News / Features

CoreLogic HPI Declines Slightly in August

CoreLogic released its latest Home Price Index (HPI), showing a slight decline in August by 0.4 percent that represents the first decline in four months. A tracker of home prices and contemporary to Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller, the HPI

Private Mortgage Mods HAMPered by Redefaults

Lately, there hasn’t been much love for government loan mod programs. News has been swirling the past month that revisions are pending to the government’s underperforming loan modification programs, and sharp critiques have abound on the programs’ performance records.

HUD Emphasizes Passing Grades in Scorecard

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the September edition of the White House’s “Housing Scorecard” yesterday, highlighting the positive trends in housing prices and refinancing options and other notable government initiatives. Raphael Bostic, a HUD

No Bottom in Sight for 30-year FRM

On Aug. 18, 2011, Freddie Mac released the results of its latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), reporting that 30-year fixed rate mortgages had reached a new low at 4.15 percent, surpassing the previous low of 4.17 percent from

Cervera Real Estate Launches Social Media App

The Miami-based luxury condominium and real estate sales and marketing company, Cervera Real Estate, recently launched a new Facebook application that allows users to search, view and share local home listings. The application was developed by SocialKandy, a Miami-based

Redefining the Refinancing Perception

Freddie Mac Senior Vice President Paul Mullings confronted negative perceptions on refinancing in a recent blog post, stating that refinancing by Freddie and other government agencies has saved homeowners not millions, but billions of dollars. “One thing I observed

Does Homeownership Still Matter? Of Course!

Despite daily doses of apocalyptic news and forecasts, two prominent surveys on housing cut through the fog and show that even in a down market, housing remains a mainstay of the American Dream. The two surveys, one by Fannie

Miami Market is Hot, Hot, Hot

High-end buyers and first-timers propelled the Miami housing market in August, boosting sales by 9.3 percent from July and 25 percent from August 2010, according to new research by DataQuick. Homes on either side of the pricing spectrum were

Mortgage Apps ‘Twist’ Back to Life

After an off week, mortgage applications bounced back to life the third week of September, increasing 9.3 percent on the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly study of the application market. Mike Fratantoni, the MBA’s vice president of research and

Constructing a Recovery in Home Building?

Construction spending rose 1.4 percent in August, a strong recovery after a disappointing 1.4 percent decline in July. According to data from the U.S. Commerce Department, building in August reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $799.1 billion, a

Seriously – Fannie/Freddie Delinquency Rates Decline

Serious delinquencies for single family homes, which are loans that are either in foreclosure or three month’s late on payments, declined for both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae in August. For Fannie, the delinquency rate dropped to 4.03 percent,

Ideal Market Conditions Spur Investment

Record-low mortgage rates and the most affordable housing market in 20 years are jump-starting investments in the mortgage markets, though financing remains tricky. Last week, the 30-year FRM fell to 4.01 percent, the lowest rate in the history of

Happiness Abounds for Pending Miami Data

August was a sparkling month for Miami real estate, as Miami Association of Realtor (MAR) data for pending home sales and total listings both posted extremely positive year-over-year results. Pending home sales for Miami, counting both condominiums and single-family

Bottoms Up for Ex-RealtyTrac Exec

The U.S. housing market has finally bottomed out, and after two years of flat growth, will begin a slow, steady recovery, according to former RealtyTrac vice president Rick Sharga. Sharga, who is now an executive vice president with Carrington

Stingy U.S. Home Prices Hardly Dingy on International Scene

Stories abound on the immense international investments in the U.S. housing market, and a new study from Credit Sesame seems to have clarified why. According to an elegant infographic that Credit Sesame compiled using price data from Zillow, the

Half a Billion Saved is Half a Billion Earned?

First, it was the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). Now, it’s the Emergency Homeowner’s Loan Program (EHLP). Both are government programs for housing, and both are due to fall short of their initial goals.   Underperformance seems to be

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