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☆ Bezos makes third losing bet on real estate
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Ben Winck | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

It’s not the only questionable real estate decision Bezos has made in the past several years. He announced in a Thursday Instagram post that he will move to Miami, leaving the Washington city where he founded Amazon in 1994. Bezos grew up in the south-Florida city in the early 1980s, and he will return to a two-mansion compound worth some $147 million, according to Bloomberg. Miami-based real estate had a renaissance during the pandemic as people sought warmer climates where they could be outside. Still, the founder is no stranger to real estate bets that don’t always make financial sense.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, It’s, Bezos, Ken Griffin, David Tepper, lockdowns, That’ll, don’t, Lauren Silva Laughlin, Sharon Lam Organizations: Reuters, Amazon, Bloomberg, U.S . Federal Housing Finance Agency, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Dade, University of Miami, Homes, Climate, U.S . Federal Aviation Administration, Shepard, Thomson Locations: Miami, Seattle, Florida, Washington, Bezos, Indian, Arlington , Virginia, Arlington, Cape Canaveral

☆ Financing a tiny home just got easier. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Kelsey Neubauer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A change in housing finance policy will make it easier for people to build ADUs. AdvertisementAdvertisementIt just got easier for many homeowners to build a tiny home on their property. Ryan O'Connell and Jakota Rivas, a California ADU grant recipient, in front of her ADU in California. Cities across the country — in red and blue states alike — have passed legislation that makes it easier to build. Laws like this, and a similar congressional bill, will help middle class homeowners build an ADU with more financial ease.

Persons: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, It's, —, Fannie, Freddie, Ryan O'Connell, O'Connell, Jakota Rivas, Eric Santucci, he's, Bill Organizations: Service, Administration, FHA Locations: California, Los Angeles, . California , Vermont, New York

☆ SCOTUS to hear case on the constitutionality of CFPB's funding
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSCOTUS to hear case on the constitutionality of CFPB's fundingMark Calabria, senior advisor at The Cato Institute and former director of The Federal Housing Finance Agency, along with NBC and MSNBC's Danny Cevallos, join 'The Exchange' to discuss Supreme Court hearing a case on the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's funding supply, how this supreme court ruling could impact similarly funded agencies, and the likelihood of the court returning a narrow decision.

Persons: SCOTUS, Mark Calabria, Danny Cevallos Organizations: Cato Institute, Federal Housing Finance Agency, NBC, Consumer

☆ US annual home price growth accelerates in July
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Amina Niasse | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Mike Blake Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Sept 26 (Reuters) - U.S. annual home price growth accelerated for a second straight month in July, signaling that softening prices in the market may be bottoming out, according to a report released on Tuesday. Home purchase prices increased 4.6% on a year-over-year basis in July, up from a revised 3.2% increase in the prior month. June marked the first acceleration in annual price growth since February 2022, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) said. The report also showed prices rose moderately on a month-over-month basis, in line with the trend over the past quarter. "Regionally, all nine census divisions posted positive price appreciation over the last 12 months, although the Pacific and Mountain divisions experienced only modest growth," said Nataliya Polkovnichenko, FHFA's supervisory economist.

Persons: Mike Blake, Nataliya Polkovnichenko, Amina Niasse, Paul Simao Organizations: REUTERS, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Thomson Locations: Rancho, San Diego , California, U.S, New England, Chicago, Cleveland

Like other consumer rates, mortgage rates are impacted in large part by what's going on in the economy. The MBA forecast sees rates falling more aggressively, predicting that 30-year mortgage rates will drop to 5% by the end of 2024. This allowed mortgage rates to drop as low as they did, with 30-year mortgage rates reaching an all-time low of 2.65% in January 2021, according to Freddie Mac. Mortgage rates in 2024: FAQsWhat will mortgage rates do in 2024? Once the Federal Reserve stops hiking rates and inflation slows, all consumer interest rates, including mortgage rates, will likely start going down in 2024.

Persons: homebuyers, what's, Afifa Saburi, Fannie Mae's, Freddie Mac, Lawrence Yun, that's, Karen Kostiw, Coldwell Banker Warburg, refinance, Saburi Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Veterans United, Loans, NAR, National Association of Realtors, CNBC, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Coldwell Banker, Mortgage, Association Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York City, Chevron

☆ US home prices show signs of stabilizing, reports show
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Amina Niasse | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Octavio Jones Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Aug 29 (Reuters) - U.S. housing prices showed further signs of stabilizing in June, according to two reports out Tuesday that signaled the lengthy run of softening sales prices may be bottoming out. Both reports showed prices rose modestly month-over-month. House prices rose 3.0% between the second quarters of 2022 and 2023, FHFA said. FHFA's data showed June’s year-over-year gains were strongest in the East North Central and New England regions, up by 5.4% and 6.8%, respectively. On a city basis, the Case-Shiller data showed Chicago and Cleveland experiencing the greatest price accelerations.

Persons: Octavio Jones, FHFA, ”, Anju Vajja, ” Craig Lazzara, DJI, Amina Niasse, Safiyah Riddle, Andrea Ricci, Leslie Adler Organizations: REUTERS, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Federal Reserve, FHFA’s Division of Research, Statistics, East North, Thomson Locations: Tampa , Florida, U.S, “ U.S, East North Central, New England, Chicago, Cleveland

☆ Middle class Americans are moving straight into fire and drought because they can't afford to live in the cities that are safer from climate change
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rising housing costs have helped push Americans into parts of the country more vulnerable to climate change. The trend shows how the burden of climate change is falling disproportionately on less affluent people. Rather than leaving areas at high risk of natural disasters and other climate issues, more Americans are moving into them. But if lower-risk cities continue to price people out, the burden of climate change will fall even more disproportionately on less affluent communities. A recent Brookings Institution report recommended several ways that policymakers can encourage Americans to seek climate safety.

Persons: Hurricane Harvey, Freddie Mac, Rich, homebuyers, Jenny Schuetz, Julia Gill Organizations: Service, Brookings, Federal Housing Finance Agency Locations: New York, San Francisco, Southern, Florida, Houston, West, Bend , Oregon

☆ Fitch downgrades mortgage giants Fannie and Freddie from AAA to AA+
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The credit ratings of US mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were downgraded by Fitch Ratings on Wednesday, the day after Fitch cut the US sovereign rating from the top-ranked AAA to AA+. The firm downgraded the mortgage giants’ Long-Term Issuer Default Ratings (IDR) and senior unsecured debt ratings from AAA to AA+. The ratings agency said that as government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac benefit from implicit government support. But this flow of funds could be disrupted if the United States defaults on its debt, Fitch warned. It also said that should the US sovereign debt rating be raised, the GSEs’ rating would move in tandem.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Fitch, ’, Freddie, Fannie, Fannie Mae’s, Freddie Mac’s, ” Organizations: CNN, Fitch, AAA, AA, Congress, Federal Housing Finance Agency, U.S, Treasury’s Locations: United States

☆ US consumer confidence races to two-year high; house prices rising
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Summary Consumer confidence index increases to 117.0 in JulyLabor market differential rises to 37.2 from 32.5 in JuneHouse prices continue upward trend in MayWASHINGTON, July 25 (Reuters) - U.S. consumer confidence increased to a two-year high in July amid a persistently tight labor market and receding inflation, bolstering the economy's prospects in the near term. That supports economists' views that consumer spending was flattening out after rising at its fastest pace in two years in the first quarter. The Conference Board's consumer confidence index increased to 117 this month, the highest reading since July 2021, from 110.1 in June. TIGHT LABOR MARKETThe survey's so-called labor market differential, derived from data on respondents' views on whether jobs are plentiful or hard to get, increased to 37.2 this month from 32.8 in June, a sign labor market conditions remain tight despite job growth slowing. And while more households planned to buy houses, they could run into affordability challenges as tight supply pushes up prices.

Persons: Robert Frick, Dana Peterson, Lisa Sturtevant, Lucia Mutikani, Paul Simao Organizations: Labor, Conference, Federal Reserve, Consumers, Navy Federal Credit Union, The, Reuters, University of, Conference Board's, Fed, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Bright MLS, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, Vienna , Virginia, U.S

☆ These 10 states are running America's best economies for residents
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Scott Cohn | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

To determine which states have the best economy, we look at overall economic growth and annual job growth on a percentage basis, as well as the health of state finances. We measure the breadth of each state's economy by looking at how many major corporations are headquartered there. IndianaWhile the Hoosier State's economy is hardly a barnburner, Indiana offers stability. The state's debt rating is solid. UtahThe Beehive State's economy just keeps buzzing.

Persons: Christina, Dupont De Nemours, Incyte Carlos Hernandez, Eileen T, Meslar, Eli Lilly, Kyle Green, Lucas Jackson, George Frey, Zions, Tim Aeppel, —, Justin Sullivan, Lindsey Nicholson, Matthew Busch, payrolls, Jim Watson Organizations: Companies, Business, Getty, Bureau, AAA, Reuters, Indiana, Hoosier, Federal Housing Finance Agency, National Association of Realtors, Simon Property, Bloomberg, Gem, Data Solutions, Micron Technology, Lamb Weston Holdings, South, South Carolina, Union Pacific, Automotive Designs, . Tennessee The Volunteer State, Headquarters, FedEx, Tractor, Delta Airlines, Peach State, Assurant, Intercontinental Exchange, Universal, North, Bank of America, Duke Energy, Just Energy Group, Texas, Lone Star State, Oracle, Tesla, AFP Locations: U.S, States, Wilmington , Delaware, Delaware, Middlebury , Indiana, , Indiana, CBH, Calvary Springs, Nampa , Idaho, Idaho, California, York County , South Carolina, South Carolina, Palmetto, South, Salt Lake City , Utah, Utah, Bristol , Indiana, Tennessee, Alpharetta , Georgia, Georgia, Denver , North Carolina, North Carolina, Houston , Texas, The Texas, Texas, New York, Miami , Florida, Florida

☆ US regulators consider to limit major lenders' borrowings from FHLBs - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger/File PhotoJune 30 (Reuters) - U.S. officials are considering to limit the ability of large banks to use Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) as a financial backstop, as part of a broader proposal to overhaul the system, Bloomberg News reported on Friday. The Federal Housing Finance Agency might still adjust its plans before announcing the recommendations in the coming months, the report added. Federal Home Loan Banks are 11 U.S. government-chartered institutions that raise money for low-cost lending to their member regional banks. For many of the member banks, they are a preferred final stop for cash before banks in need turn to the Federal Reserve itself as a last resort. Federal Housing Finance Agency did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Persons: Sarah Silbiger, Jaiveer Singh, Shweta Agarwal Organizations: REUTERS, Loan, Bloomberg, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, Credit Suisse, Federal, Loan Banks, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Silicon, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ US regulators consider to limit major lenders' borrowings from FHLBs, Bloomberg reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger/File PhotoJune 30 (Reuters) - U.S. officials are considering to limit the ability of large banks to use Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) as a financial backstop, as part of a broader proposal to overhaul the system, Bloomberg News reported on Friday. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) might still adjust its plans before announcing the recommendations in the coming months, the report added. Federal Home Loan Banks are 11 U.S. government-chartered institutions that raise money for low-cost lending to their member regional banks. For many of the member banks, they are a preferred final stop for cash before banks in need turn to the Federal Reserve itself as a last resort. Federal Housing Finance Agency did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Persons: Sarah Silbiger, FHFA, Jaiveer Singh, Shweta Agarwal Organizations: REUTERS, Loan, Bloomberg, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Reuters, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, Credit Suisse, Federal, Loan Banks, Federal Reserve, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Silicon, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ What Is a Jumbo Mortgage, and How Do You Get the Best Rates?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Beth Decarbo | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

What is a jumbo mortgage? Do jumbo loans come with jumbo mortgage rates? Many times, jumbo rates are lower than those for conforming loans, in part because the stringent requirements to qualify for a jumbo loan lessen the risk that borrowers will default. Tips to save on a jumbo loanWith some savvy strategies, house hunters in need of a jumbo mortgage can reduce their costs. Chase, for example, offers the highest jumbo limits (up to $9.5 million), which is one of the reasons it is Buy Side’s pick for best jumbo mortgage lender.

Persons: Beth DeCarbo, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac won’t, Greg McBride, ”, Jacob Channel, Andy Wagner, Wagner, Bankrate’s McBride, Michael P, aren’t, Lani, —, Guy Cecala, ” Cecala Organizations: New, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Government, Jumbo, Nations Lending, ARM, American Mortgage Resource Inc, Inside Mortgage Finance, Bank of America, Chase, Mortgage Finance Locations: Minneapolis, Sacramento, CA, Denver, Boston, San Diego, New York City, Jackson, Chicago, Massachusetts, Wells, Fargo

☆ US consumer confidence dips to six-month low, labor market views soften
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The Conference Board's consumer confidence index slipped to 102.3 this month, the lowest level since last November, from an upwardly revised 103.7 in April. The cutoff date for the survey, which places more emphasis on the labor market, was May 22. The survey's so-called labor market differential, derived from data on respondents' views on whether jobs are plentiful or hard to get, fell to 31.0, the lowest since April 2021, from 36.9 in April, suggesting the labor market was loosening up. More timely data like first-time applications for state unemployment benefits suggests the labor market remains tight, but is gradually easing. "Investors should expect Friday's job report to reveal emerging cracks in the labor market."

Persons: Christopher Rupkey, Joe Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Jeffrey Roach, Nicole Bachaud, Lucia Mutikani, Chizu Nomiyama, Andrea Ricci, Paul Simao Organizations: Labor, Conference, Social Security, Medicare, Reuters, University of, Republican U.S . House, Sunday, U.S . Labor Department, LPL, Treasury, Federal Reserve, National Association of Realtors, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, New York, North Carolina, U.S, Seattle

☆ House prices are declining in these 7 Western states while continuing to hit new heights across the rest of the country
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Carla Mozée | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

US house prices rose modestly in the first quarter, said the FHFA on Tuesday. The agency's House Price Index reached just under 400, hitting an all-time high with figures tracking back to 1991. "However, year over year prices in many western states have started to decline for the first time in over ten years." Over the last four quarters, house prices rose in 78 of the top 100 largest metropolitan areas, fronted by a 14% rise for the Miami area. The start of the spring selling season showed house price gains in March in a separate S&P CoreLogic report released Tuesday.

Persons: —, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Anju Vajja, Black Knight, San, FHFA Organizations: Service, Federal Housing Finance Agency, FHFA's Research, Statistics, of Columbia, Pacific, Federal Reserve, Black, Nationwide Locations: . Utah, Nevada, Washington, Idaho , Oregon, Colorado, West Coast, San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, San Mateo, Redwood City , California

☆ US mortgage giants were placed on credit watch. Here’s what that means for home buyers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Washington, DC CNN —The credit ratings of US mortgage giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were put on watch for possible downgrade by Fitch Ratings late Thursday. The warning came because the ratings for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are linked to the sovereign rating of the United States. The aim of Freddie and Fannie is to provide liquidity into the mortgage market and enable a reliable flow of affordable funds to mortgage lenders. “The housing GSEs continue to benefit from meaningful financial support from the U.S. government,” the Fitch statement said. “While politics are at play, the ratings watch is a just that — a watch,” she said.

☆ Spinning Federal Mortgage Fees
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( The Editorial Board | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Journal Editorial Report: The week's best and worst from Kim Strassel, Mene Ukueberuwa, Collin Levy and Dan Henninger. Images: AP/AFP/Getty Images/Zuma Press Composite: Mark KellyChanges to the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s mortgage pricing are creating a stir in the marketplace, not that the bureaucracy wants to admit it. The changes, which take effect Monday, raise costs for some good-credit borrowers while making mortgages cheaper for low-income borrowers. We highlighted the changes in a recent editorial, and FHFA Director Sandra Thompson objected to our characterization that the plan will socialize mortgage-lending risk. Ms. Thompson says the new policy “won’t impose higher fees on higher-credit-score borrowers than on lower-credit-score borrowers, all else equal.” She says some borrowers with higher credit scores may even pay less.

The changes will update the current fee structure on the majority of loans originated by mortgage lenders in the US. Prior to these fee changes, that same borrower would been charged a fee equal to 0.75% of the loan amount. On a $300,000 loan, that's the difference between a $375 fee and a $2,250 fee. While fees have generally been reduced for borrowers with lower scores compared to the old fee structure, those with low scores will still pay higher fees than those with high scores. DTI fee changes coming August 1Another fee change is set to go into effect on August 1, after its implementation was postponed following pushback from the mortgage industry.

☆ Changes are coming to some mortgage fees next month
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Broadly, the fees will go down for many with lower credit scores and will increase for many with higher credit scores. But that doesn’t mean people with lower credit scores will pay less than those with higher credit scores. The changes mean that people with higher credit scores will still pay less based on lower risk to the lenders, but having a lower credit score will now come with less of a penalty. For those with higher credit scores, more price tiers have been put in place, which in some cases may increases fees. The difference in assessed fees is about $4,000 more for a buyer with a 640 credit score than for a buyer with a 740 credit score, based on a $300,000 mortgage.

☆ 5.5% may be a magic number for mortgage rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Mortgage rates more than doubled over the past year, reaching as high as 7.08% in November, according to Freddie Mac’s average weekly mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed rate loan. The survey found that 5.5% mortgage rates seem to be the tipping point. A majority of respondents — 71% — said they are not willing to accept a mortgage rate above 5.5%. Looking at forecasts of mortgage rates for the rest of the second quarter of 2023, no major forecast is even predicting rates under 6%. Furthermore, 5.5% is lower than the historical average for mortgage rates.

☆ The Best Places to Buy a House on a Budget
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Michael Kolomatsky | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

First-time home buyers around the country are struggling to amass a down payment in this high-inflation economy. For those who work remotely or are open to relocating, a recent study by Rocket Homes can help find a new locale. To arrive at the 10 best metros for these buyers, researchers compared home prices, mortgage payments, income and sales taxes, unemployment and crime rates, the health of residents and climate hazards. Thirty-year fixed-rate mortgages and 20 percent down payments with an interest rate of 6.5 percent were factored into the calculations. Pittsburgh came in seventh, thanks in large part to the health of its residents.

☆ US consumer confidence rises; house price inflation slows
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Lucia Mutikani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The Conference Board's consumer confidence index rose to 104.2 this month from a reading of 103.4 in February. Housing affordability, which deteriorated as mortgage rates surged in response to the Fed's fight against inflation, is starting to gradually improve as house price gains continue to moderate. Annual house price growth remained strong in the Southeast, with double-digit gains in Miami and Tampa. The region had experienced rapid house price increases in prior years. Goods trade balanceThe Commerce Department also reported that wholesale inventories rose 0.2% in February after falling 0.5% in January.

☆ Expanding the FDIC deposit cap would increase the rate of bank failures, says Cato's Mark Calabria
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailExpanding the FDIC deposit cap would increase the rate of bank failures, says Cato's Mark CalabriaMark Calabria, senior advisor at The Cato Institute and former director of The Federal Housing Finance Agency and CNBC's Steve Liesman, join 'The Exchange' to discuss the latest takeaways from the hearing on the SVB collapse, the questions facing regulators, and considerations around the FDIC deposit cap.

☆ Racial homeownership gap widens as Black buyers struggle to secure loans amid persistent discrimination and redlining, analysis finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The rate of Black homeownership in the US has increased by less than one percent over the last , the National Association of Realtors found. On Tuesday, an Ohio-based bank paid millions to the Justice Department after being accused of redlining Black buyers. New scoring models by the Federal Housing Finance Agency suggest homeownership could become more accessible for Americans. While the US homeownership rate has consistently increased over the years, according to an analysis by the National Association of Realtors, the Black homeownership rate has failed to keep up. Homeowners of other racial and ethnic groups fall below the 30% mark, with just 21% of White Americans spending 30% of their income on their home.

☆ Racial homeownership gap larger now than a decade ago
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The homeownership rate for White Americans in 2021 was 72.7%, but the rate for Black Americans was 44%, according to NAR’s analysis of the most recent data. The homeownership rate for Asian Americans was 62.8% and for Hispanic Americans it was 50.6%. The homeownership rate for Black Americans varies from 15% to 55% across the country. The states with the highest homeownership rate for Black Americans were South Carolina at 55%, Delaware at 54%, and Mississippi at 54%. Meanwhile, the homeownership rate for White Americans ranged from 50% to 81% across the country.

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