Housing News Archive

Thu, 6:55 PM

Builders Are Finishing More and More Homes, But Permits Have Been Flat - Thu, 6:55 PM

The latest data on new residential construction from the U.S. Census Bureau paints a somewhat mixed picture of the housing market. While housing completions surged in April, Housing starts only i...

Wed, 5:54 PM

Persistently High Rates Quash Builder Confidence - Wed, 5:54 PM

Builders’ confidence in the new home market retreated this month , the first decline since last November. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports that the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housin...

Wed, 12:21 PM

Refi Index Takes Advantage of Rate Drop - Wed, 12:21 PM

Lower interest rates gave a lift to refinancing activity for the second week but failed to do the same for those financing home purchases. The Mortgage Bankers Association said its Market Compo...

Wed, May 8, 12:16 PM

Economic Data Cools Rates, Boosts Application Volume - Wed, May 8, 12:16 PM

Lower interest rates allowed mortgage activity to rise modestly during the week ended May 3. It was the first increase in three weeks. The Mortgage Bankers Association said its Market Composite...

Wed, May 1, 1:00 PM

ARM Loan Share Rises as Borrowers Seek Affordability - Wed, May 1, 1:00 PM

Rising interest rates continue to constrain mortgage borrowing. The Mortgage Bankers Association says its Market Composite Index, a measure of loan application volume, decreased 2.3 percent on ...

Tue, April 30, 4:24 PM

Home Prices Apparently Don't Care About High Rates - Tue, April 30, 4:24 PM

Home price increases continued to accelerate in February even as interest rates also moved higher. Both the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices and the Housing Market Index (HMI) produced by...

Wed, April 24, 12:36 PM

Mortgage App Volume Declines Across the Board - Wed, April 24, 12:36 PM

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, fell back for the first time in three weeks during the week ended Aril 19 as...

Tue, April 23, 4:47 PM

Spring New Home Sales Prove Resilient to Higher Rates - Tue, April 23, 4:47 PM

Existing home sales posted strong gains in February while sales of new homes slipped slightly. In March each category switched directions. The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and...

Wed, April 17, 12:35 PM

Mortgage App Volume Ticks Higher Despite Higher Rates - Wed, April 17, 12:35 PM

Mortgage interest rates rose for the second straight week, and so did the volume of mortgage applications. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its Market Composite Index, a measure of t...

Tue, April 16, 3:41 PM

Residential Construction Fall and Builder Confidence Flattens in Uncertain Rate Environment - Tue, April 16, 3:41 PM

While builder confidence in the market for new residential construction improved in March, it remained flat in April and residential construction numbers showed a decline in momentum as well. R...

Wed, April 10, 12:39 PM

Borrowers Pick Up Pace of Refinancing - Wed, April 10, 12:39 PM

The interest rate for conforming 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRM) again topped 7 percent last week, but mortgage application activity still squeezed out a tiny gain. The Mortgage Bankers ...

Wed, April 3, 12:16 PM

Persistent High Rates Have Application Volume Stuck in Neutral - Wed, April 3, 12:16 PM

Mortgage application activity drifted lower again last week , the third straight week of mostly fractional declines. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s Market Composite Index, a measure of applic...

Wed, March 27, 12:42 PM

Little Change in Mortgage Application Volume, Despite Lower Rates - Wed, March 27, 12:42 PM

The Mortgage Bankers Association said its Market Composite Index moved lower last week, apparently indifferent to a slight improvement in mortgage interest rates . The Index, which measures loan...

Tue, March 26, 5:53 PM

New Home Sales Decline Slightly, Prices Too - Tue, March 26, 5:53 PM

Sales of newly constructed homes were virtually unchanged in February. The 662,000 seasonally adjusted annual units recorded in during the month was down by 2,000 units or 0.3 percent from the ra...

Fri, March 22, 5:44 PM

Existing Home Sales Shoot Higher; Inventory also Improves - Fri, March 22, 5:44 PM

Rather than easing back from the January level as expected, existing home sales shot significantly higher in February, The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) said pre-owned single-family hou...

Wed, March 20, 12:14 PM

Mortgage App Volume Retreats Slightly as Rates Rise - Wed, March 20, 12:14 PM

After rising a cumulative 17 percentage points over the prior two weeks, mortgage application volume slowed slightly last week. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its Market Composite In...

Tue, March 19, 4:51 PM

Builder Confidence and Construction Activity Both Go Up - Tue, March 19, 4:51 PM

Builder confidence rose for the fourth straight month and residential construction stats may now be trying to catch up. Both construction permits and housing starts rose in February compared to b...

