Most consumers continue to report that it’s a good time to sell a home — but a bad time to buy — and they frequently cite high prices and a lack of supply as their primary rationale. Continue reading
Powell “stuck to the script in his Jackson Hole speech,” said Pantheon Macroeconomics Chief Economist Ian Shepardson. “Anyone hoping for a steer on the timing of the taper will have been disappointed, but it was never likely.” Continue reading
Minutes released last week from the July 27-28 meeting of a Federal Reserve committee that sets monetary policy revealed that most members are open to tapering bond purchases the Fed makes to stimulate the economy by the end of this year. Continue reading
Low mortgage rates that had risen off a strong jobs report remained unmoved earlier this week, according to Freddie Mac’s lender survey. Continue reading
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
As Fed’s balance sheet approaches $8 trillion, policymakers say path of the economy continues to depend on the course of the pandemic. Continue reading
Economists at Fannie Mae are again sounding warnings that rising rents and record home price appreciation could contribute to long-lasting inflation that leads to earlier, more aggressive tightening by the Federal Reserve. Continue reading
Even though lumber prices have ticked down a bit recently, they’re still drastically up from where they were last year. So, what’s happening? Here’s a breakdown. Continue reading
Demand for purchase mortgages fell last week to the lowest level since May 2020, which could be a sign first-time homebuyers are getting squeezed out of the market. Continue reading
Markets concur with the view that inflation increases are temporary, according to a Freddie Mac economist. Continue reading