Housing markets

Refinances drove growth of last year's lending activity, with both the volume share and average loan size coming in noticeably higher, according to IEmergent.

Home affordability declined on a monthly basis across loan types and racial demographics, but improved from a year ago, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

A proposed update to Basel III capital rules from federal banking regulators does not specifically include mortgage insurance as a factor in determining the risk weight for a mortgage loan held on a bank's balance sheet. Industry experts say it should.

The Chicago-based homeowners received a $41,000 check to pay down a portion of their existing mortgage, freeing them from the lock-in effect, DREAM product provider Takara said.

This week's Freddie Mac mortgage rate survey shows rates at the lowest in four weeks, but homebuyers are giving mixed signals even with improved purchase power.

Economists surveyed by Wolters Kluwer are scaling back rate cut expectations as Iran conflict-driven energy costs push inflation higher, complicating the Fed's path forward.

Mortgage rates rising nearly 40 basis points from early-year lows have pushed some buyers out of the market, even as inventory and affordability remain better than a year ago, ICE Mortgage Technology found.

Nearly 18 million homeowners in the 100 largest U.S. metros paid HOA or condo fees in 2024, with 2.6 million paying $500 or more monthly, according to a new LendingTree report.

While San Francisco had the biggest improvement in affordability for prices today versus 2019, Hartford remains in a very deep freeze, First American said.

Home prices increased 0.9% year-over-year and 0.1% month-over-month in January, according to the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller national home price index.

The latest rise in property tax collections at the end of last year continued a nine-quarter streak of increases, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

The national delinquency rate ticked up seven basis points to 3.72% last month, coupled with a 10-basis-point increase in prepayment speed, according to ICE.

There were an estimated 630,000, or 46.3%, more home sellers than buyers in the United States in February, according to a Redfin report.

Housing economists at ICE Experience 2026 predict mortgage growth but also say the home finance industry has yet to fully adapt to the disruption of this decade.

The pace of applications and closings on new construction fell from January, while the average loan size also declined, despite a period of lower rates.

Two top housing platforms disagree on the best week to list in 2026, but both agree a rare window for sellers is opening this spring.

Americans 70 years or older held 26% of the United States' $48 trillion in real estate wealth in the third quarter of last year, Redfin said.

Trump's mortgage deregulation order drew cautious praise from lenders but alarm from consumer groups, who warn it could recreate pre-2008 financial crisis conditions.

Borrower equity fell $78.8 billion, or 0.5%, year over year in Q4, according to Cotality's Home Equity Report. That's an average decrease of $8,500.

Industry comments are favorable, but with statements like "no bill is perfect" and "bold action is needed," groups want changes before it goes to the president.