Wed, March 13, 12:54 PM

Rate Drop Prompts Jump in Refi Application Volume - Wed, March 13, 12:54 PM

A surge in refinance applications drove mortgage application volume higher for the second straight time last week. The Mortgage Bankers Association said its Market Composite Index, a measure of t...

Wed, March 6, 1:59 PM

Housing Data Showing Positive Signs, Mortgage Apps Up 9.7% - Wed, March 6, 1:59 PM

Whether prompted by a tiny improvement in mortgage rates or the first stirrings of a spring market, mortgage activity reversed course last week. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reports t...

Fri, March 1, 8:51 PM

Pending Home Sales Still Bouncing Along The Bottom - Fri, March 1, 8:51 PM

Sometimes you'll see coverage of economic data that conforms to certain template with a predictable details and word counts. Rarely, the word count will reflect the pace of change in t...

Wed, February 28, 1:37 PM

Rates Continue to Stall Application Volume - Wed, February 28, 1:37 PM

The week ending February 23 produced the third consecutive period of declining mortgage activity. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loa...

Tue, February 27, 4:55 PM

Paradox: Home Prices Face Both Head Winds and Rising Tides - Tue, February 27, 4:55 PM

Despite the upward path of interest rates , both the CoreLogic Case-Shiller indices and the Housing Price Index (HPI) published by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) showed continued appr...

Mon, February 26, 8:24 PM

New Home Sales Still in Line With 2017-2019 Range - Mon, February 26, 8:24 PM

With the market for existing homes struggling amid a lack of inventory, New Home Sales continue doing the heavy lifting for the housing market. Rather, New Home Sales are doing more to show...

Thu, February 22, 6:23 PM

Green Shoots For Existing Homes Ahead of Spring Market - Thu, February 22, 6:23 PM

Prospects for the spring market look a bit brighter as January numbers show an increase in both the pace of existing home sales and the size of the unsold inventory. The National Association of R...

Wed, February 21, 1:43 PM

Mortgage Applications Decline, Rates Back Over 7% - Wed, February 21, 1:43 PM

Higher interest rates continued to depress mortgage applications last week. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its Market Composite Index, a measure of application volume, decreased 10...

Fri, February 16, 4:10 PM

Construction Numbers Don’t Mirror Growing Builder Optimism - Fri, February 16, 4:10 PM

Even though the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported the third consecutive increase in its measure of home builder confidence, actual residential construction activity fell. The ...

Wed, February 14, 2:02 PM

Mortgage Applications Stall on Higher Rates - Wed, February 14, 2:02 PM

Higher mortgage rates hindered application activity during the week ended February 9. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan applica...

Wed, February 7, 1:44 PM

Mortgage Apps Rise 8%, Purchase Volume Remains Soft - Wed, February 7, 1:44 PM

Mortgage application volume rose modestly during the week as mortgage rates marked time. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loa...

Fri, January 26, 5:54 PM

Contract Activity Suggests Uptick in Spring Home Sales - Fri, January 26, 5:54 PM

Pending home sales surged last month, far exceeding analysts’ expectations. The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) said its Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) rose 8.3 percent compared to Novem...

Thu, January 25, 7:43 PM

New Home Sales, Inventory, Pricing. All Good News for Builders and Buyers - Thu, January 25, 7:43 PM

New home sales finished 2023 on a positive note , posting seasonally adjusted numbers higher than in both November and the prior December. The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and...

Wed, January 24, 1:31 PM

Weekly Mortgage Application Volume Increased, Along With Rates - Wed, January 24, 1:31 PM

Mortgage application activity has increased in each of the three weeks of the New Year, even though two of those weeks were impacted by federal holidays. There was a strong purchase loan componen...

Thu, January 18, 5:39 PM

Permits, Builder Sentiment Boost Housing Hopes for Spring - Thu, January 18, 5:39 PM

December’s housing starts failed to sustain their November growth but permit activity as well as positive news out of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) suggested construction coul...

Wed, January 17, 1:32 PM

Mortgage App Volume Posts Another Gain on Rate Drop - Wed, January 17, 1:32 PM

Mortgage application activity continued its strong post-holiday performance during the week ended January 12. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its Market Composite Index, a measure o...

Wed, January 10, 1:36 PM

Mortgage Apps, Week 1: Promising Start or Catch-Up Time? - Wed, January 10, 1:36 PM

Mortgage activity rose significantly during the week ended January 5, but it faced a pretty low bar. Loan application numbers were adjusted to account for the New Year’s holiday on the first day ...

