FHFA: Index Shows Mortgage Rates Increased in November 2017
Nationally, interest rates on conventional purchase-money mortgages increased from October to November, 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 4.05 percent for loans closed in late November, up 7 basis points from 3.98 percent in October….
CFPB: New Report Released on the State of the Credit Card Market
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Bureau) today released its biennial report on the state of the credit card market. The report found that the total amount of credit line, number of accounts, average amount of card debt, and enrollment in online services have all increased over the past several years. The report found also…
FEMA: After the Disaster Assistance Registration Deadline Fact Sheet
While it has been more than 100 days since Hurricane Harvey made landfall, and the disaster assistance registration deadline has passed, there is still a lot of work to be done. Harvey survivors are part of the whole community effort. The steps they take on their road to recovery and the decisions they make about…
FHFA: House Price Index Up 0.5 Percent in October 2017
U.S. house prices rose in October, up 0.5 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 September was revised upward to 0.5 percent. The FHFA monthly HPI is calculated using home sales price information from mortgages…
FEMA: Disaster Assistance in Puerto Rico 90 Days After Hurricane Maria
GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico– More than $870 million in federal funds has been provided to Puerto Rico survivors of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. This includes money paid out in FEMA grants, U.S. Small Business Administration low-interest loans and National Flood Insurance Policy claims. These funds help make it possible to begin rebuilding homes and restoring communities….
Census Bureau: Idaho is Nation’s Fastest-Growing State
Idaho was the nation’s fastest-growing state over the last year. Its population increased 2.2 percent to 1.7 million from July 1, 2016, to July 1, 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s national and state population estimates released today. Following Idaho for the largest percentage increases in population were: Nevada (2.0 percent), Utah (1.9…
FEMA: 100 Days Marks Hurricane Irma Recovery Progress
In the 100 days since the Sept. 10, 2017 presidential disaster declaration following Hurricane Irma’s destructive path through Florida, the state, with help from federal partners, has progressed from response to significant recovery. Milestones point to this progress: $2.49 billion in survivors’ pockets More than $1 billion in disaster assistance low-interest loans approved by the…
HUD and Census Bureau: Residential Construction Activity in November 2017
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for November 2017. Building Permits: Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in November were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,298,000. This is 1.4 percent (±1.7 percent)* below the revised…
FDIC: History of the Agency’s Response to the Financial Crisis Publication Released
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) on Monday released a history of the financial crisis focusing on the agency’s response and lessons learned from its experience. Crisis and Response: An FDIC History, 2008–2013 reviews the experience of the FDIC during a period in which the agency was confronted with two interconnected and overlapping crises—first, the…
Census Bureau: High School Completion Rate is Highest in U.S. History
For the first time in U.S. history, 90 percent of the population age 25 and older have completed high school. This is according to new Educational Attainment data released today from the U.S. Census Bureau. “In 1940, less than half of the population age 25 and older had a high school diploma. Over the years…