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As Wall Street financiers snapped up huge swaths of the nation’s rental housing market in recent years, the deals sailed through unchallenged. But large purchases of rental homes and apartment buildings by private equity firms like KKR are another cause, research shows. The Private Equity Stakeholder Project, a nonprofit that monitors the industry’s impact on individual Americans, has identified more than 5,100 apartment complexes owned by more than 30 private equity companies in America, totaling almost 1.4 million units. Jim Baker, executive director at the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, welcomes the scrutiny the senators are bringing to the KKR transaction. More than two-thirds of the apartment units in those states are owned by private equity, he said.

Persons: Sen, Elizabeth Warren, ” Warren, Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Peter Welch of, Ron Wyden, Kamala Harris, Ohio Sen JD Vance, Donald Trump’s, Noelle Porter, Noelle Porter Noelle Porter, Porter, “ They’ve, ” Porter, “ We’ve, we’ve, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Jim Baker, Washington — Organizations: Wall Street, KKR, NBC News, Harvard University’s, for Housing Studies, Harvard, Income Housing Coalition, Ohio, Companies, Equity, Housing, Financial Reform, Financial, National Housing Law, Navy Yards, Washington , D.C, Brookfield Properties, Asset Management, District of Columbia, Federal Trade Commission, Brookfield, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Private Locations: Peter Welch of Vermont, Oregon, United States, U.S, Puerto Rico, America, Washington ,, California , Colorado , Florida, Georgia, North Carolina , New Jersey , Texas, Washington

☆ Homebuyers Have Hope With Lower Mortgage Rates, More Houses Available
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-09 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Wild swings in mortgage rates discouraged almost everyone from venturing out into the market. As I wrote earlier this year, a gummed-up housing market — the Ice Age I was talking about — is good for nobody. When mortgage rates hit multidecade lows during the pandemic, millions of people were able to snag or refinance their way into cheaper monthly costs. That'd be within spitting distance of what the experts at John Burns Research and Consulting, a housing-research firm, call the "magic mortgage rate." In other words, trying to predict mortgage rates — and buying or selling a home accordingly — is a fool's errand.

Persons: Green, that's, Skylar Olsen, everyone's, it's, there's, Fannie Mae, John Burns, they'd, Ralph McLaughlin, Olsen, Lawrence Yun, Altos, Mike Simonsen, Chen Zhao, Zhao, We're, Mark Palim, Palim Organizations: Federal Housing Finance Agency, Federal Reserve, John, John Burns Research, Consulting, National Association of Realtors, Altos Research, Builders, Sun Locations: Sun Belt, Midwest

☆ Leaders from BCG, Infosys, AARP, and more predict how AI will transform top companies in the next 12 months
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-04 | by ( Julia Hood | Tim Paradis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

During a virtual roundtable, we asked Business Insider's Workforce Innovation board to tell us how AI would transform companies over the next year. How will the most innovative companies be transformed by AI over the next 12 months? Last year, we had an AI challenge across the company, and a huge percentage of our employees participated. There are a lot of different points of view on what AI will and will not do and how quickly. And that the promise we think AI is going to deliver will probably take longer than we think to come to fruition.

Persons: Tim Paradis, Vinod Khosla, Khosla, upskilling, Justina Nixon, Nixon, Saintil, AARP's Marjorie Powell, Powell, Chris Deri, Anant Adya, Marjorie Powell, Alicia Pittman, We've, We're, It's, coder, Maggie Hulce, Salesforce, what's, Chen, we've, Weber, everybody's, Anant, Shane Koller, Tipton Organizations: Sun Microsystems, Weber, IBM, Saintil, Infosys, AARP, Boston Consulting, Clear, Federal Housing Finance, Street Locations: Dreamforce, San Francisco, Tipton

Like other consumer rates, mortgage rates are impacted in large part by what's going on in the economy. 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. Because mortgage rates are still so high, some hopeful homebuyers have decided to wait for lower rates to start shopping for homes. Mortgage rates in 2024: FAQsWill mortgage rates go down in 2024? All consumer interest rates, including mortgage rates, should start to ease as soon as inflation slows further.

