Industry News

<p>The S&P Dow Jones Indices (S&P DJI) has published the results for February 2026 concerning the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Indices. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, which encompasses all nine U.S. census divisions, indicated a 0.7% annual increase for February. The 10-City Composite experienced an annual rise of 1.5%, a decrease from the 1.7% increase noted in the prior month. The 20-City Composite recorded a year-over-year growth of 0.9%, down from a 1.2% increase in the previous month.</p>

To be fair, mortgage rates haven't been far from their long-term highs in over a week, but today's 30yr fixed index level of 6.83% is functionally equivalent to the actual long-term high of 6.85% seen on July 23rd. Higher rates are driven by weakness in the bond market. The latter can happen for many reasons. Sometimes those reasons are as simple as an economic report showing stronger job growth or higher inflation. Other times, the reasons are more esoteric. Today's bond market weakness may have been modestly influenced by this morning's Employment Cost Index, but the bigger issue was definit

Compass says its AI Assistant connects to 90+ tools as Home Platform rolls out to Anywhere firms, with franchise access planned for 2027.

Home price appreciation remained modest in May, according to data from both FHFA and the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Indices . Although both reports showed annual price growth improving slightly from April, appreciation continued to trail inflation, underscoring a housing market where elevated mortgage rates, affordability pressures, and uneven regional performance continue to limit broader price gains. FHFA reported that U.S. house prices increased 0.3% on a seasonally adjusted basis in May, reversing April's 0.1% decline. On an annual basis, home prices were 2.2% higher than a year

Mortgage application activity pulled back last week as higher borrowing costs weighed on both home purchase and refinance demand. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 6.4% decrease in total application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending July 24. Purchase applications decreased 4% from the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis but remained 3% higher than the same week one year ago. While housing inventory has improved in some markets, elevated mortgage rates continue to challenge affordability for many prospective buyers. Refinance activity weakened mo

The 10-year yield hit 4.74% and mortgage rates rose to 6.83% as Fed hawks signaled multiple hikes and oil rose above $84.

ICE Mortgage Technology posted $557 million in Q2 2026 revenue, up 5% year over year, with $45 million in operating income and an 8% margin.

As AI polishes listing pitches, sellers can focus on pricing rationale, buyer targeting and contingency planning to pick agents.

I am no numerologist, but Freddie Mac’s announcement yesterday, that 30-year mortgage rates are averaging 6.66, caught my attention. Unlike rumors, like the one going around about a Texas IMB buying California IMB, hard, provable numbers are hard to argue with… Like the hundreds of thousands of people every month turning 62. Setting up a reverse division at your company isn’t as difficult, say, parachuting beavers into Idaho. Why should lenders have a reverse mortgage division? Housing wealth among homeowners aged 62 and older rose in Q1 2026 to a record $14.92 trillion, according to the lates

NEXA CEO Mike Kortas used a Facebook post to recruit loanDepot loan officers, criticizing loanDepot results and citing share price declines.

Affordability is improving, but 70% of owners have rates at 5% or below, limiting inventory and sales momentum.

Spreading regulatory concern over New York City office-to-residential conversions intensified after two more developments experienced work stoppages due to jobsite issues. Inspectors fully halted work at 222 Broadway in Lower Manhattan after cracked concrete beams on the 32nd floor went unreported to officials for weeks. A partial work stoppage was issued for 750 Third Avenue […]

Luxury home prices are up about 5% while the US faces a 4 million home supply deficit. Competition from AI data centers is intensifying labor and materials constraints, increasing cost and timeline risks.

Real estate, title and mortgage firms often rely on outsourced IT. This guide outlines key risks of weak support and the core services to require, including monitoring, patching, backups and cybersecurity controls.

Proprietary reverse mortgages surpassed HECMs in Q1 2026, with $953 million in originations vs $875 million. With no federal cap on origination fees, the industry faces growing pressure to improve fee benchmarks and disclosure.

For decades, the mortgage industry has focused on helping consumers buy and refinance homes. It’s where lenders have built their businesses, where technology has evolved and where most originators have spent their careers. But that’s only half the market. Every day, homeowners move into a new phase of homeownership. They build equity, enter retirement, help […]

<p>ChatGPT maker OpenAI said Tuesday that its artificial intelligence system hacked into another AI company on its own in what the company called an “unprecedented cyber incident.” “We had a significant security incident during evaluation of our models,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in a statement posted on social media.</p>

For much of the past decade, Meritage Homes has stood as one of public homebuilding’s clearest business use cases that thoughtfully designed, efficiently built entry-level homes could unlock homeownership for thousands of households who otherwise might have remained renters. The company’s strategy wasn’t simply to build smaller homes. It reshaped its land acquisition, product design, […]

<p>The typical home is selling below its list price in 41 of the 50 most populous U.S. metros, according to a new analysis by Best Interest Financial and Clever Real Estate. The findings reveal a sharply divided market, with buyers gaining leverage in Texas, Florida, and parts of the Midwest while sellers remain firmly in control across several Northeastern and coastal metros.</p>

FirstTeam Real Estate's Lauren Henss and Purlin's Tim Quirk sit down with HousingWire to touch on the state of brokerage AI adoption.

Bullets Dodged We've seen our fair share of bonds punishing the market on occasions where bond traders were forced to worry about a significant change in a fiscal or monetary regime (or the absence of a desired change). Wednesday's reaction to the Fed ran the risk of setting the stage for similar momentum. While it did technically continue, it was far less forceful on Thursday. Additionally, the evidence was limited to curve steepening rather than outright losses (apart from 30yr bonds). In short, bonds fired a warning shot, but they're not going to obsess about it unless given additional reas

The Trump administration announced it will end a temporary Medicare Part D premium stabilization program after the 2026 contract year.

LPT Aperture filed confidential IPO paperwork on Form S-1, with no price range or offering size set and timing pending review.

Chris Gallo, once one of the nation’s top mortgage loan officers, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in federal court in New Jersey, according to court filings.

It's not at all uncommon for mortgage rates to experience microscopic movement in either direction on any given day. In fact, it's probably the most common eventuality over time. In that sense, today was unremarkable with the average lender moving just a hair lower versus yesterday's latest levels. But in another sense, it's very good news. After yesterday's market reaction to the Fed press conference, there was a risk that bonds (which dictate rates) would continue their protest. The absence of additional drama suggests the reaction was "one and done." This morning's economic data had a small

VantageScore 4.0, the credit scoring model that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are transitioning to for agency mortgages, is now integrated into Optimal Blue’s end-to-end capital markets platform,

The partnership enhances streamlines buyers' process for converting cryptocurrency into U.S. dollars for real estate transactions.

Better Home & Finance adds Orange Capital founder Daniel Lewis to its board as it doubles down on its AI-driven mortgage strategy.

Homebuyer affordability improved slightly in June as the national median payment on new purchase mortgage applications fell to $2,191, down from $2,198 in May.

Boyett brings more than 25 years of experience in real estate brokerage, executive leadership and business development.

Reports analyze live zoning data to calculate buildable area, setbacks, height limits, slopes and an overall development potential score.

Colgan has more than 22 years of real estate experience and launched his team in 2022 after working several national brokerage brands.

Expert Steve Weisman warns AI voice cloning is boosting scams as FTC-reported losses hit $15.9B last year.

Pittsburgh ranked as the most affordable metro for teachers, healthcare professionals and fire and law enforcement households.

MN Custom Homes has rebranded to Azori and is expanding into Arizona, launching Scottsdale luxury projects and a new office.

Boxabl has one of the most compelling stories in housing. It has a highly recognizable product, a viral consumer brand and an ambitious pitch: use factory production to build homes faster, cheaper and with less labor than traditional construction. That is the story. The financial statements tell a less glamorous one. Boxabl’s public-market transaction implied […]

Miami multifamily developer and investor Neology Group has raised $175 million in capital to prepare for a next new construction wave in Florida and the Southeast as the national building pipeline shrinks and renter demand rises. The capital gives Neology the ability to pursue about $1 billion in deals, according to the company. Lissette Calderon, […]

For millions of families, owning a home represents far more than a financial investment—it's the foundation of community stability and generational wealth. But that promise depends entirely on the confidence that your property rights are secure.

The best cultures aren't built around a single producer. In an industry that sells certainty, a resilient team is your best asset for long-term growth.

Price-first search can hide financeable homes and surface unworkable ones. A payment-first approach reframes supply as payment-qualified inventory, which could expand usable options and support transaction chains as sellers become buyers.

Pennymac posted Q2 net income of $22 million, down 84% YoY, as lock volume fell 18% and adjusted ROE slipped to 7%.

What's Up With Today's Paradoxical Fed Reaction? Tough day for the casual observer to try to make sense of what happened. There's even some disagreement between the not-so-casual observers. Let's focus on what we can know for sure. The Fed didn't hike. The market was pricing a 1 in 3 chance of a hike, so the shortest end of the curve logically rallied on that. Longer term rates rallied a bit too, at first. No surprises as of 2:30pm. Warsh's prepared remarks weren't significant, and the rally remained intact. Things began to change rapidly when he suggested looking beyond PCE to a broader set o

Even though the Federal Reserve didn't hike rates today, the hawks won three key victories with higher nominal and real yields.

For the first time, CoStar’s residential portfolio turned adjusted EBITDA positive, generating $12 million in profit.

Heading into today's Fed announcement, futures markets indicated roughly a 1 in 3 chance that the Fed would hike rates. They did not. This seems like it should have been good news for rates, but there's a catch. Rates exist on a spectrum defined by "duration." Specifically, there are different rates for different lengths of loans. The Fed Funds Rate is relevant to loans of the shortest duration (mostly overnight lending between the largest financial institutions). Mortgage rates, meanwhile, are more closely linked to longer term loans--bonds with durations that average 5-7 years. When a Fed de

The app replaces paper sign-in sheets with digital check-ins that create contact records, log attendance and collect visitor feedback.

Proprietary reverse mortgages drove industrywide volume to $9.65B in 2025 as HECM volume stalled and higher rates shifted product economics.

Johnston's team's $327.6 million in volume ranked No. 1 among medium-sized teams in Miami Beach, No. 3 in Florida and No. 16 nationally.

