News

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) submitted its 2013 Report to Congress, which detailed findings from the agency's examination of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The report found that although experiencing significant exposure to credit losses from mortgage originations several years prior to the government's conservatorship, the two GSEs had record amounts of net income in 2013.

The latest Residential Price Index (RPI) report from FNC, Inc., shows home price appreciation continued in April at a monthly pace of 0.6 percent nationally, matching March's month-over-month increase. Narrowing down the list of surveyed markets, the 30-city composite index picked up 0.6 percent compared to March's 0.4 percent gain.

There's a pervasive view held by younger consumers when considering whether to purchase a home or not, according to Freddie Mac's Christina Boyle. She believes that consumers persistently overestimate the size of a down payment they need in order to finance a home, and this lack of education is harming the housing market.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it has allocated $70 million in funding for tribal communities across the nation to improve housing conditions. Simultaneously, the money is also intended to help stimulate community development for low and moderate income families.

If you're hoping to see the beleaguered Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac adequately recapitalized, you're going to have to wait another two decades or so. But Mary Miller, the Department of the Treasury's undersecretary for domestic finance, is hoping to find another way.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury released the May edition of the Obama Administration's Housing Scorecard on Friday. The government report showed progress, noting growth in key indicators such as increasing equity and a rebound in the sale of new and existing homes.

Baby Boomers, as a focus of study for their effect on the housing market, have been an underserved population, according to a blog post written by Trulia's Jed Kolko. He investigated whether baby boomer downsizing—selling a single-family home in order to move into a multi-family unit—could be a future trend in the housing market.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced it is charging Parsippany, New Jersey-based Stonebridge Title Services Inc., with violating the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) by offering kickbacks for business referrals. In a consent order released Thursday, the CFPB ordered Stonebridge to pay a civil penalty of $30,000.

Freddie Mac announced the company is teaming up with the Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals and the Kingdom Community Development Corporation to hold the American Heroes Housing Fair and Open House on June 21 in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Economists are lowering their expectations for housing starts in 2014, according to a survey performed by the Wall Street Journal. The Journal notes their diminishing optimism is among the most noticeable trend in monthly surveys of economic forecasters in the first half of 2014.