By Kevin Chiu Pushed by record low mortgage rates and home prices that have fallen drastically from their peak highs, home sales are experiencing sharp rebounds in the Northeast and Midwestern regions of the U.S., according to the National Association of Realtors. Existing home sales jumped 10.7% to an annualized pace of 620,000 units in… Continue reading Home Sales Rebound Sharply
Category: 2012 Housing Market
Underwater Refinances Show Jump
By Mike Colpitts The Obama administration’s long criticized Home Affordable Mortgage Program (HAMP) showed a major improvement last week, pushing refinances for underwater homeowners higher, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. “Although total application volume dropped on an adjusted basis relative to last week, refinance volume remains high, with survey participants reporting that the expanded… Continue reading Underwater Refinances Show Jump
Real Estate Sales Manager Indicted on Federal Bribery Charges
By Mike Colpitts The former real estate sales manager of a property management company and two fellow workers were indicted by a U.S. grand jury in connection with a housing repair scheme for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The 10-count indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in Rockford, Illinois against Ryan J.… Continue reading Real Estate Sales Manager Indicted on Federal Bribery Charges
Mortgage Rates Tick Lower
By Kevin Chiu Mortgage rates, already at their lowest levels on record, ticked a single basis point lower on the fixed rate 30-year mortgage, according to Freddie Mac. The weekly survey showed that the heavily watched mortgage average edged slightly lower to 3.88% to a new all-time record low. However, the shorter 15-year fixed rate… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Tick Lower
Where to Move, Get a Job & Buy a Home in 2012
By Mike Colpitts The hard hit economy is mending in some areas of the U.S., while other regions continue to suffer through the dregs of a housing market still in a downturn. But among all the places that are on the mend there are a handful of fairly solid cities where you might just want… Continue reading Where to Move, Get a Job & Buy a Home in 2012
Home Affordability Reaches 1971 Level
By Mike Colpitts Homes are more affordable to purchase than they have been since 1971 as a result of falling home prices, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Despite record low mortgage rates, the downward trend in home values is sustained in the majority of the U.S. The best housing… Continue reading Home Affordability Reaches 1971 Level
Cash Buyers Pushing Home Prices Lower
By Mike Colpitts Cash buyers are putting undue downward pressure on home prices, and sending the values on homes much lower than would otherwise be developing, according to a survey by Campbell Inside Mortgage Finance. The firms Housing Pulse Tracking Survey is taken monthly. The December survey also showed that many of the purchasers are… Continue reading Cash Buyers Pushing Home Prices Lower
The Next Big Real Estate Boom Includes Oil
By Mike Colpitts The next big real estate boom might not be in such a pretty place – unless you consider shale formations of grey crumbling rock a thing of beauty. But an unlikely region of the remote northern U.S. holds a fortune for America’s future. It’s the biggest oil discovery since Prudhoe Bay, Alaska… Continue reading The Next Big Real Estate Boom Includes Oil
Real Estate Sales Jump to End Year Higher
By Mike Colpitts The year ended with a bang in real estate as existing home sales jumped 5% in December to end 2011 with the third straight month of higher sales, according to the National Association of Realtors. Low mortgage rates and lower home prices pushed sales to a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.61 million… Continue reading Real Estate Sales Jump to End Year Higher
Mortgage Rates to Stay Near Record Lows
By Mike Colpitts Mortgage rates, hovering at record lows for nearly three weeks, should remain close to their all-time low levels for most of at least 2012. That’s the evaluation of Housing Predictor analysts after reviewing rate levels and the challenges the U.S. economy is facing. In an effort to keep mortgage rates low and… Continue reading Mortgage Rates to Stay Near Record Lows