Housing News Archive

Thu, April 30, 6:11 PM

March Housing Starts Surge 10.8% as Permits Slide - Thu, April 30, 6:11 PM

Residential construction activity moved in opposite directions in March, as housing starts posted a strong rebound while building permits fell sharply from the previous month’s elevated pace. The...

Thu, April 30, 5:46 PM

Purchase Applications Rise Again Despite Higher Rates and Fewer Refis - Thu, April 30, 5:46 PM

Mortgage applications eased modestly last week, giving back a small portion of the prior week’s sharp gains as rates moved slightly higher. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 1.6%...

Thu, April 30, 5:15 PM

Home Prices Edge Higher, But Momentum Continues to Fade - Thu, April 30, 5:15 PM

Home price appreciation remained subdued in early 2026, according to the latest data from both FHFA and S&P Cotality Case-Shiller. The two reports show prices still edging higher nationally, ...

Fri, April 24, 5:04 PM

Same Old Story For Pending Home Sales - Fri, April 24, 5:04 PM

Short version: The Pending Home Sales Index remains in the same low, narrow, sideways range that's been intact for 3 years. The good news is that there's been a reliable floor. The bad news is...

Fri, April 24, 4:49 PM

Strong Purchase Demand Drives Solid Week For Mortgage Applications - Fri, April 24, 4:49 PM

Mortgage applications surged last week, posting a strong rebound as declining rates and improving market sentiment drove broad-based gains. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 7.9%...

Fri, April 17, 6:17 PM

Builder Sentiment Drops to Seven-Month Low in April - Fri, April 17, 6:17 PM

Builder confidence fell sharply in April as rising costs and economic uncertainty weighed on sentiment heading into the spring buying season. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Well...

Fri, April 17, 6:13 PM

Mortgage Application Demand Finally Bounces - Fri, April 17, 6:13 PM

Mortgage applications ticked higher last week, reversing recent declines as easing rates provided a modest boost to activity. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 1.8% increase on ...

Fri, April 17, 5:49 PM

Existing Home Sales Remain Flat in The Bigger Picture - Fri, April 17, 5:49 PM

Existing-home sales pulled back in March, reversing February’s modest gains as affordability pressures and rising mortgage rates continued to weigh on buyer activity. Sales fell 3.6% to a sea...

Fri, April 10, 5:30 PM

Mortgage Demand Contracted at a Slower Pace Last Week - Fri, April 10, 5:30 PM

Mortgage applications dipped again last week, though the pace of decline slowed considerably. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 0.8% decrease on a seasonally adjusted basis for ...

Wed, April 1, 6:58 PM

Another Big Drop in Refi Demand, But Still Higher Year Over Year - Wed, April 1, 6:58 PM

Mortgage applications fell for the third consecutive week amid an increasingly volatile rate environment. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a decrease of 10.4% on a seasona...

Fri, March 27, 5:44 PM

No Surprise: Refi Demand Sapped by Rate Spike - Fri, March 27, 5:44 PM

Mortgage application activity declined for the second consecutive week as rising interest rates continued to weigh on demand. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a decrease of 10.5...

Fri, March 20, 6:15 PM

New Home Sales Plunge to 3-Year Lows - Fri, March 20, 6:15 PM

New home sales took a notable step back in January, reversing much of the prior month’s strength and highlighting the volatility that often defines this data series. The Census Bureau reported a ...

Fri, March 20, 6:08 PM

Reality Check For Refi Demand - Fri, March 20, 6:08 PM

NOTE: the rates discussed in this article are from MBA's weekly survey and pertain to last week. This week's rates have already moved significantly higher according to our daily data. Mor...

Fri, March 20, 6:05 PM

Builder Confidence Inches Higher Amid Affordability Concerns - Fri, March 20, 6:05 PM

Builder confidence ticked slightly higher in March according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), though sentiment remains subdued as afford...

Fri, March 13, 5:16 PM

Purchase Applications Buoy Mortgage Demand Amid Rising Rates - Fri, March 13, 5:16 PM

Mortgage application activity continued to move higher last week, though the pace slowed considerably as financial markets turned volatile and mortgage rates moved back up from their recent low...

Fri, March 13, 5:13 PM

Modest Recovery Keeps Existing Home Sales in The Same Old Range - Fri, March 13, 5:13 PM

Existing-home sales rebounded modestly in February, recovering some ground after January’s sharp pullback, while improving affordability and slowly expanding inventory helped support buyer activi...

Fri, March 6, 8:00 PM

Highest Refi Demand in 4 Years After Last Week's Rate Rally - Fri, March 6, 8:00 PM

Mortgage application activity surged last week in response to headlines of mortgage rates stably holding multi-year lows. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported an increase of 11.0% ...

