Housing markets

Fed Gov. Stephan Miran has spent his short tenure at the central bank arguing that disinflation in housing and immigration reforms will tamp down inflation in the near term. But other economists say the timing, degree and context of those effects is very much in question.

Besides adding 60 days to the partial claim deadline in some cases, the bill also has provisions for buyer agent payments for Veterans Affairs borrowers.

Rate-and-term refinances dropped 14% month over month in October, but were still up 143% from last year.

Mortgage credit availability increased 2.3% to 106.8 last month, marking the fourth consecutive month of growth.

The average price of a single-family home increased 1.7% from last year to $426,800 in the third quarter.

In markets across the US, homebuilders sitting on unsold inventory are subsidizing mortgage rates so heavily they sometimes match the record lows last seen during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The latest sale consists of close to 1,200 HECMs secured by vacant residential units found in 46 states, according to data provided by the government agency.

What makes the situation alarming is the government attack on the fair lending enforcement infrastructure, said Lisa Rice of the National Fair Housing Alliance.

The age at which people purchase their first home has climbed rapidly since 2021, when the median was 33, according to a National Association of Realtors survey of transactions from July 2024 through June.

Vic Lombardo, new head of mortgage services, has identified growth ideas and new revenue streams for Motto Mortgage and Wemlo, Remax CEO Erik Carlson said.

Uncover how high-speed internet access drives property valuations, creates lending opportunities, and transforms mortgage markets nationwide.

Until August, Bell was the executive director for loan guaranty service at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where he was credited with growing the program.

More than two-thirds of Americans believe homeownership is riskier now than 10 years ago due to climate change, a Clever Offers survey showed.

Of the 15 states most affected by natural disasters, California and Florida had the highest non-renewal rates in 2024, a Weiss Ratings study found.

An index of contract signings held at 74.8 after climbing a revised 4.2% a month earlier to the highest level since March, according to National Association of Realtors data released Wednesday.

Mortgage loan application volume jumped 7.1% on a seasonally-adjusted basis last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

A national measure of prices rose 1.5% from a year earlier, according to data from S&P Cotality Case-Shiller. It was the smallest gain since mid-2023 and followed a 1.6% increase in July. 

Companies reported positive numbers but see challenges in a sluggish housing environment, as federal pressure ramps up to address affordability.

The number of prospective buyers touring properties in the city last week fell 8.5% from a year earlier, according to data from Bright MLS, a regional multiple listing service. It's the eighth straight weekly decline.

Contract closings increased 1.5% to an annual rate of 4.06 million in September, the highest in seven months, according to National Association of Realtors figures released Thursday.