Welcome to the FREEandCLEAR Blog! Our blog offers unique insights on the latest mortgage market news and trends. We also use our blog to shine a spotlight on important topics that are shaping the real estate and mortgage markets including housing affordability, socioeconomic developments and financial literacy. We are always adding interesting features to the FREEandCLEAR Blog so sign up below to receive our Mortgage Market Update and other posts or check back frequently.
Mortgage Applications Surge to Start New YearPOSTED: Wednesday January 14, 2015
At FREEandCLEAR, we follow the Mortgage Bankers’ Association (MBA) mortgage applications index which measures both purchase and refinance applications for mortgage lenders across the country. An increase in the MBA applications index reflects an increase in mortgage applications while a decrease in the index reflects a decline in mortgage applications. For the week ended […]
FHA Cuts Ongoing Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP)POSTED: Thursday January 08, 2015
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced a plan to cut the ongoing FHA Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP) for FHA mortgages with mortgage terms greater than 15 years. The cut in MIP varies depending on the loan amount and loan-to-value (LTV) ratio with the ongoing FHA MIP for a 30 year mortgage with a loan amount […]
Mortgage Applications Slump The Over HolidaysPOSTED: Wednesday January 07, 2015
At FREEandCLEAR, we follow the Mortgage Bankers’ Association (MBA) mortgage applications index which measures both purchase and refinance applications for mortgage lenders across the country. An increase in the MBA applications index reflects an increase in mortgage applications while a decrease in the index reflects a decline in mortgage applications. For the two weeks […]
Pending Home Sales Rebound SlightlyPOSTED: Wednesday December 31, 2014
The National Association of Realtors pending home sales index tracks the number of existing homes that went into contract to be sold. When a home seller and buyer agree to the price and terms of a home sale, they sign a contract that outlines the transaction details and the property is said to be “under […]
Home Price Indices Show Surprise UptickPOSTED: Tuesday December 30, 2014
There are two primary measures of housing prices that we track at FREEandCLEAR: the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, which uses certain nationwide mortgage activity to track home prices and the S&P / Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which tracks home prices in 20 U.S. metropolitan markets. Both indices are reported on a […]
Mortgage Applications Increase SlightlyPOSTED: Wednesday December 24, 2014
At FREEandCLEAR, we follow the Mortgage Bankers’ Association (MBA) mortgage applications index which measures both purchase and refinance applications for mortgage lenders across the country. An increase in the MBA applications index reflects an increase in mortgage applications while a decrease in the index reflects a decline in mortgage applications. For the week ended […]
New Home Sales Lag (Again)POSTED: Tuesday December 23, 2014
In our effort to cover important trends that affect the mortgage market, FREEandCLEAR keeps a close eye on new home sales, which is the number of newly constructed housing units that are sold in a month. The new home sales figure is reported separately from the existing home sales figure, which is the number of […]
Existing Home Sales Fall BackPOSTED: Monday December 22, 2014
In our effort to cover important trends that affect the mortgage market, FREEandCLEAR keeps a close eye on existing home sales, which is the number of previously constructed housing units that are sold in a month. The existing home sales figure is reported separately from the new home sales figure, which is the number of […]