News

Mortgage rates for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.16 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending February 12, 2009, according to Freddie Mac’s newly released Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today released its Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending February 6, 2009. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, was 600.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner outlined the Obama administration’s economic recovery strategy on Tuesday – dubbed the Financial Stability Plan – and on Wednesday, Geithner was called before Congress to defend the tactics he proposed.

American homeowners’ perceptions of the value of their own homes moved more in line with reality at the end of 2008, at least when it came to hindsight, based on a report released by online real estate marketer Zillow on Wednesday.

AmeriBid, an auction provider with over 60 years of collective auction experience, and Condo.com, a condominium marketplace, recently announced a strategic partnership aimed at the growing inventory surplus of repossessed condominium homes.

According to a panel of financial experts at the 2009 Economic and Investment Forecast Dinner in Los Angeles last week, more pain lies ahead for the U.S. and global economies as they adjust from a long period of credit-fueled prosperity to a new era in which both economic growth and investment returns are likely to be lower.

Congressional leaders have announced that negotiations between House and Senate officials over the terms of the economic stimulus package have led to a sooner-than-expected compromise. The new bill, now pared down to $789 billion, will be put to the House for a final vote on Thursday, sent to the full Senate on Friday, and make it to President Obama’s desk for his signature by President’s Day next Monday, government officials said.

Chicago-based Performance Trust Investment Advisors, LLC, a banking and investment advisory firm, has created a virtual forum at a new Web site (marktomarketdebate.com) to help the financial sector and the public better understand how fair value standards, also known as mark-to-market, and related accounting and bank regulatory rules impact bank lending.

On Monday, U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced the approval of the state of Oklahoma’s plan to use its $29,969,459 allocation under HUD’s new Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).

The U.S. Senate voted 61-to-37 to approve an $838 billion stimulus package on Tuesday. Dissension over the bill fell largely along party lines. Next come negotiations with the House, who approved their own version of the stimulus in late January, with an $820 billion price tag.