Mortgage loan application volume rose by 2% last week, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey shows. The adjusted Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, rose by 2%. The adjusted purchase index increased by 5%, while the unadjusted purchase index was up by 5% and was 8% lower YOY. The refinance index fell 2% and was down 72% YOY. Refinances made up 32.4% of total applications, down from 33.9%. ARM activity accounted for 10.8% of total applications, up from 9.3%. “The increase in mortgage applications last week was driven by a strong gain in application activity for conventional and government purchase loans, even as mortgage rates rose to their highest level – 5.53%– since 2009. Despite…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS It’s Super Bowl weekend and The Mortgage Note is taking a look at which city would win if Los Angeles and Cincinnati’s housing markets were pitted against each other. With sports commentators picking the Rams over the Bengals and the notoriously high-priced homes in the Los Angeles market, such as “The One” on sale now for $295 million, people might assume the California city would be the automatic winner. But that depends on how the two markets are lined up. As Tyler Sullivan says in his recent predictions for CBS Sports, both teams are worthy champions in their respective conferences and the Bengals have been a fantastic Cinderella story with their line-up of young faces. Is the same true for Cincinnati? Let’s look…
By KIMBERLEY HAAS Leaders at Rocket Mortgage say entries are open for the world’s largest official game of Super Bowl squares. The Detroit-based company announced on Wednesday that two grand prize winners will receive $500,000 each that can go toward a dream home. $50,000 will be awarded every time the score changes. Bob Walters, CEO of Rocket Mortgage, said watching the Super Bowl has been a staple of American culture for the last 55 years. Introducing the Rocket Mortgage Super Bowl Squares in 2020 has elevated that experience for millions of viewers across the country, he said. “Past winners have had their lives transformed and we are eager to give more Americans that opportunity again this year,” Walters said in…
