Quick news from the world of mortgage lending.

Mortgage credit availability increased slightly in July according to the Mortgage Credit Availability Index, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported. The 1.5% increase was the first increase in eight months...

It’s a great time to be a home seller, according to the July Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index. Home buyers, though, are expressing some concerns. The Fannie Mae index decreased 2.3 points in July to 74.2, moderating slightly after two consecutive months of advances...

The Mortgage Bankers Association’s latest Forbearance and Call Volume Survey reported loans now in forbearance decreased by 23 basis points to 7.21% of servicers’ portfolio volume the week of Aug. 9 from 7.44% the previous week. MBA estimates 3.6 million homeowners are in forbearance plans…

U.S. sales of previously owned homes surged by the most on record in July as lower rates continued to power a residential real estate market that’s proving a key source of strength for the economic recovery. Closing transactions increased 24.7% from the prior month to a 5.86 million annualized rate, the strongest pace since the end of 2006 and reflecting broad gains across the U.S., according to National Association of Realtors data issued Friday.