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Some Volatility Surrounding Headlines, But Not Much Change
5/1/2026 2:27 PM
Some Volatility Surrounding Headlines, But Not Much Change Bonds began the day roughly flat before losing ground modestly into the 9am hour as markets mis-read headlines regarding new peace proposals submitted by Iran. But just before 10am, similar headlines resurfaced including the claim that Iran"s n...Read More
 
Mortgage Rates End Week on a Calm Note
5/1/2026 12:58 PM
Low volatility was the most obvious theme for mortgage rates last week. From April 14th through last Friday, the range for a top-tier 30yr fixed rate remained in an ultra-narrow range of 6.29-6.33%. That trend persisted on Monday of this week, but things changed abruptly after that. Tuesday and Wednesday saw moderately big increases that took the ...Read More
 
Database Mining, Commercial, PPE, Lead Gen Tools; Non-Agency Updates; Capital Markets
5/1/2026 10:45 AM
The use of down payment assistance has risen sharply over the past year and a half, especially among FHA borrowers. Participation has jumped from 7.5 percent at the start of 2025 to over 21 percent recently, near the highest levels in years, as high home prices and borrowing costs push more buyers to seek help. Despite this increase, borrowers usin...Read More
 
Rallying on Peace Hopes and Weaker Data
5/1/2026 9:35 AM
Bonds were almost perfectly flat during the overnight session along with oil and stock futures. Morning trading ushered in more volatility as the war-related headlines began to heat up. The most significant developments involve reports of a new peace proposal from Iran--one that potentially offers more concessions on nuclear aspirations. News is th...Read More
 
Bonds Recover With Oil, But Not Completely
4/30/2026 3:29 PM
Bonds Recover With Oil, But Not Completely Ever since bottoming out together on the morning of April 17th, bond yields and oil prices have been moving higher together.  The early overnight trading hours may have witnessed a bit of a "blow-off top" (fancy words that basically mean markets reversed cours...Read More
 
Mortgage Rates Recover Some of Yesterday"s Losses
4/30/2026 2:09 PM
Mortgage rates spiked on Wednesday (yesterday) after reports suggested a prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. As has been the case for most of the past 2 months, interest rate movement was clearly correlated with oil prices. Now today, both are moving back in the other direction though not for reasons that are as obvious as yesterday"s. The...Read More
 
March Housing Starts Surge 10.8% as Permits Slide
4/30/2026 1:11 PM
Residential construction activity moved in opposite directions in March, as housing starts posted a strong rebound while building permits fell sharply from the previous month’s elevated pace. The latest Census Bureau report suggests builders accelerated new projects even as future pipeline activity softened. Privately owned housing starts rose 10...Read More
 
Purchase Applications Rise Again Despite Higher Rates and Fewer Refis
4/30/2026 12:46 PM
Mortgage applications eased modestly last week, giving back a small portion of the prior week’s sharp gains as rates moved slightly higher. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 1.6% decrease on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending April 24. The pullback was driven by softer refinance demand, while purchase activity contin...Read More
 
Home Prices Edge Higher, But Momentum Continues to Fade
4/30/2026 12:15 PM
Home price appreciation remained subdued in early 2026, according to the latest data from both FHFA and S&P Cotality Case-Shiller. The two reports show prices still edging higher nationally, but with momentum slowing further as affordability constraints and elevated mortgage rates continue to weigh on the market. FHFA’s seasonally adjusted Ho...Read More
 
Forecasting, Data, Underwriting Tools., Credit Monitoring Tools; Webinars and Thought Leadership; STRATMOR Insights
4/30/2026 10:47 AM
As an industry, we tend to care about interest rates, especially mortgage rates. (A recent STRATMOR piece is titled, “Mortgage Rates Are Not Random.”) But there is a group of people much less sensitive to rates and represent competition to lenders. All-cash home purchases have remained structurally elevated since early 2023, averaging 28 percent of...Read More




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Fed holds interest rates steady: Here's what that means for credit cards, mortgages, car loans and savings rates
4/29/2026 4:29 PM
From mortgage rates to auto loans and credit cards, here’s a look at how the Fed"s April interest rate decision may affect your wallet...Read More
 
Mortgage rates surge to nearly four-week high as Iran headlines impact markets
4/30/2026 9:32 AM
Negative headlines on the Iran war pushed bond yields higher, and mortgage rates followed....Read More
 
Mortgage rates are rising again, but homebuyers are trickling back
4/29/2026 7:17 AM
Mortgage rates rose last week after several weeks of declines. That took a toll on refinance demand, but homebuyers seem more resilient...Read More
 
Office demand rebounds to highest level since Covid pandemic began
4/30/2026 4:56 PM
In the first quarter of this year, new in-person and virtual office tours reached their highest level since the pandemic began, per the VTS Office Demand Index...Read More
 
Fed is likely to hold rates steady — here's how that impacts consumer costs
4/24/2026 11:42 AM
The Federal Reserve"s April meeting, potentially Jerome Powell"s last as chair, may impact many consumer borrowing and savings rates...Read More
 
New York's pied-a-terre tax sets up legal fight over values
4/24/2026 11:11 AM
NYC"s property tax system undervalues co-ops and condos, so experts said the city will have to come up with a new system for valuing  high-end second homes...Read More
 
What $1 million buys you in real estate around the world
4/24/2026 5:54 AM
Luxury real estate in most major markets around the world continues to become more expensive, as the wealthy grow wealthier and more mobile....Read More
 
Mortgage rates sink again, and homebuyers jump back in
4/22/2026 7:26 AM
Mortgage demand continues to rebound as rates move slightly lower....Read More
 
35% of Gen Z homebuyers are single women, research shows. Here’s why they need an estate plan
4/16/2026 9:22 AM
Despite purchasing what might now be their biggest asset, women are less likely than men to have any estate planning documents in place...Read More
 
Mortgage applications rise as rates fall to one-month low
4/15/2026 6:51 AM
Mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in a month, boosting refinance activity and offsetting weak demand from homebuyers...Read More




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