Underwriting

Mortgage rates have been on a steady decline since the March 15 Federal Open Market Committee meeting, hitting a new low for 2017, according to Freddie Mac.

Mortgage applications increased 1.5% from one week earlier even though refinancing activity continues to shrink, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Springtime in the Charlotte region is motivating more area homeowners to put their properties on the market, according to the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association.

Residential property values will see appreciation of 3.5% over the next 12 months, but interest rate increases could put a damper on price growth in several markets.

Large banks will gain the advantage in offering online mortgages because of their greater financial resources, pricing capabilities and cross-selling ability, Fitch Ratings said.

Increased access to jumbo loan products brought mortgage credit availability to its highest level since the bust.

The average weekly rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped to 4.1% from 4.14% despite the release of information about further tapering of the Federal Reserve's mortgage bond holdings.

Mortgage applications decreased 1.6% from one week earlier as refinancing activity continues to shrink, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Late payments on securitized commercial mortgages rose again in March, led by industrial and retail property loans.

Millennial homeowners are more likely to be current and future users of home equity lines of credit than either Gen-Xers or baby boomers.

Rising rates will dampen what had been a growing cash-out refinance market even as equity available to homeowners continues to increase.

The combination of rising rates and real estate prices has made home buying less affordable, reviving interest in a product that lets consumers borrow against the future equity of their homes.

Risk management concerns were responsible for a five-percentage-point reduction in bank non-qualified mortgage lending last year.

Lenders can track the effectiveness of product pricing changes on a real-time basis using a new market share analytics tool from Optimal Blue.

Post-recession, educational achievement became a factor in determining whether a young adult decided to buy a home.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.14% for the week ending March 30, down from last week when it averaged 4.23%.

February's consumer demand for housing was the strongest ever for that month, but a lack of supply will likely leave many disappointed.

Refinance applications reached their lowest share in more than seven years even as mortgage rates fell last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Fintech could cut the closing times on the simplest home loans by more than 50%, but the mortgage business' complexity means there are limits to how much time and money can be saved.

Home sales climbed 6% in the Capital Region in February after a lackluster January.