Mortgages

The U.S. economy unexpectedly shrank last quarter for the first time since 2020 as the trade deficit ballooned, adding to political headaches for President Joe Biden but unlikely to sway the Federal Reserve from hiking interest rates aggressively to combat inflation.

It’s tempting to add yet another screen or an external piece of software, but that’s not always the quickest path to success, writes a director at InRule Technology.

 In a survey released by Bank of America Thursday, respondents cited expensive home prices (56%), higher interest rates (40%) and uncertainty about affording closing costs (30%) as reasons they might hesitate to buy. 

The move by Self Financial could add momentum to recent efforts in this areas by influential mortgage-market participants like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Some Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac packages are attracting offers in the mid-5 times range, MIAC Analytics said.

The firm's merger with a special purpose acquisition corporation is expected to be completed this quarter, according to financial filings.

The National Association of Home Builders asked the White House to take action to address the supply-chain disruptions that are pushing up the costs of materials and labor, in a letter sent Wednesday.

The National Association of Realtors’ index of pending home sales decreased 1.2% from a month earlier to 103.7, the lowest since May 2020, according to data released Wednesday.

Surging interest rates have pushed refinance applications down by over 70% in a year, while ARMs have doubled their share in three months.

The lender is the latest to announce cuts in response to declining production volume.

While housing costs continued to set records, several signs of moderation have begun to appear in the last several weeks, according to Redfin.

As the National Flood Insurance Program goes into effect this month, more than 80 percent of existing policyholders are set to see rates climb and those gains will be spread largely evenly among rich and poor areas, according to a new report.

Founder and largest shareholder Anthony Hsieh will now direct strategy as executive chairman.

But the consumer credit reporting agency’s adjusted results slightly exceeded consensus estimates from analysts.

The steep ascent in borrowing costs, combined with high home prices across markets, is sidelining more prospective buyers.

If each employee who received this deal accepts it, the company’s headcount will be reduced by about 2,080.

But the amount relative to housing costs actually decreased from the previous year.

Recent affordability and interest rate trends led to “clear evidence” of discouragement among potential consumers in the purchase market in the first three months of 2022, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

CA Risk Profiler Plus compares the properties selected to support the valuation with others in the same neighborhood using the company's databases.

One Cupertino broker noted a small shift in the market, with buyers being more particular and willing to back out of deals.