The Federal Open Market Committee approved the following statement for release by a 12 9 – 0 3 vote: The Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 percent, in support of the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate. The Committee reaffirmed is continuing its policy of maintaining ample reserves in the banking system. Economic activity is expanding at a solid pace despite elevated uncertainty that owes, in part, to the conflict in the Middle East. Productivity growth and capital investment are strong. Job gains have kept pace with the workforce, and the u

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday left its benchmark interest rate unchanged, maintaining a target range of 3.5% to 3.75% for a fifth consecutive meeting.

Regulators in Washington state have fined West Capital Lending Inc. $75,000 after alleging the mortgage lender committed multiple violations of the state’s Consumer Loan Act.

LPT Aperture Holdings acquired Speculo, whose Remi tool works inside databases, serving 300 plus organizations and millions of conversations.

The Senate confirmed U.S. District Attorney Jay Clayton on Tuesday to lead the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, formally ending Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte’s brief stint as acting intelligence chief.

New Silver Lending LLC has acquired Mayflower Venture Partners, expanding in New England’s fix-and-flip and construction lending markets.

Holiday Builders sale to Stanley Martin closed July 29, 2026. The deal highlights how buyers are prioritizing scalable operating platforms, disciplined land strategy, leadership and strategic fit over raw production volume.

Christopher L. Peterson, a former senior official at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, will become acting director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.

Morgan Stanley mortgage employees say they faced pressure from the firm’s wealth advisers to approve loans for affluent clients despite underwriting concerns, The Wall Street Journal reported.

ERA’s Alex Vidal defended private premarketing via Compass, but critics cite reduced early exposure and unclear evidence of better seller outcomes.

For Unlock MLS, the partnership is intended to help subscribers adopt AI technology while maintaining data security.

Louisville is urged to evaluate whether public housing dollars are concentrating opportunity among a small set of repeat developers. The column calls for capacity-building that grows the number of qualified firms able to finance, build and scale affordable housing.

AI is replacing the traditional referral as the front door to financial services. Here is how mortgage professionals can meet homebuyers where they are.

The open letter argues housing affordability remains impaired despite improved supply, citing rates and rising taxes and insurance. It proposes 5 actions, including optional prepayment penalties for lower rates, LLPA and FHA MIP cuts, expanded eligibility and a temporary capital gains incentive.

<p>The Supreme Court on Monday gave President Donald Trump sweeping new authority over approximately two dozen multi-member agencies that Congress intended to be independent. By a vote of 6-3, the justices struck down a federal law that bars the president from firing members of the Federal Trade Commission except in cases of “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.” That law, a majority of the justices ruled, violates the constitutional separation of powers between the three branches of government. And in reaching that decision, the court overruled its 91-year-old decision in

<p>Las Vegas is seeing the biggest drop in home prices among the nation’s biggest cities. Nationally, home prices are showing signs of accelerating, but many markets, particularly in the West and in the South, are still seeing big price drops. </p>

<p>Consumer confidence showed signs of recovery this week ahead of the Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy meeting, even as financial markets begin pricing in potential interest rate increases later this year. Morning Consult’s Index of Consumer Sentiment (ICS) rose 1.6 points to reach 91.6. The gain was led primarily by households with annual incomes between $50,000 and $100,000, where sentiment increased by 4.4 points.</p>

Scheduled auctions hit 71% of Q1 2020 levels in Q2 2026, up 13% YoY, while FHA-related completed auctions rose 47% year over year.

loanDepot will open a new corporate center in Miami in September, establishing an East Coast hub that expands its national footprint and centralizes key corporate functions.

Mortgage rates rose from 6.23% to 6.94% after Iran conflict escalation, and brokers now expect about 4 million home sales in 2026.

Dionna Hall — co-CEO of Miami Realtors + RWorld — discusses what's next for BeachesMLS and MIAMI MLS and how agents can demonstrate skill.

Giving Peace (And Bonds?) a Chance Granted, it may be far less promising than some of the more conclusive headlines that led up to previous ceasefires and peace memos, but Tuesday delivered at least a modicum of hope that war sentiment is shifting. In not so many words, an Israeli media outlet reported that U.S./Iran mediators are getting closer to re-implementing the previous memo of understanding that paved the way toward more permanent peace. Markets take this with a grain of salt for obvious reasons, but it was enough to lift stocks and cause a small-but-quick drop in oil prices and bond y

Compass International Holdings agents at company-owned operations get free ARA membership for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027.

<p>Mark D'Addona, principal of ALTA member company Home Abstract Corp. in Brooklyn, N.Y., and president of the New York State Land Title Association, shares the progress New York has made to protect homeowners from deed fraud and equity theft.</p>

FAMP backs a Florida property tax amendment and seeks delays to FHFA condo rule changes, including 15% reserves starting 2027.

<p>Housing wealth held by homeowners age 62 and older climbed to a record $14.92 trillion during the first quarter of 2026, restoring losses from two consecutive quarterly declines and enlarging the pool of equity available to the reverse mortgage market.</p>

Lone Wolf announced Talent, a new module for its BrokerMetrics analytics platform, and Aspen, designed to work Lone Wolf's entire ecosystem.

Bright MLS hires Steve Mapes as EVP of growth and strategy, tasking him with footprint expansion plus revenue and partnerships.

Mortgage rates continued to climb this week and are now approaching 7% for locked loans across all borrower credit profiles. But home purchase and refinance demand hasn't fallen steeply despite the increased affordability pressures.

Newrez delivered a higher profit in the second quarter as servicing performance improved and originations increased compared to the prior quarter.

Ahead of the Fed meeting, yields rose, with the 10-year at 4.60% and oil back below $79, keeping hike odds uncertain.

: Q1 2026 data shows Honolulu cut permit decision times from 73 days to 32.5 days using CivCheck for smaller projects.

Case-Shiller rose 1.1% year over year in May to 335.1, but inflation hit 4.2%, keeping home prices down in real terms.

CPC says brokerage admin fees often run $400 to $600 per side, sometimes over $1,000, and could total nearly $2 billion annually.

Updates are designed to automate workflow management for real estate professionals while helping consumers better understand homeownership.

Equity Prime Mortgage appoints David Abrahamson as chief risk officer, with 40 years of experience and oversight of credit and compliance.

Independent brokerages can compete in a consolidating market by specializing in defined neighborhoods and systematizing local content from listings. Adding AEO alongside SEO improves visibility in AI search, while repeatable frameworks help scale consistency across agents.

Mortgage lock-in is increasingly shifting homeowners into accidental landlord roles as selling becomes less viable. Data show 30-year rates at 6.43% and FHFA estimates lock-in prevented 1.33 million sales from 2022 Q2 to 2023 Q4.

Tax attorneys and accountants are about to make bank helping owners of non-primary homes navigate New York City’s pied-à-terre tax notifications, which started landing in mailboxes before the weekend. “If you have a second home in New York City worth more than $5 (million), check your mailbox when you’re back in the five boroughs – […]

In 2024 and early 2025, homebuilders large, medium and small were smitten with the strategic notion of “land light.” In 2026, and for the near future, most everybody is more preoccupied, and rightly so, with “land right.” Many of the U.S.’s most prolific new-construction markets undergoing some form of “work-out” to winnow down aging spec […]

Compared to Oil, Yields Not Quite as Willing to Drop While the moment-to-moment correlation between bond yields and oil prices remained almost perfectly intact today, yields were less willing to follow the bigger drops. In other words, if we benchmark bonds to oil price movement, they underperformed the drop in oil prices. $139 billion in Treasury auctions and defensive positioning ahead of Wednesday's Fed announcement likely both contributed to that underperformance. Bottom line: it's encouraging to see the willingness to follow oil, but we won't be able to see more unrestrained trading until

Ruth Reffkin launched the Ruth Reffkin Team at Compass in New York City, partnering with Susan Hirschorn as principal strategist.

External moves — agents changing to a different brand — are essentially flat year-over-year at 3,390, a difference of just six from Q2 2025.

After bottoming out around 6.5% in late June, mortgage rates moved steadily higher this month, ultimately hitting 6.85% last Thursday--the highest level in over a year. There was a modest recovery on Friday with a fair amount of intraday changes from the average mortgage lender. Because rates are based on bonds, it's worth noting that bonds are in better shape today compared to Friday's latest levels. But if we use Friday's stronger mid-day levels as a baseline, bonds are just barely stronger. As such, it's no surprise to see mortgage rates just barely lower. The key consideration for the bond

The California-based independent brokerage will implement PurlinOS, Purlin Close and Purlin Offer & Negotiate.

HMDA data in MBA analysis shows the proprietary reverse mortgage share rose to 22% in 2025, while HECM growth stayed mostly flat.

<p>A congressional subcommittee is probing brokerage giant Compass' private listings partnership with the Midwest Real Estate Data multiple listing service to determine if it is anticompetitive. The House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust sent letters this week to Compass CEO Robert Reffkin and MRED CEO Rebecca Jensen requesting a briefing on their business practices.</p>

The Mortgage Bankers Association is urging the Federal Housing Finance Agency to move carefully as it finalizes changes to its Duty to Serve rule.

According to the company, "solopreneurs" lose $4,000 to $10,000 annually in missed tax deductions because of inconsistent expense tracking.

The initiative aims to attract private investment to affordable and workforce housing projects across New Jersey.

Rocktop CRO Erik Eggers says regulatory workload and consolidation-driven transfers are reshaping servicing economics.

Reverse mortgage experts see some trends emerging amid economic uncertainty and high interest rates.

In 2025, the IMF reported that, across the globe, companies, households, and countries had amassed $251 trillion in debt. Looking toward the end of 2026, J.P. Morgan has warned that interest rates on such borrowings are set to spike, owing largely to dwindling populations and diminishing fiscal discipline. JPMorgan’s Joyce Chang and team unpacked the “six D’s” that will shape the global economy under the current and surrounding Administrations: Deficits, deregulation, de-carbonization, de-population, de-globalization, and de-dollarization. Of these factors, two in particular will put upward pr

Judge Jenkins set a Nov. 2, 2026 hearing on Tuccori opt-in settlements, including NAR at $52.25 million, total over $120 million.

Sellers pay the commission in most sales, yet portals show days on market and price cuts, data that can pressure offers and pricing.

