Carson: FHA Will Extend Forbearance Requests Through Year-End

HUD Secretary Ben Carson yesterday announced the Federal Housing Administration will extend the date for single-family homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages to request an initial forbearance from their mortgage servicer for up to six months.

August New Home Sales Continue Summer Surge

New home sales topped the one million mark, seasonally adjusted, in August for the first time since 2006, HUD and the Census Bureau reported yesterday.

Monday Report: Red-Hot Housing Markets and a Time-Capsule Survey

This morning’s Monday Report features stories that confirm the housing markets remain hot, regardless of location or political preference; what that might mean for down payments; and a housing survey that, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, was obsolete the moment it was released.

After Strong Summer, August Housing Starts Underwhelm

Housing starts—one of the bright spots in a red-hot summer housing market—faltered in August, HUD and the Census Bureau reported yesterday, although most of the decline took place in multifamily.

GSEs, FHA Extend Foreclosure/REO Eviction Moratoria

The government-sponsored enterprises and HUD yesterday announced they would extend foreclosure moratoria to all GSE-backed mortgages and FHA-backed mortgages, respectively and extend eviction moratoria through at least Dec. 31.

July New Home Sales Hit 13-Year High

Sales of new single-family houses in July posted another strong double-digit gain, jumping to their strongest pace since 2006, HUD and the Census Bureau reported yesterday.

Industry Briefs Aug. 19, 2020

Freedom Mortgage Corp., Mount Laurel, N.J., and RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corp., Charlotte, N.C. completed their previously announced merger. RoundPoint is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Freedom Mortgage, a full-service mortgage company and provider of VA and government-insured lending.

Record Traffic Spurs Home Builder Index to New High

It’s been quite a year for the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. In April, amid the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Index plunged 30 points to its lowest level since 2012. Yesterday—just four months later—the Index reached its highest point in its 35-year history.