Matthew Iglesias, writing in Slate magazine, notes that durable goods—appliances, furniture, vehicles, airplanes— are primarily mass-produced in factories because that is the most cost-effective way to produce the least expensive product for the consumer, and the highest wage for the worker. Some of these products occupy space in homes, which […]
Houses as Durable Goods Read More
The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform tells MHProNews the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUD) has released figures indicating August becomes the thirteenth consecutive month of growth for the production of manufactured homes. Statistics indicate HUD Code manufacturers produced 5,580 homes in Aug., an increase of 7.5
HUD Code Homes Continue Adding Up Read More
Encouraged by a variety of signs, fourteen economists surveyed by CNNMoney believe the housing market has finally turned the corner on its way back to health. Only three months ago half of those surveyed did not believe the turnaround would come until next year, or later. The economists cite three
Housing Market not Strong, but Stable Read More
WVPubCast tells MHProNews two new modular homes now dot Route 52 just outside Welch, West Virginia in the southwestern corner of the state. Penni Padgett, Housing Director of the Council of the Southern Mountains, notes it is a milestone. “It is a small start but it is a start,” she
Modular Homes go up Despite Obstacles Read More
IndyStar reports the sale of existing homes in the greater Indianapolis metropolitan area rose 12.3 percent in August over August, 2011, according to the Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors, although the sales pace was slower than the period of April through July. August 2012 sales totaled 2,593 versus 2,308 last
Indianapolis Home Sales Rise Read More
Research firm Capital Economics tells HousingWire investors seeking to cash in on single-family rental properties best move quickly. Economist Paul Diggle with Capital says early buyers found prices 30 percent below peak, with potential yields of 8-12 percent. Noting it is likely a one-time opportunity, Diggle says as house prices
Investors Look for Single-family Properties Read More
The National Association of Home Builders reports the pace of new home sales held steady in August at the seasonally-adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 337,000 units, virtually unchanged from July, according to data from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau. NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe says, “This latest report indicates
New Home Sales Stabilized in August Read More
Financial columnist Craig Steiner sounded off on Townhall that conventional housing has far from recovered. He says recent headlines are an effort at media spin, just before the election, to make it sound like housing is on the rebound. Its not. The chart shows the reality of home prices. Steiner
Housing’s Lost Decade Read More
As HousingWire reports, the pending home sales index rose 2.7 percent from 115.8 in July to 118.9 in August even with available inventory levels falling, according to the California Association of Realtors (CAR). However, the pending sales index in Aug. 2011 was 121.4. The decline, says CAR President LeFrancis Arnold,
Pending Home Sales Rise in California Read More
MHProNews has learned the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) issued a reminder to approved FHA lenders to promptly release hazard insurance funds to disaster victims of Hurricane Isaac, as per loan documents. The Mortgagee Letter says in the past some lenders used hazard insurance proceeds to pay off the mortgage, leaving
FHA to Lenders: Pay Hurricane Isaac Claims Now! Read More
HousingWire tells MHProNews the shadow inventory dropped by 1.2 million troubled mortgages in the first six months of 2012. Although those numbers could double by the end of the year, four million underwater loans would remain, down from a high of six million in 2010. According to JPMorgan Chase, of
Underwater Loans Drop Read More
HousingWire reports Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, in his housing plan, promises to shortcut Pres. Obama’s foreclosure prevention programs with private deals between banks and borrowers by providing alternatives to foreclosure, like short sales, deed-in-lieu-of-foreclosure, and shared appreciation. He has slammed the qualified mortgage rule and vowed to overhaul the
Romney Hammers Obama’s Housing Recovery Read More
The news-times says data from the Census Bureau shows 36.5 million people, 12 percent of the population, moved to a new home this year, up from a record low of 11.6 percent in 2011. The most mobile group, young men 25-29, are moving out of their parents’ home, either returning
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports in the Christian Science Monitor its index of existing home sales contracts increased 2.4% in July of this year to 101.7, higher than June’s reading of 99.3. It is the highest number since April 2010 when the government’s home-buying tax credit ended. Even
Home Sales Slowly Climbing Read More
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) reports builder confidence for new single-family homes increased for the fifth consecutive month to 40, bringing the index to the highest level since June 2006. (Any number above 50 indicates builders see conditions as good rather than poor.)
Housing Starts Increase Nationwide Read More
American Banker reports Richard Cordray, head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), stated the agency will not mandate a 20 percent down payment in new underwriting rules for low-risk loans. Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee Sept. 13, he was responding to a question about the CFPB’s qualified mortgage
CFPB will not Require 20 Percent Down Read More
heraldonline tells MHProNews the Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform (MHARR) issued a bi-partisan appeal to President Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney to assist in revitalizing manufactured housing as a form of affordable homeownership for millions of Americans of modest means to achieve the dream of owning their
MHARR Appeals to Pres. Obama and Candidate Romney Read More
Marking the fastest sales pace since Dec. 2007, HousingWire reports home sales in Chicago’s seven county region in August picked up, with properties spending only 139 days on the for sale market as opposed to 165 days in Aug. 2011, according to REMAX. August 2012 home sales rose nearly 27
Chicago Housing Market Ticks Up Read More
nationalmortgagenews says, according to a new government report, servicers that work on delinquent FHA (Federal Housing Administration)-insured mortgages are shoring up the agency’s losses on insurance claims because they are becoming more adept at dealing with short sales. The FHA says its servicers completed 27,150 short sales for the first
Long Strides in Short Sales Read More
HousingWire reports the Obama administration’s August Housing Scorecard says the number of underwater borrowers fell from 12.1 million if the fourth quarter of last year to 10.8 million at the end of Q2 2012, a drop of 11 percent, according to data from CoreLogic. The most recent numbers show the
Administration’s Housing Scorecard Shows Modest Gains Read More