The calendar may be telling Beazer Homes investors something Over the past six months, the homebuilding industry’s most closely watched M&A drama has evolved from an unsolicited acquisition proposal into a public test of value, strategy and shareholder patience. Dream Finders Homes has steadily increased its hostile all-cash offer for Beazer Homes – from an […]

It's a pretty simple morning for the bond market (and many other markets). While there's no formal ceasefire, both the U.S. and Iran have indicated a pause in the tit for tat airstrikes that have characterized most of July. Oil dropped sharply on the news though it's not clear exactly how much because markets were fully closed at the time. Still, it's safe to assume a majority of the move in oil/bonds/stocks is directly correlated. This gets 10yr yields just back under the upper line of the long-term trend channel after spending the last 2 days above. Econ data was a non-event this morning, an

The lender’s growth strategy hinges on "growing the pie" by equipping traditional, forward-centric loan officers with the tools and education needed to seamlessly offer reverse mortgages to their clients.

Prophetic CEO Oliver Alexander says AI-native land acquisition can cut site analysis from hours to minutes, enabling builders to evaluate 1,000-2,000 parcels per user each month. With only 1.5% to 2% of US parcels listed at a time, the approach targets off-market discovery and pipeline management.

Made Card co-founder Alex Song says lenders need post-close engagement as recapture rates stay around 20% to 30%. He cites early metrics including 73% of users linking a mortgage within two months and partner savings averaging 15% in 2026.

<p>A Federal Reserve that has zipped its lip on the path for its future interest-rate moves, an unexpectedly resilient U.S. economy, and renewed hostilities with Iran have together driven a selloff in the world’s largest government bond market. In turn, bond prices have slumped, impacting consumers and increasing pressure on Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh, who will lead the central bank’s policy meeting next week.</p>

Mortgage servicers remain responsible for account decisions influenced by vendor AI under OCC model risk guidance, GSE requirements and Treasury AI controls. With Fannie LL-2026-04 effective Aug. 6, 2026, servicers need AI inventories, stronger vendor contract terms and borrower-specific adverse action explanations.

<p>When they head to the polls in November, Americans will have a rare opportunity to use their voting power to directly shape tax policy. Ballooning government spending and growing tax burdens across the U.S. have led to the inclusion of 26 ballot initiatives concerning tax rates across 13 states. For 128 million American voters, particularly working-class and middle-class individuals bearing a significant tax burden, these ballot measures will test voter moods on increased government spending, as well as where that spending should come from. </p>

<p>With home prices around the United States nearing record highs, a new data analysis shows that foreclosure filings nationwide have spiked as well. Nationwide, foreclosure filings spiked 21% in the first six months of 2026 compared to the same time last year, according to an analysis of ATTOM data by ABC News and ABC Owned Television Stations. Compared to this time in 2024, they are up 28%, according to the data.</p>

<p>Buying a brand-new home with modern finishes, new appliances, a builder warranty and perhaps a community pool doesn’t sound like the most affordable way to become a homeowner.</p>

<p>Home buying is a game of numbers, and often a game of chance. Timing, the right broker and wooing letters can mean the difference between winners and losers. Then come the deep-pocketed speculators and cash-in-hand buyers who can blow other prospective buyers off the board. Craig Johnson, the longtime mayor of the Chicago suburb Elk Grove Village, Ill., figured there had to be an equalizer.</p>

<p>For generations, real estate has been the primary vehicle for building intergenerational wealth in America. But for older adults and Black homeowners, that vehicle has also made them a target, says Scott Kohanowski, general counsel at the Center for NYC Neighborhoods.</p>

<p>Renewed hostilities in the Middle East are driving a prolonged selloff in U.S. government bonds, sending yields to new 18-month highs and lifting borrowing costs for businesses and consumers.</p>

<p>In 81 percent of large counties in the United States, homes were less affordable in 2025 than they were 20 years earlier, according to new data from the National Association of Realtors.</p>

<p>New default activity among Federal Housing Administration borrowers fell 15% year over year in June 2026, the largest annual decline in more than four years, offering a rare bright spot in a mortgage market still navigating elevated foreclosure activity, according to new data from Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.</p>

<p>Testifying at his confirmation hearing, CFPB Director nominee Brian Johnson declined to endorse efforts to eliminate the agency. Appearing before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Johnson said, “That is not my intention. The CFPB is a creature of statute.” He added, “My intention is to execute the law.”</p>

<p>Millennials were supposed to be one generation with one story — priced out, saddled with debt, perpetually behind. Jessica Lautz, has been tracking this story for years, even commissioning an annual “generational trends” report from her perch as deputy chief economist at the National Association of Realtors. When the report was released in April, she told Fortune that we’re at the point where it’s a structural issue: older millennials are now living a boomer-style existence where they can expect to own their own homes, while their younger counterparts aren’t so lucky.</p>

Spreads were 1.94%, keeping rates below 7%, while purchase apps were up 0.2% yearly and pending sales held near flat.

Coldwell Banker Warburg will operate as Warburg at Compass in New York, and Compass has not set a timeline for the transition.

A 21% rise in foreclosures reflects normalization, not a crisis, as new listings stay low and homeowner equity remains high.

A New York City attorney lays out red flags that real estate agents and title agents should remain on the lookout for.

How Technical Do You Want to Be? There are always multiple technical lenses through which to view market movement, but the simplest involve trendlines and level lines. Yield movement has largely held inside the same high/low trendlines since October 2025, so that's a useful trend to keep tabs on the big picture. On a separate note, it's almost always worthwhile to keep tabs on the most recent long-term highs/lows. The past 2 days have seen yields flirt with both of these technical frameworks. Yesterday, we broke above the upper trendline and the long-term high. Today, we recovered under the lo

If you're just tuning in, mortgage rates had a rough day yesterday on top of a rough week overall. The result was the highest 30yr fixed rate in over a year with our index moving up to 6.85%. As has been and continues to be the case, rate momentum has been strongly correlated with oil/gas price momentum. With that in mind, it's no surprise to see rates moving lower on a day where oil prices recovered from their recent highs. That's the good news, and it brings the rate index down 0.04% to 6.81%. The not-so-good news is that 6.81% is still the highest in more than a year apart from yesterday. B

Berkshire closed its Taylor Morrison acquisition at $72.50 per share, valuing equity at $6.8B and EV at $8.5B.

If you do not build it, they cannot come. If you cannot permit it, you cannot build it, and they cannot come. NVR Q2 2026 results offer a sharp counterpoint to the strategic shifts now underway across public homebuilding. Lennar has boldly reset its enterprise around a more asset-light on-demand land investment structure. D.R. Horton […]

The company recently was named the fastest-growing brokerage by five year transaction side percentage on the 2026 RealTrends Verified GameChangers list.

New home sales rebounded modestly in June, recovering some of the previous month's decline, though activity remained below year-ago levels as elevated mortgage rates and affordability challenges continued to weigh on demand. According to the latest Census Bureau and HUD data, sales of new single-family homes rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 628,000 , up 1.6% from May but 5.6% lower than one year earlier. In the bigger picture, this sector has been broadly flat ever since the post-covid volatility died down in early 2023. Inventory edged slightly lower during the month. The number o

June Census data shows new home sales at a 628,000 annual pace, up 1.6% from May but down 5.6% year over year. The median price fell to $398,300 and the market carried 9.3 months of supply.

New home sales are staying in a 600,000 to 700,000 range, limiting permits as builders rely on rate buydowns.

Mortgage application activity rebounded last week as stronger home purchase demand offset a modest decline in refinancing, even with borrowing costs climbing to their highest level since last August. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 1.9% increase in total application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending July 17. Purchase applications increased 6% from the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis and were 0.2% higher than the same week one year ago. The gain suggests that improving housing inventory continues to support buyer activity despite elevated m

The merger expands the organization to approximately 94,000 members across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin and St. Lucie counties.

<p><em>By Mark D’Addona</em><br>In Brooklyn and across New York City, many families are living in homes that tell the story of their lives. A brownstone in Bedford-Stuyvesant, a row house in Crown Heights or a family home passed down through generations may not feel like a financial asset to the person who lives there. It is the place where children were raised, holidays were celebrated and neighbors became extended family.</p>

Odds are, anything you buy was transported using diesel fuel, the price of which has shot up after Russia banned exports of it, impacting farmers, trains, trucks… kind of nearly everything. Today is “Pie and Beer” Day in Utah, aka Pioneer Day, and having parades is costly. It was also celebrated last year, and the year before, and the year before. What were we talking about a year ago? We were interested in how FHA and VA wanted early payoffs when loans traded below par. At that point, JPMorgan Chase was very active in MBS issuance, and most banks preferred short duration products like HELOCs

ICE said June delinquency was 3.55% and FHA new defaults fell 15% year over year, while foreclosure inventory rose to 0.53%.

It's a straightforward morning in the bond market. We're not seeing any of the sorts of "unseen hand" trading that accounted for the timing of yesterday's pre-market weakness. We simply have oil prices erasing about half of yesterday's rise. Bond yields are trying their best to be able to say the same, but they're not recovering quite as much as oil. It doesn't much matter. If anything, it's reassuring to see the correlation persist as it underpins the expectation that bonds are at least capable of a better recovery if oil moves back down to/toward June's levels. Econ data is very light. Volat

Prepare for seller comparisons by checking competitor MLS stats and shifting the conversation to trust, service model and outcomes.

House letters to Compass and MRED seek an August 5 briefing on private listing networks, as calls grow for clearer MLS rules nationwide.

Brokerages can create and automatically publish branded videos and posts that highlight recruiting messaging.

New York City is not dead. Dead cities do not command global capital, fill Broadway theaters or charge $28 for a cocktail with three ingredients and a story. But the version of New York that anchored American economic gravity for much of the last century is weakening. What is changing is not the city’s brand. […]

Two senior AEs describe how originators are adjusting to a higher-rate market by focusing on what they can control. They highlight HELOC and non-QM opportunities, niche targeting such as self-employed borrowers and using AEs as proactive scenario partners.

Generative AI is flooding housing and mortgage feeds with similar content, reducing the value of visibility alone. With trust in AI for home search down to 16% and 55% preferring a human for mortgages, the author argues authority comes from position, point of view and proof.

The commonly cited 65% homeownership figure is an owner-occupancy rate that counts owner-occupied units, not adult owners. A proposed homeowners-to-population ratio estimates 53% of US adults own a home, and 13.9% live in owner-occupied homes but likely are not owners.

Mortgage lenders and servicers report that legacy systems are limiting efficiency and increasing compliance and security exposure. Most are attempting migrations, but long timelines and resource constraints keep many organizations stuck mid-transition.

