Will mortgage rates break toward 8% again, making another 2024 data line that looks like a carbon copy of 2023? It’s not part of my 2024 forecast, but since the Federal Reserve likes playing with fire, let’s look at where we are with mortgage rates and their impact on weekly housing data. Mortgage rates and […]

Today, housing starts fell more than anticipated, but the more important story in today’s report is that even though the apartment boom is dead, single-family permits are rising. The U.S. housing apartment boom ran into higher mortgage rates and more supply faster than anticipated, while single-family permits are still enjoying a world of sub-6% mortgage […]

Mortgage applications for new homes surged in January as a lack of existing homes continued to fuel the demand for new construction. Mortgage applications for new home purchases rose 19.1% in January on a year-over-year basis, the 12th consecutive month with an annual increase. Applications were up 38% from the previous month, according to the […]

Cautious optimism is prevalent in the mortgage industry for 2024 as industry professionals anticipate the recovery of lost origination volume.  To take advantage of the shifting market, two key areas that loan originators should be focusing on are “nurturing and cementing relationships with preapproved borrowers,” said Tim Braheem, founder and chief content creator of The […]