Category Archives: Housing

When Will (Housing) Selling Season End?

Posted on September 26, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner It’s already October and the housing market continues to boom—even after the kids are back in school, the usual end of the sales season. Sales of newly-constructed homes dropped 7.6 percent in August, though they beat forecasts. … Continue reading →

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Why Isn’t It Easier to Qualify For A Mortgage?

Posted on September 12, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner It’s not getting any easier to obtain a mortgage. This is in spite of record low mortgage rates, as low as 3.0 percent for 30-year conforming fixed rates; as well as the appearance of so-called Alt-A, non-QM … Continue reading →

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US Consumers Are Happy Again

Posted on August 30, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly US consumers are feeling good, with higher confidence and rising wages pushing demand for housing and consumer spending. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index rose a huge 4.4 points to 101.3 in August. It has been hovering … Continue reading →

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Home Sales Soar

Posted on August 24, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner It’s finally happened. Housing is now leading this 7-year recovery—finally. It’s taken a long time for those wanting to form new households to leave their parents, or school, or even pay down their education loans sufficiently to … Continue reading →

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Much More Housing Needed

Posted on August 22, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner There’s an exception to the current low inflation prognostications echoed in my column by the San Francisco Fed Prez John Williams. It’s in housing, which is struggling to meet the surging demand for both new homes and … Continue reading →

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Home Sales, Consumer Confidence Still Rising

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 3.5 percent in June from an upwardly revised May reading to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 592,000 units, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing … Continue reading →

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The Real Economy Trumps Republicans’ Dark Ages

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Marketwatch’s Jeff Bartash is just one economic journalist busting the Donald’s ‘Disstopian’ views (Maureen Dowd’s term, not mine). Our economy is doing incredibly well for most people, including the bottom of the economic ladder—whose incomes are being … Continue reading →

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Higher Housing Sales, Leading Indicators Mean More Growth

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Two more signs of improved economic growth came out today. Boosted by a greater share first-time buyer sales not seen in nearly four years, existing-home sales maintained their upward trajectory in June and increased for the fourth consecutive … Continue reading →

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A Record Year For Mortgages?

Posted on July 19, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner First quarter mortgage numbers are in, and we could be having a very good year for mortgage originations, says Equifax, among others. According to Equifax’s report, the total dollar amount of first-mortgage originations during the first quarter … Continue reading →

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Retail Sales Augur Better Economic Growth Ahead

Posted on July 15, 2016 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Many signs are pointing to better growth ahead, led by consumer, or retail spending. Ex-auto ex-gas offers a gauge on underlying trends in consumer spending, as non-store retailers popped a 1.1 percent surge in the month which … Continue reading →

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