Data

According to a report released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the median price for an existing single-family home rose annually last quarter in 73 percent of the 172 major metros surveyed. That share was up slightly from the second quarter, when 71 percent of metros posted year-over-year gains.

In an analysis of housing affordability in 512 U.S. counties, RealtyTrac discovered that lowering the down payment for a conventional mortgage loan from 20 percent to 3 percent would still not translate to housing affordability for a majority of those with non-mortgage debt such as student loans or a car payment.

In a report released Thursday, real estate data firm RealtyTrac revealed that 33.9 percent of single-family home and condo sales last quarter were transacted in cash, down from 36.9 percent in the second quarter and flat from last year.

The number of jobs in the private sector increased by 230,000 from September to October, according to the latest report from ADP. October's growth was the highest since June and the second highest so far this year, said ADP's president and CEO, Carlos Rodriguez.

According to an examination of application numbers by macroeconomic research company Capital Economics, total mortgage application volume jumped 10.1 percent in October, bouncing back after four straight months of declines. The headline measure received a major boost from refinance applications, which were up 18.5 percent month-over-month to arrive at an eight-month high.

NeighborWorks' Second Annual America at Home Survey showed that student loan debt and perceived overtightness of lending has prevented or delayed homeownership despite the fact that 60 percent of American adults surveyed said owning a home was either "the most important" or a "very important" part of the American dream.

Home price growth continued in September on an annual basis, while monthly returns have stagnated, CoreLogic reported Tuesday. Including distressed sales, the company's Home Price Index (HPI) increased 5.6 percent in September compared to the year prior, bringing the index's yearly growth streak to 31 straight months.

In its annual survey of homebuyers and sellers, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that only about 33 percent of home purchases in the last year were made by first-time buyers, down from 38 percent in last year's survey and the long-term average of 40 percent.

The Commerce Department reported Monday that construction spending throughout September came in at an estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of $950.9 billion, down 0.4 percent from August but up 2.9 percent from a year ago.

Measuring its current data on active mortgages throughout the United States, analysts at Black Knight estimate 7.4 million American borrowers with 30-year mortgage loans could benefit by refinancing into a lower interest rate. As of the end of October, the average 30-year fixed rate was 3.98 percent, according to Freddie Mac, just up from a 16-month low recorded earlier in the month.