What a week! Mortgage rates almost fell below 7%, the 10-year yield is below 4.25% again, and people are seriously talking about Fed rate cuts in 2024. Times can change quickly, which is why we created the weekly tracker so
Have lower mortgage rates already boosted housing demand?
Did the recent move lower in mortgage rates turn the housing market positive? With mortgage rates moving almost 75 basis points lower from the highs, does the data show that demand has improved? Let’s take a dive in the weekly
Pending-home sales rise to highest level in a year in October: Redfin
U.S. pending-home sales rose 1% month over month in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 401,000, the highest level in a year. Although pending sales fell 4.8% compared to October 2022, it’s still the smallest annual decline in
The homebuilders’ war for market share fueling the economy
When market players say housing leads us into a recession, it traditionally means theFederal Reserve raised rates too much, housing slowed down as a result and a job-loss recession isn’t too far off. But a funny thing happened this year
6 best real estate schools in Colorado for 2024
Your real estate career in picturesque Colorado is an exciting adventure waiting to unfold. We’re here to guide you in finding the best Colorado real estate school for your needs. To get your license, you’ll need to complete 168 hours
CBC Mortgage Agency cuts rates on down payment assistance second mortgages
CBC Mortgage Agency — a federally chartered housing finance agency — is reducing interest rates on repayable second mortgages used for its down payment assistance (DPA) program. This marks the first time for CBC Mortgage Agency is reducing interest rates
Movement sues Summit, former veteran sales executives for poaching
The transition of three veteran sales executives from South Carolina-based lender Movement Mortgage to its California competitor Summit Funding led to a legal battle over poaching. HousingWire reported in July hat Movement’s national sales director Deran Pennington, leader of the South and Central division
Housing starts and permits rose moderately in October
Housing starts surprised in October. They rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,372,000, the highest in three months, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Census Bureau data. It’s a 1.9% gain from
Rithm Capital completes acquisition of Sculptor
New York-based Rithm Capital, the parent company of Newrez, announced on Friday it completed the acquisition of Sculptor Capital Management for $719.8 million. The deal was made public four months ago and created a dispute among investors to take the firm, leading Rithm to increase
Nosalek plaintiffs cite Allan Dalton video in opposition to summary judgment
Nearly four months after filing a motion for summary judgment in the Nosalek commission lawsuit, HomeServices of America finally has a response back from the plaintiffs. As expected, the plaintiffs are in opposition to HomeServices’ motion, stating that HomeServices’ claim
29 cutting-edge real estate marketing ideas for 2024
New findings from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) show a fresh picture of who’s buying and selling homes, with more first-time buyers entering the market and families looking for homes that fit multiple generations. Zillow’s 2023 Consumer Housing Trends Report finds
MBA leadership says it’s “playing offense” to “stop the madness”
The market is rocky, margins are tight. And the grind may not end anytime soon, Mortgage Bankers Association President and CEO Bob Broeksmit told attendees in a fiery speech at the trade group’s annual conference this week in Philadelphia. “Normally,
Regulation hasn’t caught up to generative AI
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has tremendous potential to cut costs and improve customer experience, but regulation has not caught up to develop a governance program, industry pros said of AI’s implementation in mortgage lending. Bias, discrimination, privacy and security concerns
Positioning your business for success in all market cycles
HousingWire recently spoke to Alex Elezaj, chief strategy officer at UWM, about the work independent mortgage brokers can do right now to prepare for when rates drop and how to go above and beyond for clients. HousingWire: Why should independent
Homebuyers hit the brakes, causing unseasonal growth in inventory
Available inventory of unsold homes rose by 1.8% this week. It’s quite clear that homebuyers have hit the brakes waiting to see if mortgage rates recede from these multi-decade highs. The leading indicators for sales prices show that 2023 will
Real estate brokers focus on value amid commission lawsuit unease
Today, the first class action commission lawsuit goes to trial in Kansas City, Missouri. While two of the defendants — Anywhere and RE/MAX — have settled in the case, those settlements have not been finalized. The National Association of Realtors,
FHFA extends certain rep and warrants to pandemic-related forbearance loans
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced on Monday morning that it will treat, in some aspects, loans in COVID-19 forbearance similar to those in natural disaster forbearance. The change, to be implemented on Oct. 31, means pandemic-related forbearance mortgages will remain
FHFA says GSEs are open to alternatives to loan repurchases
Regarding lenders’ vociferous complaints about increased loan buybacks from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, FHFA Director Sandra Thompson said the regulator expects originators to deliver loans consistent with the guidelines. But, she added, the Enterprises must implement a fair, consistent, and predictable process
White House announces new housing initiatives to boost homeownership
The White House on Monday announced a series of new initiatives designed to boost U.S. homeownership, alongside data detailing housing aid that has been provided since 2021. New initiatives include allowing homebuyers to leverage income from accessory dwelling units (ADUs),
Stakes are high as first buyer broker commission lawsuit goes to trial today
The long-anticipated Sitzer/Burnett class action commission lawsuit enters its first day in court on Monday, leaving real estate professionals to ponder the fate of today’s cooperation and commission practices. At the crux of the case is the allegation that commission
Philly Fed President Harker: “We are at the point where we can hold rates”
Philadelphia Federal Reserve President Patrick Harker advocated for stopping interest rate hikes, noting that disinflation is under way. “I believe that we are at the point where we can hold rates where they are,” Harker said at the 2023 Mortgage
FHFA issues notice of potential changes to Suspended Counterparty Program
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) on Friday issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would amend its Suspended Counterparty Program (SCP) to include additional forms of misconduct as a basis for keeping regulated entities from doing business with organizations
Will labor data send mortgage rates to 8%?
The 10-year yield and mortgage rates have been rising close to the 2023 high as some labor data shows that the honey badger labor market is still growing. To make things even more complicated, the spreads between the 30-year mortgage
HAF funds have kept 300,000 people in their homes: U.S. Treasury
The Homeowners Assistance Fund (HAF) — a program designed to offer financial help to homeowners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic — has kept more than 300,000 homeowners in their homes by curing defaults and keeping them out of foreclosure, according
