The news was relatively good for Illinois’ foreclosure markets in April, with foreclosure activity down by double-digit amounts. RealtyTrac’s U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for April was relatively kind to Illinois, showing the state’s foreclosure markets to be improving. Overall foreclosure

Qualified mortgage standards are back in the news, with the FHFA announcing that it is on track to adopt the standards’ “ability to repay” provisions. The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) has announced that beginning Jan. 10, 2014, Fannie

We often hear about how beneficial home sales are for the greater economy, but NAR has finally done the research and slapped a value on the whole process. Housing, the narrative goes, is among the most versatile and dextrous

American consumers are growing more and more confident with the housing recovery, according to Fannie Mae’s latest National Housing Survey. More than half of American consumers expect home prices to rise within the next year, according to the latest

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, those long beleaguered GSEs, put up some of the strongest incomes in their history in 2013’s first quarter. After putting up their most impressive numbers in years in the final months of 2012, both

First-time homebuyers represent a hugely important swath of the homebuying public, and a new study has pinpointed some of their key characteristics. First-time homebuyers serve an integral role in the U.S. housing market. Along with comprising between 30 and

First-time homebuyers represent a hugely important swath of the homebuying public, and a new study has pinpointed some of their key characteristics. First-time homebuyers serve an integral role in the U.S. housing market. Along with comprising between 30 and

CoreLogic’s Home Price Index has been on a tear the last year, and its findings for March 2013 were its strongest findings yet. The March CoreLogic Home Price Index put up its best numbers yet in the housing recovery,

Competitive home prices and low interest rates created record affordability levels, but a new study finds housing costs are still quite high for many. Competitive housing prices and falling interest rates pushed housing affordability to record levels in 2012,

The FHFA has been resisting calls for a principal reduction program, but a new study by the CBO has lent considerable heft to the policy’s corner. It’s been an ongoing saga, one of Shakespearean proportions: will the FHFA ever

According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, home prices rose 0.7 percent in February compared to January, and a whopping 7.1 percent compared to February 2012, representing the largest gain in over six years and meeting economists’ expectations. Inventory

Online ratings systems are popular when it comes to users reviewing and rating just about any product or service, including real estate. But concerns as to whether online ratings programs yield dependable results helped launch a Realtor-specific ratings program. The

Construction spending in the U.S. seems to be a bit of a roller coaster as of late. After rising in February, spending dropped to $856.7 billion. This is 1.7 percent below the revised February estimate of $871.2 billion, according

The government’s Home Affordable Modification Program, or HAMP, received a stinging report from the inspector general of TARP that questioned its merits. The government’s Home Affordable Modification Program, or HAMP, was among its major responses to the housing downturn,

Fannie Mae is releasing a loan-level credit performance data on 18 million mortgages, which will help develop potential risk sharing transactions. Fannie Mae announced that it is making loan-level credit performance data available on over 18 million single-family mortgages

Mel Watt, the Democratic representative from North Carolina, is President Obama’s pick to head the FHFA, a role that would give him enormous sway over housing. News broke yesterday that Mel Watt, a long-time Democratic representative from the state