Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s regulator called for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to step down on Wednesday if he doesn’t cut short-term rates, as monetary policymakers left them unchanged again. “Jay Powell is hurting the housing market by being too late to lower rates. He needs to resign, effective immediately,” Bill Pulte said in […]
Fannie, Freddie regulator: Powell should cut rates or quit Read More »
Federal Reserve officials left interest rates unchanged and continued to pencil in two rate cuts in 2025, saying uncertainty over the economic outlook was still high but had diminished. The Federal Open Market Committee voted unanimously on Wednesday to hold the benchmark federal funds rate in a range of 4.25%-4.5%, as they have at each
Fed officials hold rates again, still see two cuts by year end Read More »
Fears of tariffs and inflation abound these days, with many Americans concerned that rising prices will push up housing costs. But even as younger consumers worry about buying a home, many of them remain hopeful about their own finances, offering some encouraging news to mortgage lenders looking for unmet demand. More than half or 55%
What Americans’ optimism about finances means for lenders Read More »
New U.S. residential construction declined in May to the slowest pace since the onset of the pandemic as an elevated inventory of homes for sale and high mortgage rates sapped the motivation to build. Housing starts decreased 9.8% to an annualized rate of 1.26 million homes last month, according to government figures released Wednesday. The
New home construction falls to five-year low Read More »
Mortgage rate movements stayed muted as investors await the culmination of June’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting later on Wednesday. Rates declined for the third consecutive week, but remained in that tight 6.8% range, the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market survey reported. The survey was released a day early because of the Juneteenth holiday. What
Mortgage rates move lower ahead of Fed decision Read More »
It’s hard to let go of a 3% mortgage rate. There’s no question about it. It’s the main reason why so many homeowners have delayed their move in recent years. But here’s something to consider. While your low rate might be ideal, it doesn’t make up being too cramped, having a staircase your knees can’t
Why More Sellers Are Choosing To Move, Even with Today’s Rates Read More »
The housing affordability crisis often conjures images of coastal urban cities with acute housing supply shortages and heavy land-use regulations. While these places do tend to have the highest home prices, it’s not where costs are rising the most. That’s according to a sprawling new study from JPMorgan Chase that examines affordability from a number
The pandemic made housing less affordable, but not in the obvious places Read More »
Not only does the full panel of economists surveyed by Wolters Kluwer feel the Federal Open Market Committee will not cut short-term rates at its meeting today and tomorrow, less than 10% expect it to act in July. The Blue Chip Economic Indicators report also soundly discounts Pres. Trump’s call for the Fed Funds Rate
No Fed rate cut until September at earliest, economists say Read More »
The story for the housing market over the past three years has been, “Home sales are down, home prices are up.” Because inventory was so restricted after the pandemic, prices pushed higher even as demand weakened. That story may finally be inverting as unsold inventory of homes is now great enough that home prices are
How to think about home prices for the rest of 2025 Read More »
Why aren’t home sales crashing as they did in 2022? Right now we have elevated mortgage rates, trade war uncertainty, rising property taxes and home insurance, terrible consumer confidence data and a downgrade of the government’s debt, among other factors. But, housing demand continues to hold up, surprising people who can’t explain why home sales
Elevated mortgage rates aren’t discouraging homebuyers Read More »