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Mortgage rates inch closer to 7%

Housing Wire

Mortgage rates rose slightly this week ahead of the Federal Reserve Open Markets Committee ‘s rate hike. Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey, which focuses on conventional and conforming loans with a 20% down payment, shows the 30-year fixed rate averaged 6.81% as of July 27, up from last week ’s 6.78%.

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Property taxes have been rising. Here’s what it means for housing

Housing Wire

In many communities, homeowners and homebuyers have been hit with eye-popping property tax increases. And homes in many communities have shot up in value in recent years, leading to tax increases through reassessments. But opinions differ on how much impact higher taxes are having on local housing and mortgage markets. “I

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What is portfolio cleansing?

Housing Wire

The mortgage servicing industry landscape is shifting. This can cause problems for servicers in instances where loans are acquired with unknown, pre-existing property tax delinquencies missed in the due diligence phase. For over a decade, the industry has experienced growth from two primary sources. What is portfolio cleansing?

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Opinion: Title and settlement fees aren’t a barrier to homeownership

Housing Wire

Asian borrowers pay $13 less than non-Hispanic white borrowers (the control group); low-income borrowers pay $14 more; and first-time home buyers pay $11 less than repeat buyers. Homeowner’s insurance, the servicer, and even the GSE (the actual holder of the default risk on the mortgage), represent small overall costs by comparison.

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Homeowners are staying in place twice as long as they did 20 years ago: Redfin

Housing Wire

Older Americans also have financial incentives attached to staying in their homes, since 54% of the baby boomer cohort own their homes free and clear without making monthly mortgage payments. Long homeowner tenure, particularly among baby boomers, is an obstacle for young first-time buyers trying to break into the market,” the report read. “A

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Top 5 mortgage terms to know before you buy a house

Housing Wire

The mortgage application process can be a confusing one — especially if you’ve never gone through it before. Here are the top five mortgage-related terms you’ll want in your arsenal: 1. Here are the top five mortgage-related terms you’ll want in your arsenal: 1. Fixed-rate mortgage. Are you planning to buy a home in 2021?

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Opinion: Local MLS broker marketplaces, rules equitably advance American homeownership

Housing Wire

Class action attorneys allege real estate commission rates are too high and buyer brokers are being paid too much due to NAR rules. Listing brokers make offers of compensation to buyer brokers who bring a buyer to the table. And if those same consumers had to go it alone without buyer representation?