Using property data from 19 major U.S. markets, Redfin announced in its latest Real-Time Home Price Tracker that home prices and sales increased both month-over-month and year-over-year during April.

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Similar to the trend exhibited in recent months, professional real estate agents may have found their schedules busier last month, as substantial improvement was seen in the national housing market. 

Using property data from 19 major U.S. markets, Redfin announced in its latest Real-Time Home Price Tracker that home prices and sales increased both month-over-month and year-over-year during April.

Showing the largest monthly gain in four years, completed housing transactions improved more than 7 percent from March and almost 11 percent over April 2012 totals. Meanwhile, home prices rose 5 percent from the preceding month and 16 percent from the same period the year prior.

As inventory levels fall further and push prices up, mortgage records have led home sales to rise and the national economy to show signs of strengthening, but the progress my need sustaining.

During a speech at the National Association of Realtors' Midyear Legislative Meetings and Trade Expo, chief economist Lawrence Yun announced credit stringency may need to be dialed down in order to help the nation continue toward full economic recovery. He suggested lowering required consumer credit score levels for a mortgage to around 720 for conventional loans and 660 for FHA loans could help keep momentum up.

 "Steady job creation and household formation have been helping to unleash a pent-up demand in the housing market," said Yun.

A Senate bill which is currently in the review process may see lessened regulations regarding the ability of foreign individuals to invest in American residential properties.

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A Senate bill which is currently in the review process may see lessened regulations regarding the ability of foreign individuals to invest in American residential properties. If passed, professional real estate agents may see additional increases in buying activity.

The bill, which was crafted by a bipartisan group of eight Senators, looks to support tourism efforts nationwide, and make permanent the EB-5 visa program for immigrant investors, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

"[NAR] wants to make sure visa opportunities are expanded, particularly in the H-2B area [for temporary foreign workers]," said Russell Riggs, senior regulatory policy representative for NAR. "If it passes the Senate, it still has to get through the House, and they're working on their own legislation."

According to public property records and the NAR's Profile of International Home Buying Activity, a total of seven percent of all residential properties bought last year were sold to consumers living in other countries. Additionally, it was reported 27 percent of licensed real estate professionals worked with at least one international buyer during 2012.

As national mortgage records continue to show affordable rate averages, an increasing number of consumers - both home and abroad - may look to take advantage and pursue a property purchase in the coming months.

Within its National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index for May, the organization of residential construction professionals announced overall sentiment of those in the market for newly-built single-family homes ticked up three points this month, moving a reading to 44.

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As national mortgage records continue to benefit prospective home buyers by showing low rate averages, and sellers observe flagging inventory levels drive housing prices up further, Realtors may be seeing their schedules fill up quickly.

With increasingly better figures being reported in property data for residential sectors across the country, increases in confidence levels may be exhibited by consumers and real estate agents alike - in addition to home builders.

Within its National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index for May, the organization of residential construction professionals announced overall sentiment of those in the market for newly-built single-family homes ticked up three points this month, moving a reading to 44. The recent improvement over April's reading of 41 marked considerable improvement in each of the index's three components: sales expectations, current sales conditions and prospective buyer traffic.

"Builders are noting an increased sense of urgency among potential buyers as a result of thinning inventories of homes for sale, continuing affordable mortgage rates and strengthening local economies," said Rick Judson, chairman of NAHB. "This is definitely an encouraging sign even amidst rising challenges with regard to the cost and availability of building materials, lots and labor."

The increase can be seen as a promising development for both Realtors and consumers, as a reading of 50 or more reportedly indicates that more construction professionals view current conditions as good, rather than poor.

Realtors gearing up for upcoming busy season
As the spring home buying season continues to afford consumers with opportunities for property purchases, real estate agents nationwide are ready for the onslaught expected during summer. At its most recent meeting in Washington D.C. the National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced it expects the coming months to show significant improvements in housing. 