Fri, February 27, 6:27 PM

Mortgage Demand Calm Before The Storm? - Fri, February 27, 6:27 PM

Mortgage application activity edged ever-so-slightly higher last week, with the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reporting an increase of 0.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week endi...

Fri, February 27, 6:10 PM

Home Prices Still Rising, But Pace Remains Subdued - Fri, February 27, 6:10 PM

Home price appreciation pulled back slightly at the end of last year, according to December data from both FHFA and S&P/Cotality Case-Shiller. The reports reinforce the message that prices co...

Fri, February 20, 7:47 PM

New Home Sales Remain Near Recent Highs - Fri, February 20, 7:47 PM

If there's one housing market metric that paints a brighter picture than the rest, it's New Home Sales data from the Census Bureau. At 745,000, it eased slightly from an upwardly-revised annual r...

Fri, February 20, 7:42 PM

Pending Sales Dip as Affordability Gains Fail to Spark Demand - Fri, February 20, 7:42 PM

The National Association of Realtors’ Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) slipped modestly in January, easily prolonging its stay in a narrow range near all-time lows. Pending home sales decreased...

Wed, February 18, 9:13 PM

Residential Construction Finds Footing in December - Wed, February 18, 9:13 PM

What goes down must come up? Definitely not always the case, but true this time for residential construction numbers. The Census Bureau’s latest report showed a rebound in December, with both hou...

Wed, February 18, 9:00 PM

Higher Refi Demand Buoys Mortgage Apps as Rates Hit Lows - Wed, February 18, 9:00 PM

Mortgage application activity picked up last week with the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reporting an increase of 2.8% on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending February 13. Ref...

Wed, February 18, 8:47 PM

Builder Confidence Remains Subdued - Wed, February 18, 8:47 PM

Builder confidence fell for the second straight month in February according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). Affordability pressures and...

Fri, February 13, 6:54 PM

Not So Fast: January Existing-Home Sales Give Back December’s Gains - Fri, February 13, 6:54 PM

Existing-home sales pulled back sharply in January, quickly dashing any hopes that December’s year-end rebound brought, as harsh winter weather and still-tight supply conditions weighed on activi...

Wed, February 11, 7:03 PM

Calmer Week For Mortgage Apps - Wed, February 11, 7:03 PM

Mortgage application activity was essentially flat last week, almost impressively so. After much recent volatility, the index is finding a brief moment of stability, and borrowers seem content co...

Fri, February 6, 4:32 PM

Winter Weather Puts Purchase Applications on Ice - Fri, February 6, 4:32 PM

Mortgage application activity moved lower again last week, extending the pullback from January’s earlier burst of demand as weather disruptions and softening purchase activity weighed on overall ...

Fri, January 30, 7:09 PM

November Was Best Month of Home Price Appreciation in More Than a Year - Fri, January 30, 7:09 PM

Both the FHFA and the S&P/Cotality Case-Shiller home price indices released November data this week, and the combined message is that home price appreciation continues doing better than it ha...

Fri, January 30, 6:59 PM

Logical Pull-Back in Mortgage Apps as Rates Rebound - Fri, January 30, 6:59 PM

Mortgage application activity retreated a bit last week following two weeks of unusually strong volume, although holiday timing played a meaningful role in the weekly comparison. The Mortgage B...

Fri, January 23, 7:27 PM

Unsurprising Surge in Refi Demand Pushes Mortgage Apps Past 3 Year High - Fri, January 23, 7:27 PM

Mortgage applications continued to ride the waves from last week's dip in rates, extending the surge that followed early-January rate volatility. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported t...

Fri, January 16, 7:23 PM

Builder Sentiment Survey Not Yet Reflecting Recent Rate Changes - Fri, January 16, 7:23 PM

Builder confidence slipped to start the year, with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) falling two points to 37 in January. The erasure of Dece...

Wed, January 14, 5:52 PM

Existing-Home Sales Jump 5.1% in December, Strongest Pace in Nearly Three Years - Wed, January 14, 5:52 PM

Existing-home sales posted a notable year-end rebound in December, jumping 5.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.35 million , according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). ...

Wed, January 14, 5:37 PM

Bond Buying Announcement Leads Surge in Mortgage Apps - Wed, January 14, 5:37 PM

As we reported last week , the announcement that Fannie and Freddie would buy $200bln in mortgage-backed securities led to a precipitous drop in rates last week. For most of Friday, the top tier...

Fri, December 19, 6:55 PM

Highest Existing Home Sales in 8 Months But Don't Get Excited - Fri, December 19, 6:55 PM

Existing-home sales extended their recent stabilization in November, rising 0.5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.13 million , according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). T...

