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Tag Archives: Jobs

Mortgage Rates Climb Higher Following Steep Fall Last Week

After hitting rock bottom last week, mortgage rates returned to previous lows on a somewhat tenuous climb this week as European central bankers seemed to reach a deal and a U.S. jobs report netted better-than-expected results. Leaping forward from a history-making 3.94 percent last week, interest rates for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 4.12 percent, according to Freddie. Bankrate.com offered up similar results, showcasing a 4.37-percent 30-year loan rate this week, up from 4.21 percent.

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MBA: Expect 2012 Originations to Hit $900B

Fewer refinance applications will drive mortgage originations substantially lower over 2012, with loan volume plunging from $1.2 trillion over 2011 to $900 billion over the new year, according to recent study by the Mortgage Bankers Association. The trade group tied historically low mortgage rates, plodding existing-home sales and home prices, and a laggardly unemployment rate to the notion that the U.S. will continue to experience trouble ahead in mortgage originations.

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Homeownership Rates Lowest Since Great Depression

abandoned house

Homeownership rates remain at depths not seen since the Great Depression, according to new Census Bureau numbers. Market watchers chalk up the lows to tight lending conditions, concerns about the regulatory environment, and fears about a double-dip recession. Releasing Housing Characteristics: 2010 Thursday, the bureau found homeownership rates deflating by some 1.1 percent to 65.1 percent over the last decade ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô the biggest decline since between the years 1930 and 1940.

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Dispelling Fears, U.S. Adds 103,000 Jobs in September

The U.S. economy bucked low expectations Friday with news that it added over 100,000 jobs over September, masking other figures that continued to confirm the rising appeal of rental properties alongside a decline in homeownership. Nonfarm payroll employment tacked on 137,000 new faces in the private sector, alongside 103,000 for the nonfarm jobs payroll overall ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô a solid forward step in lieu of pale figures from August, which saw the number of lost jobs eclipsing new ones.

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Mortgage Rates Drop Below 4% for First Time

Mortgage rates slammed into a new, record-setting low Thursday, with mortgage giant Freddie Mac reporting that figures for the benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell below 4 percent for the first time in history. Finance Web site Bankrate.com noted a similarly record-smashing low for the loan. Making the biggest waves, the GSE found the 30-year loan dropping on average to 3.94 percent nationally, down from 4.01 percent last week and 4.27 percent over the same time last year.

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Group: Don’t Expect Housing Recovery Until 2014

As Fed officials hinted at more stimulus measures for the ailing economy, research consultancy Capital Economics released a note signaling that more trouble ahead for the housing sector could delay a recovery until 2014. Writing for the consultancy, senior U.S. economist Paul Dales painted a grim portrait of the housing economy, explaining that less confidence among consumers and tight lending standards contribute to the view that market conditions will keep a heel on the housing recovery until 2014.

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Fed Officials Promise More Action, See Trouble Ahead

Fed

On the same day that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke cautioned lawmakers about their fiscal behavior and hinted at more stimulus measures, one of the Fed├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós governors, Sarah Bloom Raskin, outlined potential peril in the mortgage servicing industry. The Fed chief noted ailing health in the economy while the other official sketched a need for change in servicing standards. News reports found the 30-year Treasury bond yields leaping forward on the promise of action by the Fed chief.

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B of A Moves to Shut Down Correspondent Lending Unit

An inconclusive search for a buyer will lead Bank of America to shutter the mortgage correspondent unit it had originally hoped to sell. The move means the mortgage giant will wipe its hands of the correspondent business by yearend, with a series of transitions in store for the 1,200 or so employees currently on the payroll. It also tracks a broader strategy deployed by the bank to trim billions in expenses, shore up liquidity, and fend off suits over mortgage-backed securities from federal agencies.

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MReport Exclusive: 6 Ways for Originators to Survive Today’s Market

Despite mortgage rates hitting rock bottom Thursday, few analysts expect an uptick in demand anytime soon, with consumers concerned about their job security, underwriting standards still tight, and a foreclosure glut competing with home construction. Given tough times, MReport canvassed the industry ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô online, in the field, and on the speaking circuit ├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┼ô and uncovered 12 strategies relevant to originators in a tough market. Six of these hot tips made it into MReport's online exclusive.

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