Mortgages

The market is signaling that a Federal Reserve policy rate peak short of 5% will be enough to cause a recession, requiring rate cuts totaling half a point during the second half of the year.

A panel discussion with executives from Boston Consulting Group reinforced the view that regulators will allow the deal to proceed, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods said.

The action fulfills a promise made previously by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to add an overarching framework for maintaining equitable practices.

The Federal Reserve's focus on what's happening in the labor market makes an economic downturn likely, but many watching the markets expect a policy easing in the second half of the year and growth following that.

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes fell in December to the slowest pace in over a decade, capping one of the housing market's worst years on record amid a rapid jump in mortgage rates.

Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams said officials have not completed their aggressive tightening campaign to reduce stubborn price pressures.

After volumes peaked at their highest in over a decade in March, the reverse mortgage market ended the year with a bankruptcy and merger involving its largest companies.

To monitor the health of lenders still operating, industry watchers should observe firms' abilities to meet covenant requirements, renew warehouse lines of credits and their activity in the mortgage servicing rights market, said Brian Brown, chief financial officer at Rocket Companies.

The government agency is also allowing the use of certain alternative audit procedures to continue.

Updates will become effective on May 1 and a uniform mortgage-backed securities fee reduction will begin on April 1.

The Texas bank will let customers go through the entire process on their phones, at the same time that it emphasizes human service that is not impacted by commissions.

Generally positive news about the U.S. economy helped push rates lower, but worries about Congressional infighting over the debt ceiling could reverse the trend, Freddie Mac and Zillow said.

But lower mortgage rates and better traffic have made homebuilders a bit more optimistic, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

New U.S. home construction declined for a fourth-straight month in December, wrapping up a disappointing year for an industry that saw annual housing starts fall for the first time since 2009.

First tip: Don't rely too heavily on mobile to reach them.

Gen Zers and millennials want to "test drive" potential long-term living arrangements and neighborhoods, Javelin Strategy and Research found in a recent survey.

Far bigger transactions were rumored to be brewing in line with megabank Wells Fargo's recent announcement it'll be reducing its portfolio.

Fannie Mae has selected five organizations to share in a $5 million pilot program aimed at expanding and promoting affordable housing and Black homeownership.

Both government and conventional activity have picked up to start the year, as higher conforming amounts came into effect.

For those willing to experiment with the strategy, it could be a long-term differentiator.