News / Features

Mortgage Rates Now at 50-Year Low

Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey today, which shows both fixed and adjustable mortgage rates are reaching all-time record lows, providing even further incentive for homeowners looking to

U.S. Investigating S&P Bond Rating Practices

According to a New York Times report published earlier today, the U.S. Justice Department is investigating Standard & Poor’s (S&P), the nation’s largest credit ratings agency, for its questionable ratings of risky mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the

NAR Raises Milestone Sum, Avoids Potential CIVIX Lawsuits

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has raised $7.5 million for an multiple listing services (MLS) licensing agreement that will allow MLSs and Realtor associations full access to valuable property listings without legal

Hand in Hand? Housing's Impact on the Economy

With new data on housing starts out recently and July sales data on the horizon, economists and journalists are debating what role housing plays in the U.S. economic

NAR Study Latest in Affordable Housing Reports

The National Association of Realtors announced in a recent report that its Housing Affordability Index, the 41-year-old index that measures household purchasing power, was at its third highest level ever after the first quarter of

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

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