Daily Dose

Fannie Mae is now offering three solutions for borrowers with student loan debt. They will allow borrowers to exclude student debt in their debt-to-income ratio, let lenders accept student loan payments on credit reports, and allow borrowers to refinance in order to pay down student debts. Student loan debt is one of the biggest barries to homeownership today.

Home prices are up yet again, both over the month and over the year. The latest House Price Index shows a more than 6 percent uptick over 2016's prices and nearly a full percent jump since January of this year. The most annual growth was seen in the Mountain region.

Housing demand is starting to cool off, due largely to low inventory and rising prices. The Oakland, California, market was hit particularly hard in terms of demand for March. Demand hit a record high in January.

According to data released on Tuesday by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Census Bureau, new home sales grew by 5.8 percent month-over-month in March, and 15.6 percent year-over-year. The median home price rose to $315,000, while the average home price grew to $388,200.

Approaching President Trump's 100th day in office, we took a look at how his administration has impacted the financial sector. From lending rates to bank stock prices, see in what directions the needle has moved in reaction to policy changes made by the president. We’ll also take a look at what impact Trump’s executive orders affecting Dodd-Frank is having on the market as well as how the housing industry may be impacted by a recent tariff on Canadian lumber.

A new analysis shows the USDA’s single-family loan programs offered a strong alternative to conventional loans during the housing crisis. At one point, 502 Guaranteed loans even exceeded 100 percent LTV. Guaranteed loans jumped by 483 percent from 2006 to 2010, while Direct ones rose 88 percent.

The FDIC and the Federal Reserve Board found that in December 2016, Wells Fargo had not yet remedied two of the three deficiencies the agencies had previously identified. Subsequently, the agencies imposed restrictions on the growth of Wells Fargo’s international and non-bank activities. The revised plan submitted by Wells Fargo in march adequately repaired the two deficiencies. Wells Fargo has remedied the deficiencies and will no longer be subject to the growth restrictions which were imposed.

With the federal funding running out on Friday and a potential government shutdown looming, expect to see an impact on the mortgage industry. Access to tax documents and other government paperwork may prove difficult in the event of a shutdown. Furloughs at the IRS and Social Security can cause roadblocks in the application process.

First American’s Real House Price Index (RHPI) for February 2017 showed home prices remaining strong. The low inventory has meant that home prices have remained high. Additionally, the RHPI noted that rising wages have offset the impact of rising home prices and mortgage rates on affordability. Wages have grown by 2.8 percent in February.

A new report by Redfin shows a sizeable number of people in expensive coastal cities want to move to more affordable cities. And while California is losing more people than any other state, Florida seems to be gaining in domestic expats. Meanwhile, buyers in Chicago don’t seem eager to leave the city.