Persons: Homebuyers, homebuyers, what's, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lawrence Yun, that's Organizations: Fed, Bureau of Labor Statistics, NAR, National Association of Realtors, CNBC, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Veterans United, Loans, Federal Reserve, Mortgage, Association Locations: Chevron

Here are the best mortgage lenders for first-time homebuyers and the affordable loans they offer, as chosen by Business Insider editors in 2024. If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards customer, you can get discountsCheck mark icon A check mark. Offers many unique types of mortgagesCheck mark icon A check mark. Low Cost Mortgages come with only $295 in closing costsCheck mark icon A check mark. Mortgage credit certificatesSome HFAs also offer mortgage credit certificates to first-time homebuyers.

Persons: It's, Chase, Grant, You'll, Carrington, Carrington doesn't, forbearance, HELOC, homebuyers, Truist, doesn't, Flagstar, they're, homeownership, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac's, you'll, Anthony Park, Molly Grace, Julie Aragon, There's, Lauryn Williams, —, there's, PenFed, USAA, Wells, Wells Fargo, Ally Organizations: Homebuyers Bank of America Mortgage, Mortgage, Chase, Federal Credit Union Mortgage, New, U.S, Bank Mortgage, Federal Savings, Loan, Truist, Flagstar Bank, Business, Bank of America, of America, FHA, Bank, Bank of, Bank of America's, Miami . Bank of America, USDA, Guild Mortgage, Veterans, Navy, Credit, Federal, Navy Federal, Navy Federal Credit Union, Department of Defense, Student Loan, . Bank, US Bank, U.S . Bank, Carrington Mortgage, Carrington Mortgage Services, Consumer Financial Protection, DC, Private Mortgage Insurance, PMI, Down Payments, Quicken, Rocket Mortgage, Rocket, CrossCountry Mortgage, CrossCountry, Loans, Flagstar Bank Mortgage, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Federal Housing Administration, US Department of Housing, Urban, US Department of Veterans Affairs, US Department of Agriculture, Best, Chevron, CFP, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, BBB, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, Veterans United, Movement Mortgage, NBKC, PNC Bank, Better Business Bureau Locations: VA, HELOC, Washington, DC, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Delaware, Vermont, Delaware , Vermont, Wyoming, J.D, New York, ., U.S, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio, Florida, California , Colorado , Connecticut, Georgia , Illinois , Indiana , Kentucky, Maryland , Massachusetts , Missouri , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New York, North Carolina , Ohio , Oregon , Pennsylvania, South Carolina , Tennessee, Virginia, Tennessee, Arizona , Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona , California, Florida , Indiana , Michigan , New Jersey , New York , Ohio, Wisconsin, Flagstar, Arizona , California , Connecticut , Idaho , Michigan, Nevada , Ohio, New Mexico, Chevron, Wells Fargo

☆ These 10 U.S. states have America’s worst economies in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Scott Cohn | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

That is why CNBC looks at state economies in ranking America's Top States for Business. We consider economic growth and job growth. We measure the breadth of each state's economy by looking at how many major corporations are headquartered there. Some states are at the top of their economic game — home to America's 10 best state economies. JB Pritzker, and all the major rating agencies have the state in their "A" categories for the first time in years.