Gary Thomas, president of NAR, told the crowd of thousands their perseverance during the Great Recession is about to pay off, as the national housing market and overall economy are showing signs of ongoing bettering, and may be poised for a full recovery eventually.

"You earned your stripes by ensuring that the American dream of home ownership was not buried in the wake of the financial collapse," said Thomas. "Many of the 9,000 Realtors attending this week's meetings will meet with members of Congress and federal regulators to address real estate issues that are critical to the economic health of their communities.

Thomas added that the representatives will be advocating for the improvement of the safety and soundness of the Federal Housing Administration without financially harming the consumers it was established to help.

NationalMortgageProfessional.com recently announced Realtors are experiencing improved conditions for the second straight year, after seeing declining incomes and decreased activity for nine years.

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Providing further evidence that the national housing market is making real progress in its ongoing recovery, real estate agents have been reporting heightened levels of business activity and increased income levels. As consumers take advantage of low mortgage rates, lenders may be experiencing a newfound sense of safety and soundness. 

NationalMortgageProfessional.com recently announced Realtors are experiencing improved conditions for the second straight year, after seeing declining incomes and decreased activity for nine years. Using information disseminated by the National Association of Realtors, the organization explained licensed real estate brokers earned $54,900 on average last year, while sales agents made $34,000. 

"The median gross income of a Realtor rose to $43,500 in 2012 from $34,900 in 2011, which is only the second gain in the past 10 years," said Paul Bishop, vice president of research for NAR. "To put that in perspective, the median Realtor income had fallen by 35 percent during the housing downturn, but with the help of sustained increases in both home sales and prices, it's recovered to the highest level since 2006."

Typically, the longer a Realtor has been in business, the more money they receive each fiscal year. According to the recent report, licensed real estate brokers who have been working at least 16 years earned $57,300 last year, while those who worked more than 60 hours each week earned $85,700. Additionally, a reported 21 percent of all Realtors earned a six-figure income.

As list of improving market increases, so does Realtor workloads
While a significant number of licensed real estate agents reported increased business activity during 2012, this year may also see gains in their client lists and transaction histories.

The National Association of Home Builders recently released its Improving Markets Index, outlining the 258 residential sectors across the country which have been exhibiting considerable bolstering. Using public property records, the organization determined which markets would be included on the list - which points toward real growth by foreshadows possible financial obstacles in the future.

"The fact that over 70 percent of all U.S. metros are holding onto their spots on the improving list is definitely good news, and representative of the generally brightening outlook for housing markets nationwide," said Rick Judson, chairman of the NAHB. "That said, our industry's progress on the road to recovery is being slowed by rising challenges related to the availability of credit, building materials, labor and lots for development."

As the construction industry looks for solutions to the rising cost of operation, Realtors may find themselves even busier than last year, as consumer demand has continuously been seen increasing.

According to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index, nearly 74 percent of existing- and new-homes which were sold to individuals between early January and late March were affordable to families earning the national median income.

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As residential real estate sectors across America continue to strengthen, a number of areas are reporting continuously increasing home prices as inventory levels show declines. While the rising figures may be of concern to some, data shows that housing is still largely affordable, and the majority of consumers.

According to the recently released National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), nearly 74 percent of existing- and new-homes which were sold to individuals between early January and late March of this year were affordable to families earning  $64,400 - which is the national median income. While this figure is down slightly more than one percentage point on a quarterly basis, as the fourth quarter of 2012 saw affordability at almost 75 percent, the reading is still largely positive for consumers and housing professionals alike.

"Thanks to very favorable mortgage rates and prices, housing affordability has remained quite high over the past four years," said Rick Judson, chairman of NAHB. "The HOI has not slipped below 70 since the end of 2008. That said, from a builder's perspective, it should be noted that rising costs for building materials, lots and labor are making it somewhat more expensive to construct new homes in today's market."

Considerable affordability was observed nationwide, with the top-ranking cities being seen in West, Midwestern and Eastern regions. However, the Lakeland-Winter Haven metropolitan area ranked as the third-most affordable market, achieving a reading of more than 92 percent during the latest business quarter.

