Jeffrey Samuels's Blog

Home resales slipped more than 5 percent last month, putting a damper recent housing market enthusiasm. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, Existing Home Sales fell to 4.37 million units in June 2012 on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis. This is 250,000 fewer home sales per ...

The number of U.S. homes receiving foreclosure notices topped one million through the first six months of 2012, according to RealtyTrac. There were 1.046 million foreclosure filings between January - June 2012, says the foreclosure-tracking firm in its Midyear 2012 Foreclosure Market Report. The...

The Federal Reserve released the minutes from its June Federal Open Market Committee meeting, revealing a Fed divided on the future of the U.S. economy. Mortgage rates are higher after the release of the minutes. The Fed Minutes is the detailed recap of an FOMC meeting. It is the companion piece ...

With mortgage rates down to all-time lows, you can buy a lot more home for your money. Home affordability is at an all-time high. According to last week's Freddie Mac mortgage rate survey, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage has dropped to 3.62% nationwide. This is down from 4.08% in March, ...

For the first time in more than 100 years, the growth in America's cities is outpacing the growth in its suburbs.  According to the 2011 estimates of the U.S. Census Bureau, between July 2010 and July 2011, city centers grew faster than their surrounding suburbs in 53% of the nation's largest hou...

30-year fixed rate mortgage rates made new, all-time lows once again this week. According to Freddie Mac's weekly mortgage rate survey of more than 125 banks nationwide, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate fell 4 basis point to 3.62% nationwide. The rate is available to conforming, prime...

Homes are going under contract at a quickening pace. In May, for the second time in 3 months, the Pending Home Sales Index crossed the 100 barrier,stretching to 101.1. A "pending home sale" is a home under contract to sell, but not yet sold. Statistically, the Pending Home Sales Index reading is ...

The typical U.S. household "loses" up to 30% of its annual heating and cooling bill to energy inefficiencies, according to ENERGY STAR®. The good news is that there are dozens of ways to help your home perform better. As the calendar turns to July, and as temperatures warm nationwide, implement ...

The Federal Home Finance Agency's Home Price Index showshome values up 0.8% in April on a monthly, seasonally-adjusted basis. April marks the third consecutive month during which home values increased and the index is now up 3 percent from last year at this time. As a home buyer , it's easy to lo...

The new construction market continues to improve. As reported by the Census Bureau,369,000 new homes were sold last month on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis. A "new home" is a home that is considered new construction. May's data marks the highest number of new homes sold since April 2010,...