HousingWire, Oct. 12, 2015–Garrison, Trey
Selma Hepp, chief economist at Trulia, argues that it would take a really big Federal Reserve interest rate increase for homebuyers to care that much.
Category: Top National News
Posh Tower Proposed for Struggling New York Neighborhood: Central Park South
Wall Street Journal, Oct. 13, 2015–Brown, Eliot
If developer Steven Witkoff’s ambitions are realized, he will complete by 2020 a soaring 900-foot condominium tower that would be the latest addition to the “Billionaires’ Row” of ultraluxury skyscrapers on the southern edge of New York’s Central Park.
FHA Mortgage Insurance Boom in the Works?
HousingWire, Oct. 9, 2015–Swanson, Brena
The Federal Housing Administration’s share of purchase mortgage insurance steadily declined since 2010 until 2015, the latest chart in the Mortgage Bankers Association’s chart series showed.
Lacker Says Fed Taking Risks With Economy at Full Employment
Bloomberg, Oct. 9, 2015–Torres, Craig
Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Jeffrey Lacker said the U.S. is already at full employment and the central bank may risk overheating the economy as it attempts to drive additional job gains.
Why You Should Care that Private Investors Don’t Want to Buy Your Mortgage Anymore
Urban Institute, Oct. 9, 2015–Goodman, Laurie
While the securitization of loans with government backing has remained strong or strengthened, the collapse of private-label securitization may have wide-reaching implications for the mortgage market. The disappearance of this market has affected the availability and cost of mortgages for one group of borrowers–those with less wealth and less than perfect credit who do not quality for government-backed loans.
Consumers Improve Finances as Interest Rate Hike Looms
Arizona Republic, Oct. 10, 2015–Wiles, Russ
The much-anticipated and long-delayed Federal Reserve hike in interest rates could slow the economy a bit when it finally comes. But Americans generally appear to be in better shape to handle higher borrowing costs than even a few years ago.
New Rules To Make Mortgage Shopping Less Clunky
USA Today, Oct. 11, 2015–Tompor, Susan
Shopping for a new home now? Or planning to go house hunting this spring? You’ll want to pay attention to some new mortgage disclosures that rolled onto the scene.
Soon You Can Insure Your Down Payment
Seattle Times, Oct. 10, 2015–Harney, Kenneth R.
The basic idea is straightforward. For an upfront premium that under some circumstances could be part of the interest rate you pay on your mortgage, your down payment – all the way up to $200,000 – would be insured, with you as the beneficiary.
Fed’s Fischer Says Economy May Merit Liftoff Later This Year
Bloomberg, Oct. 11, 2p015–Mayeda, Andrew; Condon, Christopher
Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Stanley Fischer said the U.S. economy may be strong enough to merit an interest-rate increase by year end, while cautioning that policy makers are monitoring slower domestic job growth and international developments in deciding the precise timing of liftoff.
WSJ Survey: Economists Still See Fed Rate Increase in 2015
Wall Street Journal, Oct. 8, 2015–Zumbrun, JoshEconomists are taking Federal Reserve officials at their word that the first interest-rate increase will come this year.