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.
Existing Home Sales Show Signs of LifePOSTED: Tuesday October 21, 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 […]
Housing Starts JumpPOSTED: Friday October 17, 2014
A key report that reflects the strength of the housing market is the monthly Housing Starts report released jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. The Housing Starts report includes two pieces of data: starts and permits. A housing start is counted when construction […]
Housing Market Index Shows Weakness in OctoberPOSTED: Thursday October 16, 2014
The National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index is one of the key housing market statistics that we track at FREEandCLEAR. The Housing Market Index incorporates factors such as current and expected new home sales and interest level from potential new home buyers. It is important to highlight that the index focuses on new […]
Lower Interest Rates Boost Refinance ApplicationsPOSTED: Wednesday October 15, 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. Driven by a significant increase […]
Uptick in Mortgage Applications Breaks Recent TrendPOSTED: Wednesday October 08, 2014
At FREEandCLEAR, we follow the 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. Mortgage application activity for the week […]
Mortgage Applications Continue Lackluster TrendPOSTED: Wednesday October 01, 2014
At FREEandCLEAR, we follow the 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. Mortgage application activity for the week […]
Home Prices Nationwide Continue to Cool OffPOSTED: Tuesday September 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 […]
Pending Home Sales Remain FlatPOSTED: Monday September 29, 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 […]