74.6 percent of homes affordable to median-income households, trade group finds

Housing affordability hit a new high in the first quarter, surpassing the previous high set in fourth-quarter 2010, according to the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo. The Housing Opportunity Index found that 74.6 percent of new and existing homes sold in the first quarter were affordable to families earning the national median [...]

Rebuilding scores — if you ask

Some credit experts call it the best-kept secret in home-mortgage finance. Others say, so what? Millions of Americans whose credit scores have declined in recent years because of economic stresses could start rebuilding their scores if their rent, utilities, cellphone, insurance and other monthly accounts were reported to the national credit bureaus. But typically they [...]

Renters finding landlords have upper hand in this market

Angi Ramos and her former college roommate Laura Waltner have been looking for months for a place to call “home.” They’ve been trawling websites and have inspected a half-dozen units. They’d prefer a newer building in Capitol Hill or Queen Anne — vibrant neighborhoods with lots of young people, restaurants and nightlife. Their search so [...]

Improving job market ignites sharp rise in apartment rents

Apartment rents are rising at their fastest pace in years as the U.S. economy creates jobs and spurs demand for rental housing. Nationwide, rents started edging up last year after several years of little growth or even declines, market researcher Reis says. It predicts apartment rents will jump 4.3% this year, marking the biggest annual [...]

Rate on 30-year fixed mortgage falls to 4.71%, lowest of year – USATODAY.com

Rate on 30-year fixed mortgage falls to 4.71%, lowest of year http://usat.me/46835962

In Time for Buying Season, Rates Reach Yearly Lows

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, a popular choice among buyers, sank even lower this week, matching its yearly low of 4.71 percent from January, reports Freddie Mac in its weekly mortgage market survey. Last year at this time, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5 percent. Meanwhile, the 15-year fixed-rate hit a new yearly low of 3.89 [...]

Washington State HomePath Buyer Incentive Offer

receive up to 3.5% in closing cost assistance through June 30, 2011 as part of the HomePath buyer incentive.

Contracts for home sales rose 5.1% in March; mortgage rates drop

WASHINGTON — More Americans signed contracts to buy homes in March, but sales were uneven across the country and were not strong enough to signal a rebound in housing. Sales agreements for homes rose 5.1% last month to a reading of 94.1, according to the National Association of Realtors’ pending home sales index, released Thursday. [...]

New-Home Sales Gain Momentum

After three straight months of declines, sales of new homes got a boost last month, jumping 11 percent, according to the Commerce Department’s latest new-home sales report released Monday. New-home sales rose in March to a seasonally adjusted rate of 300,000 homes, up from February’s 250,000. However, the number is still far from what economists [...]

Analysts Say Housing Is on the Way Up

Analysts at both Standard & Poor’s and Barclays Capital agree that the uptick in home resales last month is a favorable sign of things to come. Because pending home sales — an indicator of future activity — were up in February, S&P believes transaction volume will rise for April. Barclays, meanwhile, says March’s 3.7 percent [...]