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| Highest Existing Home Sales in 8 Months But Don"t Get Excited | ||
| 12/19/2025 12:55 PM | ||
| Existing-home sales extended their recent stabilization in November, rising 0.5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.13 million , according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This is the 3rd straight increase and annualized sales are at their highest level in 8 months. The catch is that--much like several other housing metrics--...Read More | ||
| Three Straight Months of Improvement in Builder Confidence, But There"s a Catch | ||
| 12/19/2025 12:39 PM | ||
| The December National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) edged up one point to 39. This is the 3rd straight month of improvement in the index--a development that could be confused for something encouraging. But the reality is that builder confidence is merely drifting along just barely above the lowest ...Read More | ||
| Mortgage Apps Still Strong vs Last Year, But Down Slightly Last Week | ||
| 12/19/2025 12:33 PM | ||
| Seasonally adjusted mortgage application activity declined 3.8% last week, according to MBA’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending December 12. Unadjusted applications fell 5% from the prior week, reflecting a typical seasonal slowdown as the year draws to a close. The Refinance Index slipped 4% from the previous week but remain...Read More | ||
| Credit Review, HELOC, 2nd Products; Freddie and Fannie News; Cap. Markets | ||
| 12/19/2025 10:45 AM | ||
| Lender and Broker Services, Products, and Software Newrez Wholesale has enhanced its partner protection program with Newrez Broker Protect, delivering broader and longer coverage for approved partners. Starting January 1, 2026, all approved broker partners receive 18 months of solicitation protection on funded Agency and Government loans. RezClub...Read More | ||
| Slightly Weaker. No, It"s Not Japan | ||
| 12/19/2025 9:12 AM | ||
| There was a fair amount of momentum among financial news sources regarding the potential significance of last night"s Bank of Japan (BOJ) announcement to the U.S. bond market. While it was clearly relevant for Japan, it"s hard to make the case that it had any impact on overnight Treasury trading. It"s always worth remembering that Japan"s big...Read More | ||
| Limited Follow-Through After Shockingly Big Miss | ||
| 12/18/2025 3:53 PM | ||
| Limited Follow-Through After Shockingly Big Miss If you told the average trader that today"s core CPI would come in at 2.6% vs 3.0% year over year, they would have expected a much bigger reaction than we saw today. Ironically, the size of the miss may be one of those reasons. It"s so far outside the realm o...Read More | ||
| Mortgage Rates Near Lowest Levels Since October | ||
| 12/18/2025 2:44 PM | ||
| Officially, there were 2 days at the end of November where the average lender"s 30yr fixed rates were just a hair lower (0.02% difference). Otherwise, today"s rates would be the lowest since late October. The improvement follows this morning"s release of November"s Consumer Price Index (CPI). Inflation was so far below expectations that it r...Read More | ||
| Jumbo, Hedging, HELOC, Custom Newsletter Products; STRATMOR the UWM/TWO Deal | ||
| 12/18/2025 10:51 AM | ||
| Lender and Broker Services, Products, and Software “The federal quality control standards under Dodd Frank for automated valuation models (AVMs) require valuation professionals to provide greater transparency in how AVMs determine credible, consistent, and objective property values. That’s why it’s important (and required) to regularly test, moni...Read More | ||
| Big Drop in Annual CPI, But Only a Cautious Rally So Far | ||
| 12/18/2025 7:47 AM | ||
| Great news for bonds on the inflation front this morning: Core annual inflation came in at 2.6% compared to a 3.0% forecast and 3.0% last time. It"s the lowest reading of the cycle and the first attempt to break below the stagnant sideways/elevated levels that have prevented more aggressive Fed rate cuts. Despite those facts, the bond market ...Read More | ||
| Slightly More Focus Than Normal on Thursday"s CPI | ||
| 12/17/2025 3:17 PM | ||
| Slightly More Focus Than Normal on Thursday"s CPI Wednesday ended up being an uneventful trading day with bonds mostly sideways and well within the recent trading range. This isn"t hard to believe given the absence of any relevant market movers. Thursday could be different thanks to the Consumer Price Index...Read More | ||