Evidence ongoing of recovery outlined in Housing Scorecard
Just as many consumers have been keeping an eye on local real estate records, government organizations have been monitoring the progress of the recovery of the national economy and housing market. The release of the April edition of the Obama Administration's Housing Scorecard by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury showed gains in homeowner equity and hikes in property values. 

Treasury assistant secretary for financial stability Tim Massad said a significant number of consumers were able to avoid repossession due to the assistance made available by various programs, effectively reducing the number of foreclosed houses which are currently populating the market.

"The Administration's programs continue to offer struggling homeowners some of the most sustainable relief available to prevent foreclosure," said Massad. "These programs have paved the way for millions of additional families to get help with their mortgage payments while setting better standards for the mortgage industry."

Freddie Mac officials said consumers nationwide can now capitalize on current conditions and favorable rate levels through its Streamlined Modification program - in hopes of keeping the ongoing housing recovery moving forward.

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In hopes of continuing the economic improvement observed during 2012 and the first quarter of this year, Freddie Mac announced it would be taking actions toward expediting financial relief for thousands of distressed families.

In a recent release, the government-sponsored enterprise announced one of its latest offerings, the Streamlined Modification program, will be immediately available to all borrowers who meet eligibility requirements. The plan, which was not scheduled to take effect nationwide until July 1 of this year, was previously available to only victims of Hurricane Sandy. However, organization officials said consumers nationwide can now capitalize on current conditions and favorable rate levels - in hopes of keeping the ongoing housing recovery moving forward.

"Today, Freddie Mac is giving a green light to its mortgage servicers to speed up financial relief for potentially thousands of families with delinquent mortgages across the nation," Freddie Mac said in a statement. "Now mortgage servicers can send eligible borrowers their Streamlined Modification trial period terms as soon as they are ready and borrowers can modify their loans by making the three trial period payments on time. No borrower documentation is needed. Freddie Mac is focused on adding momentum to the housing recovery by giving distressed borrowers more options to avoid foreclosure."

In order to qualify for eligibility and take advantage of the program, borrowers must be at least 90 days - but no more than 720 days - delinquent on mortgages which they've had for a minimum of 12 months.

As mortgage records afford individuals the opportunity to lock in low interest rates, lending companies nationwide may be experiencing increased safety and soundness in their business practices.

Foreclosure activity hits six-year low in April
The announcement from Freddie Mac is well-timed and may help a significant number of homeowners, as it comes on the heels of a report by RealtyTrac that shows foreclosure filings last month were seen at levels 5 percent lower than March and 23 percent below figures recorded in April 2012. 

The online online marketplace for foreclosure properties and real estate data reported the 144,790 U.S. properties which had active foreclosure filings in April represented a 74-month low, marking the lowest level observed since February 2007, according to the report. During the month, one in every 905 American households had a foreclosure filing.

Meanwhile, foreclosure auctions in judicial states reportedly hiked to a 30-month high during April, showing lenders' continued efforts toward further shrinking the national foreclosure inventory.

The April edition of the Obama Administration's Housing Scorecard, released by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, showed recent programs which have set new standards for mortgage assistance have helped protect consumers and boost the ongoing recovery.

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The trend of national mortgage records continuously showing lowering rates which was observed during the first three months of this year has again been seen in the second quarter. As an increasing number of consumers begin the path to homeownership, many have been able to obtain residential financing at affordable levels and property sales have risen, however, constrained inventories have led to heightened housing values.

The April edition of the Obama Administration's Housing Scorecard, released by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, showed recent programs which have set new standards for mortgage assistance have helped protect consumers and boost the ongoing recovery. Since the start of the Making Home Affordable Program, almost 1.6 million homeowners have benefited from assistive actions, including over 1.1 million permanent modifications through the Home Affordable Modification Program.

