Housing markets

Manhattan homes that sold in February sat on the market for the longest stretch since 2012, a sign that sellers aren't dropping prices enough to reach buyers, an analysis by StreetEasy shows.

Against a background of record low inventory, February sales of single-family homes in the Seacoast area bested last year's totals by 30%, according to the Seacoast Board of Realtors.

Weather usually puts a damper on home sales, but even the increase in severe weather didn't stop homebuyers from getting out there.

Fannie Mae estimates the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage to hold at 4.4% through 2019 and 2020 due to the overall slowdown in the economy, according to the March housing forecast.

Canada's housing agency will spend up to C$1.25 billion ($943 million) over three years to take equity positions in homes bought by first-time buyers, part of a plan by Justin Trudeau's government to make housing more affordable for the youngest voters.

The San Jose housing market has cooled more than any other in the country — and it's still the hottest in the nation, according to a recent Zillow survey.

From the desert of the Southwest to all across Florida, here's a look at the 12 housing markets deemed best for first-time home purchasers.

During February, sellers listed just 4,355 properties across the metro, 14% fewer than last February, according to the Minneapolis Area Realtors.

Manufactured and modular home lender Tammac Holdings is using $60 million in debt and equity financing from its new majority owner to fund construction loans.

Metro Orlando home sales slid 5.4% in February compared with the same month a year ago as the region's real estate market continues to cool.

Sonoma County's housing market started the year the way it finished 2018 — in decline as buyers remain content to sit tight as sellers reduce home prices.

Houses selling well at lower price points are likely to encourage the creation of more entry-level homes, according to a new report by the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo.

Sentiment among homebuilders held steady in March, sustaining a rebound from a recent three-year low on improvement in sales and a brighter outlook for the next six months.

A strong spring home purchase season could reverse the downward trends in single-family construction and remodeling activity and help deter an economic downturn, a report from BuildFax said.

Homes in Charlotte are selling fast. Prices are shooting up. Demand is growing.

The Colorado Association of Realtors is confirming an earlier report from the Denver Metro Association of Realtors that metro Denver home prices suffered an annual decline in February.

New-home mortgage applications are on the rise, incentivizing builders to add housing stock in a market drained of supply and signaling a healthy spring buying season ahead, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

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.

Commercial and multifamily mortgage debt outstanding grew 6.8% in 2018, benefiting from strong employment numbers and strained inventory, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.