Mortgage rates cap off their most stable month of 2021 so far

Rates for 30-year mortgages barely budged over the last month, even as lenders sifted through new statements from Federal Reserve officials. Continue reading

Healthy jobs report drives up mortgage rates for first time in weeks

During the pandemic, the Federal Reserve has been keeping a lid on interest rates by increasing its holdings of long-term Treasurys and mortgage-backed securities (MBS) by $120 billion a month. Before announcing a timetable for tapering those purchases… Continue reading

Underwater homeowners gain breathing room as prices climb

Fewer properties are considered seriously underwater now that rising home prices have put homeowners with mortgages in a better position. Continue reading

August opens with lower mortgage rates as Treasury yields dip

Interest rates on 30-year mortgages fell further as bond markets reacted to the delta variant’s potential impact on the global economy. Continue reading

Banks offer exposure to mortgage risk — and investors want in

The new bond products offer higher yields in a low-interest-rate environment. But if the loans go bad, investors are on the hook. Continue reading

Near historic lows, mortgage rates see little movement in late July

Mortgage rates held steady near month’s end, with interest rates on 15-year fixed rate loans remaining at all-time lows, according to Freddie Mac’s weekly lender survey. Continue reading

With home prices slow to fall, would-be buyers are getting squeezed out

People who lost income during the pandemic are finding it hard to buy their first homes as real estate prices grew faster than incomes, according to a new Harvard University report. Continue reading

Home office eclipses short commute as a buyer must-have, agents say

Nearly 60 percent of agents surveyed by Homelight said they expect a home office to be a top priority for buyers in a post-vaccine landscape. Continue reading

Mortgage boom for second homes takes hit amid new lending rules

New lending rules and a return to the office may have dented the prolific rise in demand for second-home loans, according to new data. Continue reading