increased in November for the third time in four months, consistent with steady progress in the residential real estate market.

November was another disappointing month for home sales in Champaign County, Ill., with figures down 6.9% from the same month last year.

Mortgage rates ended the week little changed from the previous seven-day period and near historic lows for the year, according to Freddie Mac.

Mortgage applications decreased 5.3% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier led by a decline in conventional refinance loan demand, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Freddie Mac reduced its origination forecast for 2020 to under $2 trillion, now projecting $184 billion less in refinance volume compared with its November outlook.

The Bay Area home market remained sluggish in November, as buyers searched for cheaper homes and sales slowed entering the holiday season.

Homebuyer purchase power took another big jump in October as wages grew and mortgage rates stayed low despite continuously tight housing inventory, according to First American Financial.

Palm Beach County's housing market continues to confound the lofty expectations created by robust job growth and rock-bottom interest rates.

Sales of new homes increased in November, capping the best three months for demand since 2007 and reflecting sustained momentum in a residential real estate market that’s helping to underpin the economy.

Pending new home sales increased both on a month-to-month and annual basis, benefitting from the current low mortgage rate environment, although they are still constrained by inventory issues, a Meyers Research report said.

Despite home prices continuing to rise faster than household income, affordability gains inched up due to the low mortgage rate landscape, according to Attom Data Solutions.