Associated Press, Sept. 17, 2015
Mortgage giant Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage edged up to 3.91 percent from 3.90 percent a week earlier. The rate on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages rose to 3.11 percent from 3.10 percent.
National Mortgage Professional, Sept. 17, 2015–Hall, Phil
In a bold challenge to what has recently become a widely accepted theory across the housing industry, Zillow is insisting that the record level of student debt carried by recent college graduates is having no impact on one’s ability to obtain a mortgage.
Wall Street Journal, Sept. 17, 2015–Hilsenrath, Jon
The Federal Reserve left short-term interest rates unchanged after weeks of market-churning debate at the central bank about whether it was time to end an era of near-zero rates in acknowledgment of the stronger domestic U.S. economy and job market.
HousingWire, Sept. 17, 2015–Swanson, Brena
Lenders witnessed an easing in lending standards across all loan types over the third quarter, according to Fannie Mae’s third quarter Mortgage Lender Sentiment Survey.
Reuters, Sept. 17, 2015–Mutikani, Lucia
The number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level in eight weeks, suggesting the labor market continued to strengthen despite the recent tightening in financial market conditions.
The Chattanoogan.com, Sept. 16, 2015 The legislation would prohibit any increase in the guarantee fee–which is required to be charged by government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac–from offsetting other government spending while also prohibiting the sale of Treasury-owned senior preferred shares in the GSEs without congressional approval and structural housing finance reform.
CNBC, Sept. 16, 2015–Olick, Diana
Total mortgage application volume decreased 7 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending September 11th versus the earlier week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Scotsman Guide, Sept. 16, 2015–Whitman, Victor
Housing and banking groups are gearing up for fights this fall over the use of money collected by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to insure mortgage-backed securities.
Marketplace, Sept. 16, 2015–King, Noel
Fannie Mae is making changes to a mortgage product for middle- and low-income earners in order to better reflect the way many folks live now: with working parents, children or roommates who may not be the main mortgage borrower, but who pitch in money for rent, groceries and utilities.
MarketWatch, Sept. 16, 2015–Sjolin, Sara
Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC agreed to pay $129.6 million to settle claims by a U.S. regulator that the British lender sold toxic mortgage-backed securities to now-defunct U.S. credit unions, according to the court filing on Tuesday.
