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Better launches fully digital VA loan with no minimum down payment

Housing Wire

Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) loans through its Tinman platform. We’ve been working toward launching a VA product for the past two years,” Vishal Garg, founder and CEO of Better, said in an interview with HousingWire. Better’s rate for VA loans was 6.375% as of Tuesday afternoon, the company said.

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High mortgage rates sideline homeowners from tapping home equity: ICE

Housing Wire

Rising home prices have pushed the third quarter’s tappable home equity amount near its 2022 peak, but interest rates are making homeowners reluctant to extract that wealth. Rising equity levels are also contributing to low default and foreclosure activity. In 2024, roughly 75% of originations expected to come from purchase loans.

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All-cash transactions gain traction amid high mortgage rates: Redfin

Housing Wire

It is worth noting that some buyers are using equity from the sale of their previous home to make a relatively larger down payment on their new purchase. In September, government-insured FHA loans represented a little over 15% of U.S. Meanwhile, military VA loans represented 6.3% respectively. in April 2023.

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Assumable mortgages grow in  popularity, but hurdles remain

Housing Wire

Assumable mortgages remain a niche market compared to new mortgage issuance. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) handled about 6,400 assumptions, more than double the amount in 2022, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. But these transactions have grown recently.

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Weaker economy, inflation caused mortgage delinquency uptick in Q4

Housing Wire

While recent indicators pointed to resilience in the job market, the MBA forecasts slower hiring and rising unemployment, with the interest rates hitting 5.2% Nonfarm payrolls increased by 517,000 jobs in January from December — far higher than the 187,000 market estimate. by the end of 2023. The unemployment rate declined to 3.4%

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Here’s Why Building Equity in a Home is a Good Thing

HomeLight

Central to this is the concept of building home equity, which can significantly improve your financial future. Whether you’re a first-time buyer, a seasoned homeowner, or simply curious about the financial perks of owning a home, understanding equity is key. Get Estimate What is home equity? How does home equity work?

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Fannie Mae’s chief economist on housing market outlook

Housing Wire

The Federal Reserve ‘s effort to temper inflation has cooled the housing market that remains subdued with mortgage rates north of 7%. However, a silver lining in the subdued housing market is the strength in new-home sales. They were withdrawing volatility from the market, and they were lowering rates to benefit consumers.

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