Persons: Phil Scott, Jobs, J.B . Pritzker, Erin Hooley, JB Pritzker, Asplundh, Michael G, Janet Mills, Mills, Gina Raimondo, Joe Biden, Anna Moneymaker, Gina Raimondo —, —, Rhode Island's, Luke Sharrett, Ed Zurga, Bryan Tarnowski, Hurricane Katrina, New Hampshire Jada, Patrick T, Fallon, Hawaii's, Nature, Spencer Platt Organizations: CNBC, Business, Republican Gov, Direct Investment, Illinois, Illinois Illinois Gov, Thompson Center, Tribune, Service, Democratic Gov, Major Corporations, GE Healthcare Technologies, Mondelez, Seamans, Portland Press Herald, Getty, National Association of State, Officers, Pew, Major Corporation, IDEXX, Rhode, Semiconductors, America, White, U.S . Commerce, Major, CVS Health, Hasbro, Kentucky, Bloomberg, Bluegrass State, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Kansas Carpenters, Glenn Eagles, Louisiana Homes, Treme, Louisiana State University, Hurricane, Pool Corporation, Granite State, U.S . Chamber, Commerce, New Hampshire Department, Labor, The New Hampshire Tech Alliance, Afp, Aloha State Locations: U.S, States, Vermont, Illinois Illinois, Chicago, Lincoln, Illinois, Maine, Rhode Island WASHINGTON, DC, Washington , DC, Louisville , Kentucky, Bluegrass, Kentucky, Kansas, Kansas City , Kansas, Sunflower, Claiborne, New Orleans , Louisiana, New Orleans, New Hampshire, Granite, The, Hawaii, Maui, Lahaina , Hawaii, Mississippi, Biloxi , Mississippi

☆ With high prices and mortgage rates, aspiring and current homeowners feel ‘stuck'
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

A double whammyFor aspiring homebuyers such as Burress, the combination of high mortgage rates and rising list prices has left them feeling boxed out. The 30-year mortgage rate, a popular option for home financing in the U.S., has bounced around 7% for the past several months. Given this, co-author Jonah Coste said current owners touting these low mortgage rates are undoubtedly better off than those looking to buy a first home today. After welcoming three kids, they're holding off on a fourth until mortgage rates or home prices come down enough to upsize. To be clear, mortgage rates tend to follow the path of Fed-set interest levels, but they aren't the same thing.

Persons: Brandon Bell, Rachel Burress, Burress, who've, that's, That's, Jonah Coste, there's, They're, Coste, they're, Luke Nunley, Nunley, We'd, Jeffrey Roach, LPL, Roach, hasn't, It's, Daryl Fairweather, Lindsey Nicholson Organizations: Getty, Atlanta Federal Reserve, Atlanta Fed, Federal Housing Finance Agency, National Association of Realtors, Federal Reserve, Corcoran Realty, UCG Locations: Austin , Texas, Fort Worth , Texas, Aledo, U.S, Atlanta, Kentucky, Forest Hills, Queens , New York

☆ How East West Bancorp has gained an edge by serving the Asian American community
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-31 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

East West Bancorp shares have eked out a small gain in 2024, up 2%. Despite the heightened scrutiny around regional banks, little-known East West Bancorp has been able to pull ahead thanks to a key customer base: Asian Americans. American dream = home ownershipPart of what's helping East West succeed with Asian Americans goes all the way back to its origins. East West Bancorp was founded in 1973 as a federal savings and loan in the Los Angeles area to service the Chinese American and immigrant community struggling to obtain mortgages and business loans. East West also drives cross-border activity between the U.S. and other Asian countries, such as Thailand and Vietnam.

Persons: Alexander Yokum, Wells, Timur Braziler, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, —, Braziler, Christopher Del Moral, Niles, it's, Del, Steven Leung, Leung, CFRA's Yokum, Yokum, Dominic Ng, that's Organizations: East West Bancorp, Regional Banking, Bancorp, West Bancorp, CFRA, Federal Housing Finance Agency, East, East West, U.S, Bancorp's Locations: Southern California, U.S, United States, East, Los Angeles, Asia, FactSet, East West, New York, Beijing, China, Shanghai, Thailand, Vietnam, Washington

☆ Denmark Made Home Buying Easier. America Should Follow Its Lead.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-29 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

When mortgage rates shoot up, as they did over the past two years, many would-be sellers decide they don't want to move after all. AdvertisementAs the Federal Reserve began pushing up borrowing rates in the spring of 2022, hoping to reel in rising inflation, mortgage rates went vertical. So far, this system of pooling together mortgage bonds and selling them to investors is pretty close to the American way of doing things. When US homeowners pay off their mortgages, they have only one option: pony up the amount left on the loan. That's not just good for buyers or sellers or mortgage loan officers — it's good for everyone.

