Good Morning! Today is Tuesday, April 12. After meeting with Vladimir Putin, Austria’s chancellor said he feared Russia would intensify the brutality of its attacks. U.S. stocks fell Monday as Covid-19 lockdowns in China added to investors’ worries. Thirteen people have been transported to area hospitals after a shooting at a Brooklyn subway station. The Mortgage Note Reports Fast 15 Guarantee: Rocket Pro TPO is promising to clear eligible loans in no more than 15 business days and leaders there say they are able to guarantee these closing times because of the company’s investment in technology. Editor Kimberley Haas reports. Mortgage Monitor: Rate lock activity rose 19.1% month-over-month in March as homeowners move before interest rates rise further. IMB Profits…
Good Morning! Today is Monday, April 11. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins was killed by a dump truck while trying to cross a highway on foot in South Florida. Biden will announce a new firearm regulation Monday meant to contain the use of privately made weapons. Elon Musk has decided not to join the board of Twitter. The Mortgage Note Reports Office Space Vacancies: Writer Chuck Green reports that office vacancy rates are being monitored closely as the commercial space industry continues to grapple with COVID’s effects on the workplace. Vacation Home Demand: Second-home demand fell for a second straight month as rising rates and increased fees deter buyers. Better Loses Another Exec: Better.com CTO Diane Yu is stepping back…
Good Morning! Today is Friday, April 8. The Senate confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. She will be the 116th justice and first Black woman on the Court. The New York attorney general asked a judge to hold Trump in contempt for not turning over documents in an investigation. The Mortgage Note Reports Mortgage Rates Up Again: Mortgage rates rose to an average of 4.72%, up from last week’s 4.67%, continuing their climb towards 5%. Forbearance Improvements: Early April exits offset two weeks of rising forbearance starts and re-starts, resulting in plan volumes dropping below 700,000 for the first time since the pandemic began. And in other mortgage and housing news… Credit Availability Down: Mortgage credit availability…
Good Morning! Today is Thursday, April 7. More than 2,000 Ukrainians have made their way to the U.S. border from Mexico. Some Biden administration officials tested positive after attending a black-tie event in Washington. The Supreme Court reinstated a Trump administration rule limiting states’ power to enforce the Clean Water Act. The Mortgage Note Reports Love It Or List It? Americans Are Renovating Rather Than Moving: New data shows that 79% of Americans would rather renovate their current home than move to a different one and with $420 billion spent on remodeling projects in 2020 those in the mortgage, real estate, and building industries are taking notice. Editor Kimberley Haas reports. Housing Market Pessimism: Consumer sentiment towards home buying fell…
Good Morning! Today is Wednesday, April 6. U.S. stock indexes dropped Tuesday over worries about the Federal Reserve’s plans to curb inflation. The European Commission proposed to ban Russian coal. Oklahoma lawmakers approved a near-total ban on abortion. The Mortgage Note Reports U.S. Mortgage Markets Heat Up As Interest Rates and Prices Rise: Writer Scott Kimbler reports that potential homebuyers are rushing to mortgage offices to make sure they get a loan before prices and interest rates go even higher. Funding Available To Combat COVID-19 Housing Discrimination: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development officials are making an additional $3,285,353 in American Rescue Plan funding available to help fight housing discrimination related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Loan Applications Sink Further: …
Good Morning! Today is Tuesday, April 5. Russia appears to be positioning troops for an intensified assault in the Donbas region. Senators announced a deal to spend $10 billion on Covid testing, vaccines, and treatments. Kansas won its fourth men’s N.C.A.A. championship with a 72-69 victory over North Carolina. The Mortgage Note Reports Disability Discrimination Alleged In Hawaii: Officials at the U.S. Department of Justice are claiming that condominiums and apartment complexes in Hawaii were built without accessible features required by the Fair Housing Act. Mortgage Monitor Report: Home prices rose 1.84% in February – nearly four times the 25-year average for the month – and the 14th month of greater than 1% growth. Inventory Lows: A record-low number of…
Good Morning! Today is Monday, April 4. Ukraine accused Russian forces of executing civilians in a Kyiv suburb before retreating. At least six people were killed after gunfire erupted in downtown Sacramento, California. Tesla CEO Elon Musk disclosed a 9% stake in Twitter. The Mortgage Note Reports Young Buyers Priced Out: The share of younger home buyers is declining after peaking in 2020, but is higher in more affordable metros. Geneva CCO: Kelly Singh has joined direct mortgage lender Geneva Financial as its Chief Compliance Officer. In Case You Missed It: People in the mortgage and real estate industries are speculating on whether 2022 will be a year of growth or the start of the end for a red-hot market…
Good Morning! Today is Friday, April 1. Russia’s defense ministry announced a cease-fire in Mariupol. The U.S. imposed new sanctions on Russian technology companies. The House passed a bill to limit the cost of insulin to $35 a month, sending it to the Senate. The Mortgage Note Reports Rates Rise: Mortgage rates jumped again to an average of 4.67%. Forbearances Up Slightly: Forbearances rose slightly again last week, though new plan starts dropped to 10,100, the lowest level in four months. And in other mortgage and housing news… Jobs Report: The unemployment rate fell to 3.6% in March, while payrolls saw big gains, according to Labor Department data. Listing In April: Homes listed for sale in the second half of…
Good Morning! Today is Thursday, March 31. The US is planning to lift an order that has restricted immigration for the past two years. Officials say Vladimir Putin’s subordinates have misled him about the Russian military’s struggles to avoid angering him. Google’s sister company Waymo is sending fully autonomous vehicles onto the streets of San Francisco. The Mortgage Note Reports Will The Housing Market Boom Or Bust? As the spring selling season begins, people in the mortgage and real estate industries are speculating on whether 2022 will be a year of growth or the start of the end for a red-hot market. Editor Kimberley Haas takes a deep dive into this topic. Flip Profits: Home flipping profits fell across the…
Good Morning! Today is Wednesday, March 30. US job openings totaled 11.3 million in February, barely budging from January. The F.D.A. authorized a second booster shot for anyone 50 or older. Russian missile strikes destroyed a government building in Mykolaiv, a port city in the south of Ukraine. The Mortgage Note Reports Home Prices In Perspective: Homes are less affordable than they were a year ago, but they largely remain more affordable than at the peak of the 2006 housing boom. Corcoran CIO: Jason Crawford has been appointed Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) of Corcoran Global Living, the company announced. And in other mortgage and housing news… Home Price Appreciation: The S&P Corelogic Case-Shiller Index shows home price appreciation up 19.2% in…
