Housing markets

Consumer house-buying power, measuring how much one can purchase based on changes in income and interest rates, fell 2.1% year-over-year, but increased by 1.3% from the month prior, according to First American Financial Corp.

Homes sales for October remained strong in the Greater Cincinnati area, but couldn't quite reach levels attained at the same time last year.

Home prices in 20 U.S. cities rose in September by the most in more than three years, indicating resilient demand at a time of persistently scarce inventory, according to S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller data.

Purchases of new homes unexpectedly advanced in broad fashion last month, reaching the strongest pace in a decade and offering an encouraging signal for residential construction.

Mortgage closing costs average nearly $4,900 nationwide. But in some states, those fees can reach or exceed five figures. Here's a look at the areas where it costs the most to close a mortgage.

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose to a four-month high, indicating demand was firming at the start of the quarter as the impact from the late summer hurricanes faded, according to a National Association of Realtors report.

The housing market has been underperforming its potential since May, and October's performance gap was the largest it's been since November of last year, according to First American Financial Corp.

October home sales bested last year's levels, and sale prices continued to rise across Northeast Ohio as buyers sparred over a relatively meager pool of properties.

The median price of an existing, detached single-family home rose significantly in Southern California in October compared with the same month a year ago.

Toronto-area land prices have gotten so high that developers are struggling to build new homes that people can afford.

Long Island real estate prices climbed last month, as buyers got into bidding wars over a dwindling supply of homes.

Over half of mortgage industry executives anticipate first-time home buyer growth in 2018, estimating that market will grow at a faster pace than the overall housing market, according to Genworth Financial.

Housing inventory nationwide has declined for more than two years. But in a small number of markets, the number of homes for sale is growing.

Four Texas markets have had the most home price appreciation in the country during the last decade.

Bay Area homebuyers beware. Among the nation's 100 largest housing markets, San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland — in that order — are the least likely places to find a price cut on a home for sale.

There were 1.4 million fewer properties seriously underwater in the third quarter, marking the largest year-over-year drop since the second quarter of 2015, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Recent research into customer preferences regarding home equity lending reveals that banks need to better engage with their customers to understand their needs and expectations, and then guide them to optimized HELOC product offerings that precisely meet their needs.

Many have speculated that low refinance rates have been preventing homeowners from selling, but this factor is less consequential than expected, according to ValueInsured.

Orlando-area home sales that stalled immediately following Hurricane Irma appeared to have finally closed in October.

Home Depot saw sales surge in the wake of this year's barrage of hurricanes, but the storms still took a toll on the retailer's bottom line.