Persons: It's, John Campbell, Danes, Freddie Mac, that's, Will Doerner, —, aren't, pesky, Campbell, Fannie Mae, Banks, Jesper Berg, there's, That's Organizations: Harvard, Federal Reserve, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Homeowners, Danish Financial Supervisory Authority Locations: America, …, Denmark, Zillow, Canada, Australia, Danish

☆ The decision to sell your home vs. rent it out is 'complicated,' experts say — what to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A "For Rent" sign is posted near a home in Houston, Texas, on Feb. 7, 2022. Many Americans are sitting on low-interest-rate mortgages and could face a decision when it's time to move: sell or rent out their existing property. By comparison, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was around 7% in May. That makes qualifying for a second mortgage harder, especially without tapping equity from your original property, Gumbinger said. Plus, if you're using rental income to qualify for the second mortgage, lenders typically only consider 75% of your proceeds, Gumbinger said.

Persons: Keith Gumbinger, Homeownership, Gumbinger, homebuyers Organizations: Federal Housing Finance Agency, Finance, Trump, National Association of Realtors Locations: Houston , Texas

☆ Home Sellers' Tough Summer: Get Ready for Lower Prices, Fewer Offers
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Rich baby boomers jumped in with all-cash offers, and sellers scored huge windfalls as weary buyers pushed prices to new heights. After all, people have to move for a wide variety of life reasons; mortgage rates be damned. "The further and further we get from the peak of the market," Peterson told me, "the harder it is to deny what's happened." Mortgage rates haven't fallen — in fact, they've gone up about 0.6 percentage points since the start of the year. "It can always be tricky telling somebody that they were just lucky because it makes you sound envious," Peterson told me.

Persons: Rich, Sellers, Eric Peterson, Peterson, Austin, Freddie, they've, Selma Hepp, Freddie Mac, Mike Simonsen, Redfin, towners, Libby Levinson, Katz, Price, Levinson, John Burns, they'll, Realtor.com, you'd Organizations: Freddie Mac, Reserve, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Altos Research, Sun, John, John Burns Research, Consulting Locations: Austin, Boise , Idaho, Denver

☆ Opinion | The Case for Letting Mortgages Move With Us
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Peter Coy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At the moment, the market for existing homes is partly frozen because people who have 3 percent mortgage loans don’t want to give them up for 7 percent loans on new homes. Making mortgages portable sounds unrealistic. After all, mortgages are tied by contract to particular pieces of property. “We’re getting this question a lot, even from our own members,” Mike Fratantoni, the group’s chief economist, told me. Nevertheless, he said he couldn’t imagine that owners of securitized loans would go along with the idea.

Persons: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, “ We’re, ” Mike Fratantoni, there’s Organizations: Federal Housing Finance Agency, Mortgage Bankers Association

☆ A Huge Number of Homeowners Have Mortgage Rates Too Good to Give Up
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Emily Badger | Francesca Paris | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Indeed, according to new research from economists at the Federal Housing Finance Agency, this lock-in effect is responsible for about 1.3 million fewer home sales in America during the run-up in rates from the spring of 2022 through the end of 2023. That’s a startling number in a nation where around five million homes sell annually in more normal times — most of those to people who already own. These locked-in households haven’t relocated for better jobs or higher pay, and haven’t been able to downsize or acquire more space. They also haven’t opened up homes for first-time buyers. And that’s driven up prices and gummed up the market.

Persons: That’s, haven’t Organizations: Federal Housing Finance Agency Locations: America

☆ 11 U.S. cities where you need to earn over $200,000 to buy a typical home
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

You'll need to earn just over six figures to buy a typical home in the U.S. right now. San Jose is by far the most priciest place to buy a home, even among 10 other metro areas where qualifying income exceeds $200,000. Some of the wealthiest people in the U.S. live in cities like San Jose, San Francisco and Anaheim. In contrast to California's most expensive markets, the qualifying income needed to buy a typical home in the U.S. overall is $103,835. It's even cheaper in the Midwest and the South, where the qualifying income is $74,967 and $95,511, respectively.