<p>Nine in ten lenders now use some form of digital mortgage during origination, up from 74% just two years ago, according to a survey of 100 lenders spanning banks, credit unions and independent mortgage banks. For the remaining 10%, the gap is starting to show up on the bottom line: lenders using eNotes can save up to $300 per loan, per a white paper from the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization (MISMO).</p>

<p>The average rate on 30-year fixed home loans reached 6.58% for the week ending July 23, up 3 basis points from 6.55% the previous week and the highest since early August 2025, according to Freddie Mac. For perspective, rates averaged 6.74% during the same period in 2025.</p>

<p>Widowhood can reduce a household’s income while leaving the cost of sustaining the same life unchanged—or even higher. Of the $124 trillion in assets that Cerulli Associates estimates will change hands through 2048, $54 trillion is first expected to pass between spouses. Of that sum, more than 95% will go to women.</p>

<p>The MBA’s Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 1.9% over the seven-day period ending July 17, as 6% weekly growth in the seasonally adjusted purchase index offset a 2% pullback in refinances.</p>

<p>Boundary disputes between neighboring properties (residential and commercial) are common. These include disputed driveways, fences, garages, and sheds. Often, one of the neighboring properties may seek to claim adverse possession along an assumed boundary or portion of the neighbor’s property.</p>

<p>While Gen Z potential homebuyers are planning to make a lower down payment than other age groups, the next segment on the ladder, millennials, along with baby boomers, expect to offer the largest, a LendingTree study said.</p>

<p>Mortgage rates have been above 6% for the majority of 2026, and have hovered right around 6.5% over the last few months. While these are not the highest rates borrowers have seen in the last few years, they're not particularly ideal, either. At an average mortgage rate of 6.625%, a median-priced home of $403,200 would come with a monthly payment of nearly $2,600 on a 30-year loan. Homebuyers don't need to take today's high rates lying down, though</p>

“A rose is a rose is a rose,” according to a 1913 poem Gertrude Stein wrote, called Sacred Emily. In our more earthbound sphere of residential development, investment and construction, a tacit belief is common, but misleading. Peal back a layer or two, and it is clear. A homebuilder is not a homebuilder is not […]

Bonds Not Keen To Catch Falling Knives Oil lurched higher again overnight which kept generalized pressure on the bond market and the Fed rate outlook. The nearness to long-term highs had traders feeling very reluctant to step in and "buy the dip" in bond prices. This is the kind of move you'd rather see play out in full before reloading TSY longs. Complicating factors included earnings season (and the prospect for corporate issuance detracting from TSY/MBS demand), pre-ECB defensiveness, and MBS-specific underperformance. The latter could simply be the result of a line in the sand being crosse

Howard Hanna partners with Portside, gaining Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts reach, and expanding to 18 states and 500+ offices.

While AARP agrees Congress must address Social Security, the organization wants lawmakers to do so through traditional legislative processes.

With CrossCountry Mortgage’s deal to acquire Two Harbors Investment Corp. one step closer to the finish line after securing shareholder approval, the focus is shifting to what may be the next major challenge: integrating the businesses.

The new membership platform will give independent firms access to enterprise-grade artificial intelligence-powered operations.

<p>The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette details an alleged deed fraud scheme involving at least 43 Pittsburgh-area properties that were transferred without their owners’ knowledge using forged documents and fake notary stamps. The scheme was uncovered after Ally Settlement Co., a local title company, investigated suspicious deeds, identified a broader pattern and alerted county officials, the Pennsylvania Land Title Association, andhttps://www.post-gazette.com/business/money/2026/07/23/pittsburgh-allegheny-county-deed-fraud/stories/202607210027https://www.post-gazette.com/business/money/2026/07/23/pitt

Keller Williams named five senior leaders to growth roles spanning U.S. and Canada divisions, KW Commercial, agent attraction and digital.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani ran and won on bringing affordability and stronger rent stabilization to the city’s residents. Landlords are having none of it. They sued in Staten Island court over a recent rent freeze, claiming the decision process was rigged. The lawsuit comes nearly a month after the Rent Guidelines Board froze […]

CFPB nominee Brian Johnson faced Senate questions on independence, a dropped Capital One case and proposed examiner cuts.

Mortgage rates hit 6.85% as the 10-year yield reached 4.71% amid Iran headlines, oil over $90, and a 36% chance of a Fed rate hike.

Voters in key states and districts support larger federal housing investments, following the21st Century ROAD to Housing Act's passage

Wendy Gilch outlines recurring consumer risk issues across lending, appraisals and agent fees. She points to HEIs, UAD 3.6 adoption on Nov. 2, 2026, and claims of broker steering, urging clearer disclosures.

Plaintiffs in Sitzer Burnett and Gibson ask Judge Bough to compel MLS data sharing via NAR settlement, after FBS refusal.

The brokerage said the updated platform is designed to improve the online experience for homebuyers, sellers and agents.

Elevated rates and financial strain are expected to keep reverse mortgage borrowing power constrained through the end of the year.

There are only twelve (12) legislative days left until the November election, and today on The Big Picture attorney Mitch Kider and I will discuss what that means for lenders as well as other regulatory topics. Rates aren’t doing much. Deals continue to happen as the big get bigger (the latest example being Union Home buying AmeriTrust to shoot for $20 billion a year; Rocket closed on a multibillion-dollar credit agreement with JPMorganChase that will replace the facility it took out while two of its large acquisitions were pending last year) and lawsuits are filed, and are resolved (the lates

Fathom’s Q1 2026 10-Q cites material weaknesses and potential misstatements, tied to former CEOs and a 2021 side agreement.

<p>October Research's Mary Schuster highlights a federal fraud case involving allegedly altered title insurance policies to warn that digital documents can no longer be trusted based on appearance alone. She urges real estate professionals to verify critical documents through trusted sources and use layered safeguards, including metadata reviews and AI-assisted screening, while emphasizing that technology cannot replace independent verification and professional judgment.</p>

Welcome to post-Iran-War 2026. The only real relief for bonds since then was seen in June when there was hope that the war was over or at least winding down. Gas prices are back to multi-year highs. Inflation fears are back at the forefront. Even the ECB is flagging rate hike risks that could play out by the end of the year. This morning is seeing more of the same in terms of another pop in oil prices push yields higher overnight followed by additional selling in early domestic trading. Technicals could be adding emphasis given the breakout of various support levels. The ECB announcement didn'

Mortgage data breaches often expose decades of records. Notification deadlines increasingly run from discovery, so long delays can deepen legal and

Non-QM loans are unfairly stigmatized by the 2008 subprime crisis. Today's non-agency lending serves highly creditworthy, self-employed borrowers backed by strict Ability-to-Repay regulations and risk-retention rules.

Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group adopted EOS to strengthen alignment, accountability and issue resolution across mortgage banking functions. The CFO argues disciplined execution and clear priorities are a controllable competitive advantage when rates and markets shift.

House subcommittee asks Compass and MRED for briefings by Aug. 5 on PLNs, citing transparency and competition concerns.

Pulte's earnings show BTO share climbing to 45% in Q2 as cycle times hit 100 days, and gross margins improving to 25%.

The House passed H.R. 6955 by 270-154, easing capital and supervision rules and some merger reviews for community banks.

Just Another Reasonably Bad Day For Bonds Bonds had a bad day for the 3rd time this week. The weakness was reasonable in light of fuel prices hitting the highest level since 2022 by some measures. That said, the intraday correlation between bonds and oil/gas/etc wasn't overly compelling. We continue to view oil as a bad actor in the background--something that adds general pressure via the inflation outlook. Nitty gritty market movers require conjecture today. The only thing jumping off the screen was a vertical leap by the short end of the curve between 9:30am-10:00am ET. The timing suspicious

NAR’s Q2 report details strategic plan progress, including DOJ letters, Tuccori settlement steps, and new broker and data tools.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took a big step toward clearing the path for developers to build smaller apartment buildings more affordably. Whitmer signed Michigan’s single-stair legislation into law this week, a green light for developers to build multifamily housing up to six stories more economically, with a single interior exit stairway. Michigan housing advocates say the […]

HousingWire Data reveals how elevated mortgage rates are reshaping local housing markets, with more affordable metros proving more resilient.

We have bad news and slightly less bad news. Starting with the latter, today's mortgage rates are only marginally higher than they were yesterday with the average top tier 30yr fixed rate up 0.02%. The bad news is that this takes our rate index to 6.77%--the highest level since July 28th, 2025. Mortgage rates are driven by the bond market and bonds remain under pressure from a renewed surge in fuel prices. Specifically, higher fuel prices and additional uncertainty about the Iran war increase inflation expectations, and it's inflation that is the actual thorn in the bond market's side. Last we

SERHANT. appointed Nick Janovsky luxury sales director for Tampa Bay, citing $250 million in volume and 340-plus deals.

National mortgage lender HighTechLending has rolled out major enhancements to its EquitySelect product line, expanding borrower eligibility, raising maximum loan-to-value ratios and widening access to low-payment qualification options.

South Carolina- based Movement Mortgage has launched a national Diverse Lending Support Team and an in-house Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) mortgage product to serve more Spanish-speaking homebuyers.

There’s always something in the news, whether it is Jimothy the raccoon in the Northwest, or the Canadian wildfire smoke in the Northeast which coincided with more tariffs directed at Canada. Homebuilders, and those who lend to them, know that materials from Canada are already subject to tariffs, but the new tariffs could affect building materials such as (primarily) cement, doors, heating and ventilation equipment, glass, and plywood products. Speaking of building, the artificial intelligence boom in the United States is being matched by a data center building boom. There are more than 3,000

Under the agreement, the Realtors Association of Citrus County will retain its independence as an association.

Public homebuilders say they care about housing affordability. Their earnings calls reveal a more immediate set of priorities: protecting margins, controlling inventory and preserving pricing power. In Dallas-Fort Worth, the consequences are easiest to see south of Main Street, where teachers, nurses, police officers, firefighters, linemen, tradespeople and young families are trying to turn ordinary […]

For those not interested in overcomplicating things, it's fair enough to simply observe the resurgence of hostilities in the Iran war prompting a resurgence of fuel prices and bond selling due to inflation expectations. Earnings season in equities has added to volatility in the 9:30am-10am hour on each of the past 2 mornings. We seem to be breaking from that trend today, but stock/bond volatility could easily return for better or worse. Last but not least, there are ultra-big-picture strategic considerations that may be having an impact at a glacial pace in the background. The latest example w

PLACE hired Mike Ryan as EVP of business development. He joins from OJO Labs and Lower, including the Movoto portal.

