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More homebuyers seek government-backed loans as an affordability lifeline

Housing Wire

It also ties into architects and builders creating smaller, denser homes to help close the affordable housing supply gap. As a result, more buyers are turning to products like Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans, which accounted for 24% of primary home purchases in 2024, and U.S.

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Mortgage demand drops 22% during holidays as rates move higher

Housing Wire

Government lending programs saw mixed results as applications for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans fell by 60 bps to a market share of 16.6%, while applications for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loans rose by 50 bps to a share of 15.7%. Rates for 30-year jumbo loans jumped 14 bps to 7.13%.

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Mortgage delinquencies are rising as homeownership costs pile up

Housing Wire

Median home prices are still below the national average in Georgia, but the gap is rapidly closing as prices there jumped 65% between 2019 and 2024. Government-backed loans like those from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the U.S. Serious delinquencies for VA loans are 3.5

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ICE: First-time homebuyers account for record share of agency lending in Q1 2025

Housing Wire

has the smallest share of Gen Z homebuyers at 7% of all purchase mortgages and 11% of first-time buyer loans. California follows closely behind, with Gen Z making up 8% of purchase mortgage and 13% of first-time buyer loans. Washington, D.C., ICE said that Southern states lead for delinquency rates of at least 90 days.

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With rate lock activity up, Optimal Blue introduces automated refi tool

Housing Wire

It factors in lender fees and current pricing to deliver a dashboard that includes break-even calculations, closing cost estimates and borrower savings analyses across multiple scenarios. The tool also generates a prefilled borrower email summarizing the refinance options.

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2025 mortgage predictions: Your playbook for a winning year

Housing Wire

Heres your game plan: Check your credit: A score of 640 opens the door to FHA loans and down payment assistance programs. Save strategically: Even with down payment assistance, youll need some savings for earnest money and closing costs. Many sellers are offering to cover 2-3% of closing costs.

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Loan officers are seeing an uptick in FHA, VA demand

Housing Wire

According to the MBA, rates for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans dipped to 6.42%, while refinance activity posted its fastest pace since October 2024. “Since government loans tend to have lower interest rates and easier qualifications than conventional loans, the increase is exacerbated with these programs.