Persons: NAR's Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Thousand Oaks, San, Housing Finance Agency, CNBC Locations: U.S, California, San Jose, Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara , California, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Irvine , California, Francisco, Oakland, Hayward , California, Honolulu, Hawaii, Salinas , California, Diego, Carlsbad , California, Oxnard, Ventura , California, San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles , California, Angeles, Long, Glendale , California, Boulder , Colorado, Naples, Marco Island, Florida, San Francisco, Atherton, Midwest

☆ The housing market is thawing as an increasing number of 'mortgage lock' homes go up for sale, JPMorgan says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The housing market looks to be gradually approaching a recovery. A growing number of mortgage-locked homes are going up for sale, JPMorgan said. AdvertisementThe housing market looks like it's starting to thaw, thanks to a growing number of mortgage-locked sellers who are opting to put their homes on the market anyway, according to JPMorgan Asset Management. Homeowners could now be more willing to dip into the housing market, as many are realizing high mortgage rates aren't going away anytime soon, real estate economists have said. Researchers from the Federal Housing Finance Agency recently warned that the mortgage lock-in effect could linger for years to come, barring a sudden drop in mortgage rates.

Persons: —, Stephanie Aliaga, Aliaga Organizations: JPMorgan, Service, Asset Management, National Association of Realtors, Homeowners, Fed, Buyers, Federal Housing Finance Agency

☆ Puerto Rican tax breaks are luring wealthy newcomers. A millennial says that's bad news for members of her generation with dreams of careers and homeownership.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Cork Gaines | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Puerto Rico is becoming an increasingly popular destination for mainland Americans looking to relocate for tax purposes without giving up their US citizenship. Maridav/Getty ImagesBetween 2021 and 2022, about 27,000 individuals moved from the US mainland to Puerto Rico, according to data collected by the US Census Bureau . Related storiesIn 2021, the cost of living in Puerto Rico rose by 7%, the largest jump seen in 40 years. According to data from Realtor.com, the median home price in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in February was $950,000, up 37% in the past year. AdvertisementAccording to the Associated Press, there are now 25,000 short-term rentals in Puerto Rico, up from 1,000 in 2014.

Persons: —, Anna, Brock Pierce, Anna aren't, Adrián González Costa, Hurricane Maria, Puerto Ricans Organizations: Service, Puerto Ricans, Business, US Census Bureau, Federal Housing Finance Agency, San Juan, Puerto Rican Independence Party, San Juan Daily Star, Associated Press, AP Locations: Puerto Rico . Puerto Rico, Europe, Puerto Rico, Maridav, Puerto, Realtor.com, San Juan , Puerto Rico, Aguas Buenas, San Juan, San Juan ., AFP

☆ Homebuyers' Biggest Mistake: Waiting for Mortgage Rates to Fall
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Then, as the Federal Reserve began its battle against inflation in 2022, mortgage rates shot up, eventually hitting a 20-year high in October. Over the past decade, there's been a clear correlation between mortgage rates and inventory: When mortgage rates fall, the number of available homes for sale at a given moment shrinks. So, yes, waiting it out until mortgage rates decline sure seems appealing. The Federal Reserve has signaled that it plans to drop borrowing rates this year, which would likely push down mortgage rates. Advertisement"People are focusing on mortgage rates because every week they hear about mortgage rates changing," Doerner of the FHFA told me.

