By Kevin Chiu Pushed by weakening economic data, mortgage interest rates, already near historic lows, jumped slightly for the week to 4.50% on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, according to Freddie Mac. The jump of only 0.01 came after rates dropped for eight straight weeks. But rates declined slightly on other loans for the week.… Continue reading Mortgage Interest Rates Suddenly Jump
Category: Statistics
Mortgage Rates Drop with Applications
By Ryan Rodriguez Mortgage applications dropped for the second week in a row even as interest rates fell, demonstrating economic turbulence persists in the housing market and the greater U.S. economy, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. However, the drop in application activity was by only a slim margin. The mortgage market composite index dropped 0.4%… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Drop with Applications
Glass-Steagall Should Be Re-Adopted, Survey Overwhelmingly Shows
The Glass-Steagall Act that was enacted at the height of the Great Depression to halt “improper banking activity” should be re-adopted to halt the possibility of another financial crisis, according to a new Housing Predictor survey. Respondents to the online opinion poll overwhelmingly support the act’s re-implementation. During the Great Depression when half of all… Continue reading Glass-Steagall Should Be Re-Adopted, Survey Overwhelmingly Shows
Mortgage Interest Rates & Applications Drop
By Kevin Chiu Weak economic data and disappointing news on jobs led a drop in mortgage interest rates as the yield on heavily monitored 10-year Treasury bonds slid below 3%. It was the seventh week in a row that mortgage rates saw a drop along with applications for home loans. The Feds quantitative easing program… Continue reading Mortgage Interest Rates & Applications Drop
Record Low Mortgage Rates 8 Straight Weeks
By Mike Colpitts For eight straight weeks, mortgage rates have hit new record lows as uncertainty over the Eurozone combined with concerns over the U.S. economy unsettles financial markets. The Freddie Mac average for a 30-year fixed rate loan reached 3.67% last week. However, government officials in Spain asked for $100 billion to bail-out the… Continue reading Record Low Mortgage Rates 8 Straight Weeks
Negative Home Equity Strengthens
By Mike Colpitts Homes in negative equity or with mortgages that are higher than the property’s current market value declined in the first quarter of 2011, according to a leading real estate research firm. Residential properties were down slightly from 11.1 million homes or more than 23% of properties in the prior quarter. The drop… Continue reading Negative Home Equity Strengthens
Mortgage Interest Rates Drop Six Straight Weeks
By Mike Colpitts Driven by slower economic activity and sluggish home sales, mortgage interest rates dropped for six straight weeks as the fixed rate 30-year loan fell a slim one-hundredth of one-percent to an average rate of 4.60%, according to Freddie Mac. The rate on the 15-year mortgage also saw a drop. Slower economic activity,… Continue reading Mortgage Interest Rates Drop Six Straight Weeks
Congress Breaks Down on Mortgage Reform
By Kevin Chiu Only weeks into efforts to gather input on changes to rewrite regulations affecting home mortgages, Congress is signaling that it’s already caving in to special interests lobbying against such reforms. An unprecedented alliance of organizations from the real estate industry, new home builders, mortgage companies, banks, civil rights groups and other lobbyists… Continue reading Congress Breaks Down on Mortgage Reform
Rigid Land Use Spiked Home Prices
By Mike Colpitts Rigid land use restrictions contributed to the housing bubble burst and still play a major role driving home values lower, according to a new study conducted by a Washington, D.C. think tank. “The majority of losses in the housing crash were overwhelmingly concentrated in metropolitan areas with restrictive land development regulations,” said… Continue reading Rigid Land Use Spiked Home Prices
New Normal Favors Renting
By Mike Colpitts The new normal in real estate favors a larger number of renters and an increase in landlords just trying to get buy, according to the National Multi Housing Council’s mid-year apartment strategy conference. Former U.S. Congressional Budget Director Doug Holtz-Eakin said it’s inconceivable the government would stop subsidizing real estate, despite Republican… Continue reading New Normal Favors Renting