News / Features

NY Congressman Suggests New Round of Housing Stimulus

Democratic congressman Gary Ackerman of New York is suggesting a new round of housing stimulus, this time focused on first-time home buyers and potential

Delinquency Rates Up, But Foreclosures Down

The delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties increased in the second quarter of 2011, but loans under foreclosure decreased, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s National Delinquency

Housing Scorecard Mixed, But Shows Improvement

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury have released the July edition of the Obama Administration’s Housing Scorecard, and, like most of the recent housing data, it shows a mixed

Should Homebuyers Choose 15- or 30-Year-Mortgages?

With rates at historic lows, potential home buyers now have a number of unexpected factors to consider when buying a house, namely the costs and benefits of 15-year and 30-year

NAR Data Shows Improving Numbers, but Tough Financing

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released its July housing data yesterday, and though the data showed a marked improvement from July of 2010, it also showed a housing market that continues to continues to grapple with tougher

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

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