News

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey Wednesday, which showed a resurge in refinances over new loan requests. After a lull last month, more homeowners are looking to lower their monthly payments by taking advantage of mortgage rates that have again started to fall to record-lows.

Hinting at another small victory for the housing market, Denver-based Integrated Asset Services, LLC (IAS) has reported a gain in national home prices of 1.6 percent during the month of May. The company released its IAS360 House Price Index (HPI) Tuesday, which showed an increase in property values in all four U.

Across Florida, people are struggling to deal with some of the aftershocks caused by the current economy, including the state’s alarming rise in foreclosed homes. To gain a better understanding of foreclosure, the people who are affected by it, and the impact it has on their lives, the Florida Association of Realtors (FAR) has initiated The Face of Foreclosure:http://www.

Experts contend that the appeal of government-insured home loans and a resurgence in the Federal Housing Administration’s market share can be attributed to the fact that these mortgages require smaller downpayments than conventional loans.

Veros Real Estate Solutions, a Santa Ana, California-based provider of risk management and collateral valuation services, recently released its quarterly forecast of U.S. housing markets, including predictions of the country’s strongest and weakest areas.

Sterling Technology Solutions, a Florida-based provider of default technology and home retention services, announced the rollout of its new flagship loss mitigation system on Monday. The company explained that it allows servicers to quickly implement loan modifications and other home retention strategies, even at high volumes.

House Rep. John Adler (D-New Jersey) has introduced the 21st Century FHA Housing Act of 2009, intended to essentially update the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) so that its single-family mortgage insurance program – a program for which demand and market share has soared in recent months – can continue as an affordable way for families to obtain the American dream.

Freddie Mac issued a bulletin to its servicers on Friday which clarifies its rules for property appraisals under the new Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) and spells out best practices servicers should follow to ensure loans meet the GSE’s definition of investment-quality mortgages and are eligible for sale to the government-backed mortgage financier.

Despite recent negative information about the job market in the United States, a report issued by Foreclosurelistings.com last week shows the housing market is beginning to exhibit some signs of improvement.

The San Francisco-based real estate research company Trulia, Inc. reported last week that 24.6 percent of homes on the market in the United States as of July 1, have had at least one price cut, totaling $27.