National News

NAR Policy Forum: Over a third of Americans cost burdened by lack of affordable housing

Speakers at the NAR Policy Forum on affordable housing highlight hurdles and solutions to affordable housing shortage.

Is the luxury market bouncing back? It depends on where you live

A new report shows that the luxury sector inched up 1.6 percent year-over-year in the fourth quarter.

NAR seeks HUD approval on affordable housing policy proposals

The National Association of Realtors once again asked the Department of Housing and Urban Development to consider its series of proposals that address the affordable housing crisis.

Black homeownership rate up for second consecutive quarter

The U.S. Census Bureau report appears to show a trend in the rate of black homeownership.

NAR chief gives positive outlook amid December dip

Mortgage rates projected to hold at under 4 percent for the remainder of the year, according to new report.

Prices up everywhere but here

According to the latest index, national home prices are 15 percent above their pre-financial crisis peak.

Best year for new-home sales since before the recession, says NAHB

Low interest rates and low unemployment continue to boost the market into 2020.

All the single ladies . . . are outpacing men in homeownership

A new study by Lending Tree shows that single women own almost 14 percent of homes in Chicago.

Single-family rents across the U.S. up slightly, as homeownership rates increase

Low-end rentals are propping up national rent growth, according to CoreLogic.

Back to the future: What experts got right — and wrong — about mortgage rates

While most of the predictions about interest rates in 2019 were off by a long shot, one crucial element of the housing market in 2020 remains true: The cost of borrowing is very low, by both modern and historic measures.

What else is new? Loan limits increase for Fannie, Freddie and FHA

It stands to reason that, as home prices rise faster than income, buyers are going to need larger loan amounts. And for the fourth straight year, the Federal Housing Finance Agency has increased the conforming loan limits for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Federal Housing Administration loans.

Why what’s in the GSE bank matters

While there’s no guarantee that Congress or the administration will tackle GSE reform in 2020, the FHFA did announce that it will re-propose regulations on capital requirements for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac sometime in the next year as a clear move toward the end of conservatorship.

U.S. homebuilding surges to 13-year high

Coming off of the government’s numbers for December, economists predict the home building industry is on track for recovery in 2020.

How housing shortages impact job growth in Chicago

A new report by the National Association of Realtors ranks fast-growing cities in terms of the interplay between housing affordability and job growth.

Working with investors? Here’s the number crunch in Chicago

A new report estimates the potential profits and costs of being a landlord in cities across U.S.

Freddie Mac projects healthy outlook for Chicago multifamily market in 2020

Rent growth to continue as new supply is absorbed.

New Subscribe

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.