NAR announces $500,000 in wildfire assistance

The National Association of Realtors is donating $500,000 to assist victims of the Southern California wildfires and has called upon its members to contribute to its Realtors Relief Foundation.

Since Saturday, at least eight people reportedly have died as a result of the fires and related evacuations.  more...

Dems: Foreclosure losses could top $100 billion

If home prices continue to fall, 2 million subprime mortgages could end up in foreclosure from 2007 through 2009, according to a report by Democrats who want to allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy more mortgages.

The report, issued by Joint Economic Committee Chairman Sen.  more...

September's new-home sales down 23%

The sales rate for new single-family homes equaled the lowest rate for that month since September 1996, and sales were down about 23.3 percent compared to the same month last year, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development reported today.  more...

'Market concerns' take mortgage rates lower

Worries over slower economic growth helped push mortgage rates lower this week, Freddie Mac reported today in its latest survey.

According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage sank to an average 6.33 percent from last week's 6.4 percent, and the 15-year fixed rate dropped to an average 5.99 percent from 6.08 percent.  more...

Job market slow but not losing steam

A key economic indicator measuring the volume of job advertisements in major U.S.  more...

Real estate rates drop overnight

Long-term mortgage interest rates were lower Wednesday, and the benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yield dropped to 4.34 percent.

The 30-year fixed-rate average slipped to 5.9 percent, and the 15-year fixed rate fell to 5.5 percent. The 1-year adjustable was down at 5.69 percent.

The 30-year Treasury bond yield sank to 4.64 percent.

Rates and bonds are current as of 7:15 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.  more...