MBA data show mortgage applications rose 1.9% as the 30-year conforming rate increased to 6.69% and purchases rose 6% week over week.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill added her state to a growing list banning algorithmic pricing tools blamed for higher apartment rents. Sherrill signed the Forbidding the Algorithmic Inflation of Rent (FAIR) Act into law Monday in Newark. New Jersey becomes the fourth state to regulate software lawmakers and regulators said allowed landlords to coordinate rents. […]

<p>The number of homes owned by institutional investors listed for sale is, as of this month, more than double what it was at the start of February, according to an analysis provided exclusively to Property Play by Parcl Labs, a real estate data provider.</p>

Mortgage accountability depends on reconstructable processes, but many AI tools do not preserve decision records in an auditable way. In a multi-vendor stack, the risk concentrates at interfaces, increasing compliance and repurchase exposure.

<p>The hack has brought Romania's entire real-estate market to a standstill as official apps and websites have been offline for a week. Notaries can't record new transactions while citizens can't obtain proof of ownership or detailed land records.</p>

<p>The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs has scheduled a confirmation hearing on Thursday for Brian Johnson, President Trump’s nominee to serve as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).</p>

<p>The cost of putting a roof over your head has become the defining economic grievance for a generation of American voters, and mortgage professionals have a front-row seat to why.</p>

The article argues the three-year model code cycle encourages incremental changes without enough time to measure real-world performance. Erickson calls for stricter evidence standards and more uniform local review so safety, durability and affordability stay in balance.

<p>Widowhood can reduce a household’s income while leaving the cost of sustaining the same life unchanged—or even higher. Of the $124 trillion in assets that Cerulli Associates estimates will change hands through 2048, $54 trillion is first expected to pass between spouses. Of that sum, more than 95% will go to women.</p>

<p>Mortgage rates have been above 6% for the majority of 2026, and have hovered right around 6.5% over the last few months. While these are not the highest rates borrowers have seen in the last few years, they're not particularly ideal, either. At an average mortgage rate of 6.625%, a median-priced home of $403,200 would come with a monthly payment of nearly $2,600 on a 30-year loan. Homebuyers don't need to take today's high rates lying down, though</p>

<p>United Wholesale Mortgage is denying accusations in a new lawsuit that one of its executives defamed a title company during a corporate event last year.</p>

<p>The account is real. The credentials are real. The employee is not. Synthetic insiders use stolen identities, deepfake technology and remotely controlled devices to get hired, pass background checks and log in through approved accounts: access that looks legitimate because it is legitimate. The person operating it is not who the company believes it hired.</p>

<p>Construction has driven a surprise jump in June U.S. housing starts, but Oxford Economics warns that the strength was concentrated in apartments and other multifamily projects rather than a broad-based housing surge.</p>

On Monday, President Donald Trump threatened to impose 50% tariffs on most Canadian goods, raising questions about the potential impacts on homebuilders and residential construction costs.

Few homebuilding enterprises look so voraciously at other homebuilding operators’ share of new-home sales in any given arena as present and future opportunity as does D.R. Horton. When those Horton flags flap in the dry summer wind, you can almost hear them as lips smacking in anticipation of a good meal later in the day. […]

Advisors say the JMG deal validates team model M&A, but valuations still depend on EBITDA, margins, and scalable lead sources.

New data shows listings of single-family rental homes owned by institutional investors have more than doubled since early February.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is proposing a new structure, called Reinstatement Advance Payment (RAP), that would change how servicers document and service partial claims and payment supplements.

Headwinds, Cont'd "Headwinds, Cont'd" could be apply to the entirety of 2022-2026 or just March-July of 2026. But let's just focus on today's installment. For the second day this week, there wasn't any stellar correlation between bonds and other markets, econ data, or news headlines. Still, we wouldn't say that today's moderate weakness was a mystery move. In fact, it may even be fairly straightforward. Fuel prices came into the week at the highest level since May 19th (which was the highest since 2022). Front month oil futures spiked in the early AM hours and the peak coincided with the peak

In late July, 2025, 30yr fixed rates embarked on an excellent adventure, moving down from 6.75% on July 31st to 5.99% by late February, 2026. Since then, things haven't been great thanks to war-related fuel price drama and stronger econ data (the supreme court ruling on tariffs didn't help either, because it increased Treasury issuance implications). Regardless of motivations, the net effect was a return to 6.75% on May 19th, 2026. Momentum has been fairly sideways since then, with the 6.75% level being revisited last Monday and now again today. For those who want to keep the analysis simple,

Equifax will keep its $1 VantageScore 4.0 price in place through the end of 2027 as it pushes mortgage lenders to adopt the alternative credit score model, CEO Mark Begor told investors.

Housing wealth among homeowners age 62 and up rebounded to a record high in the first quarter after declining the previous two quarters.

Jay Papasan will step down as a Keller Williams executive on Aug. 1 after joining in 2000, while continuing books, coaching, and a podcast.

Zillow data shows 300,000 listed empty lots could cut the U.S. housing shortage by 6.3%, highlighting scattered-lot opportunities.

A partial building collapse in New York City may more likely be explained by contractor error than from inherent risks in large-scale office-to-residential conversions. An engineer on the former Pfizer headquarters conversion told Gothamist that workers failed to reinforce columns as designed. The columns buckled and prompted evacuations across seven Manhattan Midtown East blocks. The […]

HUD suspended VIHFA funding after a probe of $1.9 billion in CDBG DR aid cited mismanagement, false certifications and improper payments.

HomeAdvantage and Valley First Credit Union launched a real estate rewards program that pays eligible members 20% of agent commission.

Google expanded its real estate listings pilot nationwide with HouseCanary, while MLS feed agreements will shape how fast coverage grows.

A real estate agent explains how AI sped up content and site building but exposed how generic automated writing can sound. By feeding prior scripts into the workflow, AI became a tool to express judgment and perspective more consistently.

Gershman launched a 5-day HELOC up to $750,000, while Truss introduced a DSCR HELOC up to $1 million for investors.

People who say that residential lending and the state or federal governments aren’t intertwined have to look no further than the CFPB. Their new office spaces fit 550. There are 1,100 currently. They will get there? Theoretically only Congress can actually shut down the CFPB, in the Senate with 60 or more votes, and the CFPB is still functioning with a regulatory agenda… which doesn’t include RESPA! 1974’s RESPA could be too tough to eliminate, especially Section 8, the anti-kickback provision and no one wants to come out against that. On today’s Mortgage Law Today (3 PM ET), presented by Polu

<p>While the standard U.S. homeownership rate is about 65%, a Federal Reserve economist’s new measurement finds that only 53% of American adults live in a home they own. The difference largely reflects adults—particularly younger people—who live with parents or other homeowners, highlighting the growing challenges younger generations face in achieving homeownership.</p>

While last week's CPI and PPI reports were unabashedly great news, the bond market spent Friday and yesterday gradually unwinding most of the resulting gains. The least complicated way to approach this phenomenon would be to observe that fuel prices spent the same 2 days breaking to the highest levels since May 19th and they continue to hold near those highs today. Even without that fuel price rally, we were already skeptical that June inflation data was a durable justification for lower yields in light of the resurgence of the Iran war in July and the associated resurgence of inflation risks.

New Week. Same Old Story While we certainly CAN put short term market movement under a microscope and entertain various potential sources of motivation, it's just as good to take a few giant steps back and observe the bigger picture trend. When we do, we see a decisively weaker trend since October 2025 with additional volatility and selling pressure after the start of the Iran war. Unsurprisingly resurgence of hostilities has put upward pressure on both fuel prices and bond yields. This is definitely one of those "under the microscope" market movers at the start of the week. There were also so

Last week ended on a promising note with Friday's rates falling just barely below the previous Friday's levels. This was a relief after the top-tier 30yr fixed rate matched 11-month highs for the average lender earlier in the week. Unfortunately, rates are starting the new week by heading back toward those highs. Our 30yr fixed rate index is up from 6.63% on Friday to 6.71% today. Many lenders raised rates in the middle of the day in response to weakness in the bond market. In general, that weakness is underpinned by renewed fighting in Iran (or more specifically, the effect of that fighting o

Dang. I don’t know why I put my entire retirement plan into SpaceX stock… it has lost $1 trillion in book value since its post-IPO high. In 2026 Fannie’s stock price is down 44 percent, and Freddie’s stock price is down 46 percent. Did you sink your 401(k) into either, when doing a “re-IPO” was the talk of the Trump Administration? (Speaking of Fannie, rumors are flying that Fannie Lender Letter LL-2026-04 on AI will be followed by a more prescriptive framework.) One would hope that the industry has input into Freddie and Fannie’s activities. Mortgage leaders have limited influence over many o

You've seen the "good vibes only" t-shirt perhaps? Bond traders left theirs at home this morning. That's unfortunate as there isn't much beyond vibes to set the tone this week. Over the weekend, bad vibes came courtesy of another round of escalation in the Iran war. Additionally, the safe-haven buying that helped bonds on Friday has reversed course somewhat as stocks find their footing. At 7:30am, news of a proposed 10-day ceasefire caused yields and fuel prices to drop quickly but not excessively. 30 minutes later, the move was reversed after Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Ar

<p>In <em>Boerschig v. Rio Grande Electrical Cooperative Inc.</em>, the Supreme Court of Texas, in a four-justice opinion, a concurrence and four dissents, determined that an electric cooperative holds an easement by estoppel for a distribution line but, disregarding a jury finding, also found as a matter of law that a significant upgrade of that line exceeded the easement’s scope.</p>

<p>Younger generations are starting to buy their first homes—and are increasingly seeking out the necessary protections to support that goal.</p>

<p>Warehouse developers are breaking ground on new buildings, betting that a yearslong slump in industrial real-estate demand is over.</p>

<p>A number of top Federal Reserve officials signaled a strict crackdown on sticky inflation, setting a hawkish tone ahead of the next policy meeting later this month. Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh made his first Congressional appearance in the new role last Tuesday, telling lawmakers that members of the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee “have no tolerance for persistently elevated inflation.” </p>

<p>Even as home price gains have slowed, buying a house doesn’t appear to be getting any easier. Homebuyer affordability slid in June for the fifth consecutive month, according to the National Association of Realtors’ latest housing affordability index.</p>

<p>Homeownership has become so unattainable over the past five years that just a fraction of the country’s population lives in areas where buying a property is affordable. Only three states meet the affordability standard for homeownership, according to a recent study from moving services firm HireAHelper. The study defined “affordable” as a mortgage payment that makes up 30 percent or less of a state’s median income.</p>

<p>Out-of-town home shoppers are now the dominant force in the vast majority of the nation’s largest housing markets, according to a new report from Realtor.com analyzing online listing activity in Q4 of 2025.</p>

<p>In this week’s episode of WSJ’s Take On the Week, co-hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried are joined by Rob Kaplan, vice chairman at Goldman Sachs and a former Federal Reserve president.</p>

Roughly Unchanged After Gradual Weakness Bonds ended the day roughly unchanged despite this morning's stronger start. With the S&P falling back to the lows of the day, we can't really blame asset allocation trading between stocks and bonds. It's easier to blame a mid-day surge in fuel prices (especially after 11am) which may have been related to headlines regarding U.S. missiles striking an oil tanker docked at Kharg Island. All told, it was still a victorious week with yields ending up slightly lower than last Friday. The week ahead is marked by limited data and the pre-FOMC blackout period.

