Housing markets

"A slight upward turn reflects a modest improvement in housing affordability, primarily because mortgage rates descended to 6.5% in August," NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a prepared statement.

Affordability improved for a fourth straight month, but questions remain about whether recent trends will bring a significant number of buyers into the housing market.

The state, with the support of its Realtors, will be mandating that real estate salespeople have a contract with the home seekers they are representing.

While real estate agents have softened their opinions on the National Association of Realtors commission settlement, almost two-thirds remained opposed, a Clever RE survey found.

A letter from several U.S. senators asked Director Sandra Thompson to follow the lead of her counterparts at other government-housing departments with similar rules already in place.

Home-price gains in the U.S. slowed in July as still-high mortgage rates kept would-be buyers on the sidelines while inventory piled up.

Residential markets are set to gain momentum again with prices rising over the next few quarters as rising rents in cities support demand, according to Holzhey. 

Building on a prior initiative, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta is making available $5 million in grants to support efforts to assist owners of heirs' property.

There is a $446 difference between typical rent payments and typical mortgage payments in New Orleans.

While housing demand remains strained, national home price appreciation continued to make more room for buyers in August, according to First American.