Mortgage applications rise as interest rates fall

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage applications, which includes both purchase and refinance loans, rose 14.6% for the week ended February 26, from the earlier week. The Refinance Index rose 17.2% from the previous week while the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 9.0% from one week earlier. The increase was due to a drop in loan... [Read more about this property]

Home prices rise 5%

Clear Capital, a provider of real estate data, says home prices climbed 5% nationally in February from a year ago. The prices grew 2.3% in January on an annual basis. Among metropolitan areas, Providence, Rhode Island saw the highest rise of 6.1% from the earlier quarter. California had 5 of the 15 highest performing markets. The rise in prices is likely to be sustained as the tax credit deadline approaches... [Read more about this property]

HARP gets extension for 12 months

The Obama administration introduced the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) last year to help about 4 to 5 million borrowers who have little or no equity in their homes. The program, administered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, refinanced 190,180 mortgages in 2009 with loan-to-value between 80% and 125%. The program which was set to expire June this year has been extended by 12 months. Edward DeMarco,... [Read more about this property]

Fannie Mae seeks $15.3 billion in bailout money

Fannie Mae, the country’s largest mortgage financier, says it needs another $15.3 billion to tide over the current housing crisis. The company posted a staggering loss of over $ 70 billion in 2009 compared to $ 58.8 billion losses in 2008. Fannie’s losses were mainly on account of $11.9 billion in credit expenses, which included bad loans and costs incurred in maintaining foreclosed properties.... [Read more about this property]

Orleans Homebuilders files for bankruptcy

Orleans Homebuilders, a Pennsylvania-based housing developer has filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11. Orleans had $440 million of assets and $498.8 million of liabilities as of December 31. Jeffrey Orleans, Chief Executive, said the company is looking for a buyer through a negotiated sale or court-supervised auction. The company’s revenue dropped by about two-thirds over the last three years —... [Read more about this property]

1127 Curtis Street

Outstanding Commercial Opportunity in Monroe, North Carolina  Read More →

MBA proposes forbearance program

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) says it has developed a concept for a new forbearance program that would allow qualified borrowers who had lost their jobs to remain in their homes while they seek new employment.  According to the proposed program, loan servicers would reduce the borrower’s mortgage payment to an affordable amount for up to nine months while the homeowner looked for employment.  ... [Read more about this property]

National New Home Sales Down

The Census Bureau says the seasonally adjusted annual rate of new home sales fell 11.2% to 309,000 last month, compared with a revised rate of 348,000 in December.  It was the lowest rate since the government began keeping records in 1963 and comes after declines in November and December.  The drop surprised many industry analysts. A consensus of economists surveyed by Briefing.com had expected January... [Read more about this property]

Delinquency rate down but foreclosures at all time high

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) National Delinquency Survey, the delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one-to-four-unit residential properties fell to a seasonally adjusted rate of 9.47 percent of all loans outstanding as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2009, down 17 basis points from the third quarter of 2009, and up 159 basis points from one year ago. The non-seasonally... [Read more about this property]

FHA Loans Facilitate Home Ownership

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) program first began in 1934 in an effort to encourage home ownership despite the difficult economic times of the era. The program enables consumers who may not qualify for a standard loan to obtain the financing they need to purchase a home without income limitations. FHA loans differ from typical loans in that they are insured by the Federal Housing Administration,... [Read more about this property]