FHFA: Index Shows Mortgage Rates Decreased in September 2017
Nationally, interest rates on conventional purchase-money mortgages decreased from August to September, 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 4.00 percent for loans closed in late September, down 5 basis points from 4.05 percent in August….
HUD and Census Bureau: New Residential Sales Report for September 2017
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 September 2017: NEW HOME SALES Sales of new single-family houses in September 2017 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 667,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the Department…
FHFA: House Price Index Up 0.7 Percent in August 2017
U.S. house prices rose in August, up 0.7 percent from the previous month, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) seasonally adjusted monthly House Price Index (HPI). The previously reported 0.2 percent increase in July was revised upward to 0.4 percent. The FHFA monthly HPI is calculated using home sales price information from mortgages…
Census Bureau: New American Community Survey Data Now Available
The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 American Community Survey one-year Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) files and Supplemental Estimates Tables are now available on census.gov. 1-Year Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) Files The PUMS files contain data on approximately 1 percent of the U.S. population and allow users to create their own tabulations. The files show…
Census Bureau: Three Blogs to Help You Understand Population Estimate
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released the 2016 population estimates, which helps gauge change in the population since the 2010 Census. Read the blogs below to understand the methodology behind these releases. Net Migration and Population Estimates: A High-Level Overview Written by: Amel Toukabri, Local Government Estimates and Migration Processing The U.S. Census Bureau recently…
Federal Reserve: FEDS Notes | The Unequal Distribution of Economic Education
The Unequal Distribution of Economic Education: A Report on the Race, Ethnicity, and Gender of Economics Majors at US Colleges and Universities Amanda Bayer and David Wilcox Abstract: The distribution of economic education among US college graduates is quite unequal: female and underrepresented minority undergraduates, collectively, major in economics at 0.36 the rate that white,…
HUD and Census Bureau: Residential Construction Activity in August 2017
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for September 2017. Building Permits: Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,215,000. This is 4.5 percent (±1.6 percent) below the revised…
CFPB: Seeking Feedback on Draft Strategic Plan FY 2018-2022
CFPB is required to produce a new strategic plan that establishes our mission, strategic goals, and strategic objectives for the next five years. We have posted a draft strategic plan for fiscal years 2018 to 2022 , and we invite your feedback. Please send your comments on our draft strategic plan to strategy@cfpb.gov by Nov. 18, 2017.
FHFA: Agency Issues 2016 Report to Congress on Guarantee Fees
As required by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today released its annual report on the single-family guarantee fees charged by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises). The report discusses guarantee fees charged in 2016 and provides a five-year perspective with data back to 2012. The…
SBA: Lending Activity for FY17 Shows Consistent Growth
The U.S. Small Business Administration today announced fiscal year 2017 lending numbers showing increasing loan levels in small business lending through the 7(a) and 504 loan programs, as well as increases in lending to women, veterans and emerging communities. SBA approved over 68,000 loans in the 7(a) and 504 loan programs in FY17. These programs provided…