Daily Dose

Zillow’s Q1 Real Estate Market Report, released Tuesday, shows that home values across the United States are up 5.7 percent (to a national median of $169,800) compared to Q1 2013. Even more encouraging is that home values in 527 U.S. cities that saw declines of 10 percent or more during the recession are either at their peak or soon will be.

Total existing-home sales in March came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.59 million, according to estimates from the National Association of Realtors. March sales fell .2 percent from February’s downwardly revised pace of 4.60 million and hit a nearly two-year low. Compared to March 2013, the sales rate was down 7.5 percent.

In a letter sent Monday to Ocwen Financial Corporation's General Counsel Timothy Hayes, New York State Department of Financial Service’s (NYSDFS) superintendent Benjamin Lawsky questioned the financial giant on business dealings related to a relationship between Ocwen and Altisource Portfolio Solutions.

A weaker-than-expected first quarter has researchers at Fannie Mae amending their forecast for growth in 2014, but they still project acceleration as the year progresses. In its Economic and Housing Outlook for April, Fannie Mae's Economic and Strategic Research Group notes economic activity slowed in Q1 even more than was forecast, partly due to a sharp decline in inventory investment as consumer spending waned.

Delinquency and foreclosures rates have declined to levels not seen since October 2007 and 2008, respectively, according to Black Knight Financial Services "First Look" at March Mortgage Data. The company’s Data and Analytics division reported that the share of loans in foreclosure was down nearly 37 percent year-over-year.

Following weak home sales during the first two months of the year resulting from extreme winter weather, March sales picked up 24.6 percent across the 52 metros measured in the RE/MAX National Housing Report. However, despite the significant increase, March sales are 10.1 percent below their year-ago level.

According to the latest Campbell/Inside Mortgage Finance HousingPulse Tracking Survey, an estimated 26.2 percent of home purchases by current homeowners in March relied solely on cash, up from a 12-month low of 22.8 percent recorded last August. Figures are based on a three-month moving average.

According to Fitch Ratings' latest quarterly index, prepayment rates among U.S. residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) have declined to the lowest levels of the post-crisis era. Fitch Ratings' director Sean Nelson attributed the decline in prepayment rates to higher interest rates and fewer distressed liquidations.

Fannie Mae issued approximately $3.5 billion of multifamily mortgage-backed securities (MBS) in the first quarter of 2014, the company said in a press release Monday. The securities are backed by new multifamily loans delivered by the company's lenders.

The National Housing Trend Report for March was just released by Realtor.com, and it offers some great news for spring home buyers. The market is much healthier this year, with growth in inventory and days on the market. With modest price increases present, the overall outlook is good.