Homeownership

FHFA: Index Shows Mortgage Rates Decreased in April 2017

Washington, DC – Nationally, interest rates on conventional purchase-money mortgages decreased from March to April, according to several indices of new mortgage contracts. The National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders Index was 3.97 percent for loans closed in late April, down 15 basis points from 4.12…

FHFA: Request for Input to Improve Access to Credit for Qualified Mortgage Borrowers with Limited English Proficiency

Washington, DC – The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today issued a Request for Input on issues facing qualified mortgage borrowers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) throughout the mortgage life cycle process, including lending and servicing. FHFA’s 2017 Scorecard for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Common Securitization Solutions, requires Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the…

FHFA: U.S. House Prices Rise 1.4 Percent in First Quarter

Washington, D.C. – U.S. house prices rose 1.4 percent in the first quarter of 2017 according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI).   House prices rose 6.0 percent from the first quarter of 2016 to the first quarter of 2017.  FHFA’s seasonally adjusted monthly index for March was up 0.6 percent…

HUD: Trump Administration Proposes 2018 HUD Budget

WASHINGTON – The Trump Administration today announced the proposed 2018 Budget for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  The Budget reflects the President’s commitment to support HUD’s critical functions that provide rental assistance to low-income and vulnerable households and to help work-eligible families achieve self-sufficiency. The President’s 2018 Budget continues to provide…

HUD: New Residential Sales for April 2017 Report

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau today jointly announced the following new residential sales statistics for April 2017: NEW HOME SALES Sales of new single-family houses in April 2017 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 569,000, according to estimates released jointly today by…

CFPB: Making the Decision to Rent or Buy

Buying a home is exciting. It’s also one of the most important financial decisions you’ll make. Choosing a mortgage to pay for your new home is just as important as choosing the right home. You have the right to control the process. Check out our other blogs on homebuying topics, and join the conversation on Facebook…

FDIC: New Resource Announced to Help Community Bankers Understand FHLB Products and Programs

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) published a new guide to help community bankers learn more about the programs and products offered by the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) to facilitate mortgage lending. The Affordable Mortgage Lending Guide, Part III: Federal Home Loan Banks describes many of the products and services offered by FHLBs, including…

OCC: Newsletter Focuses on Innovative Partnerships to Preserve Affordable Housing

WASHINGTON — The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) published the latest edition of its Community Development Investments newsletter entitled “Preserving Affordable Housing: Innovative Partnerships.” This issue describes the role of national banks and federal savings associations in preserving America’s affordable rental housing and presents examples of how financial institutions and nonprofit organizations…

FHFA: Report Details Progress on the 2016 Scorecard for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Washington, D.C. – The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issued a Progress Report today summarizing the 2016 activities of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) to further FHFA’s three strategic objectives as conservator: Maintain, Reduce, and Build. The Progress Report details efforts made to address borrower impediments to credit access while transitioning from crisis…

FHFA: Fourth Quarter Foreclosure Prevention Report | Foreclosure Preventions Surpass 3.8 Million

Washington, D.C. – The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today released its fourth quarter Foreclosure Prevention Report, which shows that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) completed 189,911 foreclosure prevention actions in 2016, bringing the total number of troubled homeowners helped since conservatorships to more than 3.8 million. Of the 3.8 million foreclosure prevention…