The August Group Inc. is your source for dependable Real Estate Appraisals in Saint Louis City and the following counties in Missouri; St. Louis, Franklin, Jefferson, Warren, Lincoln, St. Charles and St. Francois.Whether it's an older home or luxurious new construction, Jeffrey Noyes' experience and hours of study as licensed appraiser make him qualified to provide home valuations in Saint Louis City, St. Louis, Franklin, Jefferson, Warren, Lincoln, St. Charles and St. Francois County for clients ranging from national mortgage companies to local lenders or individual businesses and consumers.
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| Tune Out The Noise (Part 2) | ||
| 8/24/2026 3:56 PM | ||
| Tune Out The Noise (Part 2) Last week, when Treasury announced higher per-operation limits for the buyback program, we advised tuning out the noise. Specifically, this meant that the announcement was not ever destined to be a material market mover or provide lasting relief for rates despite ample media cove...Read More | ||
| Mortgage Rates Sideways to Slightly Higher | ||
| 8/24/2026 2:59 PM | ||
| Mortgage rates are based on bonds, but whereas bonds improved slightly from Friday"s levels, mortgage rates are microscopically higher for the average lender. The issue is timing. Mortgage lenders set rates last Friday during a time of day when bonds were at their best levels. In other words, today"s improvement is only an improvement relative to ...Read More | ||
| Borrower Analysis, 1st Lien HELOC, Ginnie eNote Products; Webcasts Approaching; NEXA/UMortgage Deal | ||
| 8/24/2026 10:47 AM | ||
| “People make their wealth out of one investment. People keep their wealth by diversifying their investments.” Owning mortgage servicing rights has created wealth for many companies, and STRATMOR’s current blog is, “Those Monthly Payments Go Somewhere.” I am glad that all my 401(k) isn’t in Agency shares: Fannie Mae’s stock is down 42 percent this y...Read More | ||
| Slightly Stronger Start Mostly Due to Oil. Treasury News Fails to Inspire (Again) | ||
| 8/24/2026 10:13 AM | ||
| Once again, Treasury is out with news about bond buying plans with two officials saying the Treasury General Account (TGA) could be used to fund long-end buybacks. TGA is Treasury"s bank account. It gets money from taxes, Treasury issuance, tariffs, etc. Therefore, any way you slice it, Treasury bond buying = government spending, unlike Fed QE. At ...Read More | ||
| Incidental Weakness. Bigger Considerations on The Horizon | ||
| 8/21/2026 2:36 PM | ||
| Incidental Weakness. Bigger Considerations on The Horizon Without any data or compelling market movers, bonds came into the day light on inspiration. Low volume/liquidity left the door open for any determined traders to have a bigger-than-normal influence on the market. That arguably happened between 9...Read More | ||
| Mortgage Rates Drift Modestly Higher | ||
| 8/21/2026 1:35 PM | ||
| For all practical purposes, Friday"s mortgage rates were unchanged versus Thursday"s, but if we"re splitting hairs, the average lender rose 0.01% to 6.77% for a top tier 30yr fixed. While many news outlets continue focusing on the mid-week announcement regarding Treasury"s bond buyback program, today"s bond market volatility was unrelated. C...Read More | ||
| Housing Starts Drop in July as Permits Point to Stronger Future Activity | ||
| 8/21/2026 1:21 PM | ||
| Residential construction pulled back in July as housing starts and completions declined from June levels, while building permits rebounded. The latest Census Bureau data suggests builders remained cautious about active construction, even as the increase in permits pointed to somewhat stronger activity ahead. Privately owned housing starts fell 12...Read More | ||
| Pending Home Sales Slip 2.3% in July | ||
| 8/21/2026 1:14 PM | ||
| Pending home sales declined again in July as elevated mortgage rates and record-high home prices continued to weigh on buyer demand. The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), which tracks signed contracts on existing homes, fell 2.3% from June and was down 2.2% from a year earlier, reaching its lowest level si...Read More | ||
| Builder Confidence Technically Higher But Still Sideways in The Big Picture | ||
| 8/21/2026 1:07 PM | ||
| Builder sentiment improved slightly in August, but confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes remained subdued as elevated mortgage rates, rising construction costs and broader economic uncertainty continued to weigh on the industry. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) increased ...Read More | ||
| No Major Changes in Mortgage Demand | ||
| 8/21/2026 12:58 PM | ||
| Mortgage application activity was little changed last week as higher mortgage rates continued to weigh on purchase demand. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 0.4% decrease in total application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending August 14. Purchase applications decreased 2% from the previous week on a seaso...Read More | ||