Trending mortgage rates
Where are mortgage rates now? Check out our weekly interest rate update to track the latest market rates.
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Category: Finance
Jobs move real estate
Track the single most influential factor on California’s real estate market: the number of people employed.
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Using the yield spread to forecast recession and recovery conditions
The yield spread indicates the likelihood of a recession or recovery one year forward.
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Orange County housing indicators
View these Orange County regional charts for details on current activity and forecasts for its local housing market.
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MIP, PMI or neither?
Which is better for first-time homebuyers reliant on mortgage insurance: MIP or PMI?
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Income tax updates for 2025, with whiplash from 2018-era tax changes
Real estate agents negotiating a transaction advise clients on tax consequences
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Does a homeowner receive a refund for taxes paid when their property value is too high due to an incorrect assessment?
Greenspan v. County of Los Angeles Facts: A property owner demolishes the improvements on the...
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Interest rates 101
This article dives into how interest rates are structured, how lenders set the interest rate on a mortgage, and how rates affect property values.
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Form-of-the-Week: Purchase Agreement for Note and Trust Deed, and Agreement to Hypothecate — Forms 241 and 242
A trust deed loan broker uses these forms when arranging the purchase by a trust deed investor of an existing trust deed note held out for sale to prepare an offer stating the price and conditions for purchase of the trust deed note, and when arranging a loan made by a trust deed investor collateralized by an existing trust deed note held by the borrower to prepare an offer by the investor for the borrower’s acceptance stating the terms and conditions for making the collateralized loan.
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Predatory mortgages, discouraged by TILA section 32
Learn what a Section 32 loan is, and why MLOs try to avoid originating these types of loans.
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Right of rescission, after closing
Rescission by a homeowner terminates their already closed borrower mortgage transaction.
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Despite Q4 2023 FRM rate slippage, Buyer Purchasing Power remains negative
Today’s homebuyer is limited to borrowing 9.7% less mortgage money than a year earlier due to higher interest rates alone.
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Appraisal rules for high-priced mortgages
A Section 35 higher-priced mortgage loan classification triggers certain appraisal report requirements.
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Form-of-the-Week: Personal Property Inventory, and Security Agreement For Note Secured by Personal Property — Forms 256 and 436
These forms are used by a seller’s agent or escrow officer when preparing a purchase agreement or counteroffer for a real estate transaction when the transfer of personal property is included and when on a carryback sale the price includes the transfer of personal property which together with the property sold will be security for the carryback note, to grant the seller a security interest in the personal property.
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Section 32 disbursements, servicing and modification restrictions
Learn the ten prohibited lender actions which protect the borrower after origination of a high-cost (Section 32) consumer-purpose mortgage.
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The points and fees test for Section 32
Learn when a consumer-purpose mortgage falls under Section 32 limitations and disclosure rules.
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Form-of-the-Week: Further Encumbrance Consent, and Note Enforcement Provisions — Forms 410 and 418-5
These forms are used by a prospective junior lender or carryback seller when the real estate is encumbered by an existing first mortgage containing a due-on clause, to obtain consent from the lender holding the mortgage to further encumber the property with a second mortgage, and by a loan broker or escrow officer when originating a mortgage with the lender or carryback seller, to include a guarantee, exculpatory or governing law provision in the promissory note.
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Paying appraisers
Fee appraisers are to be compensated by mortgage lenders and their agents at a reasonable rate – but there are exceptions that effectively gut this rule.
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Mortgage delinquencies inch higher, equity shields homeowners — for now
Even as mortgage delinquencies rise, high levels of equity continue to shield homeowners from foreclosure.
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The APR Coverage Test: Part 2
Part 2 of this video series provides examples for how MLOs can determine whether a transaction is subject to Section 32 compliance.
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