Category Archives: Housing

Better Economic Growth Coming?

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

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 →

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Record Post-Recession Home Sales, Construction, Case-Shiller Prices in July

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner With all the bad news coming from the stock market, it’s good to know that this hasn’t affected the housing market. In fact, it’s pushing interest rates lower, so that a conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate has … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Higher Birth Rates Are Here

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

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 →

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Case-Shiller Home Prices Up, Ownership Rate Lower

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

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 →

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Will Fannie and Freddie’s Investors Finally Succeed?

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

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 →

Posted in Economy, Housing, housing market, Politics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Housing Starts, Builder Optimism at Recovery Highs

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

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 →

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Iran Agreement Means Low Inflation, Higher Growth

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

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 →

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Politics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Home Prices Increase With Jobs

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

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 →

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pending Home Sales, Mortgage Applications Soar

Posted on July 7, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

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 →

Posted in Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Good Jobs Report

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Should we push back the first Fed rate hike to the presidential election year of 2016, because of June’s softer-than-expected employment report? Nonfarm payroll growth came in at 223,000 vs expectations for 230,000 and above. It included downward … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment