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Several Markets Experiencing Strong Price Growth, High Unemployment

For several markets across the country, strong home price growth is also attached to a double-digit unemployment rate, leading Fitch Ratings to view the strong price appreciation as unsustainable. In a recent report, Fitch highlighted seven metro areas where high unemployment rates were in the backdrop of annual double-digit home price gains. The top two were Detroit and Las Vegas, while the remaining five were in California: Sacramento, Stockton, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, and Riverside.

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RE/MAX: Home Prices Up Yearly for 17th Straight Month in June

At $193,750, the median price of a home in June sat 12.6 percent above the year-ago level and increased 5 percent from May. At $193,750, the median price of a home in June sat 12.6 percent above the year-ago level and increased 5 percent from May. Out of the 52 metros tracked, Albuquerque, New Mexico, was the only market to experience a yearly decrease after prices fell 4.2 percent. Home sales also stood higher compared to last year, increasing 4.1 percent in June. The improvement marks the 24th month of consecutive gains.

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First-Time Jobless Claims Drop to 10-Week Low

One week after spiking to a two-month high, first-time claims for unemployment insurance dropped 24,000 to 334,000 for the week ending July 13--the lowest level in 10 weeks, the Labor Department reported Thursday. Economists expected the number of claims to drop to 344,000 from the 360,000 originally reported for the week ending July 6. The number of filings for that week was revised down to 358,000.

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Beige Book Again Sees Modest to Moderate Growth

Citing improvements in manufacturing, tourism, commercial and residential real estate and in the financial sector, the Federal Reserve Wednesday said the nation's economy ""continued to increase at a modest to moderate pace"" from late May through early July. The assessment in the periodic Beige Book was tempered by ""mixed"" conditions in the agricultural sector and the absence of improvement in labor markets. ""Hiring,"" the Beige Book said, ""held steady or increased at a measured pace.""

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Bernanke Stresses Asset Purchases Not on Set Schedule

The Federal Reserve will continue its current policy of buying up $40 billion in agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and $45 billion in Treasuries per month as long as economic conditions warrant such measures, explained Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke during a testimony given Wednesday before the House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services. ""I emphasize that, because our asset purchases depend on economic and financial developments, they are by no means on a preset course,"" Bernanke said.

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Allonhill Strengthens Business Development Team

Allonhill, a third-party review firm specializing in mortgage due diligence and credit risk management, expanded its business development team with the appointment of two managing directors of sales. David Pike and Brian Sherman were selected to help the company explore new opportunities for growth.

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BofA Profit Increases 63% in Q2; Mortgage Banking Income Falls

According to its quarterly earnings report, BofA pulled in approximately $4.0 billion in Q2, an increase of 63 percent over the $2.5 billion recorded for Q2 2012. Last quarter's results ""were driven by year-over-year improvements in net interest income, investment and brokerage income, investment banking fees, sales and trading revenue, equity investment income and credit quality as well as expense reductions,"" the bank said.

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What History Says About Rising Rates and Their Relationship to Housing

With the sudden jump in mortgage rates, market spectators are wondering what the impact might be on the housing recovery. After analyzing previous instances when mortgage rates increased significantly, Mark Palim, VP of Fannie Mae's Economic and Strategic Research Group, determined history suggests rate increases won't stop the current recovery. Instead, a rapid rise in rates is ""more likely to contribute to a decrease in home purchase volume and an increase in the market share of adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs),"" wrote Palim in a recent commentary.

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Freddie Mac: ‘Taper Talk’ Impact Won’t Halt Recovery

Market participants reacting to speculation that the Federal Reserve may taper its bond purchases later this year should refrain from acting too hastily, Freddie Mac says in its U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook for July. According to Freddie Mac's metrics, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has jumped a full percentage point since mid-May as ""taper talk"" rules the day. Rates are expected to gradually move higher, closing out 2013 in the range of 4.6 to 4.7 percent.

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Agency Watchdog Criticizes FHFA for Failing to Establish Clear Goals

The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA OIG) argued in a report released Tuesday that the FHFA should define specific performance goals for encouraging private participation in the mortgage credit risk market. For example, FHFA has not defined what it considers ""increased private sector investment"" nor determined how much it must raise guarantee fees to achieve this goal, according to the report. Similarly, FHFA has not set specific goals for its pricing initiatives with FHA.

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