Loan Application Defect and Fraud Risk Declined Due to Benefits of Low Mortgage Rates

By FirstAm Editor on July 29, 2016
We’ve posted the June First American Loan Application Defect Index, which estimates the frequency of defects, fraudulence and misrepresentation in the information submitted in mortgage loan applications. The Defect Index decreased 1.4 percent in June as compared with May and decreased by 12.2 percent as compared with June 2015. The Defect Index is ... Read More

Loan Application Defect Index Income

Era of Uncertainty Continues to Drive Consumer House-Buying Power

By Mark Fleming on July 25, 2016
First American’s proprietary Real House Price Index (RHPI) looks at May 2016 data and includes analysis from First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming explaining the forces behind the continued low mortgage rate environment and the impact on consumer house-buying power. Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Income

Did the Housing Market Rebound Red or Blue?

By Mark Fleming on July 22, 2016
With the national conventions for the major political parties upon us and the presidential election just a few months away, talk of red versus blue states frequently bubbles up in the media and at the water cooler. Cutting-edge statistical analysis is regularly updated to keep up with the fast changing dynamics of the country’s political leanings. Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Income

Market at Potential in Era of Low Interest Rates and Job Growth

By Mark Fleming on July 20, 2016
For the month of June, First American’s proprietary Potential Home Sales model showed that the market for existing-home sales is underperforming its potential by only 0.3 percent or an estimated 17,000 seasonally adjusted, annualized rate (SAAR) of sales, an improvement over last month’s revised performance gap of -3.1 percent or 180,000 (SAAR) ... Read More

Housing Interest Rates

Loan Application Defect and Fraud Risk Reaches Historically Measured Low Point

By FirstAm Editor on June 30, 2016
We’ve posted the May First American Loan Application Defect Index, which estimates the frequency of defects, fraudulence and misrepresentation in the information submitted in mortgage loan applications. The Defect Index decreased 2.7 percent in May as compared with April and decreased by 9.9 percent as compared with May 2015. The Defect Index is ... Read More

Loan Application Defect Index

“Brexit” Decision Uncertainty Contributed to Consumer House-Buying Power

By FirstAm Editor on June 23, 2016
The second edition of First American’s proprietary Real House Price Index (RHPI) looks at April 2016 data and includes analysis from First American Chief Economist Mark Fleming explaining the connection between “Brexit” and recent trends in rates for fixed-rate mortgages. Read More

Interest Rates Real House Price Index Income