Purchase

Foreign purchases of U.S. residential real estate fell 36% to the lowest annual rate since 2013, as slowing overseas economies, the strong dollar and the White House's anti-immigrant rhetoric put a chill on demand.

After a jump in May home sales, North Texas housing activity retreated in June.

Home sales in metro Baton Rouge, La., were practically unchanged for the first half of 2019, with three more houses being sold than during the same period in 2018.

Higher interest rates led to a 1.1% seasonally adjusted decline in mortgage applications compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Millennials flooded the mortgage market to refinance on lower rates, but the industry couldn't manage activity as quickly, according to Ellie Mae.

Homebuilders' optimism increased as low mortgage rates fueled demand. However, affordability constraints and the continuing scarcity of construction workers and land parcels remain concerns.

Fannie Mae increased its mortgage origination forecast as lower interest rates, driven by economic uncertainty, will lead to more refinance activity, but other factors will continue to hold back home purchases.

The surge in home prices has continued across most of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, this year, with the median sales price through the first half of 2019 up 5.4% countywide and gains being posted in about four out of every five cities.

Home prices just set another record in Ada County, Idaho, with the median sale price rising to $354,405 in June. That's $11,415 higher than May's figure, also a record, and 10% higher than in June 2018.

High demand and low inventory in Spokane County, Wash., continued to push median home prices up in June.

The Buffalo Niagara housing market is tighter than ever, but there are signs that the upward pressure on home prices is starting to lose some steam.

After two strong months, applications to purchase newly constructed homes retrenched a bit as broader policy issues weighed on consumers, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The Lake Tahoe real estate market slowed down in the first six months after a stormy winter in comparison to the same time last year, according to a Lake Tahoe real estate firm.

Hawaii island and Kauai housing markets in June exhibited mostly negative yet moderate changes in sales and prices, according to industry data.

While mortgage rates remained unchanged this past week, further drops are possible as signs from the Federal Reserve point to a short-term rate cut at its next meeting.

Those looking to purchase a home for the first time would be wise to consider Grand Rapids, Mich.

Local home prices are trending up as the median price for a home sold in Southern Nevada in June was $304,000, up just slightly from May, according to the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors.

Appraiser and homeowner estimates of house prices are aligning closer after the second straight month of a tightened gap in perceptions of value, according to Quicken Loans.

Almost two-thirds of consumers think they must be debt-free to get home financing when in fact they can have debt-to-income levels as high as 43% or greater, according to Wells Fargo.

With nearly half of homeowners renovating in the next two years, HELOCs stand as the most likely form of lending sought out by consumers, according to TD Bank.