Home purchase application activity continues to fluctuate with an increase this past week but mortgage watchers say the bigger picture shows applications overall running ahead of a year ago as market conditions continue to mark gradual improvement. According to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) report, the Market Composite Index—the measure of mortgage loan activity…
Above, Brad Case After past positions at the Federal Reserve, Nareit and Fannie Mae, Brad Case brings a breadth of experience to his newly appointed role as chief residential economist at portal giant Homes.com. With more than 35 years of industry expertise, in his new role he will serve as the company’s leading voice on…
The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Index, which is the Federal Reserve’s preferred gauge of inflation, rose to 2.8% in September on an annual basis. According to data from the Commerce Department released Dec. 5, core PCE rose 0.2% over the previous month. The report, delayed by the government shutdown, seemingly gives a further green light…
Home purchase application activity fluctuated over the Thanksgiving holiday period, both increasing and decreasing over the past few weeks. This week mortgage activity saw a slight decline. According to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) report, the Market Composite Index—the measure of mortgage loan activity volume—decreased 1.4% from one week earlier on a seasonally adjusted…
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which measures American opinions of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months, declined by 6.8 points in November to 88.7 from 95.5 in October, as already negative consumer attitudes toward the economy appear to be souring further. The Present Situation Index—based on consumers’ assessment of…
In a delayed report on job growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Nov. 20, U.S. employers added 119,000 jobs in September, with the unemployment rate rising slightly to 4.4%. Employment continued to trend up in healthcare, food services and drinking places, and social assistance. Job losses occurred in transportation and warehousing and…
After a period of relatively steady activity, home purchase applications fell back this week as mortgage rates reached recent multi-week highs. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reports that the market composite index—the measure of mortgage loan activity volume—decreased 5.2% from one week earlier on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending Nov. 14, following…
At the next Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting Dec. 9-10, the final one of 2025, the voting committee will decide whether to adjust interest rates—with one voting member, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller, already making his voting intentions clear. In a Monday, Nov. 17 appearance at the Society of Professional Economists held at Oxford…
Buoyed by the reopening of the government on Thursday, a bit of optimism was in the air at NAR NXT, where Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun predicted a 14% increase in existing-home sales in 2026, along with a 5% increase in new-home sales, a 4% increase in the median home price, and mortgage rates settling…
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Mortgage rates saw little movement this week, reflecting a overall market pause related to the government shutdown these past weeks and related uncertainty, economists say. According to the latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) released by Freddie Mac Thursday, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) moved up 2 basis points this week to 6.24% from…
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