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The housing market may be impacted by the possibility of a government shutdown. The Wall Street Journal reported on April 7 that Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan told Senate lawmakers that he is “very concerned” that if the government shuts down as a result of lawmakers failing to reach an agreement on a … Continue reading Affordable Financial Services’ Weekly Finance Review The Commerce Department reported this week that housing starts fell 22.5% in February to 479,000 units, from an upwardly revised January figure of 618,000 units. It was the biggest decline in 27 years and finished just above a record low set in April 2009. Building permits — a hint of future construction demand — fell … Continue reading Affordable Financial Services Weekly Finance Review CNNMoney recently reported that the number of foreclosures in February fell 14%, compared to January and 27% compared to February 2010. According to RealtyTrac, that is the largest year-to-year drop the company has ever recorded. While some see this as a sign of recovery in the housing market, the company says part of the decline … Continue reading Affordable Financial Services Weekly Finance Review A recent article in USA Today broke down how the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 that was signed into law by President Obama will affect employers, employees and homeowners. Under the new tax law, homeowners can still take deductions on mortgage insurance premiums, the USA Today article states. This provision … Continue reading What Does the 2010 Tax Law Mean for Mortgage Interest Deductions? A recent article in Bloomberg reported that the number of foreclosures on prime fixed-rate mortgages in the third quarter of 2010 hit a record high, with unemployment as the reason for the increase. The inventory of homes in foreclosure that were financed by prime fixed-rate mortgages rose to 2.45% from 2.36% over the previous three months, … Continue reading Foreclosures on Prime-Rate Mortgages Rise in Third Quarter of 2010 Bloomberg recently reported that mortgage-bond yields that guide home-loan rates have reached their highest levels in four months, suggesting that borrowing costs may rise from record lows. As of 9:30 Monday morning, Fannie Mae’s current-coupon 30-year fixed-rate mortgage bonds went up to 3.71%, tracking 10-year Treasury notes today as those yields rose from 3.64%. This is … Continue reading Mortgage-Bond Yields Reach Four-Month High The National Association of REALTORS recently announced that pending home sales fell during the month of September, snapping a two-month streak of gains. Pending home sales reflect the number of sales going into contract; it does not reflect the number of closings. The index of sales agreements in September was 80.9, down 1.8% from August’s … Continue reading Affordable Financial Services Weekly Finance Review The National Association of REALTORS announced today that existing home sales rose for the second month in a row during the month of September. Despite the good news, the figure is off from September 2009’s numbers. According to the NAR, existing home sales — which are completed transaction that include single-family homes, condominiums and co-ops — … Continue reading Existing Home Sales Rise in September Reuters reported today that the number of mortgage applications fell last week as mortgage rates — after a series of record lows — shot back up, as the housing market struggles to recover. The Mortgage Bankers Association said its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage applications, which includes both purchase and refinance loans, was down 10.5% for … Continue reading As Interest Rates Rise, Mortgage Applications Fall MortgageOrb.com reported yesterday that California Congressman Dennis Cardoza is introducing a piece of legislation that he says would encourage refinancing, which, in turn, would reduce the number of defaults and help prevent foreclosures. The Housing Opportunity and Mortgage Equity (HOME) Act would enable mortgages currently owned by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that meet certain criteria … Continue reading HOME Act Seeks to Encourage Refinancing, Prevent Foreclosures |
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