News / Features

Builder Confidence Increases in August to 59, Highest in Almost Eight Years

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported the Housing Market Index (HMI) increased 3 points in August to 59. Any number above 50 indicates that more builders view sales conditions as good than poor. The NAHB posted the

Are Mortgage Lending Standards Really THAT Bad?

We keep hearing that mortgage lending standards are unfairly tight, but does the data support that meme? One of the more prevailing memes in the housing recovery has been the relative tightness of lending standards on residential mortgages, and

What Do You Want To Read About Next Year?

What do you want Chicago Agent to report on next year? What big issues should we address? Tell us in our very short survey

Existing-Home Sales Up 6.5% in July, Inventory Stabilizes

Not only were existing-home sales up by monthly and yearly measures in July, but housing inventory continued to stabilize as well. July was a rock solid month for existing-home sales, according to the latest data from the National Association

Census Bureau: Housing Starts Up Nearly 21 Percent in July

Residential construction posted great numbers in July, with housing starts, building permits and housing completions all in positive territory. July was a sterling month for residential construction, with all measured tracked by the Census Bureau posting positive numbers for

4 Reasons that Home Price Growth Will Slow Down

The rapid rise in home prices has been one of 2013’s major economic stories, but there’s mounting evidence that those increases will slow down – and soon. If there’s been a poster child for the housing recovery, it’s been

Builder Confidence in August at Highest Point in Nearly 8 Years

Builder confidence continued its upward trend in August, rising to its highest mark since 2005. August has proven another sterling month for homebuilders, with the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, the leading measure of builder

Decrease in Mortgage Delinquencies Lead to Improving Housing Market

Percentage of mortgage delinquencies hits a five-year low The percentage of mortgage delinquencies is at a five-year low for the second quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) National Delinquency Survey. Mortgage delinquencies on one-to-four-unit residential properties decreased

Trulia Confronts ‘End of Suburbia’ Meme with New Study

One of the more common housing memes, as of late, has been the end of suburbia: that because of the housing boom, and all the rampant suburban speculation that drove it, prospective homebuyers are opting for smaller units in

Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae Post HUGE Q2 Incomes – Casts Doubts on Reform?

The second quarter was a spectacular one for Freddie and Freddie, but are such successes problematic for the government’s reform efforts? Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had mighty good second quarters – not only did the GSEs post respective

MBA: Delinquency Rate Now At Lowest Level Since 2008

The nation’s mortgage markets continued to improve in 2013’s second quarter, with the MBA’s report being one of its most positive. The mortgage markets improved in several notable ways in the second quarter, according to the latest National Delinquency

What are the Nation’s Busiest Housing Markets?

Is Chicago among the busiest housing markets in the U.S.? A new report from Redfin shows how the Windy City stacks up to the competition. What are the busiest housing markets in the U.S.? That question was at the

President Obama Endorses Overhauling Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac

President Obama devoted an entire speech yesterday to the housing market, specifically reforms he’d like to see made to our home financing system. President Obama called for reforms to both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a policy speech

CoreLogic: Home Prices Up 11.9 Percent in June

June was yet another banner month for home prices in CoreLogic’s Home Price Index, but could home price gains be slowing down? Home prices continued their sterling performance in June, rising 11.9 percent year-over-year in the latest Home Price

Single Women Whomp Single Men on the Homeownership Front

The latest numbers from the National Association of Realtors show that single women are owning on the homeownership front. Women may earn 77 cents of every dollar that men earn, but when it comes to homeownership, women are not

Residential Construction Up 23 Percent in June

Residential construction spending continued to lead the pack in June, posting strong year-over-year gains in the latest Census Bureau report. Overall construction spending may have down in June, but it was another great month for residential construction spending, which

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