October 2010 : 5 States Account For Half Of The Nation’s Foreclosure Activity
As usual, foreclosure density varied by region last month, with just 5 states accounting for close to half of the nation's repossessed homes.
Housing Starts Data Much Better Than The Headlines Would Have You Believe
Newspaper stories can be misleading sometimes -- especially with respect to real estate. We saw a terrific example of this Wednesday.
Pending Home Sales Slip In September, Suggesting A Buyer’s Market Until January
So long as mortgage rates remain rock bottom, the autumn season is looking like a terrific time to buy.
As Buyer Foot Traffic Rises, So Does Homebuilder Confidence
According to the NAHB, October's HMI reading of 16 is its highest value in 5 months. The uptick hints that the market for newly-built homes may rebound more quickly that this summer's weak new homes sales figures would otherwise suggest.
Time To Refinance? Mortgage Rates Down 1.00 Percent Since April.
The rate-and-fee combination you'd get in your home state is different from the rate-and-fee combination you'd get if you lived somewhere else. In the West, rates are low and fees are high; in the Southeast, it's the opposite.
New Home Housing Stock Drops To A 5-Month Low
After improving 1 percent in August, New Home Sales popped another 7 percent in September. It's no wonder homebuilder confidence is at a 5-month high.
Better Credit Scores Get Better Mortgage Rates
Mortgage approvals are primarily based on good income, good equity and strong credit, and, without all three, the best rates of the day remain out of reach. Do something about your credit score.
Housing Starts Jump In September, Buoyed By Homebuilder Confidence
According to the Commerce Department, the number of single-family Housing Starts increased to 452,000 units in September, a 19,000 improvement over August.
Home Values Up 0.4 Percent In August, On Average
The Federal Home Finance Agency's data showed values up 0.4 percent nationwide, on average. Region-by-region, however, the results were scattered. Coastal states tended to perform poorly. Plains states tended to perform well.
Home Defaults Dropped For The 7th Month In A Row In August
Despite foreclosure filings surpassing 300,000 for the 18th straight month, RealtyTrac's monthly foreclosure report shows some bright spots for housing.
Home Sales Are Back On The Rise After A 2-Month Pullback
Just one week after reports of Existing Home Sales and New Home Sales plunging, the housing market signaled that the next few months may fare better than did May and June.
Mortgage Rates May Be Low, But They’re Tough To Pin Down — Especially This Week
Mortgage rates would have been volatile this week. The presence of Labor Day just piles on. If you have a chance to lock something favorable and within your budget, consider doing it.