In his annual speech at Jackson Hole, Wyoming, CNNMoney tells MHProNews Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke talked up providing more stimulus for the economy, saying the two previous rounds of asset purchases improved financial markets and led to two million jobs. Previously, the Fed intimated it would provide stimulus only …
nationalmortgagenews reports the National Association of Realtors (NAR) says July pending home sales rose 2.4 percent over June to a two-year high, after falling in June 1.4 percent from the previous month. The trade group is forecasting home sales will rise nine percent this year and eight percent in 2013, …
AnchorageDailyNews tells MHProNews consumer spending in July rose 0.4 percent over June, the best rate in five months, following no change in June and a small decline in May. Retail spending offset weak manufacturing. Income grew in July 0.3 percent, the same for May and June, and people earned 0.3 …
Ronnie Richards of American Homestar Corp. tells MHProNews a report by HousingWire reveals while mortgage rates have hit record lows since the beginning of the year, the effective interest rate has not changed because the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) raised its insurance premiums due to its troubled emergency insurance fund, …
Rising FHA Insurance Raises Effective Interest Rate Read More
Stockhouse tells MHProNews the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) says the outlook for average rental apartment vacancies is not expect to change from the second quarter forecast of 2.2% for this year and 2.1% for 2012. Regionally for 2013 the lowest vacancy rates are forecast for Vancouver at 0.9%, …
In research that covers 75 percent of all residential mortgage applications, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported applications fell 4.3 percent for the week ending Aug. 24. Meanwhile, nationalmortgagenews tells MHProNews refinancings accounted for 79 percent of all applications, as compared to 80 percent the previous week and 81 percent …
HousingWire says, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, household indebtedness fell $53 billion from Q1 to the second quarter of 2012 to $11.38 trillion, $1.3 trillion below household debt from the third quarter of 2008. Delinquency rate for mortgages in the second quarter was at 6.9 percent, …
CNNmoney says in a complaint filed last month, the Los Angeles city attorney’s office accused U.S. Bank of contributing to crime, blighting neighborhoods, and harming property values by failing to maintain 170 foreclosed properties. With 3,000 branches in 25 states, the nation’s fifth largest bank is being called the largest …
Housing sales and prices are showing modest gains, according to RealtorMag, with economists saying the housing market will likely add to economic growth this year for the first time in seven years. July home sales rose to over ten percent better than July 2011, and prices increased 9.4 percent July …
Despite slow economic growth and stagnant unemployment figures, HousingWire says according to FNC’s residential price index (RPI), housing prices rose for the fourth straight month in June, up 1.1% from the previous month, in the 100 largest metropolitan areas. Based on new and existing homes, but excluding distressed sales, home …
Two of three residential real estate investment trusts (REITs) recommended as having a good yield by Marc Gerstein at seekingalpha are MHC owners. Noting the tight lending standards for potential homebuyers, the accompanying unpredictable job market, and the rise in the rental market, Gerstein says UMH Properties appeals to people …
With refinancing volume representing 71% of total loan purchases, at $23.1 billion, Freddie Mac reported it purchased $32.5 billion in loans from mortgage lenders in July, down from $44.1 billion in June, a drop of 26%. originationnews tells MHProNews while Freddie said loan purchases increased in June by $8 billion …
HousingWire reports one definite sign of good news, and another likely source of good news later this week. The first is there were no bank failures over the weekend. At this time last year regulators had closed 68 banks, but only 40 have been shuttered so far this year. Secondly, …
nationalmortgagenews tells MHProNews research firm Zillow says in its “Negative Equity Report” 400,000 fewer mortgages fell into underwater loan status in the second quarter 2012 compared to the first quarter, dropping from 15.7 million to 15.3 million Americans. Percentage-wise, the numbers dropped from 31.4% of all homeowners with balances higher …
According to a study published in RVBusiness, Indiana ranked as the best state in the Midwest and the fifth best nationwide in which to do business, as noted by the Polllina Corporate Top Ten Business States of 2012 in conjunction with the American Economic Development Institute. In its ninth year, …
SeniorHousingNews says while Democrats lambast vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan’s proposal to make Medicare a voucher system, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney points out President Obama’s Affordable Care Act garners a significant portion of funding by cutting Medicare $716 billion. The combination of reductions in reimbursements to hospitals and private health …
According to the nonpartisan watchdog the Congressional Budget Office, if Congress cannot act to avoid the current fiscal tightening, economic growth will shrink by 0.5 percent in 2013, and unemployment will rise to 9.1 percent from 8.3 percent today. As MHProNews has learned, the economic consequences of fiscal tightening in …
CBO Projects Two Different Possible Economic Outcomes Read More
nationalmortgagenews reports the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) says mortgage applications fell 7.4 percent for the week ending Aug. 17, and the refinance share dropped from 81% to 80% to its lowest level in six weeks, while average interest rates for a fixed-rate 30-year mortgage (FRM) nudged up ten basis points …
The Huffington Post reports Alex Charfen, CEO of the Charfen Institute and considered to be an expert on the U.S. housing market and the foreclosure crisis, says the coming housing crisis will be a housing shortage. Home sales and median sales price have both increased, while existing inventory has declined …
The Manufactured Housing Institute reports modular home production rose in the second quarter 2012 5.6 percent over Q2 2011. For the first six months of 2012 over 2011 the increase was 9.3 percent. A total of 6,325 modular homes were produced in the first six months of this year, including …
