Category Archives: housing market

Housing Affordability Improving

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Spurred by a modest reduction in mortgage interest rates and favorable home prices, nationwide housing affordability in the first quarter of 2016 posted a slight increase, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity … Continue reading →

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Fannie Mae, GSEs, Even More Important

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner With news that Fannie Mae, one of the GSEs now managed by the Federal Housing Finance Authority (and US Treasury) just showed a $1.1B profit in Q1, but must pass all of it profits to Treasury since … Continue reading →

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Fed Stays in Accommodative Mode

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly It looks like Janet Yellen’s Fed will continue to keep interest rates low this year, based on the latest FOMC press release. This is great news for the housing market, in particular, but not necessarily for consumers … Continue reading →

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Why Not More Homes For Sale?

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Many Realtors and economists have been asking this question. Why such a low housing inventory? Total existing-home sales jumped 5.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.33 million in March from a downwardly revised 5.07 million … Continue reading →

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Motor Vehicles, Housing Will Power 2016 Economy

Posted on April 21, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Even though Q1 2016 GDP growth looks weak for a number of reasons (such as lower exports and slumping oil prices that depress energy sector earnings), there are reasons it can go higher in 2016. Oil prices … Continue reading →

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Builder Confidence Holds, But Household Formation Still Weak

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes remained unchanged in April at a level of 58 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). “Builders remain cautiously optimistic about construction growth … Continue reading →

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Record Mortgage Originations in 2015, In Spite of FHFA

Posted on April 12, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner In addition to very large Consumer credit borrowing that rose $17.2 billion in February (but excludes mortgage lending), the number of new first mortgages increased to a post-recession high in 2015, according to new data from credit … Continue reading →

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Record Low Rates Spur Consumer Debt, But Not Spending

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Consumer credit rose a very large $17.2 billion in February with January revised higher to $14.9 billion, says the Federal Reserve. Nonrevolving credit, which are gains for vehicle financing and student loans, rose $14.2 billion and revolving … Continue reading →

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Where Are The New Homes?

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 2 percent in February from an upwardly revised January reading to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 512,000 units, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing … Continue reading →

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Existing-Home Sales Fall, Inflation Too Tame

Posted on March 21, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner After increasing to the highest annual rate in six months, existing-home sales tumbled in February amidst very low supply levels and robust price growth in several sections of the country, according to the National Association of Realtors. … Continue reading →

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