Monthly Archives: August 2009

Mortgage markets were flat last week overall, although mortgage rates were somewhat volatile from day-to-day. For rate shoppers, the best pricing was available Monday morning and Friday afternoon — everything in between was slightly elevated. It’s the second consecutive week … Continue reading →

As a reminder, Fannie Mae is rolling out new lending guidelines Tuesday, September 1, 2009. Starting next week, being approved for a home loan could be much more difficult. The new rules mark the first major underwriting update since April … Continue reading →

It’s no wonder that builder confidence is soaring — their inventory of homes for sale is depleting at a furious pace. For the 4th straight month, New Home Sales gained, posting the best numbers since last September’s meltdown and handily … Continue reading →

18 of 20 markets tracked by the Case-Shiller Index showed rising home values in June. It’s the 5th consecutive month with strong numbers and the best showing for the benchmark housing index since home values began deflating in 2006. Some … Continue reading →

The housing market continues to surprise. Last week, the latest good news came in the form of the monthly Existing Home Sales report. An “existing home” is a home sold by an existing owner as opposed to a developer. It’s … Continue reading →

Mortgage markets finished the week unchanged last week but don’t let that make you think the markets were flat. It was a bumpy five days and rates were volatile. Friday was the worst day of the week by far. An … Continue reading →

There’s some common sense ways to protect your home from burglary — keep the doors locked, the windows shut, and the alarm system on, for example. But drawing from a series of interviews with ex-convicts, NBC’s The Today Show reveals … Continue reading →

If you plan to use the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit program, time is running out. The program expires November 30, 2009 and closing on a home can take up to 60 days. That leaves you 6 weeks from today … Continue reading →

Single-family Housing Starts rose for the 4th straight month in July, another sign that the battered housing market may be making its comeback. “Housing starts” are new homes on which construction has recently started. Not surprising, in a related story, … Continue reading →

It looks like banks are less scared of mortgage loans these days. In its quarterly survey to member banks, the Federal Reserve asked senior bank loan officers whether “prime” residential mortgage guidelines had tightened in the last 3 months. Just … Continue reading →