Market Studies

May was a strong month for home sales in Connecticut, the Warren Group reported. According to the group, sales in the state rose 2.9 percent year-over-year to 2,356.

National monetary policy alone cannot reliably prevent or reverse housing bubbles, according to a recent report from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. The downfall lies in the fact that housing prices and housing markets vary widely across the country, stated the researchers in the report. Monetary policy and large national programs such as the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) may help some markets while hurting others, according to the report.

Legislators heard--or perhaps misheard--customers when they grumbled about ATM fees and clamped down even though there is a logical argument for them. Now, a new fee opportunity for major banks comes in the form of pay cards--debit cards loaded with your take-home pay each time you get paid. Workers must pay a fee to access their own wages and may be charged a fee for not using the card. The pay cards slither under, over, or around the definitions resulting from Dodd Frank for fees banks are permitted to charge for credit and debit cards or even for store cards.

Low inventories driven by reluctant sellers, high levels of underwater homeowners, and meager rates of new construction have all played a role in driving home prices upward of late, Radar Logic explains in its RPX Monthly Housing Market Report for April. As of April 2013, the analytics firm's 25-metropolitan-area composite averaged $205.46 per square foot, up 13.1 percent year-over-year and up 2.7 percent month-over-month. This translates into a gain of 23.7 percent from the January 2012 low of $169.62. Prices though are still 26.2 percent below the June 2007 peak.

Adding new pressures for the Federal Reserve, the nation's economy added 195,000 jobs in June, leaving the unemployment rate unchanged at 7.6.percent, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday. While the unemployment rate was unchanged, the broader employment-population ratio improved to 58.7 percent. The Fed has been looking to improvements in the labor market for a sign it should begin to reduce its program of stimulative monetary policy.

Although Florida is often recognized for its high foreclosure rate, the state also holds a handful of cities that are ""retirement hot spots"" due to their real estate opportunities, according to RealtyTrac. On Thursday, RealtyTrac released a list of the top 15 markets for retiring. In order to be considered, at least one-third of the population in the markets had to be aged 65 or older. Out of the top 15 markets, seven were in Florida.

Asking home prices took off in June, soaring 10.7 percent year-over-year, Trulia reported Wednesday. Month-over-month, asking prices inched up by 1.5 percent and rose 4.1 percent on a quarterly basis. Rents rose at a slower pace of 2.8 percent year-over-year, though it was still the biggest increase since January. Trulia also tracked the 100 largest metro areas and revealed 99 markets experienced an increase in asking prices over the last year.

Principal forbearance, a loan modification practice in which a loan servicer allows a borrower to delay payment on his/her loan for a specified period of time, apparently poses an accounting conundrum. While some servicers report forborne principal as a loss at the time of the loan modification, others wait until the time of liquidation. Ocwen, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and One West all report forbearance amounts as losses at the time of the loan modification.

Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey showed the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaging 4.29 percent (0.7 point) for the week ending July 3, down from last week's two-year high of 4.46 percent. The 15-year FRM averaged 3.39 percent (0.7 percent), down from 3.50 percent the previous week. Bankrate's weekly national survey showed similar trends, with the 30-year fixed falling to 4.48 percent.

First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell for the fourth time in the last five weeks, dropping 5,000 to 343,000 for week ending June 29, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. Economists expected 345,000 claims. Claims filings for the week ending June 22 were revised up to 348,000 from the originally reported 346,000.