National News

Freddie Mac: Fixed-rate Mortgages Dominated Refinancing

Freddie Mac released its Quarterly Product Transition Report today, and the report contained several findings on home refinancing, most notable that in the second quarter of 2011, fixed-rate loans accounted for about 95 percent of refinance

Housing Starts Down in July, But Improving, Says Reports

The Department of Commerce released data today on housing starts, showing a housing market  that, despite some low numbers, is showing signs of

New York Fed: Consumer Credit Improving

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York today released its latest report on consumer credit, stating that credit continues to improve in the wake of the 2008 economic

NAHB Attempts Positive Spin with New Index

In an effort to combat the frequently negative reports on the U.S. housing market, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is crafting a new index that emphasizes growing and positive aspects of the

Morgan Stanley's Thoughts on How to Fix the Housing Industry

America’s real estate market could be on an “unsustainable path,” faced with an oversupply of homes inaccessible to either renters or buyers. That’s what three Morgan Stanley analysts argue in a recent paper that outlines steps that can be

Standard and Poor Downgrades Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's Credit Score

Standard and Poor’s Rating Services (S&P) recently downgraded Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s credit rating from AAA to AA+ because it’s linked to the long-term debt of the U.S. S&P previously downgraded the U.S.’s credit rating to AA+ as

REO Values Rise, Freddie Mac Expenses Cut

Freddie Mac reported $27 million in expenses for maintaining and reselling REOs in the second quarter, as opposed to the $257 million reported for the previous

Despite Downgrade, FHFA Assures Consistency

Despite the nation’s credit downgrade, the Federal Housing Finance Agency assured investors that securities issued by the Treasury and other government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) are still

Federal Housing Finance Agency Requests Bailout

After losing $8.7 billion in the first quarter, Fannie Mae has reported a loss of $5.2 billion in the second quarter. Fannie Mae still owes the Treasury $104.8 billion, but now the Federal Housing Finance Agency is requesting another

CIVIX Sues Trulia Over Patent

Earlier this year, CIVIX-DDI, LLC sued Realtor.com and subsequently the Multiple Listing Services by way of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The suit with Realtor.com named CIVIX’s patent on ““systems and methods for remotely accessing a selected group

FHA Sells Record Number of REO But Lowers Ceiling on Loan Limits

Earlier this year, Federal Housing Association (FHA) seemed to be in a steep hole when it came to the REO inventory. However, a recent report shows that FHA has sold a record number of REO in June, breaking the

Mortgage Application Volume Up 7.1 Percent

The Market Composite Index shows that the measure of mortgage loan application volume has increased 7.1 percent this week, while similar numbers have moved up and down. According to Mortgage Bankers Association’s weekly applications survey for the week ending

Green-Certified Homes Are Sold For More Green

Although our recent Green issue seemed to show green-certified homes aren’t a big priority for homebuyers, a new study shows that green-certified homes are worth more than homes which aren’t certified. One analysis from the Earth Advantage Institute found

Deal Reached Regarding Debt Ceiling; NAR, NAHB Comment

After weeks of debate over the debt ceiling, Sunday night the compromise deal was agreed upon and the emergency legislation passed in the Senate this morning, 74 to

Higher Mortgage Payments May Harm Recovery

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act have paved the way for an increase in the required down payment for mortgages, however, many analysts and industry professionals are criticizing this

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