FHFA: U.S. House Prices Rise 1.1 Percent in Fourth Quarter 2018
U.S. house prices rose 1.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018 according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI). House prices rose 5.7 percent from the fourth quarter of 2017 to the fourth quarter of 2018. FHFA’s seasonally adjusted monthly index for December was up 0.3 percent from November. The…
Census Bureau: New Data and Tools Apps to Be Unveiled at Technology Demo Day on March 1st
The U.S. Census Bureau will host technology industry and university teams to showcase 20+ new innovative tech tools at an interagency demonstration day created through a federal initiative called The Opportunity Project (TOP). These new tools address challenges such as using artificial intelligence to connect veterans with apprenticeships, promoting access to and interest in STEM…
FHFA: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Refinance Volume Decreases in Fourth Quarter 2018
Nearly 3.5 Million HARP Loans at Program Expiration The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today reported that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac completed 245,620 refinances in the fourth quarter of 2018, compared with 253,135 in the third quarter. FHFA’s fourth quarter Refinance Report also shows that 1,390 loans were refinanced through the Home Affordable Refinance Program…
Federal Reserve: FEDS Notes | Are Disappearing Employer Pensions Contributing to Rising Wealth Inequality?
Are Disappearing Employer Pensions Contributing to Rising Wealth Inequality? John Sabelhaus and Alice Henriques Volz* The share of U.S. workers covered by a traditional employer-sponsored pension plan has declined dramatically over the past few decades. Fewer jobs today have any form of employer-sponsored retirement plan coverage, and those jobs that do have coverage are much…
HUD and Census Bureau: New Residential Sales Report for November 2018
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau jointly announced the following new residential sales statistics for November 2018: New Home Sales Sales of new single-family houses in November 2018 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 657,000. This is 16.9 percent (±19.9 percent)* above the revised October…
ABA: Report Shows Credit Card Market Expands Further in Third Quarter as the Economy Sustains Robust Growth
Credit card use continued to increase in the third quarter of 2018, according to the American Bankers Association’s latest quarterly Credit Card Market Monitor. Compared to the previous quarter, purchase volumes increased for both subprime and super-prime accounts, but moderated for prime accounts. On an annual basis, monthly purchase volumes rose across risk tiers, led…
FHFA: Indices Show Little Movement in Mortgage Interest Rates in December 2018
Nationally, interest rates on conventional purchase-money mortgages were nearly flat from November to December, according to several indices of new mortgage contracts. The National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders Index was 4.83 percent for loans closed in late December, down 3 basis points from 4.86 percent…
CFPB: Bureau Releases Sixth Annual Report from the Office of Servicemember Affairs
I am pleased to offer the sixth annual report from the Office of Servicemember Affairs (OSA) highlighting issues and emerging trends facing servicemembers, veterans, and military families (collectively referred to as “servicemembers” in this report). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the OSA are committed to ensuring that servicemembers have high levels of financial…
Census Bureau: New Study Examines Barriers, Attitudes and Motivators Toward 2020 Census
The U.S. Census Bureau released results today from the 2020 Census Barriers, Attitudes and Motivators Study (CBAMS). The national survey and series of focus groups were designed to better understand the nation’s attitudes toward the 2020 Census, potential barriers that may inhibit participation, and possible motivators of responding. The CBAMS research is the foundation for…
FHFA: House Price Index Up 0.4 Percent in November 2018
U.S. house prices rose in November, up 0.4 percent from the previous month, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) seasonally adjusted monthly House Price Index (HPI). The previously reported 0.3 percent increase in October was revised to reflect a 0.4 percent increase. The FHFA monthly HPI is calculated using home sales price information…