Daily Dose

The latest price index from FNC Inc. shows the nation's average home price moved up 0.1 percent in December, turning around after a 0.1 percent decline in October and no notable change in November. Home prices fell 0.2 percent through 2014's fourth quarter compared to the third, putting annual growth at about 5 percent compared to 5.2 percent in November and 5.7 percent in October.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index fell two points in the association's February reading, coming in at 55 for the month, the group said Tuesday. NAHB Chairman Tom Woods said February's slight decline is "largely attributable to the unusually high snow levels across much of the nation."

A whole generation of consumers has emerged from the Great Recession with varying degrees of damage to their personal finances and credit. With today's tighter underwriting and regulatory requirements, these families will need credit remediation and rehabilitation in order to re-enter the housing market.

Even as the demand for rental housing has increased in most markets, investors continue to prefer to flip houses due to a recent combination of price appreciation and decreased inventory, according to Auction.com.

More than one in three homeowners with mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) could stand to save money by refinancing now that the agency has lowered its annual mortgage insurance premium, according to a study released by the Urban Institute (UI).

"It's got to be positive for housing, because all your consumer numbers are going in the same direction," said John Silvia, managing director and chief economist with Wells Fargo, who was one of the 39 panelists to participate in the survey. "With more jobs, higher wages, and income growth, you always see an increase in consumer confidence."

Georgia's Department of Banking and Finance took possession of Capitol City Bank & Trust Company on Friday, citing the bank's "unsound condition" as a result of losses on real estate loans. Despite receiving help to shore up its capital, it was unable to recover following the financial crash.

The hearing, entitled "Regulatory Relief for Community Banks and Credit Unions," was a gathering of the committee's lawmakers to discuss the effect of recent regulatory burdens placed on smaller banks and credit unions in response to the financial crisis.

The bureau announced it is suing reverse mortgage lender All Financial Services with the intent to halt the lender's illegal activities and has imposed civil fines on both Flagship Financial Group and American Preferred Lending. The latter two companies were ordered to cease their false advertising in addition to paying civil fines.

When it comes to major life milestones, mortgages come before marriages for a large number of millennials, according to data released Friday. In a recent survey conducted by Redfin, 38 percent of Americans age 18–34 say they either would or have put off a wedding or honeymoon in favor of saving to buy a home.