Housing & Mortgage Markets – Week of 10.19.14

Lowest Underwater Level Reached in Two Years
GlobeSt | 23 October 2014
A total of 15%, or 8.1 million, of US residential properties with a mortgage is seriously…

IMF Finds Flaw in Bond Industry as Exiting Mutual Funds Is Too Easy
Bloomberg | 22 October 2014
They say regulators should consider new policies to prevent a mass exodus…

Mortgage Applications in U.S. Jump 11.6% as Refinancing Surges
Bloomberg | 22 October 2014
Mortgage applications in the U.S. soared last week as a plunge…

FHFA Said to Plan Steps to Ease Lending to Riskier Buyers
Bloomberg | 17 October 2014
The initiatives include a consensus on when defaulted loans are so flawed that lenders…

Fannie, Freddie near Deal that Could Boost Mortgage Lending
Originator Times | 17 October 2014
Lenders have blamed those penalties for tight credit

U.S. Renters “Financially Fragile”
Squared Away Blog | 16 October 2014
Things got markedly worse for renters after the Great Recession…