Purchase

Portland-area home sales picked up in February from a winter slump, but remained cooler than the same time a year ago.

Fewer homes sold last month on Maui but they sold for generally higher prices, according to the Realtors Association of Maui.

Home sale prices posted their smallest annual gain since March 2012 and mortgage rates have declined, leaving bidders less inclined to race for a deal, but at the same time, a cooler housing market suggests more consumers may be willing to explore homeownership.

After a cool January, home sales in Northeast Ohio warmed up a bit in February.

Sales of new homes in January fell to the weakest pace since October, driven by a decline in the Midwest as still-elevated prices keep buyers on the sidelines.

The Federal Housing Administration is moving forward with a long-delayed plan to reduce the term of the home warranty required for high loan-to-value mortgages on new houses.

Mortgage rates declined across the board this week, which should make home buying more attractive although there are continuing concerns about inventory, according to Freddie Mac.

Millennials make up the largest cohort of homebuyers, but a quarter of them don't even know their credit score, which could be a call for mortgage lenders to help them prepare to enter the housing market.

While home prices continued the gradual annual growth in February, its plateaued monthly progression could open a big spring for mortgage lending, according to Quicken Loans.

Mortgage lenders are optimistic about their business prospects during this spring's home purchase season even with the negative sentiments about demand in the previous three months, Fannie Mae said.

Purchase application volume increased, both week-to-week and year-over-year, as high-end buyers as well as those that need government loans entered the market, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Real estate agents across Colorado are hoping the chill in the state's housing market comes from the wintry weather and not the start of a longer market slowdown.

A city program that helps first-time homebuyers purchase affordable homes has received an additional $3.2 million in grant funding.

February was a disappointing month for the Dallas-area housing market.

From New York to Seattle, here's a look at cities with the best homebuyer purchasing power for the upcoming competitive spring market, based on changes in house values compared to local wages and mortgage rates.

As housing starts gradually rise, the proportion of homes getting built outside of metropolitan areas is declining due to fewer jobs there to support them.

Colorado Springs-area home prices continued to climb last month, even as Denver's slipped for the first time in several years.

While homes sales in January might have been down across the region, activity in St. Johns County was still strong.

Consumers have much more confidence in the job market than they do on housing, and home prices could be the culprit, according to Fannie Mae.

Sales of new and existing single-family homes in the Albany, N.Y., area fell 10% in January from year-earlier levels, the Greater Capital Association of Realtors reported.