Residential construction finished out 2020 much more strongly than analysts had expected. The U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development reported significant increases in both residential permitting and housing starts in December, the second month in a row those numbers have grown. The numbers, however, took a hit in the Nor...

 Mortgage rates made more progress today, but only after some drama in the morning. The bond market started the day in weaker territory and many mortgage lenders were offering higher rates as a result. As the day progressed, bonds improved and lenders adjusted their offerings accordingly. By the afternoon, the average lender was in better terr...

Mortgage performance understandably deteriorated over the course of 2020. Black Knight, in its "first look" at December data, noted that the year ended with 1.54 million more delinquent mortgages and 1.7 million more that were seriously delinquent than at the start, calling it "a looming reminder of the challenges facing the market in 2021."The sit...