Good morning! Today is Wednesday, February 10. Newly reported Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations have dropped over the past month. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the cause of the crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter and six others was the pilot’s decision to fly under visual flight rules in cloudy conditions, which resulted in his spatial disorientation and loss of control of the aircraft. A Texas lawyer unwittingly went viral Tuesday after he was unable to remove a kitten filter during a Zoom conference with a judge.
And in mortgage and housing news …
CREDIT AVAILABILITY: The Mortgage Bankers Association’s updated Mortgage Credit Availability Index released increased by 2.0 percentage points to 124.6, indicating a looser credit market than the month before.
EVICTION BAN EXTENSION: The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are extending the moratoriums on single-family foreclosures and real estate owned evictions until March 31.
FORBEARANCE REPORT: The forbearance rate slowly descends to 5.35 percent.
FHA PREMIUMS: Why lower FHA premiums are likely in a Biden administration.
CREDIT UNIONS: How long can credit unions keep the mortgage momentum going?
EQUITY RICH: Thirty percent of owners with a mortgage have paid off at least half of their loan, a new report says.
CONFIDENCE INDEX: Fannie Mae reports rising confidence in the nation’s housing market.
REMODEL ROI: Should you remodel your home before listing it?
LOANDEPOT IPO: LoanDepot is expected to IPO this week at a possible $6.2B valuation.
ROCKET WINS: Rocket Mortgage wins first and second place in USA Today’s Super Bowl ad meter.
HAWAII HIGH: Oahu’s median home resale price hits a high of $883K.