Persons: swiping, there's, Mike Simonsen, Freddie Mac, CoreLogic, —, homebuyers, Redfin, John Burns, Alex Thomas, There's, Will Doerner, Doerner, They're, Simonsen, it's, Jerome Powell Organizations: Federal Reserve, Buyers, Altos Research, Bank of America, John, John Burns Research, Consulting, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Federal, Fed

First-time homebuyer no down payment programsIt's possible to get a mortgage with no down payment. VA mortgage borrowers enjoy the ability to put no money down and interest rates that are typically lower than conventional mortgage rates. Other low down payment mortgage optionsIf you don't qualify for VA or USDA no down payment home loans, there are other strategies you can use to reduce the down payment you're required to pay. Preparing for the application processTo ensure you qualify for a no down payment mortgage, work on getting your credit score in a good place. Forgoing a down payment may mean paying a higher interest rate and higher monthly payment on your mortgage.

Persons: you'll, Here's who's, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Organizations: US Department of Veterans Affairs, US Department of Agriculture, Federal Housing Administration, Federal Housing Finance Agency, USDA, Chevron Locations: homebuyers

The title acceptance pilot waives the need for a lender's title insurance policy on some refinance mortgages. The Federal Housing Finance Agency recently rolled out a new pilot program that would lower refinance closing costs for some borrowers. Called the "title acceptance pilot," this program would waive the requirement that conforming loans have a lender's title insurance policy on certain refinance mortgages. Borrowers are required to purchase a lender's title insurance policy, which can be a significant out-of-pocket cost. Pushback from the mortgage industryLeaders from the mortgage and title insurance industries overall weren't pleased with this announcement.

Persons: —, Biden, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, homebuyers, Christopher Tyson, Tyson, doesn't Organizations: Service, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Mortgage Bankers Association, Union, Consumer Financial, National Community Stabilization Trust, homebuyers

☆ How the Canadian mortgage model could help unfreeze the housing market
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Theron Mohamed | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewCopying the way mortgages work in countries such as Canada and the UK could help thaw the frozen US housing market, experts say. Prospective buyers are also balking at paying such high mortgage rates, especially when national home prices are near record levels, fueling an affordability crisis. AdvertisementOffering portable mortgages would enable hesitant sellers to keep their rock-bottom mortgage rates when they move, potentially boosting overall inventory and transaction volumes. She suggested the best fix for the frozen housing market will be if inflation cools, the Fed cuts interest rates, and mortgage rates fall to historical norms. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored enterprises that direct the mortgage market, would have to be on board to make mortgage portability a reality, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Persons: —, Julia Fonseca, Fonseca, Richard Martin, University of Georgia's Terry, Susan Wachter, Wachter, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Organizations: Service, Business, University of Illinois, University of Georgia's, University of Georgia's Terry College of Business, The Wharton School, Federal Reserve, Federal Housing Finance Agency, American Banker Locations: Canada, University of Illinois Urbana, Champaign, conservatorship

Biden unveiled a plan that includes tax credits and down payment assistance to improve housing affordability. Eligible homebuyers would get this tax credit for two years, meaning you could get a total of $10,000 in tax credits for buying a house. Down payment assistanceAnother piece of Biden's plan for more affordable homeownership is the $25,000 in down payment assistance he wants Congress to provide to first-generation homebuyers. What hopeful homebuyers should knowAs a whole, this plan could substantially improve housing affordability, enabling more Americans to become homeowners. And even for homebuyers who qualify for tax credits or other assistance, saving up for a down payment remains a big barrier to homeownership.

Persons: Biden, —, Dan Green, homebuyers Biden, hasn't, doesn't, Green, Daryl Fairweather, Fairweather, White, homebuyers Organizations: Biden, Service, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Consumer Financial, homebuilders, Loan, Program, Bank of America Mortgage, Democrats

☆ Home prices continued to soar higher across the US in the 4th quarter
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Yuheng Zhan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

US home prices climbed up 6.5% year-over-year in the last quarter of 2023. AdvertisementUS home prices continued their rise in the last quarter of 2023, though they showed slower growth compared to the prior quarter. The Federal Housing Finance Agency on Tuesday said home prices climbed 6.5% year-over-year in the fourth quarter, up 1.5% from the third quarter, and up 0.1% on a seasonally-adjusted basis in December compared to November. "U.S. house prices increased modestly over the course of 2023," said Dr. Anju Vajja, acting deputy director for FHFA's Division of Research and Statistics. "However, the market showed signs of softening as house price appreciation was lower in the fourth quarter of the year than in the previous quarter."