The good news is that mortgage rates ended the day at their lowest levels of the week. That's welcome news after Monday's rates matched the highest seen since July 2025. Today's improvement came courtesy of weakness in the stock market, which is not necessarily a common or reliable source of inspiration for rates these days. But a majority of this week's drop is tied to back-to-back inflation reports coming in much lower than expected. The bad news goes back to the long-term highs seen on Monday. In a short-term context, we've definitely seen solid improvement since then. In the bigger picture

Residential construction rebounded in June as housing starts and completions recovered from May's unusually weak levels, though building permits continued to trend lower. The latest Census Bureau data suggests that while builders remain cautious about future projects, construction activity itself regained momentum after last month's sharp pullback. Privately owned housing starts jumped 19.0% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.427 million , reversing much of May's decline and coming in 3.5% above the June 2025 pace. The headline increase was driven almost entirely by multifamily construc

Pending home sales declined in June as elevated mortgage rates and record-high home prices continued to weigh on buyer demand. The National Association of Realtors' Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), which tracks signed contracts on existing homes, fell 5.4% from May and was down 0.3% compared with a year earlier. The latest report suggests affordability remains a significant hurdle for prospective buyers. While employment gains continue to support household finances, higher borrowing costs and elevated home prices have kept many buyers, particularly first-time purchasers, on the sidelines. “The

Builder sentiment weakened further in July as affordability challenges and ongoing economic uncertainty continued to weigh on the market for new single-family homes. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) slipped two points to 34 , marking the 15th consecutive month the index has remained below 40--the longest such stretch since 2012. The latest reading reflects persistent headwinds for the industry, with elevated mortgage rates, rising material costs, expensive land and ongoing labor shortages continuing to limit both builder confidence and buy

Mortgage application volume declined again last week as higher borrowing costs weighed on home purchase demand. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 2.7% decrease in total application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending July 10, even as refinance activity posted a modest rebound. Purchase applications fell 7% from the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis and were 2% lower than the same week one year ago, marking a pullback after purchase demand had outpaced year-ago levels in recent weeks. Refinance activity moved in the opposite direction, with the R

I was speaking with a friend recently, and I asked her what she does for lunch. She replied, “Zentangle.” Yup, it’s a thing, something that wasn’t around when I was a kid. When I was a kid, people living on the street were known as homeless. Now the term is the “unhoused.” When I was a kid, any vacant house was usually creepy and rumored to have someone living there eating cat food. Now… of the nearly 150 million housing units in the United States, over 10 percent are vacant. Approximately 89.7 percent of the housing units in the United States in the first quarter 2026 were occupied, per the C

In a month where bonds have made a visible reconnection with fuel prices thanks to the Iran war resurgence, there have been several notable departures in the correlation. Today is the latest example. If we're splitting hairs, we can still observe yields and fuel prices generally moving in the same direction overnight, but when fuel prices surged between 4am and 9am, bonds didn't really follow. One of the only ways to reconcile that phenomenon is via the fairly brisk selling in equities. S&P futures have repeatedly bumped into resistance around 7630. Thursday was the latest failure to break tha

<p>Mortgage rates edged up to the highest level in a year, delivering a fresh blow to the housing market. Mortgage rates jumped 6 basis points to an average of 6.55%, according to new data on Thursday from Freddie Mac. That’s the highest level for the 30-year rate since late August, about 11 months ago.</p>

<p>The average monthly payment on a new vehicle is now $770, up nearly 3% from a year earlier, according to Experian. The increase follows a sharp run-up in both vehicle prices and borrowing costs: New-car prices are almost 30% higher than they were in 2020, while auto-loan rates hit more than 7.5% in February 2026, compared with about 4.5% in early 2022.</p>

<p>Foreclosures continued to climb in the first half of the year, approaching levels that haven't been seen since 2019, and Florida is leading the nation. In the first six months of 2026, there were more than 227,000 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings, up 21% from the same period last year, according to real estate data and analytics provider ATTOM.</p>

<p>The Labor Department reported Thursday that seasonally adjusted initial unemployment insurance claims totaled 208,000 for the week ending July 11, a decrease of 8,000 from the prior week's revised level. The previous week's figure was revised up by 1,000, from 215,000 to 216,000, according to the Department of Labor.</p>

<p>The Mortgage Banker Association's Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, fell 2.7% over the same seven-day period as a 4% weekly increase in the seasonally adjusted refinance index could not offset a 7% drop in its purchase counterpart.</p>

<p>Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh appeared before lawmakers on Capitol Hill to deliver his semiannual testimony to the House Finance Committee. He told lawmakers June’s monthly drop in inflation does not mean “Mission Accomplished.”</p>

Ultimately Uneventful Despite Modest Weakness Bonds lost ground modestly today with the ultimate damage being roughly an eighth of a point for MBS and less than a bp for 10yr yields. The selling was led by the short end of the curve (i.e. 2yr yields were up 1.5bps). There wasn't any obvious catalyst apart from an ongoing surge in fuel prices. Perhaps most notably, fuel futures peaked at the same time as bond yields and both declined together after that. We're also not bothered by the short end leading the selling considering how resoundingly it led the rally over the past 2 days. Bottom line:

While some news stories suggest that rates are the highest in 11 months today, that's not quite true. The highest rates of the year were seen on July 13th and May 19th when our 30yr fixed index hit 6.75%. The index was at 6.68% today, up from 6.64% yesterday. Any news regarding "highest rates since August 2025" is almost certainly citing Freddie Mac's weekly rate index which takes a 5 day trailing average rate through Wednesday and reports it on Thursday. As for the reason for today's increase, there really isn't a satisfying scapegoat. The strongest case to be made is that bond yields (highly

Nearly every lender is at least learning about AI, but on the flip side there are things like New York’s ban on data centers. Lenders and vendors are not the only ones riding the tech wave, and no LO wants to be behind their client in tech knowledge. Consumers are now researching affordability, neighborhoods, and monthly payments long before contacting a lender. So, the next competitive advantage in mortgage lending lies in engaging buyers earlier through real-time affordability tools, personalized insights, and integrated financing experiences that build trust before rate shopping begins. In

The term "crack spread" is quickly becoming mainstream--especially over the past few weeks. It's more of a concept than a specific metric, but it most frequently refers to the margin between input and output costs for fuel (gas, diesel, etc). Petro-nerds seem to like the 3-2-1 crack spread, which covers both gas and diesel (3 barrels of oil margin vs 2 barrels of gas and 1 barrel of diesel). While it's true that we could simply look at RBOB or ULSD futures to gauge price changes at the pump, crack spreads speak to the current state of supply/demand imbalance. They suggest conditions remain tig

<p>Lawmakers are stepping up efforts to combat deed theft, but most U.S. states, particularly those in less populated regions, still lack meaningful protections against title fraud, according to a new report cited by National Mortgage News. The article also highlights other efforts to address the issue, including New York City’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention and ALTA’s 49 and 49.1 endorsements, which provide added coverage for certain seller impersonation and post-policy forgery risks.</p>

Wednesday's Gains Had More Staying Power Than Tuesday's Both Tuesday's CPI and Wednesday's PPI came in much lower than expected. Both resulted in fairly big bond rallies. Whereas Tuesday's rally faded gradually after the initial pop, Wednesday's rally continued at a moderate pace as the day progressed. The only trade off was that the initial pop was a bit smaller. The net effect is that yields fell to the same levels seen in the few minutes following Tuesday's CPI. In that sense, the rally implies clear resistance at a 10yr yield level of 4.54%. From a strategic standpoint, rate watchers must

Mortgage rates moved lower again today following another lower-than-expected reading on an inflation report. Yesterday's Consumer Price Index (CPI) had a bigger impact on the underlying bond market, but today's Producer Price Index (PPI) wasn't far behind. Additionally, bonds did a better job of holding onto the improvement into the afternoon hours. This allowed mortgage lenders to drop rates even more than they did yesterday (0.06% today versus 0.05% yesterday). This takes the average top-tier 30yr fixed rate to 6.64% which is the lowest in just over a week. [thirtyyearmortgagerates]

Certainly the cost gap between renting and owning is widening, and the press is filled with stories that our borrowers see, and MLOs should read, like, “Rent vs. Buy: Is Renting Cheaper Than Buying a Home?” or “Rent or buy? How long it takes for buying a home to pay off in each metro.” Today at 11AM PT on L1’s Mortgage Matters, Developer’s Mortgage COO Taylor Stork discusses lender challenges. Lenders are scrambling to target borrowers “at the top of the funnel, and today at noon PT the Credit Committee, presented by Equifax, David Hadaway, the CEO of Altair Data Resources, to discuss how pre-

The Producer Price Index (PPI) is not normally a huge market mover, but it has its moments of moderate impact. Today is such a moment as PPI did its best to mimic yesterday's sharply lower CPI. There were also big revisions to previous months which brought annual PPI a full 1.0% lower from last month's initial reading (5.5% today vs a 6.0 previous reading, revised from 6.5% when initially reported). Fuel prices loom large in this data, as evidenced by Core monthly PPI at 0.2 vs 0.3. Unlike yesterday, most of today's shift was seen in revisions to previous months--especially May (headline revis