Mon, January 8, 6:33 PM

Interest Rate Hopes Send Fannie Mae Index Higher - Mon, January 8, 6:33 PM

Even as consumer sentiment about housing remained generally pessimistic, a change in perceptions about the future of mortgage interest rates did a lot to brighten the mood of consumers respondi...

Wed, January 3, 2:01 PM

Rates, Construction Stats Showing Hopeful Signs for New Year - Wed, January 3, 2:01 PM

Mortgage activity took the usual hit over the last two weeks as the country celebrated a variety of religious and secular holidays. The Mortgage Brokers Association (MBA) was closed during Christ...

Thu, December 28, 8:15 PM

Pending Home Sales Stayed Sideways Near Record Lows - Thu, December 28, 8:15 PM

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) releases two widely followed home sales reports. Existing Home Sales measure transactions of homes other than new construction (i.e. previously ow...

Wed, December 20, 12:00 PM

Lower Rates or Not, Last Week's Applications were “Tepid” - Wed, December 20, 12:00 PM

The Thanksgiving holiday was followed by two strong weeks for mortgage applications, especially for refinancing, as mortgage rates fell. This past week, however, the lowest rates in six months ...

Tue, December 19, 5:46 PM

Housing Starts Hit 2023 High - Tue, December 19, 5:46 PM

Housing starts, which had risen modestly in September and October, soared last month, topping 1.5 million units for the first time in 2023 . The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing ...

Wed, December 13, 2:18 PM

Refinancing Activity Responds to Rate Drop - Wed, December 13, 2:18 PM

Borrowers took advantage of lower mortgage rates again last week, seizing the opportunity, especially for refinancing. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its seasonally adjusted Market...

Wed, December 6, 12:07 PM

Refinancing Perks Up as Rates Drop - Wed, December 6, 12:07 PM

Double-digit declines in many mortgage rates helped revive interest in refinancing last week and a subsequent increase in the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA’s) Market Composite Index. The ...

Thu, November 30, 5:26 PM

Pending Sales Slide to 20-year Low - Thu, November 30, 5:26 PM

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) said its Pending Home Sale Index (PHSI) established a record low in October. The Index, a forward-looking indicator of contracts signed to purchase sin...

Wed, November 29, 2:48 PM

Purchase Applications Increase as Rates Hit 10-Week Low - Wed, November 29, 2:48 PM

Despite the three-day week observed by most businesses last week, purchase mortgage applications more than held their own. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said its seasonally adjusted Pur...

Tue, November 28, 5:45 PM

$766,550 is The New Conforming Loan Limit For 2024 - Tue, November 28, 5:45 PM

If you're just here for the conforming loan limit news, $766,550 is the number for 2024. Does this mean no one can get a mortgage for more than $766,550? No. The confo...

Tue, November 28, 5:02 PM

Home Prices Still Rising More Than Expected. Loan Limits to Follow - Tue, November 28, 5:02 PM

Today brings the release of the two main home price indices (HPIs) for the month of September (yeah, there's a bit of a lag). The S&P Case Shiller HPI rose to prominence in the ...

Mon, November 27, 7:48 PM

New Home Sales Below Trend But Still Outperforming Existing Homes - Mon, November 27, 7:48 PM

The Census Bureau released the monthly New Home Sales report today, showing a decrease from 719k in September (revised down from 759k initially reported) to 679k in October. While this numb...

Wed, November 22, 1:47 PM

Lower Rates Beckon Some Borrowers Back - Wed, November 22, 1:47 PM

An improved (albeit slightly) mortgage interest rate environment helped push the volume of mortgage applications higher during the week ending November 17. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) ...

Tue, November 21, 5:46 PM

Existing Home Sales Fade Further - Tue, November 21, 5:46 PM

Existing home sales achieved their lowest annual level in ten years in September, and now appear to have doubled down. The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) said sales of pre-owned single-f...

Fri, November 17, 6:27 PM

October Housing Stats Show Slight Gains - Fri, November 17, 6:27 PM

Both of the key metrics for residential construction, housing permits, and housing starts, beat analysts’ expectations in October. The U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Devel...

Thu, November 16, 7:24 PM

Builder Confidence Lowest in Nearly a Year, But Lower Rates Could Change Things - Thu, November 16, 7:24 PM

The National Association of Homebuilders and Wells Fargo releases the results of a survey of NAHB members each month regarding the health of the homebuilding sector. While officially referr...

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