Data

In a week of turmoil in the economic markets as the FDIC was named receiver of two banks, Freddie Mac reported the fixed-rate mortgage retreated 13 basis points, ending a five-week run of increases.

“Single-family housing permits, a leading indicator of future starts, also increased 7.6% compared with the previous month. The uptick in single-family housing permits and starts aligns with the recent increase in homebuilder sentiment,” said First American Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi.

According to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association Builder Application Survey data for February 2023, mortgage applications for new home purchases increased just 1.2% compared to the same time a year ago.

CFPB seeks info from the public to assist with rulemaking under the Fair Credit Reporting Act regarding data brokers.

“Buyers today are way more demanding and selective. They’re willing to wait to find the perfect house, which wasn’t the case during the pandemic homebuying boom,” said Elena Fleck, a Redfin real estate agent in Palm Beach, Florida.

The MBA reports that purchase applications increased for the second straight week but remained nearly 40% below last year’s pace, amid news of continued economic instability and several bank closures.

Since 2019, the number of single, female-headed households has increased by 1.4 million, one million of whom are homeowners, according to a new report from First American.

According to a new study from Realtor.com, homeowners who list the week of April 16-22 will experience the best combination of market conditions and could receive $48,000 more for their home than at the start of the year.

“Mortgage credit availability decreased to its lowest level since January 2013 with all loan types seeing declines in availability over the month,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s VP and Deputy Chief Economist.

Apartments are becoming increasingly difficult to find in small, low-profile markets across the U.S, as a new report from RentCafe revealed inflation, rate hikes, elevated home prices, and increased costs of living are pushing many renters to re-think their housing options.