Q1 GDP Commentary from MBA's Mike Fratantoni
April 30 2026 | |
“Inflation jumped higher during the quarter, with the PCE index increasing at a 4.5 percent annualized rate, up from 2.9 percent in the fourth quarter. Looking just at March data, the PCE index was up 3.5 percent compared to last year, with core PCE up 3.2 percent. This re-acceleration in inflation, driven by the jump in energy prices, will be enough to keep the Fed on hold for the foreseeable future.”
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First American Title Introduces AgentNet® Assist: Title Intelligence, an AI-Powered Document Analysis Capability
April 29 2026 | |
“This AI-assisted capability streamlines repetitive, time-intensive tasks, helping reduce processing time by as much as 30 minutes per file, depending on complexity, in early usage,” said Paul Bandiera, senior vice president of agent technology. “The enhancement to AgentNet Assist reviews documents for potential issues, such as breaks in the chain of title, missing information, or data discrepancies, establishing a strong foundation early in the examination process, while final title determinations remain with the title professional.”
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Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
April 29 2026 | |
“Mortgage rates increased slightly last week, with the 30-year fixed rate rising to 6.37 percent. The increase in rates led to a 4 percent decline in refinance application volume. However, purchase activity for conventional loans picked up almost 2 percent for the week,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s SVP and Chief Economist. “More notably, purchase application activity was more than 20 percent above last year’s pace.
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Home Building Shows Signs of Stabilization with Monthly Gain in Starts
April 28 2026 | |
“Housing starts posted a solid rebound in March, suggesting builders are responding to pockets of improving demand despite ongoing affordability challenges, although activity remains sensitive to interest rate movements and construction costs,” said Bill Owens, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders and a home builder and remodeler from Worthington, Ohio. “Overall, the uptick in housing starts is a positive development for residential investment and signals that the sector may be stabilizing.”
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MBA Statement on FHFA, HUD Announcement on Credit Score Modernization
April 22 2026 | |
“MBA has long advocated for greater competition in the credit reporting and scoring space. Today’s announcement marks an important next step in modernizing the credit scoring framework used by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration. “MBA applauds FHFA Director William Pulte’s work to move this process forward and HUD Secretary Scott Turner’s indications that FHA will follow suit.
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Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
April 22 2026 | |
“Mortgage rates declined last week as financial markets responded positively to the Middle East ceasefire and the lower trend in oil prices, with the 30-year fixed rate decreasing to 6.35 percent,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s SVP and Chief Economist. “Refinance application volume increased by 6 percent, while purchase application volume increased an even stronger 10 percent and was up 14 percent compared to last year’s pace.
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NAR Pending Home Sales Report Shows 1.5% Increase in March
April 21 2026 | |
“Contract signings rose in March despite higher mortgage rates, pointing to pent-up housing demand,” said NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun. “A greater supply of inventory will help translate that demand into more home sales.”
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More Young Adults Interested in the Construction Trades, but Challenges Persist
April 20 2026 | |
“While this new research shows that more young adults have a positive attitude toward a career in the construction trades, many are still unaware that careers in the building trades offer workers well paid jobs and opportunities for growth in one of the most in-demand industries in the nation,” said NAHB Chairman Bill Owens, a home builder and remodeler from Worthington, Ohio. “High schools need to stress that the skilled trades are a viable alternative to four-year colleges that can pay above median wages and serve as a launching pad for small business development.”
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Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
April 15 2026 | |
“Given the evolving situation in the Middle East and its impact on energy and commodity prices, mortgage rates declined last week. The 30-year fixed rate decreased to 6.42 percent, its lowest level in a month,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist. “This dip in rates helped to support an increase in conventional refinance applications, which had declined for five consecutive weeks."
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Builder Sentiment Posts Notable Decline on Economic Uncertainty
April 15 2026 | |
“Builder sentiment has fallen back in spring as buyers face ongoing elevated interest rates and growing economic uncertainty,” said NAHB Chairman Bill Owens, a home builder and remodeler from Worthington, Ohio. “The year started with hopes for housing momentum growth, but risks with respect to the Iran war, energy costs, and declines for consumer confidence have slowed the market.”
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NAR Existing-Home Sales Report Shows 3.6% Decrease in March
April 13 2026 | |
“March home sales remained sluggish and below last year’s pace,” said NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun. “Lower consumer confidence and softer job growth continue to hold back buyers.” Month-over-month sales fell in all four regions. Year-over-year sales rose in the South and West and fell in the Northeast and Midwest.
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National Association of REALTORS® Reaches Agreement to Resolve Nationwide Homebuyer Claims in Tuccori v. At World Properties
April 10 2026 | |
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) today announced a settlement agreement that would resolve claims brought by homebuyers in the case of Tuccori et al. v. At World Properties et al., a class-action antitrust lawsuit related to buyer-agent commissions. In connection with this agreement, and given the substantially similar allegations, NAR will seek a stay in Batton et al. v. National Association of REALTORS® et al., since NAR’s settlement in Tuccori is intended to release the claims in the Batton case.
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Remodeling Market Sentiment Edges Down but Remains Positive in First Quarter
April 09 2026 | |
“Remodeler sentiment remained generally positive in the first quarter, as it was at the end of last year, even as many remodelers are still working to manage their customers’ cost expectations,” said NAHB Remodelers Chair Elliott Pike, a remodeler from Homewood, Ala. “Only a relatively small share report homeowners putting projects on hold due to economic and political uncertainty.”
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Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
April 08 2026 | |
“Higher mortgage rates and continued economic uncertainty weighed down on mortgage applications again last week. While mortgage rates saw a slight reprieve, with the 30-year fixed rate decreasing to 6.51 percent, many potential refinance borrowers have been frozen out by the sharp increase over the past month. The pace of refinance applications was at its lowest level since December 2025,” said Joel Kan, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist.
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March Jobs Report Commentary from MBA's Mike Fratantoni
April 03 2026 | |
“Employment increased by 178,000 in March. However, this topline number overstates the strength of this report. Much of the gain was a rebound in health care jobs following the resolution of a strike. The prior two months were revised down by a net 7000 jobs, with February revised to a 133,000 net loss. The 3-month average of 68,000 for the first quarter of the year is likely the best signal of a job market showing resilience amid a number of challenges."
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Stewart Valuation Intelligence Acquires Nationwide Appraisal Network
April 02 2026 | |
Stewart Valuation Intelligence, a Stewart Information Services Corporation company, announced today that it has acquired Nationwide Appraisal Network, LLC, a nationally recognized appraisal management company with more than two decades of leading and shaping the appraisal industry.
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Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
April 01 2026 | |
“The 30-year mortgage rate, now at 6.57 percent, reached its highest level since last August and is up half a percentage point from just one month ago. Refinance application volumes declined sharply again last week, dropping 17 percent, and are down more than 40 percent compared to last month,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s SVP and Chief Economist.
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