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Buying Beats Renting In Majority Of Markets
An analysis of more than 200 metropolitan areas and 7,500 cities found that buying is a better deal than renting in a majority of U.S. markets. Conducted by Zillow, the analysis showed that, in more than 75 percent of metropolitan areas, a homeowner could expect to...
Mortgage Rates Still Hovering Near All-Time Lows
According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, mortgage application volume slipped slightly last week though rates remain near record lows. The Market Composite Index, which measures total mortgage loan application volume, fell 1.8 percent...
Vacancy And Homeownership Reports Show Slight Improvement
The U.S. Census Bureau's Second Quarter Residential Vacancy and Homeownership report shows little movement in either the vacancy rate for homeowner housing or the national homeownership rate. But, according to their estimates, the numbers are moving in the right...
July Housing Scorecard Compiles Key Market Data
The most recent housing scorecard from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of the Treasury collects key housing market data and tracks the impact of the administration's foreclosure prevention programs. In July, the scorecard...
Midyear Foreclosure Report Finds Increasing Activity
RealtyTrac's Midyear 2012 Metropolitan Foreclosure Market Report shows foreclosure activity increased in 125 of the nation's 212 metro areas with a population over 200,000 during the first half of the year. But despite the increases, 129 of the included cities still...
Shadow Inventory, Homes For Sale Decline In June
For the past few years, problems of excessive inventory have plagued the housing market. Whether it was concern about the number of homes in the shadow inventory or downward pressure on prices caused by too many for-sale properties and not enough buyers, inventory was...
Refinance Activity Rises To Highest Level Since 2009
According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Applications Survey, the Refinance Index increased 0.8 percent last week and is now at its highest level since April 17, 2009. The increase marks the third consecutive week of improvement and follows a 2.0 percent...
Housing Shows Improvement Despite Labor Market Slowdown
Though job creation numbers have slowed during the second quarter, the housing market continues to show signs of improvement. According to Freddie Mac's most recent Economic Outlook report, record-low mortgage rates and a revamped HARP program have fueled a surge in...
Monthly Barometer Gauges Housing Health
Every month, Trulia's Housing Barometer measures the real-estate recovery based on construction data from the U.S. Census Bureau, existing-home sales numbers from the National Association of Realtors, and foreclosure statistics from LPS First Look. The barometer...
Pending Home Sales Slip But Remain Above Last Year
According to the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales were down 1.4 percent in June but remain 9.5 percent above last year's levels. The Pending Home Sales Index came in at 99.3 in June, down from 100.7 in May. Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist, said...