MBA Newslinks Archive

“Sellers are slow to list this year and we aren’t seeing enough new construction homes to fill the gap. If we don’t see the new listings number turn around next month or a pickup in new housing starts, inventory will be a persistent drag on sales for the remainder of the year.”–Redfin chief economist Nela Richardson.

“Two important trends signal that some modest relief for the housing supply shortage is on the way–the continued year-over-year growth in completions means more homes on the market in the short-term and the dramatic rise in construction employment this month indicates housing construction is likely to increase in the months ahead.”–First American Financial Corp. Chief Economist Mark Fleming.

“We have to get better; online is the play. We have members overseas that want to–and have to–obtain a complete mortgage online. We have to be able to accommodate them.”–Ben Sizemore, senior vice president of mortgage transformation with Pentagon Federal Credit Union, Arlington, Va.

“What we see is a lot of lack of preparation. What we also see are a lot of companies in a reactive mode, because they didn’t prepare for an attack they didn’t think was going to happen.”–Tom Clerici, cyber security practice director with Arraya Solutions, Plymouth Meeting, Pa.

“Data will move faster and be more accurate. What can we learn from it? If we don’t get on the train, it’s going to be over. Whoever can move faster on technology and invest time and effort in technology will succeed.”–Dan Gilbert, founder and chairman of Quicken Loans Inc., Detroit.

“The impact of technology disruptors and the financial implications they have on our decisions is incredible…Technology helps us be more efficient and effective with our very limited time in a fast-paced business world.”–MBA Vice Chairman Brian Stoffers, CMB.

“Millennials are not only interested in homeownership, they are the primary reason that the homeownership rate increased over the past year.” –Mark Fleming, chief economist with First American Financial Corp., Santa Ana, Calif.

“Less than half of all active foreclosures are now tied to loans originated during the last housing bubble, one of several data milestones in this report showing that the U.S. housing market has mostly cleared out the backlog of bad loans that triggered the housing and financial crisis nearly a decade ago.”–Daren Blomquist, senior vice president with ATTOM Data Solutions, Irvine, Calif.

“We saw a strong January and February, and that may have pulled some activity forward. We did, however, see the third straight month over month increase, which is in line with the typical seasonal pattern at this time of the year.”–Joel Kan, MBA Associate Vice President of Economic and Industry Forecasting, on latest MBA Builder Application Survey data.

“Now, with this bill, the voice of justice speaks again. It proclaims that Fair Housing for all, all human beings who live in this country, is now part of the American way of life.”–President Lyndon Johnson, upon signing the Fair Housing Act into law on Apr. 11, 1968.