Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch, Aug. 20, 2018–Andrew LittleDifferent parts of the economy are conspiring to enable strong commercial real estate property fundamentals and happy landlords. Steady, increasing demand and supply constraints create good fundamentals in real estate as landlords can charge more for their units, buildings, rooms or spaces.
Category: Top National News
Mortgage Investors Don’t Think Fed’s Exit Means Goodbye Forever
Bloomberg, Aug. 17, 2018–Christopher Maloney”Once the Fed crossed the Rubicon into QE, they are never going to go back,” according to Walt Schmidt, head of MBS research at FTN Financial, whose advisory group has $17 billion in agency mortgage-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations under management.
Trump Asks SEC to Study Six-Month Reporting for Public Companies
Wall Street Journal, Aug. 17, 2018–Dave Michaels, Michael Rapoport (subscription)President Trump on Friday said he asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to consider scaling back how often public companies report results to investors, citing business leaders who say it could promote growth.
Inside the Scandal that Could Explode Multifamily Real Estate
HousingWire, Aug. 17, 2018–Ben LaneEverything is going swimmingly in multifamily real estate these days, right? Rents keep rising, construction is still chugging along, deals are being made, and delinquencies are still at historic lows. So everything’s good, right? Maybe not.
U.S. Consumer Sentiment Hits 11-Month Low, Inflation in Focus
Reuters, Aug. 17, 2018–Lucia MutikaniU.S. consumer sentiment fell to an 11-month low in early August, with households expressing concerns about the rising cost of living, potentially signaling a slowdown in consumer spending.
Escrow Accounts: A Necessary Evil
UExpress, Aug. 17, 2018–Lew SichelmanMost lenders require escrow accounts to make sure these bills are paid on time, thereby reducing the risk that you will default on the mortgage or incur liens on the property. Either of those possibilities will place a cloud on your title, making the property more difficult to sell–by you or the bank, should it have to foreclose.
Freddie Mac Joins Rental-Home Boom
Wall Street Journal, Aug. 18, 2018–Ryan Dezember (subscription)Freddie Mac is expanding its role in financing one of Wall Street’s postcrisis success stories: the booming business of investing in single-family rental houses.
No Mortgage Firms Among 100 Fastest Growing
Mortgage Daily, Aug. 17, 2018–Sam GarciaAlthough there were several real estate companies on the list of this year’s 100 fastest-growing firms, there were no mortgage-related firms and very few financial services businesses.
2018-2019 Home Lending Outlook Cut By $26 Billion
Mortgage Daily, Aug. 17, 2018The forecasted volume of residential loans to be originated this year and next year has been reduced by $26 billion. Home purchase financing took the biggest hit.
Mortgage Rates Move Lower for Second Week in a Row
Washington Post, Aug. 16, 2018–Kathy OrtonAccording to the latest data released Thursday by Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate average dropped to 4.53 percent with an average 0.5 point. It was 4.59 percent a week ago and 3.89 percent a year ago.