Category: Housing Market

Mortgage Rates Fall Two Weeks

By Mike Colpitts Mortgage rates fell for the second consecutive week as spring time weather gripped most of the nation to provide a boost for the home buying season, according to Freddie Mac. The rate on a fixed rate 30-year mortgage dropped to 4.71% from 4.78% the previous week. The rates on a 15-year fixed… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Fall Two Weeks

Hawaii Passes U.S. Toughest Foreclosure Law

By Kevin Chiu Hawaii lawmakers followed hard hit Nevada to become only the second state in the nation to approve one of the toughest foreclosure consumer aid laws in the U.S., passing the bill as the legislature closed its latest session. Senate Bill 651 is touted as a windfall for consumers, requiring mortgage lenders to… Continue reading Hawaii Passes U.S. Toughest Foreclosure Law

Extra Short Sale Losses to Exceed $375 Million

By Mike Colpitts Short sales in which lenders cooperate with homeowners to sell at a price lower than what is owed on a properties mortgage is costing the lending industry an estimated $375 million in additional losses in 2011, according to a study by a leading real estate research firm. The rate of fraudulent short-sale… Continue reading Extra Short Sale Losses to Exceed $375 Million

U.S. Home Sales Rise as Prices Fall

By Mike Colpitts Home sales rose during the first quarter of the year in 49 states as home prices fell in most areas of the U.S. from a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors. The median price of a home fell in 118 of 153 metropolitan statistical areas the organization tracks. Existing… Continue reading U.S. Home Sales Rise as Prices Fall

America’s Watchdog to Rescue Disaster Victims

By Mike Colpitts An organization that gained national fame for helping homeowners and businesses in natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina is offering free aid to homeowners and businesses that suffered property damage or were destroyed in the series of tornadoes that tore through the south-eastern corridor of the U.S. America’s Watchdog is coming to the… Continue reading America’s Watchdog to Rescue Disaster Victims

Refinancing Soars On Lower Mortgage Rates

By Kevin Chiu A five week drop in mortgage interest rates grabbed the attention of homeowners who are refinancing at the highest level since last December as refinances soared 13.2% for the week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Mortgage applications for refinancing and new home loans combined rose 7.8% as the spring home buying… Continue reading Refinancing Soars On Lower Mortgage Rates

Interest Rates Fall Four Straight Weeks

By Mike Colpitts Mortgage interest rates fell for the fourth straight week to the lowest level of the year as an over supply of homes on the market pressure lenders’ to keep rates low to draw more buyers back into the market. The rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage had a fall of 0.08… Continue reading Interest Rates Fall Four Straight Weeks

Government Finds Foreclosure Oversight Needed

By Mike Colpitts Nearly three years after problems arose plaguing the U.S. in the foreclosure crisis, government regulators have found that federal agencies oversight of foreclosures has been limited, fragmented and needs to be corrected, according to the agency charged with investigating U.S. banks. In what has become the largest financial swindle in American history,… Continue reading Government Finds Foreclosure Oversight Needed