"The Obama Administration's efforts to speed the housing recovery are showing continued progress as the April scorecard indicators highlight ongoing improvements throughout the housing market," said HUD deputy assistant secretary for economic affairs Kurt Usowski. "The annual increase in home prices is the highest in nearly seven years and sales of existing and new homes are both up over 10 percent from one year ago."

Majority of Americans believe housing prices will rise
Though home values have been reaching high amounts in areas across the country, it was recently reported than a significant number of American consumers believe real estate prices will continue rising nationwide.

The April 2013 National Housing Survey released by the government-sponsored enterprise Fannie Mae saw the share of respondents who expect public property records to show increases in home values within the next year tick up 3 percentage points from March findings and settle at a reading of 51 percent. This figure is considerably higher than its year-ago level, which saw just 32 percent of citizens project price increases. 

"For the first time in the survey's three-year history, the majority of Americans surveyed now expect home prices to increase," said Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae.

Additional optimism reported by survey respondents
The survey's rating above the 50 percent shows that most Americans believe a housing recovery is occurring nationwide, which may have influenced them to adopt positive outlooks for other economic aspects. Fannie Mae reported the share of those surveyed who said they think now is a good time to sell improved month-over-month by 4 percentage points, moving the measure up to 30 percent, which is twice as much as the amount recorded during the same time period the year prior.

Florida Realtors announced in a recent release that substantial increases were exhibited in figures for closed and pending sales, as well as median prices statewide, during the same time inventory numbers were observed decreasing.

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Along with a number of other states across the country, Florida saw considerable improvement in its housing market during the first business quarter of 2013. 

Florida Realtors announced in a recent release that substantial increases were exhibited in figures for closed and pending sales, as well as median prices statewide, during the same time inventory numbers were observed decreasing. 

"The first three months of 2013 demonstrate that Florida's housing market is gaining momentum and continuing to bolster the state's economy," said Dean Asher, president of Florida Realtors. "More people went back to work as more jobs were created in Florida during the first quarter, and our population is also growing - which provide a solid foundation for growth in the housing market. It's taking less time to sell a home and, coupled with tight inventory, that shows buyers are eager to lock in historically low mortgage interest rates and take advantage of favorable, but rising prices."

The Sunshine State reportedly recorded 48,976 closed sales of existing single-family homes during the quarter, marking an annual increase of more than 10 percent, according to Florida Realtors. Real estate records show the number of listed residential units which were put under contract during the period jumped nearly 27 percent from the amount noted in the first quarter of 2012. Meanwhile, the state's median price for single-family existing homes was logged at $153,000, showing a more than 13 percent uptick from the same quarter a year ago.

Supply levels seen at decreasing amounts
As inventory levels dropped to a supply of 5.3 months, more foreclosed houses were sold in Florida, and the median days on market also declined considerably. During the three-month time frame, listed properties were typically sold within 60 days of their introduction to the market. 

"We expect that the year-over-year increases we have seen for the past several years will continue into 2014," said  Dr. John Tuccillo, chief economist for Florida Realtors. 

Miami also records first quarter strengthening
Possibly contributing to the promising figures reported by the state of Florida, were significant improvements in housing numbers for the largest metropolitan area - Miami.

The latest report released by the Miami Association of Realtors showed an annual increase in median sale prices for single-family homes of more than 17 percent, settling at $205,650 in the first quarter of the year. Additionally, average sale prices for the residential units rose nearly 15 percent year-over-year to $364,991.

The latest quarterly report released by the National Association of Realtors illustrated a number of significant improvements in median home prices, pointing toward the best year-over-year national gain recorded in more than seven years.

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As economic improvement was repeatedly seen during the first three months of 2013, positive increases were also exhibited in housing markets nationwide. With mortgage records having showed continuously lowering rate averages and consumer confidence rising successively for weeks, dropping inventory levels gave way to jumps in home prices for metropolitan areas across the county. 

