Mortgage Daily, Mar. 29, 2018The loans are just part of a $420 offering Freddie Mac announced on Feb. 15.
Category: Top National News
How Short-Term Rentals Impact Home Inventory
DS News, Mar. 30, 2018–David WhartonMost of the country is currently experiencing a mix of increasing home prices and decreasing inventory, especially for lower-income homebuyers. But now a new report examines how the affordability situation in Hawaii is being exacerbated by the local rental market.
U.S. Consumer Spending Up Slightly; Jobless Claims at 45-Year Low
Reuters, Mar. 29, 2018–Lucia MutikaniU.S. consumer spending rose marginally for a second straight month in February as households boosted savings, the latest indication that the economy lost momentum in the first quarter.
Weekly Mortgage Applications Rise Even as Rates Increase
CNBC, Mar. 28, 2018–Diana OlickApplications for mortgages jumped 4.8 percent last week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted report. Volume remained unchanged from one year ago.
A Mortgage in 30 Minutes? Fintech Says It’s Coming
American Banker, Mar. 28, 2018–Penny Crosman (subscription)Quicken Loans’ Rocket Mortgage has made waves because it promises to process a mortgage application in minutes and close the loan in under a month, but a new upstart, Lenda, is aiming to knock the firm, now the largest nonbank home lender in the country, off its perch.
What to Expect From the Housing Market This Spring
New York Times, Mar. 28, 2018–Neil IrwinThe economics of home buying are getting interesting, thanks to higher mortgage rates, tax changes and a supply-demand imbalance.
Manhattan Apartment Sales Chill Amid Supply Increase
Wall Street Journal, Mar. 28, 2018–Josh Barbanel (subscription)Sales of Manhattan apartments slowed during the first quarter to the slowest pace in five years, according to an analysis by The Wall Street Journal.
Apathy, Blind Spots and Fixes: Insights on Workplace Harassment
National Mortgage News, Mar. 28, 2018–Chelsey Emery, Bonnie McGeer, Dana Jackson (subscription)While the #MeToo movement has prompted important discussions about workplace equality, a SourceMedia study shows sexual harassment continues to be an issue in many industries.
Equifax Names New CEO as Fallout from Data Breach Continues
HousingWire, Mar. 28, 2018–Ben LaneEquifax announced Wednesday that it is naming Mark Begor as its next CEO. Begor will take over at the company on April 16, replacing Paulino do Rego Barros, who took over as interim CEO when Richard Smith retired in the immediate aftermath of the company’s disclosure of the breach.
Under Ben Carson, HUD Scales Back Fair Housing Enforcement
New York Times, Mar. 28, 2018–Glenn ThrushThe Trump administration is attempting to scale back federal efforts to enforce fair housing laws, freezing enforcement actions against local governments and businesses, including Facebook, while sidelining officials who have aggressively pursued civil rights cases.