The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) yesterday issued a Request for Input on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s eligibility requirements for mortgages in condominium, cooperative, and planned unit development projects where a large portion of units are offered for short-term rental (30 days or less) or are used primarily for the purpose of vacation or recreational lodging.
Job gains unexpectedly slowed in April as states lifted COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and more people are vaccinated. Total payroll employment rose by only 266,000 and the unemployment rate increased to 6.1% in April. This was a surprisingly disappointing report on the macro level. Residential construction employment rose by 3,100 in April, after an increase of 28,700 in March. Non-residential… Read More ›
Of the 16% of American adults considering a future home purchase in the first quarter of 2021, 63% have moved beyond planning and are actively trying to find one to buy, up from the comparable 49% share a year earlier. This increase marks the fifth consecutive year-over-year gain in the share of prospective buyers who have become active buyers. Several… Read More ›
Housing affordability weakened slightly during the first quarter of 2021 as rising material costs and supply shortages, along with expected increases in mortgage rates stemming from a growing economy, are likely to exacerbate affordability challenges in the year ahead. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), 63.1 percent of new and existing homes… Read More ›
The latest results from the Federal Reserve Board’s Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey (SLOOS) present standards on bank lending practices as they occurred in the first quarter of 2021. The three major categories of lending covered by the survey are Commercial and Industrial (C&I) loans, Commercial Real Estate (CRE) loans, and Residential Real Estate (RRE) loans. The survey distinguishes the… Read More ›