Builder Confidence Going Up

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo index of builder confidence increased to 17 from 15 the previous month. Any confidence in the housing market shown by builders is a good thing. Builders have been hit especially hard in the last couple years and the mere fact that this index is increasing at this time of year should give all of us hope that this year will be a successful one. This information came from the Bloomberg article linked here: Bloomberg

Rates to Remain Low

There are have been many pundits that have worried about what direction the housing market will take when the Federal Reserve's $1.25 trillion purchases of mortgaged-backed securities ends. The Fed has propped up the market for a year or so now, but that program will end in March. Linked below is an article stating that all might not be lost. It looks as if there may be investors willing to jump in after all, which ultimately will keep consumer mortgage rates from jumping too much. Reuters