Data

Net equity among U.S. mortgage holders has increased by nearly $1 trillion in the last year, reaching the highest level since 2007, according to Black Knight Financial Services July 2015 Mortgage Monitor.

Although the rate hike is expected to occur at some point before the end of 2015, mortgage bankers indicate that the real estate market in 2016 will favor sellers.

Despite housing market challenges, U.S. state housing finance agencies remain financially sound as mortgage revenue bond issuance, net interest, median ratios, and other factors trend upward.

Job gains fell below expectations for the month of August, totaling less than 200,000, but wage growth finally began to show some upward pressure. However, analysts are still divided on whether it will be enough to convince the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates in their September meeting.

Compliance defects on closed mortgage loans are already a costly problem for lenders, but with the new TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure rules just one month away, lenders can expect to face even more risks and costs.

The number of federally insured credit unions dropped in the second quarter, but the National Credit Union Administration reported Thursday that total loan growth was positive. Total loans at federally insured credit unions reached $745.2 billion in the second quarter of 2015, an increase of 3.2 percent from the previous quarter and 10.6 percent from last year.

Mortgage originations are expected to decrease by 30 percent in 2014, due to a decline in refinance activity, according to estimates from CoreLogic.

Outstanding residential acquisition, development, and construction loan volume expanded 4.7 percent in the second quarter of 2015. The National Association of Home Builders found that AD&C loans grew for the ninth consecutive quarter, but availability of these loans remains tight, hindering home construction.

The Federal Reserve reported in its August 2015 Beige Book released Wednesday that economic activity continued to expand across most regions and sectors, while the majority of reports on residential real estate markets across the 12 Fed districts were positive.

While existing-home sales have seen solid gains in 2015, reaching levels not seen since before the crisis seven years ago, the rate of increase may be slowing down, according to data released by Auction.com on Tuesday.