Confidence in Housing Market Grows, Despite Fiscal Cliff Turmoil

Fannie Mae's Chief Economist pointed to the turmoil over the fiscal cliff and debt ceiling for a sharp drop in consumer confidence in December. Fannie Mae's National Housing Survey recorded a 5 point month-over-month decline in the percentage of respondents who think the nation's economy is "on the right track" to 44 percent while "wrong track" responses rose from 50 to 53 percent. At the same time confidence in the housing sector grew with consumers showing continued positive attitudes toward home...

List of Improving Housing Markets Reaches 242 in December

The list of improving housing markets posted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and First American Title took a huge jump in January, increasing from the 201 markets listed in December to 242 . The list now includes at least one metropolitan area in each of 48 states and the District of Columbia. Forty-seven new metropolitan areas were added to the list while six were dropped. The NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) lists metro areas which have shown improvement from...

• Mortgage Rates Recover Slightly From Last Week's Rout
• QM Rules Released by CFPB this Week? Good News on Basel III; More Mortgage Jobs
• MBS RECAP: Eerily Quiet And Sideways to Start the Week
• Bank of America to Pay Fannie Mae $3.6B to Resolve Repurchase Issues
• Realtors Report Multiple Offers, Quick Sales but Continuing Appraisal and Credit Issues
• Where Would Rates go without the Fed?; CFPB's Reach is Far; MBA Addresses Volker Rule and Margins

Micro News

Around the Web

• Housing Back in IPO Pipeline
• Why Divisions at the Fed Have Markets So Puzzled
• Why New Basel Rules Won't Make Safer Banks
• At CES 2013, the Connected Home of the Future
• HSBC Is Sued by US Borrowers Over Mortgage Insurance
• Cummings Reacts to New Foreclosure Settlement

Video News

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	BofA-Fannie Mae Deal a `Big Surprise,' Miller Says
	Bank of America Announces Fannie Mae Settlement

Today's Comments

	"Locked a 15 year this PM at 2.75%. With rates this good, I'm hesitant to float as the potential for improvement, while there, is less than the potential..."
	"I don't see them requiring bank LO's to pass licensing tests. The biggest banks have way too many personal bankers selling 1st lien portfolio loans..."
	"Gosh, MIke, sorry you are so offended. Not sure why you would think there's a limited pool of folks eligible to refi with HARP, FHA and VA streams..."

Today's Q&A