<p>ALTA’s Jeremy Yohe highlights New York’s new law requiring mortgage lenders to accept payoff funds delivered according to their own instructions, helping prevent closing disruptions, delayed mortgage satisfactions and unexpected costs for consumers. Yohe also cites ALTA research showing that obtaining releases for prior mortgages remains a significant challenge for title professionals and encourages other states to adopt similar protections.</p>

<p>The moratorium positions New York at the forefront of a growing national debate over how to manage the infrastructure needed to support AI. While technology companies are racing to build new data centers, lawmakers and regulators in dozens of states are weighing measures to limit their effect on electricity grids, utility bills and local communities.</p>

<p>When land developers drove to Marilee and David Kiliti’s farm two years ago, the couple invited them into their home, sat them down and sliced up some deer bologna.</p>

<p>Mortgage borrowers could be carrying significant debt that may never show up on their credit report, and a new report from the Federal Reserve shows just how much of this shadow debt is burdening potential mortgage customers.</p>

<p>According to Cushman & Wakefield, national office vacancy fell 10 basis points during Q2 2026, with 49 of the 92 markets it tracks reporting lower vacancy rates. The gains come despite ongoing economic uncertainty and point to a broader recovery fueled by steady leasing demand and a shrinking supply of older office space.</p>

Why Were 10yr Yields Only a Few bps Lower Today? If you missed this morning's commentary, the gist is that inflation for June (via the CPI report) came in much lower than forecast (biggest "miss" in over a year). Given the market's preoccupation with inflation, this logically resulted in an immediate bond rally. 10yr yields only ended up a few bps lower by the end of the day. There are 3 key reasons. The first is purely mechanical and it has to do with the shorter-term rates benefitting the most. Fed Funds Futures did the best with the end-of-year implied rate falling an eighth of a point (or

Our daily 30yr fixed rate index hit 6.75% yesterday. This matched the high from May 19th and is the highest level since late July 29, 2025. The key contributor to the recent spike has been the uptick in fuel prices in July combined with the fact that rates never made it any lower than 6.52% over the past 2 months. In other words, we were already in a high range and the uptick in fuel prices simply gave rates a push. Heading into today, we knew there was potential volatility associated with 2 events: Fed Chair Warsh's congressional testimony and the monthly release of the Consumer Price Index (

<p>Michigan State University law professor Donovan McCarty explains how criminals can forge and record fraudulent deeds, often targeting older homeowners, heirs, vacant properties and people facing financial hardship. He notes that recording offices generally review deeds only for technical requirements, allowing fraudulent documents to enter the public record, and calls for stronger preventive reviews, faster quiet title proceedings and expanded remedies for victims.</p>

<p>HousingWire examines how the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act could gradually increase housing supply, expand financing for lower-priced homes and create more opportunities for buyers, sellers and real estate professionals. ALTA CEO Chris Morton called the law “a big win for the American people,” noting that it is an important step toward helping more families achieve homeownership and build stability, security and generational wealth.</p>

Ever heard someone say something that was blatantly misleading? On July 16, at 2PM ET, you can race to buy one of Olive Garden’s 10,000 “Never Ending Pasta Passes.” But it does end, after 13 weeks. Yup, for $100 you can economically gain a lot of weight, since it’s in our DNA to do so. Speaking of DNA, do you really think that it is in the DNA of retail companies like Guild, American Pacific, Movement, CrossCountry, etc., to stop expanding? Nope, they’ll keep going, and if you want to know the mindset of a lender that doubled its purchase business from last year, listen to the interview with Z

Interest rates are based on bonds. Because the bonds underlying the average mortgage are fixed rate, inflation is the enemy. Imagine you're an investor fronting the money for a fixed-rate mortgage. You know your schedule of payments from day one. Let's say the payment is $5 or enough to buy a dozen eggs. Now let's say inflation raises the price of those eggs to $7. You're still only receiving $5 because you invested in a fixed-rate loan. Because of this dynamic, when inflation fears increase, investors demand higher rates of return. We're dealing with two inflation threats right now: one is sp

Recently, MISMO released its new white paper, “From Paper to Performance: How eNotes and eClosing Streamline Liquidity,” providing guidance for originators, warehouse lenders, investors, and technology providers to implement digital mortgage solutions. Today at 10AM PT is Now Next Later, presented by Relcu, where Jeremy Potter and Eric Lapin are joined by Laura Kornhauser, CEO of Stratyfy, to discuss the evolving role of AI in mortgage and financial services. The conversation explores how lenders can use AI to improve risk assessment, strengthen decision making, and balance innovation with gov

<p>The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became federal law at midnight July 11 without President Donald Trump’s signature after he refused to sign the legislation in protest of Congress not passing an unrelated bill to overhaul voting in elections. “ALTA congratulates Chairman Tim Scott, Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren, Chairman French Hill, Ranking Member Maxine Waters and congressional leaders for advancing this historic legislation,” said ALTA CEO Chris Morton. “This is a big win for the American people. Homeownership is one of the most important ways families build stability, se

<p>On May 13, 2026, the IRS announced a new 90-day settlement window for taxpayers involved in syndicated conservation easement disputes. There are currently more than 1,100 of these cases pending — roughly 740 in Tax Court and 400 more under examination. These cases now represent a significant share of the Tax Court’s docket, consuming court resources and creating a logjam that the IRS is under pressure to break.</p>

<p>In the 1980s, the idea of four women in their retirement years living together as roommates was a novel concept. Forty years later, and living with several roommates under one roof is as commonplace for seniors as it is for college freshmen.</p>

<p class="xmsonormal">HousingWire announced its 2026 Women of Influence honorees, recognizing 100 leaders whose vision and leadership are shaping the future of the housing industry. Several ALTA members were among this year's recipients, reflecting the significant contributions of title professionals and industry leaders across housing. Congratulations from ALTA to all of this year's honorees on this well-deserved recognition.</p>

<p>MISMO released a new white paper, “From Paper to Performance: How eNotes and eClosing Streamline Liquidity,” which provides guidance for originators, warehouse lenders, investors and technology providers to implement digital mortgage solutions.</p>

<p>Data centers are creating a split-screen effect in housing markets: They can boost regional demand and land values, while homes near controversial sites may face buyer resistance over noise, water use, construction activity and long-term uncertainty.</p>

<p>A few officials at the Federal Reserve said they could have supported raising interest rates at their meeting in June to address resurgent inflation, according to minutes from the gathering released on Wednesday. Minutes from Kevin M. Warsh’s first meeting as chairman showed heightened unease about inflation, which is running at a three-year high.</p>

Rates are based on bonds and bonds have been taking cues from oil prices this week. Oil was flat overnight, bringing bonds along for the sideways ride. As such, the average mortgage lender began the day almost perfectly in line with yesterday's latest levels. All that having been said, bonds experienced some of their own weakness in the afternoon, independent from oil prices (which continued sideways to slightly lower). Some mortgage lenders may choose to raise rates a bit before the end of businesses. Those who don't will instead have to adjust for this market movement on Monday morning (assu

Existing-home sales eased in June after reaching a six-month high in May, as modest changes in mortgage rates continued to influence buyer activity. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, sales fell 2.4% from May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.09 million , though they remained 2.8% above their level from a year earlier. “The back-and-forth in monthly home sales activity, driven by mild fluctuations in mortgage rates, shows how sensitive home buyers are to affordability conditions,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. He added that continued job growth should help sup

Mortgage application activity slipped modestly last week as both purchase and refinance demand eased during the holiday-shortened period. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 2.2% decrease in total application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending July 3, with results adjusted for the Fourth of July holiday. Purchase applications declined 1% from the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis but remained 5% higher than the same week one year ago, still stronger year-over-year despite elevated borrowing costs. Refinance activity weakened further, with the Ref

ARA said the two ballot measures would allow lawmakers to raise taxes while limiting the public’s ability to respond.

Inventory is 1.56 million with 4.6 months of supply, helping keep 1.8% home-price growth below wage gains running near 3.5%.

ROAD to Housing Act would make the permanent chassis optional, enabling new designs and potential lower-cost financing paths.

Agents and appraisers detail how data centers are reshaping real estate markets by creating both opportunities and challenges.

Short sale approvals can move faster than expected when files are complete, and lenders have incentives to avoid foreclosure costs.

Filings come after a hearing on Zillow's motion for a preliminary injunction that would stop MRED from restricting its listing data feeds.

MBA reviewed nearly 105,000 applications from 2025 and found 90% of random scores were within one LLPA bucket of decisioning.

Trump says he will not sign the ROAD to Housing Act, but if it is not vetoed or signed, it becomes law at midnight Saturday.

Did you know that 53 percent of statistics are made up on the spot? “Rob, you recently mentioned that 30 percent of repeat buyers paid cash and did not finance their home. Where did that statistic come from?” The most recent Home Buyers and Sellers Report from NAR. If you’d like to see stats based on age, here is as much data as you would like. Lenders and vendors love data, and according to Curinos proprietary application index, June 2026 funded mortgage volume increased 6 percent Y-o-Y and increased 8 percent M-o-M. The average 30-year conforming retail funded rate in June 2026 was 6.35, 10b

West Capital Lending is pushing back against loanDepot's attempt to dismiss a lawsuit that accuses the lender of using an illegal compensation structure to gain an unfair competitive advantage in the mortgage market.

<p class="xmsonormal">HousingWire announced its 2026 Women of Influence honorees, recognizing 100 leaders whose vision and leadership are shaping the future of the housing industry. Several ALTA members were among this year's recipients, reflecting the significant contributions of title professionals and industry leaders across housing. Congratulations from ALTA to all of this year's honorees on this well-deserved recognition.</p>

The entire week has been a study in the rekindled love affair between bond yields and oil prices. The latter is fairly flat versus yesterday's latest levels, so it's no surprise to see bonds in the same position. Without anything of note on the econ calendar today, there's no reason to expect any catalyst to have more potential impact than war-related headlines and oil prices. That said, we've certainly seen bonds hesitate to follow oil prices lower at times. There's a faint whiff of that dislocation in early trading.+

RealTrends Verified City Rankings list 74,906 entries across 5,249 cities, totaling $1.63T volume and 2.5M sides.

Preferred equity behind Freddie Mac conventional loans is being used to bridge proceeds gaps and preserve liquidity in a higher rate market. A single lender structure can streamline underwriting, documentation, and servicing and may support phased funding and future supplemental financing.

