Melissa Bayles's (melissabayles) Blog

The Pending Home Sales Index shot higher in April as low mortgage rates and a soon-to-expire federal tax credit spurred home buying across the county. A "pending home sale" is a home that's under contract to sell but not yet closed. Region-by-region, April's pending home sales varied versus March...

The Consumer Confidence Index is rising, a potentially double-edged sword for Americans, in general. According to The Conference Board, economic confidence is as high as it's been since August 2007 -- 4 months before the start of the recession.  Americans are optimistic again. Confidence matters ...

The supply of newly-built homes for sales plummeted in April, a positive indicator for the housing market as we head into the summer months. It's no wonder that homebuilders are breaking new ground at the fastest clip in 2 years.  At the current sales pace, the nation's complete supply of new hom...

Because of strife in Greece, Spain and North Korea, conforming mortgage rates are back to all-time lows. They're at levels not seen in 50 years.  For homeowners that missed the Refi Boom of November 2009, it's a second chance. In this well-presented, 3-minute video from NBC's The Today Show, you...

Home values rose in March, according to the Federal Home Finance Agency's most recent Home Price Index. Values were reported higher by 0.3 percent, on average, from February. We use the phrase "on average" because the Home Price Index is broad-reaching, national housing statistic. It ignores the ...

Sales of existing homes rose in April, buoyed by an expiring home buyer tax credit and exceptionally low mortgage rates. As compared to March, April's Existing Home Sales rose by 410,000 units nationwide -- the second straight month of large gains. An "existing home" is a home resold by a prior o...

p> With home prices still relatively low and mortgage rates trolling near their all-time best levels, it's no surprise that home affordability is extraordinarily high in most U.S. markets. According to the quarterly Home Opportunity Index as published by the National Association of Home Builders,...