Rocket Companies announced Tuesday it has officially closed its $1.75 billion acquisition of Redfin. In light of that, Rocket is launching a product called Rocket Preferred Pricing to encourage consumers to use both its mortgage and real estate services. Borrowers who purchase a home with a Redfin agent and finance it through Rocket Mortgage can […]
Rocket closes Redfin deal, rolls out buyer incentives Read More »
Even as some factors causing current affordability challenges show signs of easing, a new study points to how high a barrier many aspiring buyers still have to get over to achieve homeownership. To afford a typical U.S. home currently priced at $367,969, households earning today’s median salary would need an additional $17,670 in annual income
Buyers need up to $250K more in income in some cities Read More »
Investor reaction to events of the past eight days has contributed to mortgage rates moving below 6.8% for the first time since the start of May, Freddie Mac said. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was at 6.77% as of June 26, compared with 6.81% eight days prior and 6.86% for the same week in 2024, the
Mortgage rates slide after FOMC meeting, Iran attack Read More »
A long-term rise in the homeownership rate ended last year, and the latest report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies examines some reasons why. A widening gap between housing costs and wages contributed to the 30 basis-point drop in the ownership rate year over year to 65.6%, according to Census data. This marks
Homeownership stalls after a decade of gains Read More »
In the four years since the Surfside condo collapse, a wave of regulatory changes continues to unsettle property owners and lenders, compounding challenges in an already fragile housing market. The scrutiny on condo developments in the aftermath of Surfside led to tightened lending rules that continue to put properties across the country onto a nonwarrantable
Nonwarrantable condos fuel niche lending boom Read More »
After several starts and stops, the trigger leads ban is the closest it’s ever been to becoming law, after the House of Representatives approved its version of the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act. There are some differences with the Senate version of the bill, which was approved by unanimous consent on June 12. Those can be
Trigger lead ban nears finish line in Congress Read More »
In the aftermath of the Federal Open Market Committee’s June meeting, certain interest rate spreads should narrow, but the overall impact for mortgages is mixed, a Keefe, Bruyette & Woods report said. Part of that depends on which segment of the industry the company operates in. Mortgage rates remaining elevated, with the 30-year fixed only
Mortgage servicers benefit most from Fed’s inaction: KBW Read More »
Caring wife. Positive aged woman giving a cup of tea to her smiling husband who is sitting at the table and using tablet Past expectations of a wave of homes to hit the market once senior citizens move out are fading, with a majority of baby boomers saying they won’t sell for at least another
Baby boomer plans put others’ homeownership goals on hold Read More »
Mortgage rate movements stayed muted as investors await the culmination of June’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting later on Wednesday. Rates declined for the third consecutive week, but remained in that tight 6.8% range, the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market survey reported. The survey was released a day early because of the Juneteenth holiday. What
Mortgage rates move lower ahead of Fed decision Read More »
Growth in loan products across the board in anticipation of the annual home purchase season pushed mortgage credit to its loosest in over two-and-a-half years, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. However, rate lock activity fell nearly 6% in May from April, as conforming mortgage rates rose over 16 basis points during the month, a separate
Mortgage credit offerings at loosest in over two years Read More »