Home » Mortgage News » 2009 » July
California, Florida Cities Dominate Foreclosure Rankings
Sun Belt cities continue to be pummeled by foreclosures, with California and Florida heavily dominating the list of worst-affected communities, according to new data from the foreclosure management firm RealtyTrac. Read More» |
Lenders Pressured to Modify More Mortgages
The Obama Administration is putting increased pressure on the nation's lenders to step up the pace of mortgage loan modifications performed under the government's Making Home Affordable (MHA) foreclosure avoidance program. Read More» |
Elderly Increasingly Rely on Credit Cards for Medical,Other Expenses
Elderly consumers are piling up credit card debt at a rate far exceeding all other age groups, with health care costs and deteriorating values of retirement savings causing many age 65 and older to increasingly rely on plastic for routine living expenses. Read More» |
New Home Sales Jump
Sales of newly constructed homes rose 11 percent in June, according to new data released by the Commerce Department, as buyers continue to be drawn back into the market by low prices, tax incentives and mortgage rates that remain near historic lows. Read More» |
New Rules Would Require Clearer Disclosure of Mortgage Terms
New rules designed to provide consumers with a clearer understanding of the potential costs and risks of a particular type of loan when applying for a mortgage or home equity line of credit (HELOC) have been proposed by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Read More» |
Mortgage Rates Show Mixed Results
Mortgage rates posted a mixed performance this past week, with the three leading weekly surveys showing significant disagreement over which way rates are headed. Read More» |
Existing Home Sales Up for Third Straight Month
Sales of existing homes rose for the third month in a row in June, the first time that's happened in five years, according to survey data released today by the National Association of Realtors. Read More» |
New Limits on Credit Rating Agencies Proposed
New rules to tighten regulation of credit rating agencies, which were blamed for failing to properly assess the risk of mortgage-backed securities prior to the collapse of credit markets last fall, are being proposed by the Obama Administration. Read More» |
FHA Mortgages Set Record in June
Nearly 186,000 Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans were made in June, the most in the agency's history, as its relatively relaxed lending standards continue to attract homebuyers squeezed out of other credit markets. Read More» |
Leading Economic Indicators Rise Again
The Index of Leading Economic Indicators rose for the third straight month in June, reinforcing hopes that the recession is nearing an end, even as a companion index showed actual economic activity continues to decline. Read More» |
New Housing Starts Up in June
New home construction rose in June, driven by a strong surge in construction starts on single-family homes, which were up nearly 15 percent from May's level, according to new figures released by the Census Bureau. Read More» |
Foreclosures Up 11 Percent in Second Quarter
Foreclosures filings rose nearly 11 percent in the second quarter of the year, as a number of lenders lifted voluntary moratoriums that had been in place during the first few months of the year and job losses continued to take their toll on the housing market. Read More» |
Mortgage Refinances Pick Up as Rates Drop
Mortgage refinancing activity jumped sharply last week as 30-year interest rates dropped back down toward the magic 5 percent mark. Read More» |
Home Prices Rise for Second Straight Month
Home prices rose for the second month in a row in May, with increases posted in all four major regions of the United States, according to the monthly IAS360 Home Price Index. Read More» |
FHA, VA Account for One in Three New Mortgages
Government-insured mortgages, those backed by the FHA or VA, are at their highest rate in almost two decades, accounting for more than one mortgage application in three. Read More» |
Lenders Urged to Step Up Loan Modification Efforts
Expressing dissatisfaction with the progress to date under the government's Making Home Affordable Program the Obama Administration is urging the nation's lenders to do more to help financially troubled homeowners obtain mortgage loan modifications. Read More» |
Small Increase Reported in Quarterly Home Prices
Quarterly home prices have risen nationwide for the first time since 2006, according to at least one new study, with prices edging up 1.7 percent over the previous quarter. Read More» |
Mortgage Rates Steady, Applications Rise
Mortgage activity increased last week, with applications for both refinances and new home purchases rising after interest rates backed down from recent highs. Read More» |
Credit Delinquencies Hit Record Levels
Delinquencies on credit cards, home equity loans, personal loans and other forms of consumer credit all rose in the first quarter of 2009, as more Americans struggled to pay their bills in the face of mounting job losses and a worsening economy. Read More» |
Michigan Restores Federal Mortgage Credit Program
First-time home buyers in Michigan are getting an added incentive to buy a home, as the state is rejoining an old and often overlooked federal tax credit program. Read More» |
Foreclosures Hit One Mortgage in Forty
Foreclosures rose sharply during the first quarter of the year, increasing by more than 20 percent to account for one in 40 outstanding U.S. mortgages, according to government figures released this week. Read More» |
Foreclosures Hit One Mortgage in Forty
Foreclosures rose sharply during the first quarter of the year, increasing by more than 20 percent to account for one in 40 outstanding U.S. mortgages, according to government figures released this week. Read More» |
Mortgage Applications Drop Sharply
Mortgage applications dropped sharply last week, declining almost 19 percent from the week before despite a third consecutive week of falling interest rates, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) has reported. Read More» |