By Mike Colpitts Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are benefitting from the Federal Reserve’s low interest rate policy more than any other single sector of the U.S. economy, and their profit windfalls are being returned to investors. Once thought to have seen their day, REITs are still benefitting from the Fed’s low interest rates stand,… Continue reading REITs Benefit Biggest From Low Interest Rates
Category: Statistics
Americans Unload Homes, Debt at Unprecedented Level
By Kevin Chiu Americans are unloading debt levels at unprecedented rates as they reduce mortgage rates through refinancing, pay down credit cards, loans on cars and in millions of cases let homes go back to banks and mortgage companies at unprecedented levels. The inventory of homes in the foreclosure pipeline not yet formally counted as… Continue reading Americans Unload Homes, Debt at Unprecedented Level
Real Estate Investment May Turn Stable
By Mike Colpitts Real estate investments have taken a financial beating the past five years, but could evolve into a more stable investment, despite poor macroeconomic conditions in the U.S., according to a private real estate investment equity firm. Investors with access to large amounts of cash, who are able to avoid debt, are likely… Continue reading Real Estate Investment May Turn Stable
Mortgages On Home Purchases Jump as Rates Decline
By Mike Colpitts Pushed by lower mortgage rates, home purchase applications jumped as consumers came out in greater numbers to take advantage of near record low mortgage rates. Seasonally adjusted purchases rose 1.8% from a week ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The refinance index, however, showed a slight two-tenths of a percent decline… Continue reading Mortgages On Home Purchases Jump as Rates Decline
Mortgage Rates Dip a Little
By Kevin Chiu Mortgage rates dropped a single basis point to remain near their all-time record lows, with mixed consumer confidence and housing data, according to Freddie Mac. The average rate on the fixed 30-year loan was 4.10%, which is close to their 60-year low. The rate on the shorter fixed 15-year mortgage stayed the same… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Dip a Little
Mortgage Originations Pick-Up as Rates Level Off
By Mike Colpitts Mortgage originations picked-up last week as home purchases rose, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Purchase applications jumped 6.4% from the previous week. Homeowners shopping for refinancing also applied for lower rate mortgages in rising numbers. Refinances rose 4.4% as mortgage rates remained about the same compared to the prior week. The… Continue reading Mortgage Originations Pick-Up as Rates Level Off
Defining U.S. Socialism Hurts With Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae
By Jeanne Roberts Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are the U.S. two largest mortgage holders. Between them, they own 75% of all the home loans issued in the nation. Thanks to the bursting of the housing bubble and the resulting fallout, the American taxpayer – under the umbrella of the U.S. government, also owns 80%… Continue reading Defining U.S. Socialism Hurts With Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae
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
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