Housing markets

Decreased homeowner equity corresponds to recent declining prices reported by leading housing researchers, but tappable amounts still sit near record highs.

While the Federal Open Market Committee has yet to meet this month, investor pricing of longer-term bonds helped mortgages by 11 basis points, Wallethub said.

While purchase volume is up 20% from last year, it was 5% lower than one week ago, although a 4% increase in refinance activity helped pick up the slack.

Kin, a direct-to-consumer insurance provider, has started a mortgage broker in Florida which also takes loan applications through a call center or online.

The NRMLA/Riskspan Reverse Mortgage Market Index set a new high of 502.42, with the dollar amount of home equity for those 62 or over reaching $14.4 trillion.

In dollar terms, the amounts consumers had to come up with increased by $500 on a consecutive quarter basis, in contrast to a $100 drop the year before.

LendingTree found that during 2024, May's median price for a 1,500 square foot home was $194.20 versus January's $178.60, a difference of $23,400.

Despite the decrease, average profit margins approached 50%, as the lock-in effect continues to stymie inventory growth and keep home values elevated.

Federal Reserve Governor Stephan Miran said the economic standoff with China could increase market volatility, further necessitating the central bank to move its policy stance to neutral.

Rate-and-term transactions leaped by 154% from August to September, while cash-outs and purchase loans also increased, according to Optimal Blue.

While technology has become an important channel for information among homebuyers, many still see real estate agents as smarter than any other resource.

A series of social media posts, from the US president over the weekend and then from the FHFA director and real estate scion Pulte on Wednesday, are helping put an S&P gauge of builders on track for a four-day losing streak.

More than 15% of homes that went under contract in August were canceled, as the market heavily favored buyers, a Redfin report found.

President Trump said big homebuilders are sitting on a record 2 million empty lots, and asked Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to help restore the American Dream.

Fidelity National Financial, with support from the American Land Title Association, is suing to halt enforcement of the anti-money laundering regulation.

The average starter home was sold for more than $206,000 in August, yet sales increased by nearly 4% from last year, according to a Redfin report.

Nearly 20% of homeowners had a mortgage rate of at least 6% in the second quarter of this year, signaling Americans are warming up to higher rates, Redfin said.

Pending sales of US existing homes rose in August to the highest level in five months, as falling mortgage rates gave a much-needed lift to the sluggish housing market.

Investment purchases surged to their highest share in five years in the second quarter, even though total volume decreased from 12 months earlier.

Washington, D.C. and Denver lead the country with the largest share of mortgaged households, and will likely soon see a shift in buyer demand, Realtor.com said.