News

Lack of inventory continues to stunt pending home sales in California, according to the California Assocation of Realtors' (C.A.R.) most recent home sales report. The shortage has specifically impacted REO sales, which dropped both yearly and monthly.

The share of homeowners with underwater mortgages continued its decline in the second quarter, according to the Zillow Negative Equity Report. About 15.3 million homeowners with a mortgage were underwater, or 30.9 percent, a drop from 15.7 million or 31.4 percent. The report also revealed that negative equity more often affects younger age groups, with nearly half (48 percent) of borrowers under age 40 with an underwater mortgage.

This year's second quarter saw the largest quarterly growth in home prices in nearly seven years, according to FHFA's purchase-only home price index (HPI). The agency reported house prices rose 1.8 percent from the year's first quarter to the second quarter-the largest growth since the fourth quarter of 2005. In addition, distressed sales in the market fell to 29.1 percent, a sharp drop from the first quarter's 38.3 percent share.

According to Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), the 30-year fixed rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 3.66 percent (0.7 point) for the week ending August 23, up from 3.62 percent the previous week. The 15-year FRM also slid up, averaging 2.89 percent (0.6 point). A week ago, the 15-year fixed averaged 2.88 percent.

New home sales regained all the ground they lost in June, jumping by 13,000 to an annualized rate of 372,000 in July, the Census Bureau and HUD reported Thursday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected the report to show a sales pace of 362,000.

First-time claims for unemployment insurance increased 4,000 for the week ended Aug. 18 to 372,000, the highest level in a month, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected 365,000 initial claims. The prior week's total was revised up to 368,000 from the originally reported 366,000.

In a release Wednesday, the association accused FHFA of ""moving ahead with its REO bulk sales pilot initiative in a highly secretive manner, despite vehement opposition from California congressional members, the negative economic impact to the state's housing market, and cost to taxpayers."" In response to what the C.A.R. calls ""FHFA's failure to implement the REO initiative in an open and transparent manner,"" the organization has filed a request for details through the Freedom of Information Act.

Outpacing industry forecasts, mortgage originations ticked up 5.2 percent in the second quarter, totaling $405 billion during the three-month period, according to a report released this week from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. On an annual basis, originations are up 44.6 percent, according to the study. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods suggests much of the increase came from refinance activity driven by low interest rates.

An Iowa judge ruled Tuesday in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., (MERS) dismissing a class action suit against the company and other defendants.

The FDIC filed three complaints against financial institutions that were involved in the sale of mortgage-backed securities to the now defunct Guaranty Bank. The FDIC became receiver for the Austin-based bank when it failed in August 2009. In all three complaints, the FDIC claims the defendants made false or misleading statements when issuing, underwriting, or selling securities to Guaranty Bank.