Housing News

New home sales edged slightly higher once again in April as the housing market continues to give a lift to the U.S. economy.

We are now heading toward the end of the spring homebuying season, and mortgage rates remain near record-low levels.

A U.S. home price index rose 1.9 percent in the first quarter, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said Thursday.

Average rates on fixed mortgages rose for the third straight week, hitting their highest levels since mid-March. Still, mortgage rates remained close to historic lows, a trend that should help sustain the housing recovery.

Sales of new homes rose in April to the second highest level since the summer of 2008 while the median price for a new home hit a record high, further signs that housing is recovering.

A new analysis from the Royal Bank finds home ownership in Canada remains largely affordable, even if there are signs of mild financial stress among indebted families.

Carol Nurmi of San Jose paints her investment property home which she has been remodeling in order to sell or rent it out, on May 13, 2013 in Union City.

The housing market has been showing signs of strength. Economists expect home prices to rise 8% this year and then grow at a more modest pace beyond that.

Tampa Bay's housing market continued to bloom last month amid the best spring selling season in years, but tight supplies of homes for sale are squeezing hopeful buyers out of deals, new Realtors data show.

Sales of existing homes rose 0.6 percent in April to an annual rate of 4.97 million units.

Orlando single-family home prices outperformed those in most other parts of the state during April, although the metro area's recovery still lags behind southwest Florida cities.

Monday as the stock climbed to a 52-week high on a strong earnings report stemming from a burgeoning housing market .

The Dow Jones industrial average was down more than 100 points, or 0.7%. The S&P 500 fell 1.2%, while the Nasdaq sank 1.5%. The Dow had surged more than 150 points earlier in the day as investors welcomed comments from Fed chairman Ben Bernanke, who told lawmakers that withdrawing monetary stimulus prematurely could derail the economic recovery.

The housing market may finally be leaning on the economy's gas pedal-but it's also keeping a foot on the brake.

Stocks are moving higher Wednesday morning after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said it was too soon for the central bank to pull back on its massive economic stimulus programs.

Existing-home sales rose in April to hit the highest rate since November 2009, pointing to an ongoing recovery supported by low interest rates and pent-up demand, according to data released Wednesday.

In this Tuesday, April 2, 2013, photo, Sam and Liz Weidner, of Hudsonville, Mich., view a home for sale in Lowell, Mich.

Wondering what other homes sold in Weston this week? Patch is too, and we're hoping our readers and real estate agents can help us answer the question.

Housing prices have increased steadily currently "up to 20 percent from their lows," with an annual price appreciation of 7 percent to 10 percent," according to a Cal State Fullerton economic report from April.

Mark Huffman has been a consumer news reporter for ConsumerAffairs since 2004. He covers real estate, gas prices and the economy and has reported extensively on negative-option sales.