Home Prices Forecast Higher

By Mike Colpitts Home prices in a larger number of cities are forecast to inflate in value in 2012 as many U.S. cities make inroads towards a housing recovery. Signs of progress are developing in a growing number of U.S. states, including hard hit Florida, Michigan and Mississippi. Improving conditions in many cities are attributed… Continue reading Home Prices Forecast Higher

New Home Sales Dip

By Mike Colpitts New home sales saw a dip for the fourth month in a row in March as many home buyers remained on the sidelines, according to the Commerce Department. Sales slipped 7.1% to a seasonally adjusted 328,000 unit annual rate. However, government figures for February show home sales were revised to a higher… Continue reading New Home Sales Dip

Short Sales Double Leap

By Ryan Jackson Bank assisted short sales or mortgage holders who are approved to sell their homes for less than what is owed on a mortgage leaped to double the number of short sales approved in 2009 last year. There were 227,570 short sales approved in 2011 accounting for a 12% increase from the previous… Continue reading Short Sales Double Leap

Homeowners Cash Pay Offs Gain Momentum

By Ryan Jackson In a move to improve bank balance sheets and increase their profits, banks are offering cash incentives to homeowners in default on their mortgages to entice them to make short sales on their homes. The effort is gaining momentum with an onslaught of banks and private mortgage companies as bankers offer as… Continue reading Homeowners Cash Pay Offs Gain Momentum

Mortgage Rates Creep Higher

By Mike Colpitts Despite the Federal Reserve’s best efforts to keep mortgage rates low, conventional home loan borrowing rates are slowly climbing. The hike in rates is developing because of higher yields being paid for U.S. Treasuries combined with improving economic news. The upward trend in rates is developing as better economic news about the… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Creep Higher

Mortgages Pull Back as Rates Rise

For the second week in a row applications for home mortgages declined, led by a drop in home refinancing. A 4.6% pull back in refinances demonstrates the softer mortgage market, which seems likely to repeat a year similar to last year of slower activity, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association survey. A hike in mortgage… Continue reading Mortgages Pull Back as Rates Rise

Mortgage Activity Climbs on Lower Rates

By Mike Colpitts Driven by a drop in mortgage rates, home loan activity rose for the first time in five weeks for the week ending March 30th, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The purchase index led the market higher in applications for home loans. The bankers seasonally adjusted purchase index jumped 7.2% for the… Continue reading Mortgage Activity Climbs on Lower Rates

NAR President Says Home Prices Going Up

By Mike Colpitts The new president of the National Association of Realtors says that home prices have gotten so low there’s only one way for them to go – up. “People realize that homeownership is an investment in their future. Given an apparent over correction in most areas, over the long term home prices have… Continue reading NAR President Says Home Prices Going Up