Mortgage applications surged last week but rates are climbing again

Applications for purchase mortgages rose 5 percent last week, but a strong jobs report and ongoing bank instability are pushing mortgage rates back up. Continue reading

The seller’s market is roaring back as buyers vie for limited inventory

A “drought” of new listings is driving up prices, reversing the sluggishness of late 2022 and forcing buyers to compete fiercely for homes, according to a new analysis from Zillow. Continue reading

NAR chief economist: ‘The Fed made a mistake’

At the Realtors Legislative Meetings’ Residential Economic Issues and Trends Forum, Lawrence Yun predicted total home sales would bottom out this year before ticking up in 2024. Continue reading

Soaring spring home prices are very real — and widespread: NAR

For now, a seasonal surge in home activity has arrested falling prices in most U.S. markets, according to Q1 metro home price data released Tuesday by the National Association of Realtors. Continue reading

NAR membership dues would rise with inflation under new proposal

To cover an expected budget deficit, the National Association of Realtors’ Finance Committee has proposed aligning dues with the Consumer Price Index, increasing the likelihood of annual hikes. Continue reading

Pending home sales end 3-month streak of upticks in dismal March

The Pending Home Sales Index dropped by 5.2 percent in March to a reading of 78.9 — 23.2 percent lower than March 2022 levels, according to data released by the National Association of Realtors. Continue reading

After isolated uptick, existing-home sales shift gears in March

Existing-home sales fell 2.4 percent in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.44 million — 22 percent lower than a year earlier, according to data released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors. Continue reading

Marketing guru’s run for POTUS puts speakers in awkward position

NAR’s Lawrence Yun is among the prominent figures scheduled to speak at a seminar where Momentifi CEO and U.S. presidential candidate Gibran Nicholas will hawk his book. Continue reading

Pending sales increase 3rd-straight month as prices cool: NAR

“Existing-home sales, pending contracts and new-home construction pending contracts have turned the corner and climbed for the past three months,” said NAR’s Lawrence Yun. Continue reading

Falling existing-home sales reverse as record-streak of price hikes end

Existing-home sales surged 14.5 percent in February, reversing a yearlong trend of falling transactions from one month to the next, according to data released Tuesday by the National Association of Realtors. Continue reading