Mortgages

Here’s how tariffs will hit the U.S. housing market
Business

Here’s how tariffs will hit the U.S. housing market

New homes being built in Englewood Cliffs, N.J. on Sept. 24th, 2024.  Adam Jeffery | CNBC From lumber to drywall to appliances to finishings, much of what goes into a U.S. home comes from outside American borders. The cost of those products is about to go up, as President Donald Trump’s administration imposes tariffs on […]

Read More
Pending home sales drop to the lowest level on record in January
Business

Pending home sales drop to the lowest level on record in January

“For Sale” and “Sale Pending” signs in the West Seattle neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, US, on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. The National Association of Realtors is scheduled to release existing homes sales figures on June 21.  David Ryder | Bloomberg | Getty Images High mortgage rates and elevated home prices combined to crush home sales […]

Read More
Mortgage rates drop to lowest since mid-December, but demand still falls short
World

Mortgage rates drop to lowest since mid-December, but demand still falls short

The home for sale at 377 Capron Ash Loop in Casselberry is pictured on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024.  Stephen M. Dowell | Orlando Sentinel | Tribune News Service | Getty Images Mortgage interest rates dropped again last week, hitting the lowest level in two months, but demand for mortgages didn’t respond. Total mortgage application volume […]

Read More
Home sales drop sharply as prices hit an all-time high for January
Business

Home sales drop sharply as prices hit an all-time high for January

A “For Sale” sign on a house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024.  Joe Lamberti | Bloomberg | Getty Images The U.S. housing market continues to weaken, as potential buyers face stubbornly high mortgage rates, elevated prices and limited supply of listings. Sales of previously owned homes fell 4.9% in January from […]

Read More
Weekly mortgage demand drops 6%, as homebuyers remain ‘on the fence’
World

Weekly mortgage demand drops 6%, as homebuyers remain ‘on the fence’

A sign is posted in front of a home for sale in San Rafael, California, on Aug. 7, 2024. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Mortgage rates dipped slightly last week, but so did mortgage demand, as housing affordability continues to sideline potential buyers. Total mortgage application volume fell 6.6% for the week, according to the […]

Read More
U.S. homebuilders raise alarm over tariffs as sentiment falls to 5-month low
Business

U.S. homebuilders raise alarm over tariffs as sentiment falls to 5-month low

Sentiment among the nation’s single-family homebuilders dropped to the lowest level in five months in February, largely due to concern over tariffs, which would raise their costs significantly. The National Association of Home Builders’ Housing Market Index, or HMI, dropped a sharp 5 points from January to a reading of 42. Anything below 50 is […]

Read More
New tariffs could raise home prices and sideline potential buyers
Business

New tariffs could raise home prices and sideline potential buyers

The U.S. housing market was already struggling under the weight of high mortgage interest rates, a low supply of existing homes for sale and historically high home prices. Now tariffs on building materials are adding even more pressure. Roughly 30% of softwood lumber consumed in the U.S. is imported, largely from Canada. Wallboard, known as […]

Read More
Pending home sales drop sharply in December, as mortgage rates surge back over 7%
Business

Pending home sales drop sharply in December, as mortgage rates surge back over 7%

Signed contracts on existing homes dropped a sharp 5.5% in December from the previous month and fell 5% from the prior year, according to the National Association of Realtors. The drop followed four straight months of gains and is the index was at its lowest level since August. These so-called pending sales are an indicator […]

Read More
Mortgage demand drops further, even as interest rates settle
World

Mortgage demand drops further, even as interest rates settle

A for sale sign is displayed outside of a home for sale on August 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Images Mortgage rates didn’t move last week, but demand for new home loans continued to weaken. Both homebuyers and current homeowners are hampered by today’s higher interest rates. […]

Read More
Goldman says it’s not too late to move out of cash to nab more yield. Here’s what it likes
World

Goldman says it’s not too late to move out of cash to nab more yield. Here’s what it likes

It is not too late to start thinking about moving out of short-term cash instruments and into longer-duration bonds, according to Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Investors have been enjoying solid yields on their cash , although those payouts are down from recent highs. The Crane 100 Money Fund Index , which is based on the […]

Read More