According to the real estate trade association, the Pending Home Sales Index read 99.2 for August — the fourth straight month in which the index hovered near its benchmark value of 100.
New Home Supply Remains Firmly In “Seller’s Market” Territory
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of new homes sold slipped 0.3 percent in August 2012 to a seasonally-adjusted, annualized 373,000 units sold.
Home Price Index Shows Values Rising 3.7% From One Year Ago
Home values have not dropped month-to-month since January of this year — a span of 6 months.
Existing Home Sales Leap To 2-Year High
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, 4.82 million “existing homes” sold on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis in August, representing a near 8 percent improvement from the month prior and a nine percent jump from August 2011.
What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : September 24, 2012
Mortgage markets improved for the second consecutive week last week as demand for U.S. mortgage-backed bonds remained high.
Housing Starts Move To 2-Year High
Wednesday, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Housing Starts for single-family homes up 5.5 percent in August to a seasonally-adjusted, annualized count of 535,000 units nationwide.
Homebuilder Confidence Rises Again; Tops 40
As reported by the National Association of Home Builders, the Housing Market Index, a measure of builder confidence, rose to a reading of 40 in September — its highest mark since June 2006.
Foreclosures Remain Concentrated In Just A Few States
According to foreclosure data firm RealtyTrac, foreclosure activity increased 1 percent in August as compared to the month prior, climbing to just above 193,500 units nationwide.
What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : September 17, 2012
Mortgage markets improved last week as the Federal Reserve introduced new economic stimulus.
Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (September 13 , 2012)
The Federal Open Market Committee voted to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent Thursday, while adding new market stimulus.