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.
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.
FOMC Expected To Announce New Stimulus Today
The FOMC adjourns from a 2-day meeting today. Mortgage rates are expected to change — perhaps by a lot.