Fri, December 19, 6:39 PM

Three Straight Months of Improvement in Builder Confidence, But There's a Catch - Fri, December 19, 6:39 PM

The December National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) edged up one point to 39. This is the 3rd straight month of improvement in the index--a developmen...

Fri, December 19, 6:33 PM

Mortgage Apps Still Strong vs Last Year, But Down Slightly Last Week - Fri, December 19, 6:33 PM

Seasonally adjusted mortgage application activity declined 3.8% last week, according to MBA’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending December 12. Unadjusted applications fell 5% ...

Wed, December 10, 8:52 PM

Mortgage Apps Bounce Back, Led By Refi Reversal - Wed, December 10, 8:52 PM

Seasonally adjusted mortgage application activity rose 4.8% last week, according to MBA’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending December 5. Unadjusted applications jumped 49% fr...

Fri, December 5, 6:43 PM

Mortgage Apps Ebb Despite Strongest Purchase Demand in Years - Fri, December 5, 6:43 PM

Seasonally adjusted mortgage application activity edged 1.4% lower last week according to MBA’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending November 28. Unadjusted applications were d...

Tue, November 25, 8:13 PM

Conforming Loan Limit Rises to $832,750 Amid Lowest Home Price Growth Since 2012 - Tue, November 25, 8:13 PM

Both the FHFA and the S&P/Cotality Case-Shiller home-price indices released new data this week. The message remains consistent: home prices are still higher than a year ago, but the pace of a...

Fri, November 21, 6:45 PM

Small Steps Higher, Same Stubbornly Low Territory for Existing Home Sales - Fri, November 21, 6:45 PM

Existing-home sales posted another modest gain in October, rising 1.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.10 million , according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Sales are n...

Fri, November 21, 6:37 PM

Rising Rates Pull Applications Lower, but Year-Over-Year Gains Hold Firm - Fri, November 21, 6:37 PM

Mortgage applications moved lower last week as rates continued drifting higher for a third straight week. MBA’s Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending November 14 showed a 5.2% drop in to...

Fri, November 21, 6:01 PM

Builders Slash Prices at Record Pace Despite Slight Sentiment Improvement - Fri, November 21, 6:01 PM

Builder confidence levels are still kicking the same sad little can down the road, just with slightly more enthusiasm. The November National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housin...

Fri, November 14, 6:59 PM

Purchase Demand Near Best Levels Since January 2023 - Fri, November 14, 6:59 PM

Mortgage applications posted a modest increase last week, even as rates ticked slightly higher. According to MBA’s Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending November 7, total volume rose 0.6...

Fri, October 31, 6:09 PM

Home Price Appreciation Keeps Cooling; New Loan Limits Coming Into Focus - Fri, October 31, 6:09 PM

Both the FHFA and the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller indices released new home-price data this week covering the month of August. The message is unchanged: prices remain higher than a year ago, b...

Fri, October 31, 5:53 PM

Mortgage Applications Responded to Lower Rates, But Things Are Already Changing - Fri, October 31, 5:53 PM

Mortgage applications jumped sharply last week, driven by lower rates and a rebound in refinance activity. According to MBA’s Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending October 24, total volu...

Fri, October 24, 6:34 PM

Existing Home Sales Rose Last Month, But The Bigger Picture Hasn't Changed - Fri, October 24, 6:34 PM

Existing-home sales climbed modestly in September, rising 1.5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million , according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Sales were also 4.1...

Fri, October 24, 6:29 PM

Weaker Purchase Demand Offset by Stronger Refis - Fri, October 24, 6:29 PM

Mortgage application activity edged lower last week, driven by purchases, but the decline was marginal compared to recent swings. According to MBA’s Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending...

Wed, October 15, 1:46 PM

Mortgage Apps Dip, But Demand Still Running Strong After September Surge - Wed, October 15, 1:46 PM

Mortgage application activity declined again last week, though the drop was more moderate than the prior week’s pullback. According to MBA’s Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending October...

Fri, October 10, 6:22 PM

Refi Demand Ebbs Gradually As Rates Remain Rangebound - Fri, October 10, 6:22 PM

Mortgage application activity declined again last week as refi demand continues pulling back after the surge in mid September. According to MBA’s Weekly Applications Survey for the week ending Oc...

Fri, October 3, 7:22 PM

4% Gain in Pending Home Sales Isn't Exactly What it Seems - Fri, October 3, 7:22 PM

The National Association of Realtors’ Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI)—which tracks contract signings on existing homes—ticked higher in August, but remains locked in the same flat, depressed rang...

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