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New-homes sales rise 1.5 percent in March to 417K
WASHINGTON — U.S. sales of new homes rose in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 417,000. The increase added to evidence of a sustained housing recovery at the start of the spring buying season. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that sales of new homes increased 1.5 percent. The gain brought the level higher […]
Fannie’s record profit a symbol of housing rebound
Home prices are up. Foreclosures are down. Construction is up. And now comes the latest sign of the U.S. home market’s revival: Fannie Mae, the mortgage giant that nearly collapsed five years ago, has earned its biggest yearly profit ever. Fannie Mae earned $17.2 billion last year and said Tuesday that it expects to stay […]
Signed contracts to buy homes dips slightly
WASHINGTON — A measure of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes fell only slightly in February to the second-highest level in nearly three years. The report suggests sales of previously occupied homes will keep rising in the coming months. The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that its seasonally adjusted index for pending home […]
Home prices rise 8.1 pct., most since June 2006
WASHINGTON — U.S. home prices rose in January at the fastest annual pace since June 2006, just before the housing bubble burst. The gain shows the housing recovery is strengthening ahead of the all-important spring buying season. The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index climbed 8.1 percent in the 12 months ending in January. […]
Home sales highest in more than 3 years
WASHINGTON — U.S. sales of previously occupied homes rose in February to their fastest pace in more than three years, and more people put their homes on the market. The increases suggest a growing number of Americans believe the housing recovery will strengthen. The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that sales increased 0.8 percent […]
Housing starts rise, permits at 4 ½-year high
U.S. builders started more homes in February and permits for future construction rose at the fastest pace in 4 ½ years. The increases point to a housing recovery that is gaining strength. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that builders broke ground on houses and apartments last month at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 917,000. […]
Sharp drop in homes lost to foreclosure in Feb.
LOS ANGELES — While the nation’s foreclosure woes persist, new data show they’re easing amid a resurgent housing market, rising home prices and efforts by some states to buy homeowners more time to avoid losing their homes. The number of U.S. homes repossessed by lenders last month fell 11 percent from January and declined 29 […]
Rate on 30-year mortgage ticks up to 3.52 pct.
WASHINGTON — Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages were little changed this week, hovering near historic lows. Cheap mortgages have helped spur a recovery in the housing market. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage edged up to 3.52 percent from 3.51 percent last week. That’s near […]
Home prices rose by most in nearly 7 years
WASHINGTON — U.S. home prices jumped in January, a sign the housing market is gaining momentum as it nears the spring selling season. Home prices rose 9.7 percent in January from a year ago, according to data released Tuesday by CoreLogic. That’s up from an 8.3 percent increase in December and the biggest annual gain […]
Housing starts dip but remain at solid pace
WASHINGTON — U.S. homebuilders began work at a slower pace in January than in December. But all of the drop occurred in the volatile area of apartment construction, which sank 24 percent. By contrast, the rate of single-family homebuilding rose 0.8 percent. Even with the overall decline, the pace of home construction in January was the […]
Home prices rose in 2012 by most in 6.5 years
WASHINGTON — U.S. home prices jumped by the most in 6 ½ years in December, spurred by a low supply of available homes and rising demand. Home prices rose 8.3 percent in December compared with a year earlier, according to a report Tuesday from CoreLogic, a real estate data provider. That is the biggest annual […]
New-home sales fell in Dec., sales for year up
WASHINGTON — Sales of new U.S. homes cooled off in December compared with November but for the entire year were the best since 2009. The Commerce Department said Friday that new-home sales fell 7.3 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 369,000. That’s down from November’s rate of 398,000, which was the […]
