Category: Statistics

Mortgage Rates Drop Under 4.00%

By Mike Colpitts The 30-year fixed rate mortgage dropped to 3.99% or just below the 4.00% barrier this week, according to Freddie Mac. The dip in average mortgage rates from 4.08% last week came on mixed economic news, with reports on consumer confidence over the U.S. economy and the housing market showing weaker results. The… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Drop Under 4.00%

Larger Number of Homeowners Will Walk from Mortgages

Five years into the housing downturn, a larger number of homeowners with mortgages say they will walk away from their homes if their property values continue to drop, according to a new Housing Predictor opinion poll. Almost half or 47% said they would walk away from their mortgages, while almost an equal number or 53%… Continue reading Larger Number of Homeowners Will Walk from Mortgages

Real Estate Recovery Springs to Life

The spring home selling season is just getting started, but signs are growing that the season is already getting off to a faster start. Barclays Capital group upgraded four new homebuilder stocks, including hard hit KB Home and Pulte Group from hold to buy. Foot traffic at new homebuilder subdivisions is much higher than since… Continue reading Real Estate Recovery Springs to Life

Foreclosures Drop But on Pace to Hit Record

By Mike Colpitts Foreclosure filings dropped a slim 2% in February, but are still on pace to hit a new record volume for 2012, despite an increase in short sales by lenders on homes in default of their mortgages, according to RealtyTrac. February foreclosure activity in the 26 states with judicial foreclosures rose 2% from… Continue reading Foreclosures Drop But on Pace to Hit Record

Majority Surveyed Want to Buy Homes

A large majority of respondents to a new Housing Predictor survey said they want to buy their first home or purchase another home, indicating that pent-up demand is growing in the U.S. housing market, despite the decline in home values throughout the majority of the country. An over-whelming majority or 72% of those surveyed said… Continue reading Majority Surveyed Want to Buy Homes

Appraisal Headaches Plague Housing Market

By Kevin Chiu A handful of new appraisal services hitting the market to help lenders get a handle on foreclosures and mortgage refinancing are producing headaches for the housing market. But more affordable alternatives to full appraisals are springing up to replace broker price opinions. Street Links Lender Solutions has launched a Liquidation Value Report… Continue reading Appraisal Headaches Plague Housing Market

Investors Home Buying Binge Rages

By Mike Colpitts Investors accounted for almost 1 in 4 home purchases during the month of January, up to 23% of purchases, demonstrating that the home buying binge by investors is controlling a large portion of the U.S. housing market as bargain hungry investors attempt to cash in on deals. The figure was up 2%… Continue reading Investors Home Buying Binge Rages

Record Low Mortgage Rates Drive Refinances

By Mike Colpitts Refinances jumped 13% in the last week to trigger a major jump in mortgage refinancing as consumers took advantage of record low mortgage rates, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The drop in rates, however, seemed to do little to get more home purchasers off the fence to take out applications for… Continue reading Record Low Mortgage Rates Drive Refinances