The latest quarterly report released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) illustrated a number of significant improvements in the median home price amounts for residences located within 150 American metro areas, pointing toward the best year-over-year national gain recorded in more than seven years. It was reported that median existing single-family home prices during the first quarter of this year appreciated in 133 of the 150 metropolitan statistical areas examined by the organization. During the same period the preceding year, just 74 metro areas were noting improved median home prices.

NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun said the recent hikes could be indications of the overall strengthening of the national economy, but rising prices slow in the following year, as construction professionals look to increase efforts in making the level of supply equal to that of demand. For how, however, current conditions largely favor sellers. 

"The supply/demand balance is clearly tilted toward sellers in a good portion of the country," said Yun. "Inventory conditions are expected to remain fairly constrained this year, so overall price increases should be well above the historic gain of one-to-two percentage points above the rate of inflation.  If home builders can continue to ramp up production, then home price growth is expected to moderate in 2014."

Builders of 55-plus housing report heightened confidence
Not only are consumers' confidence levels improving amid the bolstering residential sector, but those of construction professionals who specialize in housing for aging individuals are also. As more baby boomers approach retirement, public property records may show an increasing number of 55-plus properties being built in the coming months and years.

The National Association of Home Builders' most recent 55-plus single-family Housing Market Index (HMI) sustained an increase of 19 points during the first quarter of 2013, moving up to a reading of 46. The latest improvement represents the highest first-quarter figure logged since the index's inception, and marks the sixth straight quarter year-over-year appreciation has been noted. 

Each component of the 55-plus single-family HMI reportedly showed substantial growth from year-ago levels. Present sales rose 19 points to settle at 46, while expected sales for the coming six months jumped 21 points to 53 and prospective buyer traffic hiked 15 points to a reading of 41.

According to RealtyTrac's U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for April 2013, just 144,790 U.S. properties reported default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions during the month.

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Due to the repeated rate decreases recently noted in national mortgage records, a significant number of financially strained consumers may have been able to refinance existing residential loans and avoid foreclosure last month. 

According to RealtyTrac's U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for April 2013, just 144,790 U.S. properties reported default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions during the month. The latest figure marks a month-over-month decrease of 5 percent, and a difference of 23 percent from year-ago numbers. Overall, total foreclosure activity was recently recorded at its lowest level since February 2007, representing a 74-month low.

In addition, the report showed that just one in every 905 American households had a foreclosure filing last month. Daren Blomquist, vice president of RealtyTrac, said the numbers noted in April may indicate the nation's inventory of foreclosed houses is finally working through its backlog, although some states are showing increases.

"Foreclosure starts have been increasing for several months in many of the judicial states," said Blomquist. " Meanwhile, foreclosure starts are bouncing higher in a handful of non-judicial states where servicers are adjusting to legislation designed to prevent improper foreclosures. This includes Nevada, Washington and Arkansas, where foreclosure starts have been increasing on an annual basis since late 2012, along with Oregon and California, where foreclosure starts are still down from a year ago but have been moving steadily higher in recent months."

Blomquist also alluded to recent increases in scheduled foreclosure auctions within judicial states have been exhibited recently, ticking up to a 30-month high in April. This reportedly shows that many lenders may be more serious moving forward with completing the repossession process.

Drops observed in national mortgage loan delinquency rate
In addition to fewer foreclosures being recorded during April, the first quarter of 2013 saw a significant decline in mortgage delinquencies on both quarterly and yearly bases. TransUnion recently reported the national mortgage delinquency rate during the first three months of 2013 dropped 21 percent year-over-year, and currently stands at 4.56 percent. Quarter-over-quarter, the rate of borrowers who were 60 or more days past due decreased 12 percent. 

"We are pleased to report that the national mortgage delinquency rate experienced its first major decline since the advent of the housing crisis," said Tim Martin, group vice president of U.S. Housing in TransUnion's financial services business unit.

Martin said the organization expected a certain amount of improvement during the period, but the magnitude exhibited was pleasantly surprising. Each state, including the District of Columbia reportedly experienced annual decreases in mortgage delinquency rates.