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Tag Archives: Jobs

NAHB Leading Market Index Edges Higher in February

The National Association of Home Builders released new figures from their Leading Markets Index (LMI), revealing 58 out of approximately 350 metro areas have either returned to or exceeded their last normal levels of economic and housing activity. The index’s nationwide score registered at .87, meaning economic and housing activity is running at 87 percent of normal levels.

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Commentary: What’s in Store for Housing in 2014, Part 2

Despite recent gains, which some of us believe are more of a mirage than an oasis, the economy still isn't creating enough good-paying full-time jobs to drive a full recovery in the housing market. At the same time, stricter lending requirements--and a lending environment likely to get more challenging before it gets easier--are the other major headwinds that could slow down housing.

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Commentary: What’s in Store for Housing in 2014, Part 1

Many economists and market observers have suggested the market is poised for continued growth as the recovery enters its third year, and there are positive elements in play that provide some reasons for optimism. Recent loan vintages continue to perform at levels better than historical norms, which has allowed the industry to work through its backlog of distressed assets; foreclosure activity is declining; and housing starts have begun to rise.

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‘Boomerang’ Buyers Expected to Boost Recovery in the New Year

Based on a poll of borrowers that have been subject to foreclosure, authorities at LoanSafe.org and AfterForeclosure.com say they're confident that 2014 will be the year of the ""boomerang"" borrower. They say changes in lending guidelines and population shifts make these buyers essential to the recovery of the housing market, particularly since developments that naturally advance housing have been largely disrupted in today's environment.

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Economic Growth in U.S. to Outpace Global Progress

As we head toward the close of 2013, many wonder what the new year will bring for economic growth, what plans the Federal Reserve has for its stimulus, and how employment and the housing market will take shape. IHS Global Insight recently released its 2014 outlook, addressing these and other factors affecting the U.S. and global economies in the coming year. IHS says global economic growth will increase from 2.5 percent this year to 3.3 percent next year, with the U.S. growing 2.6 percent, up from 1.7 percent.

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Private-Public Collaboration Results in 8M Foreclosure Preventions

Collaboration between the private and public sectors has resulted in 8 million non-foreclosure solutions completed for at-risk families since 2007, according to HOPE NOW, a voluntary alliance of mortgage servicers, investors, mortgage insurers, and nonprofit housing counselors. Over the last six years, the mortgage industry has completed more than 6.71 million total permanent loan modifications, while short sales total approximately 1.39 million since December 2009.

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Furloughed Government Workers Elevate Unemployment Rate to 7.3%

Some 204,000 Americans found work in October, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday morning. Yet with the number of public employees counted as unemployed or temporarily laid off as a result of the federal government shutdown last month, the national unemployment rate rose to 7.3 percent, up from 7.2 percent in September. Job gains for both August and September were revised upward, adding a combined 60,000 more to the workforce.

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1st Time Jobless Claims Continue to Drop

Continuing the drop in first time claims for unemployment insurance, initial filings fell 5,000 for the week ended September 21 to 305,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists had expected the number of claims to jump up to 330,000, from the 309,000 originally reported for the week ended September 14.

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Commentary: Whither the Fed

What's up with the Fed? The venerable, usually media-shy central bank came in for more than its share of attention in the past week and has no one to blame but itself. It started with the withdrawal of Larry Summers as a candidate to replace Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke who, by the way, has not said he's leaving. Then came the conclusion of a two-day, closed-door policy meeting that defied all market expectations.

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