Purchase

Toll Brothers Inc., the biggest U.S. luxury-home builder, reported fiscal second-quarter earnings that beat expectations, signaling that the market for costly homes is holding up.

Purchases of new homes in the U.S. surged in April to the highest level since the start of 2008, pointing to a robust spring selling season for builders.

Here's a look at the 10 markets with a population of more than 500,000 that had the largest growth in home sales activity on a per capita basis during the first quarter, based on data from RealtyTrac.

Home sales growth has been tepid nationwide thanks largely to a cooling down of the housing market in the West, according to an analysis from Summit Valuations.

The percentage of loan applications which become closed loans slipped from March's high last month, according to Ellie Mae.

Mortgage applications decreased 1.6% from one week earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Mortgage applications for new home purchases slipped 11% in April from the month before, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Despite loan originations falling year-over-year, dollar volume is up thanks to a surge in home equity lines of credit, according to RealtyTrac.

Consumer confidence in the housing market rebounded in April from an 18-month low the month prior, Fannie Mae reported Monday.

Being well educated has never been more important when it comes to owning a home.

Mortgage insurer Essent Group reported higher net income for the first quarter of 2016 as premium growth outpaced rising expenses.

New rules have made it more challenging to originate mortgages without drawing attention from regulators. Mercantile Bank in Michigan, however, believes that positive trends in its biggest markets are incentive enough to hire lenders and improve its systems.

Social Finance Inc., whose loan originations have been concentrated in the non-qualified mortgage space, will now offer conforming products after receiving Fannie Mae seller/servicer approval.

United Guaranty's pretax operating income of $163 million benefited from lower mortgage delinquency rates but a decline in refinance originations affected the amount of new insurance written.

A healthy housing market is expected to buoy purchase mortgage volumes this year, while rising rates will put a damper on refinancing, according to a report from rating agency DBRS.

Indianapolis is the best market for first-time homebuyers right now, according to research released Tuesday by Zillow.

An across-the-board increase in mortgage interest rates accompanied a decline in loan applications, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

More Americans than forecast signed contracts to purchase previously owned homes in March, an encouraging sign as the housing market was entering its busiest selling season of the year.

Federal Savings Bank in Chicago has acquired the assets of ICC Mortgage Services in Westbury, N.Y.

More homebuyers are using social media to find out information about mortgage products and services, TD Bank reported in its Mortgage Service Index.