The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting is just around the corner and a rate hike is almost certain, according to experts, which will trigger conversations about rising mortgage rates across the housing industry. While changes to the federal funds rate won’t necessarily spur further increases in mortgage rates, mortgage rates are expected ... Read More ›

Yesterday’s Census Bureau report for August is an indication of strength for the housing market. While the number of permits issued, which can signal how much construction is in the pipeline, decreased by 5.5 percent, home building rose in August as housing starts increased 9.4 percent compared with a year ago. The growth in housing starts is ... Read More ›

In August, the housing market continued to underperform its potential. Actual existing-home sales are 6.5 percent below the market’s potential, according to our Potential Home Sales model. That means the market has the potential to support more than 400,000 more home sales at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR). Severe supply shortages ... Read More ›

Last month, we noted in our latest Real House Price Index (RHPI) report that house price appreciation may be slowing. According to our RHPI, 21 cities experienced a monthly decline in their real, consumer house-buying power-adjusted price level. One reason for the price appreciation slowdown is that 21 of the 50 largest cities in the U.S. ... Read More ›

Whether students are beginning middle school or their last year of college, back-to-school season is here. Although many students may grimace when they hear “back to school,” they won’t regret pursuing a higher education as adults as they compete for well-paying jobs and one day, hopefully, buy a home. Read More ›

The Loan Application Defect Index for purchase transactions continued its downward trend, declining 1.3 percent in July compared with the month before, the seventh consecutive month defect risk in purchase transactions have fallen. Yet, is declining loan application misrepresentation, defect and fraud risk isolated to a few markets or is the trend ... Read More ›