Category: Top National News

Associated Press, May 22, 2016–Lima, Debora
As Miami’s condo market loses traction amid a softening world economy, developers are shifting gears and rental apartments are sprouting throughout Miami-Dade.

National Mortgage News, May 20, 2016–Passy, Jacob
Compressed inventory and lackluster homebuyer sentiment thanks to tight credit availability has hindered the housing market from performing at its full potential in April, according to First American Financial Corp.

HousingWire, May 20, 2016–Ramirez, Kelsey
California January through April’s home sales were down 4.5% annually to 117,235, the lowest level for that time frame since 2008, according to PropertyRadar, a software, data and analysis products provider for real estate professionals.

NPR Weekend Edition, May 22, 2016
A decade later, even though the recession is over, more than six million homeowners are still upside down on their mortgages.

Morning Consult, May 20, 2016–Homan, Timothy R.
The Justice Department and HUD are using mortgage settlements with big banks to steer money toward “left-wing radical groups,” according to Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2016–Kusisto, Laura
Student loans are often blamed for the record-low homeownership rate among young adults. But new research suggests that young people without a college diploma face especially big hurdles to owning a home.

Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2016–Russolillo, Steven
Steady job growth, rising wages and low interest rates have helped prop up housing demand. Friday’s positive report on U.S. existing-home sales underscored this. And even with the specter of another Fed rate increase looming, perhaps as soon as next month, housing’s foundation isn’t likely to be shaken.

National Mortgage News, May 22, 2016–Sinnock, Bonnie
Ginnie Mae wants go one step further in its monitoring of issuers’ operations. It plans to model how the liquidity of companies that issue its mortgage-backed securities would look under stress, so it can troubleshoot more effectively. Mortgage bankers have been working to help Ginnie address the resource management concern and they are open to the idea of stress tests, said MBA President and CEO David Stevens.

National Mortgage News, May 19, 2016–Finkelstein, Brad
Fannie Mae is expecting a flat to declining interest rate environment for the next two years, while Freddie Mae believes rates will rise. Mike Fratantoni of the MBA predicted a 10-basis-point rise to 3.95%.

Washington Post, May 19, 2016–Orton, Kathy
Despite better-than-expected economic data released this week, mortgage rates barely budged.