Blog – PglRealEstates

October 17, 2019

Housing Starts Fall 9%, but Construction Slowdown May Be Temporary

The numbers: Construction on U.S. new houses fell more than 9% in September, but a recent surge in permits suggests the decline in so-called housing starts is just a brief pause in a real estate market...

October 14, 2019

Mortgage Rates Were Falling Before Fed Signaled Rate Cut

WASHINGTON—The Federal Reserve is prepared to cut interest rates this week for the first time since 2008, but the biggest source of debt for U.S. consumers—mortgages—has been getting cheaper since late last year. Mortgage rates...

October 14, 2019

Mortgage Rates Steady as Fed Weighs Further Cuts

Mortgage rates stayed steady, according to data released on Thursday, as the Federal Reserve considers further interest-rate cuts after its first reduction in a decade on Wednesday. Freddie Mac said the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged...

October 13, 2019

Trump Administration Reducing the Size of Loans People Can Get Through FHA Cash-Out Refinancing

The Trump administration is reducing how much home equity mortgage borrowers can withdraw through cash-out refinances. Starting Sept. 1, the Federal Housing Administration will limit the loan amounts for cash-out refinancings to 80% of the home’s...

October 13, 2019

One-Third of Mortgage Borrowers Are Missing This Opportunity to Save $2,000

More than one in three mortgage borrowers are leaving money on the table. Over a third of 2018 home buyers said they did not shop around before choosing a mortgage lender, according to a study by...

October 12, 2019

Consumer Watchdog Blasts Government’s Loan Sales Program: ‘No Rules’ to Help People Save Their Homes

Some Americans were left worse off after their mortgages were sold to private-equity firms by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. That’s according to a report released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which...

October 12, 2019

Mortgage Rates Fall Sharply as Trade Concerns Mount—but Many Would-Be Borrowers Are Likely to Miss Out

Mortgage rates dropped significantly over the past week as concerns related to the ongoing trade dispute with China and the overall health of the economy dominated headlines. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.6% during the...

October 12, 2019

That Superlow Mortgage Rate? It Could Be Even Lower

Interest rates have been plummeting, but the cost of taking out a mortgage hasn’t fallen as fast. Falling rates are usually a boon to the housing market, since that typically lowers the interest rates that lenders...

October 11, 2019

U.S. Mortgage Debt Hits Record, Eclipsing 2008 Peak

WASHINGTON—U.S. mortgage debt reached a record in the second quarter, exceeding its 2008 peak as the financial crisis unfolded. Mortgage balances rose by $162 billion in the second quarter to $9.406 trillion, surpassing the high...

October 11, 2019

Condo Buyers Will Soon Have an Easier Time Scoring a Mortgage

Buyers are about to have an easier time scoring a mortgage to purchase a condo. A new policy announced this week should significantly expand the number of individual condo units as well as condo developments...