By Kevin Chiu A delegation of Congressional members are calling on U.S. bank regulators to publicly release information regarding steps that are being taken by mortgage servicers to prevent illegal foreclosures. The move was launched after House Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) sent a letter signed by 15 members of the House to regulators making the… Continue reading Delegation Calls for Mortgage Servicer Reforms
Category: Mortgage
Underwater Mortgage Holders Get Help
By Jeanne Roberts There is good news on the homefront for underwater homeowners whose mortgages amount to more than their home’s value, and it’s called the Home Affordable Refinance Program, or HARP. But questions are being raised regarding the real number of homeowners who will receive help through the program. Underwater mortgages occurred when rapidly… Continue reading Underwater Mortgage Holders Get Help
First Time Homeownership Slips
By Mike Colpitts Despite first time home purchases increasing due to record low mortgage rates and lower home prices, the actual rate of first time homeownership is slipping for the largest homebuyer age group, according to a survey released by a real estate research firm. The latest trends report from CoreLogic shows homeownership rates for… Continue reading First Time Homeownership Slips
Underwater Refinancing Program Closer
By Mike Colpitts A federal program intended to help underwater homeowners should assist more than 1-million U.S. mortgage borrowers refinance their homes, according to an analysis of the Home Affordable Refinance Program expanded by the Obama administration Monday. The program’s expansion is being developed by the Federal Housing Finance Agency with mortgage lenders and the… Continue reading Underwater Refinancing Program Closer
New Mortgage Credit Risk Analysis In Development
By Mike Colpitts Two of the nation’s largest financial firms have teamed up to produce a new credit risk analysis scoring product to determine whether mortgage applicants qualify for home loans. A division of CoreLogic, Credco and FICO – the leading provider of analytics and decision management technology for the financial industry signed an agreement… Continue reading New Mortgage Credit Risk Analysis In Development
It’s Not Your Parent’s 15 Year Mortgage
By Jeanne Roberts Thanks to lower mortgage rates and creative bankers, the standard mortgage that our parents would have recognized – 30 years at a specified rate of interest with fixed and equal monthly payments – is no longer the rule. In fact, it may soon become the exception, but not because first-time home buyers… Continue reading It’s Not Your Parent’s 15 Year Mortgage
Home Sales Slide, But Above Year Ago Levels
By Mike Colpitts Homes sales slipped in September following a gain the previous month, but remained ahead of a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors. The slide in sales represented only a small 3% decrease. Existing home sales, which include the sale of single family homes, townhouses and condominiums, reached an adjusted… Continue reading Home Sales Slide, But Above Year Ago Levels
Mortgage Rates Drop to All Time Record Lows
By Mike Colpitts For the second week in a row mortgage rates dropped to all-time record lows as the U.S. government attempts to energize the housing market and Treasury bonds fall to record lows. The fixed rate on a 30-year mortgage averaged 3.94%, falling below 4% for the first time in U.S. history, according to… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Drop to All Time Record Lows
Seven Ways to Green Homes on the Cheap
By Jeanne Roberts It’s nice to own real estate, even nicer to own a home. But nicest of all is knowing that your home, which shelters all your loved ones has a small impact on the earth and the other creatures that also live here. You’ve heard about one’s carbon footprint, those dark blots on… Continue reading Seven Ways to Green Homes on the Cheap
Mortgage Rates Jump Quiets Market
By Kevin Chiu A jump in mortgage rates quieted home mortgage applications as consumers came to grips with a slower housing market this week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Refinancing and applications for new home financing were down. Refinance applications dropped a whopping 16.6% from a week earlier, and consumers applied for fewer new… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Jump Quiets Market