U.S. Housing Market Commentary

Posted by Jacob Gaffney on 5/17/13 at 12:43pm

The chief US economist for Deutsche Bank, Joseph LaVorgna, tweeted some great news a little while ago.

He push-posted an economic review of the housing industry that shows the recovery is doing even better than originally thought:

"We believe investors still do not fully appreciate the...

Real Estate
Posted by Christina Mlynski on 5/16/13 at 4:41pm

The reverse equity debate inside the Rayburn House Office Building reached a boiling point Thursday as representatives from the Federal Housing Administration listened to lawmakers fire off questions about the importance, or lack thereof, of the reverse mortgage program.

Congressman Randy Neugebaurer, R-Texas, demanded to know why the housing agency is still in the reverse mortgage business.

Charles Coulter, deputy assistant secretary for single-family housing...

Lending
Posted by Kerri Ann Panchuk on 5/16/13 at 3:09pm

A favorable tax structure, jobs and a business-friendly environment are causing Texas housing markets to remain among the most active in the United States.

HousingWire Executive Editor Jacob Gaffney recently discussed the Texas rebound with Gerri Willis, host of The Willis Report on Fox News.

Despite Texas benefitting from jobs, an influx of new residents and active mortgage and real estate sectors, Gaffney discussed a few of the hidden risks built into the market.

"...

Real Estate
Posted by Brena Swanson on 5/15/13 at 3:49pm

Lately, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been the hottest, and maybe not the most positive talk around the water cooler.

But, the agency is striving not to be the bad guy.

In a new campaign, the CFPB is slowly releasing new guides and summaries to help banks and non-banks understand the mortgage rules.

Earlier in the month, the bureau...

Lending
Posted by Christina Mlynski on 5/15/13 at 11:49am

The next generation of homebuyers has different expectations of the real estate process, and who can blame them?

They are facing a different set of realities from their parents.

The average Gen Y currently has, on average, $27,000 in college loans to repay, which they may spend the better part of a decade doing — exactly at the same time when past generations were usually saving up for a down payment, writes Doorsteps, a real estate search site. 

As...

Real Estate
Posted by Jacob Gaffney on 5/15/13 at 10:44am

Normally, just about everything social media guru and consultant Scott Stratten says is worth repeating, but this time doubly so.

The head of the UnMarketing movement, who has plenty to say to/about Realtors, listed the Top 5 reasons to attend HousingWire's Real Estate Expo.

Considering Stratten's...

Real Estate
Posted by Kerri Ann Panchuk on 5/13/13 at 1:00pm

Every real estate agent has one – a homeowner living next to a listed property who has bad taste and ends up driving down curbside appeal and costing agents potential buyers.

But it's unlikely any of the bad neighbors surrounding your listings have anything on Grammy-winner Chris Brown, who painted an ugly mural of goblins alongside a wall lining his Hollywood Hills Home,...

Real Estate
Posted by Kerri Ann Panchuk on 5/13/13 at 10:20am

Most housing publications – especially those focused on mortgage finance – have been covering the Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems issue for well over two years.

But the mainstream media – and now Jon Stewart – have just discovered MERS, the mortgage electronic registry created back in the 1990s to record mass transfers of mortgage assignments during...

Servicing
Posted by Jacob Gaffney on 5/13/13 at 10:01am

The first quarter earnings season is wrapping up and the impact on the S&P 500 versus the FTSE stock exchanges is pretty astounding.

Ken Elgarten of Société Générale said in a commentary on the US credit environment: "Earnings season winding down, with more than 90% of the S&P 500 companies reporting Q1 results with roughly 75% of those either meeting or beating forecasts."

It bodes well for the US: "Overall, we anticipate solid...

Investments
Posted by Megan Hopkins on 5/10/13 at 3:23pm

The New York Metropolitan Statistical Area continues to grow, but housing production outpaced household growth in the past decade, creating a market imbalance, the Obama administration concluded in a Friday report. 

The same study claims an influx of subprime lending during the ten-year period fueled the problem.

During the 10-year span, net annual housing unit growth reached 0.6% in the New York MSA, far greater than the corresponding population and...

Real Estate