As Buyer Traffic Grows, Homebuilder Confidence Slips

Homebuilder confidence is falling -- a good sign for buyers of newly-built homes. According to the National Association of Homebuilders, the Housing Market Index slipped one point to 16 in April. It's the 5th time in 6 months that the index read 16 -- a figure exactly in line with the 1-year averag ...
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What's Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : April 18, 2011

Mortgage markets improved last week, buoyed by two days of out-sized gains. Mortgage rates bounced off their 8-week highs on much weaker-than-expected inflation data, and debt concerns abroad. It's an abrupt change in mortgage rate momentum. Since the Federal Reserve's March 2011 meeting, in which t ...
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Foreclosures Drop 35 Percent Year-Over-Year

Foreclosure activity is much slower this year than last. According to foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac, the number of national foreclosure filings plunged 35 percent in March 2011 as compared to March 2010, a statistic that reflects a more healthy housing market and more robust outlook for 2011. ...
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Inflation Pressures Mounting; Mortgage Rates Rising

Inflation pressures are mounting in the United States. And, Friday, the Consumer Price Index should prove it. More commonly called "The Cost of Living Index", CPI measures cost changes in the typical items bought by American households. Among others, CPI measures goods and service in appar ...
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Get Your Applications In : FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums Rising 0.25 Percent April 18, 2011

After this week ends, the FHA is raising mortgage insurance premiums on its new Corona borrowers. It's the FHA's third such increase in the last 12 months. Beginning with FHA Case Numbers assigned April 18, 2011, mortgage insurance premiums will be ...
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Retail Sales Report Should Spell Higher Mortgage Rates For Wednesday

Consumer spending is alive and well, it seems -- unwelcome news for today's home buyers.  Wednesday, the Census Bureau will release its March Retail Sales figures and the report is expected to show higher sales receipts for the 9th straight month. A strong reading like that should spell h ...
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