2011 Conforming Loan Limits : No Change From 2010

Conforming mortgages is so named because, literally, they conform to the mortgage guidelines set forth by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Of the many traits of a conforming mortgage, one is “loan size” and loan sizes have limits. Mortgages exceeding this loan size limit cannot be securitized as a...

Pending Home Sales Data Points To Higher Home Prices This Fall

Consistent with calls of a housing rebound, the Pending Home Sales Index rose again in August. It marks the second straight month of improvement after May’s post-tax credit drop-off. A “pending home” is an existing home under contract to sell, but not yet closed. According to the National...

What’s Ahead For Mortgage Rates This Week : October 4, 2010

For the third straight week, mortgage markets showed little conviction in the face of contrasting data. Mortgage bonds ended the week slightly better, but mortgage rates did not. Conforming mortgage rates in Washington were up-and-down all week before ending the week with a slight worsening. The inter-day...

America’s Most Expensive ZIP Codes (2010 Edition)

The value of a home is based on the basic economic principle of Supply and Demand. When the number of buyers exceeds the number of sellers, home prices rise. Conversely, when sellers outnumber buyers, home prices fall. There’s always a opening price point for negotiation and that figure often factors...