Persons: —, Anju Vajja Organizations: Service, Federal Housing Finance Agency, FHFA's Division of Research, Statistics, District of Columbia, Federal Reserve, New England, West South Central Locations: Rhode, Vermont, West Virginia, Connecticut, New Jersey, Hawaii, New

☆ Home Prices May Be Sky-High, but America Is Not in a Housing Bubble
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

The housing market, they claimed, was a bubble destined to burst. I’ve spent the past few years asking experts a simple question: Has the housing market reached bubble territory? AdvertisementFor a time, it seemed like the housing market was doing a speedrun through Simonsen’s checklist. And even if the economy does take a turn, a run-of-the-mill recession probably wouldn’t be enough to topple the housing market. The housing market is far from balanced, but we’re at least heading in that direction.

Persons: doomsayers, I’ve, Redfin, you’ve, you’ll, Mike Simonsen, megalandlords, ”, Ian Shepherdson, Goldman Sachs, Jerome Powell, Powell, Rick Palacios Jr, John Burns, ” doomsayers, might’ve, It’s, it’s, Logan Mohtashami, don’t, US homebuilders, “ It’s, ” Mohtashami, Selma Hepp, Fannie Mae, Palacios, ” Palacios, Mohtashami Organizations: Altos Research, Wall, John, John Burns Research, Consulting, Mortgage Bankers Association, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Federal Housing Finance Agency Locations: Charlotte, North Carolina, Austin, Las Vegas, Miami, Boise , Idaho, Dallas, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, US

☆ Life insurers binge on US financing aimed at helping housing
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Koh Gui Qing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

It has been predominantly used by life insurers, because they need to boost their investment returns with cheap funding to meet long-term liabilities. They provide the cheap funding to banks and insurers in exchange for collateral to ensure they get their money back. Insurers are entitled to tap FHLB funding. Insurers’ borrowing from FHLBs picked up in 2008 financial crisis, as those that spread themselves thin with aggressive investments scrambled for cash. They did not explain why insurers need FHLB funding to invest in mortgages.

Persons: Sarah Silbiger, Ryan Donovan, CMBS, Lawrence White, White, Graphics JUICING, Cynthia Beaulieu, Cornelius Hurley, Hurley, FHLBs, ’, Michael Ericson, Jack Dolan, Koh Qui, Greg Roumeliotis, Anna Driver Organizations: REUTERS, Loan, Federal Housing Finance Agency, of Federal Home Loan, FHLBs, FHLB, National Association of Insurance, New York University, MetLife Inc, Equitable Holdings Inc, Corebridge, Brighthouse Financial, MetLife, TIAA, Equitable, Graphics, Wellington Management, Boston University School of Law, Coalition, Silicon Valley Bank, First, American, of, Insurance Coalition, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, Boston, Silicon, First Republic, Chicago, New York

The dollar index , which measures its value against six major currencies, fell as far as 102.89, the lowest since Aug. 31. The index is on track for a loss of more than 3% in November, its worst performance since November 2022. The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index increased to 102.0 this month from a downwardly revised 99.1 in October. In other currencies, the euro rose to a 3-1/2-month peak of $1.0985 . The dollar fell 0.2% to 148.33 yen , with the Japanese currency continuing its recovery from the brink of 152 per dollar earlier in the month.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Sterling, Karl Schamotta, underscoring, Gertrude Chavez, Dreyfuss, Alun John, Brigid Riley, Ed Osmond, Mark Potter, Kevin Liffey Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Federal Reserve, Board, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Traders, Australian, New Zealand, Reserve Bank of New, Thomson Locations: Swiss, U.S, Toronto, OPEC, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, New York, London, Tokyo

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