Mortgages

While real estate agents have softened their opinions on the National Association of Realtors commission settlement, almost two-thirds remained opposed, a Clever RE survey found.

Awareness of disaster risk has increased in the public and private sectors, and it appears to be prompting more interest in home improvements in particular.

A letter from several U.S. senators asked Director Sandra Thompson to follow the lead of her counterparts at other government-housing departments with similar rules already in place.

Home-price gains in the U.S. slowed in July as still-high mortgage rates kept would-be buyers on the sidelines while inventory piled up.

After persisting for as long as two years in the U.S., the so-called inversion in yield curves — an unusual situation where rates on short-term debt exceed those of their longer-term counterparts — is unwinding in many parts of the world. 

Residential markets are set to gain momentum again with prices rising over the next few quarters as rising rents in cities support demand, according to Holzhey. 

The Dallas-based nonbank lender has toned down its mortgage servicing rights activity amid numerous legal battles over alleged violations, but stands to gain much with $1.4 billion Flagstar deal.

Originators are wary of fading rates heating up home prices and reducing inventory for prospective buyers.

While the lock-in effect on existing supply has helped drive consumer interest in new construction, first-time buyers have been taking a greater share of that inventory.

MV Realty has offered real-estate contracts that call for consumers to trade upfront cash for long-term home sale restrictions, potentially hampering mortgages.