Author: Michael Gersitz

After three straight quarters of declines, home purchases by investors rose 2.7% year over year in the first quarter of 2021, marking the first period of growth since the COVID-19 pandemic began, per a new study from Redfin. Looking to

National median home prices reached $370,528 for the month of April, a 22% increase year over year and a new record, according to a recent study from Redfin. The number of homes for sale also sank to a record-low average

First American Financial Corporation has announced a new addition to its C-Suite. Kenneth DeGiorgio, who joined First American in 1999, has been named president. In his new position, DeGiorgio will have oversight responsibility for the corporation’s operating groups, including its

A full month of sub-3% mortgage rates, ongoing housing market supply constraints, and a 300% increase in lumber prices over the past 15 months has prompted Fannie Mae‘s Economic and Strategic Group to revise several of its 2021 forecasts. March’s

The American Land Title Association (ALTA) will be hosting approximately 400 people at the ALTA Advocacy Summit, the second virtual version of the association’s annual congressional fly-in, on May 18-20.  The event includes discussions and forums on public policies regarding remote online

A Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) report highlighted the perils of low-rates for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s single-family Credit Risk Transfers. Despite heightened investor uncertainty during the onset of the pandemic, GSE-backed mortgages have outperformed expectations, the report notes.

Could it finally be happening? Senators Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) have reintroduced federal legislation that would allow remote online legislation (RON) nationwide.  Dubbed the Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic (SECURE) Notarization Act, the bipartisan

Historically low mortgage rates had their moment in the sun in 2020. They rested far below 3% for months before America’s economic rebound pushed them back up in the winter of 2021. But data released on Thursday from Freddie Mac

With the economic expansion well underway, one big question remains: When will mortgage rates move toward 4% and higher? Mortgage rates increased toward 3.25% in mid-February from the recent all-time lows of 2.625% at the start of the year, but

Mortgage forbearance exits picked up steam last week as the the total number of loans in forbearance dropped by 14 basis points to 4.22% of servicers’ portfolio share, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association‘s Forbearance and Call Volume Survey. With last

One of the great questions facing the housing markets in 2021 is what will happen when the mortgage forbearance programs under the CARES Act expire. When this act was originally passed on March 27, 2020, there were notable concerns that

On May 13, FHFA Director Mark Calabria wrote an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal defending the final ‘living wills’ rule published in the Federal Register on May 4. The key to this op-ed is understanding what was left

Homebuilder confidence remained unchanged in the latest National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) report, holding steady at 83 for newly built single-family homes in May. The index gauging current sales conditions also remained

The number of properties with foreclosure filings hit 11,810 in April, down 1% month over month and 17% year over year, according to a recent study from RealtyTrac and ATTOM Data Solutions. May marks the 14th month of the federal