Tag Archives: housing construction

Housing Construction, Retail Sales Surge

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Another sign that the economy is finally recovering—new housing starts surged 15 percent, to their highest levels since 2008 and the beginning of the Great Recession. This is boosting construction employment in particular, but also finance, insurance … Continue reading →

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Existing-Home Sales Improve

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Home resales rose in August to their highest rate in more than two years and groundbreaking on new homes also climbed, signs that a budding housing market recovery is gaining traction. The National Association of Realtors said that … Continue reading →

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HARP 2.0 Leads Mortgage Refinance Higher

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner There is growing optimism that the real estate bust is finally at an end. The cause is a combination of record low interest rates leading to more refinance activity and increasing confidence of consumers in the economic … Continue reading →

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Home Prices Up, New-Home Sales Surging

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 7.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 369,000 units in May, according to newly released data from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau. Why are new-home sales important? … Continue reading →

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Housing Affordability at Record High

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Nationwide housing affordability hit a new record high for a second consecutive quarter in the first three months of this year, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI).  So much so, … Continue reading →

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HARP 2.0 Loan Modifications Begin This Week

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner The revamped HARP 2.0 loan modification program for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans kicks off this week, which allows unlimited loan-to-values for existing 30 or 15-year fixed rate mortgages owned by Fannie and Freddie, and maximum … Continue reading →

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Where is the Housing Bottom?

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner The housing bottom is really a function of incomes, jobs, and inventory of houses for sale. All three indicators are favorable for housing sales to pick up this year. But prices have to bottom first. The main … Continue reading →

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Mortgage Applications-Builder Optimism Rising

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Are homebuyers and borrowers finally realizing that mortgage rates might not fall much further? We are seeing a huge jump in both mortgage and builder activity, and much of the most recent interest rate drop has been … Continue reading →

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Will Younger Generation Rescue Real Estate?

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Privately-owned housing starts in November rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 685,000, which combined with increasing builder sentiment is a sign that children of the baby boomers—the so-called Boomerang or echo boomer generation—may finally be … Continue reading →

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Don’t Blame Our Democracy…

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Please don’t blame our Democracy, old as it is—in fact, the oldest in the modern world—for the slowness of this recovery. Winston Churchill on hearing his Labor Party had been defeated in 1947, said in the House … Continue reading →

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