Category Archives: housing market

Construction Leads Housing, GDP Recovery

The Mortgage Corner Pending home sales are still rising. And that’s in large part because both residential and non-residential commercial construction is in fact soaring. The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that construction spending during … Continue reading

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Consumers Lead Growth, and Business Investment

Financial FAQs The U.S. economy grew at a faster 3.7 percent annual clip in the second quarter, up from the initial estimate of 2.3 percent, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Why was that a surprise to those short sellers afraid … Continue reading

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Better Economic Growth Coming?

Popular Economics Weekly Barron’s economist Gene Epstein forecasts the possibility tomorrow’s Q2 GDP growth could be revised from 2.3 to 3.5 percent. I believe he’s a bit optimistic, but today’s snapback of stocks does mean that emerging market problems may … Continue reading

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Higher Birth Rates Are Here

The Mortgage Corner The mellennial generation, now aged 18 to 36 years, are beginning to drive higher birth rates. And that means more households being formed, which will ultimately create a higher demand for housing. Actually, a 4 million birth … Continue reading

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Case-Shiller Home Prices Up, Ownership Rate Lower

The Mortgage Corner Home prices have stabilized for a while, after the 2013 double-digit price surge brought on by the Fed’s various QE bond purchases and ultra-low interest rates. And homeownership rates are still dropping due mainly to affordability and … Continue reading

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Will Fannie and Freddie’s Investors Finally Succeed?

Financial FAQs It is welcome news for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac investors that Judge Margaret Sweeney in the Federal Claims Court in Washington Tuesday granted a motion that will force the U.S. Treasury to release all discovery document materials … Continue reading

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Housing Starts, Builder Optimism at Recovery Highs

The Mortgage Corner Privately-owned housing starts in June were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,174,000. This is 9.8 percent above the revised May estimate of 1,069,000 and is 26.6 percent above the June 2014 rate of 927,000. This … Continue reading

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Iran Agreement Means Low Inflation, Higher Growth

Financial FAQs Although economists haven’t yet begun to crunch the numbers, Iran’s agreement not to produce atomic weapons or weapon-grade plutonium for at least 10 years will result in much lower oil prices, thus keeping inflation in check and interest … Continue reading

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Home Prices Increase With Jobs

The Mortgage Corner The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index is the bell weather for real estate and home prices these days. It not only reports housing prices, but what affects those prices, and jobs have to be the most important … Continue reading

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Pending Home Sales, Mortgage Applications Soar

The Mortgage Corner Pending home sales continued to rise in May and are now at their highest level in over nine years, according to the National Association of Realtors. Gains in the Northeast and West were offset by small decreases … Continue reading

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