Category Archives: Housing

New-Home Sales, Confidence Also At New Highs

Posted on December 27, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Just as existing-home sales are at their cyclical highs, the Commerce Department on Friday said new home sales increased 5.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 592,000 units last month. That was the second highest … Continue reading →

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Housing Construction, Sales Strong, Interest Rates Still Ultra-Low

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Housing starts are being hit by huge swings. November starts fell 18.7 percent in November to a much lower-than-expected 1.090 million annualized rate following an upward revised gain of 27.4 percent to 1.340 million in October, says … Continue reading →

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Conforming Mortgage Limits Rise for 2017

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs The Federal Housing Finance Authority, or FHFA, just announced it is increasing the limit for conforming mortgages from $417,000 to $424,100 in most regions of the United States starting Jan. 1, 2017—the first such increase since 2006. The … Continue reading →

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Conforming Mortgage Limits Rise for 2017

Posted on November 25, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs The Federal Housing Finance Authority, or FHFA, just announced it is increasing the limit for conforming mortgages from $417,000 to $424,100 in most regions of the United States starting Jan. 1, 2017—the first such increase since 2006. This … Continue reading →

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Housing Starts, Home Sales ‘Yuge’

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Housing starts surged 25.5 percent in October to a 1.323 million annualized rate. This is the best rate of the cycle since August 2007 with the monthly percentage gain the strongest since 1982, says Econoday. It and … Continue reading →

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What Is the Future of Interest Rates?

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner The deficit is moving to the back burner with Donald Trump and congressional Republicans in charge of Washington, and that is causing interest rates to rise quickly. Republicans leaders on Capitol Hill are now papering over divisions … Continue reading →

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Housing Sales, Prices Continue Skyward

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner The S&P Case Shiller Home Price Index continues to soar, with Seattle and Portland existing-home prices up double digits in a year, while Dallas and Denver are up some 8 percent annually. Case-Shiller’s national index is within … Continue reading →

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Housing Construction Slows

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Single-family housing construction rose in September. Though overall starts plunged what looks like a shocking 9.0 percent in September, to a 1.047 million annualized rate, said Econoday. The drop is tied entirely to the volatile multi-family component … Continue reading →

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A Recovery In Retail Sales?

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs September retail sales rose: total up 0.6 percent, ex-auto up 0.5 percent, ex-auto ex-gas up 0.3 percent, which indicates a good holiday season for retail. But this is bucking the downward trend that has sales sinking to the … Continue reading →

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Will Low Interest Rates Continue?

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner This question is behind much of the stock and bond market gyrations. We are near full employment with a 5.0 percent unemployment rate, some 11 million jobs created since the end of the Great Recession, yet we … Continue reading →

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