As lawmakers debate how best to reform the secondary mortgage finance market, they must ensure that any new system retains access to safe, secure and affordable sources of mortgage capital for creditworthy consumers in all market conditions or risk a major disruption to the economy, warned the National Association of …

A new study showed that not everyone would be wary of living in a haunted home. Realtor.com® recently released the results of its Haunted Housing Report, which ran on realtor.com® from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1 and explored consumer sentiments around their perceptions of “haunted” real estate. Survey results from …

September housing numbers revealed home prices are still slowly rising, which is great news for housing. However, existing-home sales fell 1.9 percent, and many in the industry are worried that this could be signaling a potential turn for the housing market and its recovery, especially in light of the …

Freddie Mac recently released its U.S. Economic and Housing Market Outlook for October showing that the federal government shutdown, debt ceiling issues, and the slowing economy -- including the severely depressed level of new home construction -- are slowing the housing recovery heading into the fourth quarter of the year.

Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®), showing average fixed mortgage rates hitting their lowest levels since this summer amid market speculation that the Federal Reserve will not alter its bond buying purchases this year.

Findings

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 4.13 …

Lenders, like any business, have to make a profit. The cost of acquiring the funds, the operating costs to service and the expected profit margin are easily identified. The variable in pricing is the type of mortgage and the credit worthiness of the borrower.

A loan …

We live in a busy world full of demands on our time and attention - everything from keeping up with our families and careers to making sure we are taking care of ourselves and answering our cellphones by the third ring.

To meet all of life's challenges, sometimes you …

One of the anxiety highpoints during the sale of a home is waiting for the buyer’s home inspection report. Most sellers willingly disclose what they know about their home to any potential buyers. The concern stems from the inspector finding something that they’re totally unaware of and …

While giving a new $900,000 home a thorough going-over, Salt Lake City home inspector Kurt Salomon found a problem under the deck. The builder had cut corners, using the wrong kind of fasteners to secure the deck to the house. Yet, the municipal building official had approved the work.

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The government shutdown is causing a flurry of anxiety throughout the nation, and worry is accumulating throughout the housing industry. Despite a small fall cool down due to rising interest rates, the rebound was still moving forward with momentum, and industry experts now fear that the shutdown could stall and …