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Tag Archives: Home Sales

Mortgage Loan Applications Plunge 18.6 Percent: MBA

Consumer demand for home mortgages fell sharply last week, as interest rates continued to edge up from six-month highs. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported Wednesday that its measurement of total mortgage loan application volume plunged 18.6 percent for the week ending December 17. The steep drop was driven by a 24.6 percent decline in applications for mortgage refinancing, which have fallen for six straight weeks now.

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Sales of Existing Homes Gain Ground in November

Existing-home sales got back on an upward path in November, resuming a growth trend since bottoming in July, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported Wednesday. Sales of previously owned homes rose 5.6 percent last month. Distressed homes accounted for 33 percent of the month's total sales volume. Housing inventory at the end of November fell 4 percent to 3.71 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 9.5-month supply at the current sales pace.

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Survey: Rising Rates, First-Time Homebuyers Drive Market in November

Rising mortgage rates pushed first-time homebuyers to buy properties in November, while investors lost their enthusiasm for distressed properties, according to a new report from Campbell Surveys. The research firm found first-time buyers' share of home purchases jumped from 34.4 percent in October to 37.2 percent last month as long-term rates began to climb from record lows set in early November. Meanwhile, investor activity continued a two-month decline.

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California Home Sales Down 12 Percent from Last Year: Report

California continued to feel the housing slump in November with a 12.4 percent decrease in sales from last year, according to statistics from MDA DataQuick. An estimated 31,403 new and resale houses and condos were sold statewide last month -- down 3.9 percent from October. The median price paid for a home in California during the month of November was $255,000. Foreclosure sales made up 37.8 percent of the existing homes sold last month.

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Survey: Consumers Don’t Comparison Shop for Mortgages

Consumers usually hunt for the best deal -- except when it comes to their mortgages. While 96 percent of American consumers compare prices when shopping, nearly 40 percent obtain just one home loan quote, according to a new survey from LendingTree. The survey also revealed that only 28 percent of borrowers are very confident they received the best possible deal on their current mortgages. Even though 85 percent of consumers use the Web to comparison shop other items, only 21 percent say they shopped online first for mortgage rates.

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New Mortgage Applications Fall as Rates Rise for Fifth Straight Week

Data released by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Wednesday shows that consumer demand for mortgages waned last week as interest rates soared to their highest level in nearly seven months. MBA's index of new applications for home purchases plummeted 5.0 percent, breaking a three-week streak of increases, while the refinance index slipped 0.7 percent. MBA says Treasury rates increased last week following news that lower tax rates could be extended for another two years. Mortgage rates also followed higher.

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Report: Home Prices in Baltimore-Washington Area Stabilize

According to the latest market data on the Baltimore-Washington metro housing market, RealEstate Business Intelligence (RBI) reports that pricing patterns are stabilizing while sales activity continues to slump. RBI's data reveals that the median home price in the Baltimore-Washington metro area has remained constant at $265,000, unchanged from October 2010 and 4.7 percent higher than $253,000 in November 2009.

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Report: Modesto Claims Highest Share of REO Sales in the Nation

Where do REOs take the largest piece of the home sales pie? According to data compiled by the independent real estate research and analytical firm Hanley Wood Market Intelligence, it's Modesto, California. In this Northern California city, Hanley Wood found that 60.5 percent of total home sales closings during the third quarter of this year were for bank-owned properties. By comparison, the company says the national average is 28 percent. REOs also comprised the majority of all home sales transactions in seven other metropolitan areas.

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Mortgage Rates Climb for Fourth Straight Week

Mortgage interest rates rose again this week, marking the fourth consecutive increase. Freddie Mac says the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage has jumped to 4.61 percent, up from 4.46 percent just one week earlier. If such sharp increments continue at this pace, the 30-year rate could rise above where it was a full year ago (4.81 percent) in a matter of mere weeks. For a $200,000 conventional loan, the sudden rise amounts to $50 more in monthly payments than if buyers had locked in rates just two months ago.

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Home Purchase Applications Rise for Third Consecutive Week

Industry data released Wednesday shows that new mortgage applications for the purchase of a home jumped 1.8 percent for the week ending December 3. This is the third weekly increase recorded by the closely watched home purchase index, which has reached its highest level since early May. All market indicators point to a continued rise in mortgage rates and that seems to have prompted some homebuyers to act now. Refinancing, on the other hand, is becoming less attractive.

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