<p>With a landmark housing affordability bill in political limbo, U.S. home prices have hit an all-time high. The median price of existing homes in June was $440,660, up 1.8% from $432,700 a year ago, according to new data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Home prices have risen for 36 straight months. </p>

<p>Mortgage rates saw a meaningful increase Thursday as a fragile U.S.-Iran peace deal disintegrated amid a hail of mutual airstrikes, driving up oil prices and long-term borrowing costs. The average rate on 30-year fixed home loans rose to 6.49% for the week ending July 9, up 6 basis points from 6.43% the previous week, according to Freddie Mac. </p>

<p>A new report found that housing demand in the U.S. has dropped, an indication that much larger issues for the market may be ahead. According to a report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, household growth—the change in occupied housing units each year—slowed to about 1.1 million in 2025, a substantial decrease from pandemic-era highs. </p>

Not every housing policy labeled “affordable” is actually designed to make housing more affordable. That is the central problem with today’s “missing middle” debate. Across the country, duplexes, triplexes, courtyard apartments, townhomes and small multifamily buildings are being promoted as the solution to America’s housing affordability crisis. The argument sounds clean and appealing: allow more […]

<p>Kelley Blue Book, the century-old vehicle valuation company built on making car pricing accessible to everyday consumers, is turning its data-trust model on the housing market. The company has launched Kelley Blue Book Homes, a residential valuation and seller lead platform built in partnership with appraisal technology firm TrueFootage, entering a space long controlled by Zillow and Realtor.com.</p>

Indianapolis-based apartment developer Milhaus started building an apartment project in Manatee County, Florida, under the state’s Live Local Act after securing its funding earlier this year. It may be one of the few to be built in the county, next to Sarasota, under the law, until lawsuits over a major increase in impact fees are […]

<p>Home sales declined in June, ending the housing market’s key spring season on a sour note as buyers grappled with high mortgage rates and record home prices. Sales of existing homes slid 2.4% in June over the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.09 million, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.</p>

[Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part article in the aftermath of filings this week from Dream Finders Homes and Beazer Homes, as Dream Finders pursues Beazer as an acquisition target. Here’s the link to Part 1]. The surface question in the Dream Finders Homes–Beazer Homes takeover contest is the one everybody is […]

Cleora near Salida, Colorado is building 106 3D-printed homes, using robotics to improve speed, resiliency and labor efficiency.

Rate announced on Thursday that more than a dozen loan officers have joined the company from New American Funding.

The Federal Reserve on Thursday outlined a slate of five new task forces led by prominent academics and business leaders. They will scrutinize how the central bank communicates, manages its balance sheet, interprets data, evaluates productivity and jobs, and responds to inflation.

Slightly Stronger But There's a Catch Bonds had a decent day with MBS up more than a quarter point and 10yr yields down 3bps to 4.54+. While that adds some emphasis to the rejection of a technical breakout above 4.59%, we can't really conclude that it happened for any bond-specific reasons. In fact, we're forced to conclude that bonds are on auto-pilot for the most part and that oil prices are the key input for now. As was the case in June, we know this correlation isn't permanent, but it's been highly reliable during this resurgence of U.S./Iran tensions. Econ Data / Events Jobless Claims (Ju

Mortgage rates were rapidly approaching 10-month highs as of yesterday afternoon. They managed a friendly bounce today, but it was fairly small with the average lender dropping 0.03% to 6.5% for a top-tier 30yr fixed scenario. One reason for caution is that the rate improvement looks to be dependent on oil price volatility after this week's resurgence in U.S./Iran tensions. Oil finally moved lower today. In general, lower oil prices imply lower inflation pressure, and lower rates. This isn't always the case, but there are times (like this week and many of the weeks since the start of the Iran

Moves include a streamlined listing submission process, unified consumer display standards, new privacy controls and expanded pre-marketing.

This morning, we head to Los Angeles, the site of the fires in the Pacific Palisades area in January 2025. Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced that FEMA approved California’s request to extend critical disaster assistance for Los Angeles fire survivors. More than 18,000 structures were destroyed. Seventy percent of those families don’t have a place to live yet. On the flip side, a white paper from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) argues any shortages could invert within the next decade and that the reversal carries direct consequences for mortgage brokers and loan officers: "Implica

<p>The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) request for information could signal significant review of disclosure and closing requirements affecting title agents, settlement professionals and lenders.</p>

Bonds are starting the day just a hair stronger versus yesterday's close and there are three ways to look at it. At the most basic level, the move is so small that it doesn't deserve any explanation (i.e. we're close enough to unchanged to say "nothing new is happening"). But given the recent resurgence of correlation between bonds and oil prices, that's probably today's warm bowl of porridge considering the almost 100% directional alignment overnight. Finally, the most speculative and least defensible view is that bonds are finding technical support at the 4.59 which made our "key levels" lis

<p>According to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, a Southern California man is accused of creating falsified title insurance documents that misrepresented lien positions on real estate-backed loans pledged as collateral to secure financing from Western Alliance Bank.</p>

More War-Related Weakness, But With a Supportive Bounce Bonds officially closed at the highest yields in more than a month. At one point just before the noon hour, the 10yr was just over 4.59, but ultimately moved back to 4.56. That's only about 1bp higher than yesterday's latest levels (which feels like a win compared to the mid-day trend). Oil prices and bond yields remain in a tight correlation, and once again, war-related headlines set the tone. The most notable among them was a Trump comment regarding the ceasefire being cancelled/over. As was frequently the case in the run-up to the sign

Mortgage rates have moved higher at a moderate pace over the past 2 days as tensions between The U.S. and Iran see a resurgence. As far as the underlying bond market is concerned, most of the damage was done yesterday. But today's news added emphasis when Trump declared the ceasefire to be over. Rates are based on bonds, but mortgage lenders prefer to set rates once per day and only change them if bonds make a big enough intraday move. That meant the average lender had to play some catch-up with bond market movement this morning. All that to say that bonds didn't have nearly as rough of a day

STRATMOR Group has opened participation for its 2026 Compensation Connection® Study, providing mortgage-specific insights into compensation components, incentive plan structures, compensation percentiles, and more. (Compensation Connection focuses exclusively on mortgage banking, with benchmark comparisons by lender type, size, region, and national averages, plus three-year trending for many metrics. This year's study includes four modules: Retail Sales, Consumer Direct Sales, Fulfillment, and Executive Management. Return your submissions to compconnection@stratmorgroup.com by August 15.) Toda

Iran-related headlines have jumped back to the realm of relevance this week and Wednesday morning's overnight session kicked things up another notch. Trump declared the ceasefire to be over and is currently saying peace deal negotiations may not even continue. Markets definitely reacted with oil and Treasury yields spiking overnight. The interesting part is the magnitude of the spike. It was roughly 4bps in terms of 10yr yields and almost half those losses were recovered over the following 2 hours. Oil prices rose roughly $3 and have dropped almost $2 since the initial spike. Bottom line: mark

<p>A recent working paper from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas found that the surge in illegal immigration under former President Joe Biden contributed to higher home prices and rents across U.S. cities.</p>

<p>Matt Brown says he’s seeing the same dynamic play out again and again: A client gets ready to buy, runs the numbers, then decides to spend another year renting. That decision—to wait—has become the defining choice of the housing market, with transaction levels stuck at or near historic lows and the number of adults delaying household formation and living with their parents at historic highs.</p>

<p>As President Donald Trump weighs whether to sign the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, new polling commissioned by the American Property Owners Alliance suggests the legislation's key housing provisions continue to draw broad bipartisan support. The bipartisan legislation cleared both the House and Senate before Speaker Mike Johnson formally sent the enrolled bill to President Donald Trump's desk on June 29.</p>

<p>Despite several years of higher home prices and affordability challenges, first-time homebuyers continued to account for nearly half of Newrez's purchase mortgage originations in 2025, according to the lender's analysis of purchase loans funded between 2022 and 2025. The report found first-time buyers represented 49% of Newrez's purchase loans in 2025, down from 56% in 2022. While their share declined over the four-year period, first-time buyers remained a substantial portion of the company's purchase lending activity.</p>

<p>Rising foreclosures offer an opportunity for affordability-stressed buyers to find steep discounts, especially in hot markets as housing costs strain American homeowners. That’s according to a new report from Realtor.com, which found that foreclosures are increasing from extreme pandemic lows, with the current rate bouncing back to roughly 2019 levels.</p>

<p>Younger homebuyers are gaining ground in the market, despite persisting affordability constraints, a new industry report found. Gen Z accounted for 20% of purchase rate locks in the second quarter this year, the largest share on record, according to Intercontinental Exchange's July Mortgage Monitor report.</p>

<p>The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, within the White House Office of Management and Budget, has released the Fall 2025 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions, also called the URA. Published twice a year, the URA outlines federal agencies’ anticipated regulatory and deregulatory activities. While the Fall agenda is typically released by the end of the calendar year or in early January, this edition was delayed, and many of the projected actions may no longer be current.</p>

<p>A survey approved by the City of Mexico will help speed up the design phase of the Mexico City Hall and Mexico Public Safety Department facilities project at the former Audrain Medical Cancer Center. At its June 22 meeting, the City of Mexico approved an ALTA Survey to be conducted at 711 E. Jackson Street to support the design of a new city hall and public safety facilities. The survey, which costs $11,100, will be completed no later than Aug. 1.</p>

Hormuz Back in The News Iran has attacked a few cargo ships recently and there are repercussions. The peace deal looks to be on shakier ground over the past 24 hours with both sides talking tough on the internet. Just before 3pm, the U.S. referred to Iran's actions as unacceptable and revoked the license that allowed the sale of Iranian oil. Oil prices were higher all day, but especially after that news. Bond yields have been quick to reconnect with their old flame, exhibiting strong correlation over the past 24 hours. The net effect by 3:10pm was a 6.6bp rise in 10yr yields (4.536) and nearly

It's been a while since oil prices were the focal point of the interest rate conversation, but that recently familiar dynamic is once again playing out. The U.S./Iran peace deal is on increasingly shaky ground and the ability for oil to flow through the Strait of Hormuz has been increasingly compromised over the past 24 hours. Most recently, headlines suggest the U.S. is withdrawing authorization for Iran to export oil after Iran's recent attacks on cargo vessels. Rising oil prices imply higher inflation. Higher inflation leads to higher rates, all else equal. At the time of this article, the

During a recent trip overseas, I spoke to a banker who stated, “Technology doesn’t stop at the border.” True. The days of writing out this Commentary or taking an app on a yellow pad of paper are long gone. Today has the STRATMOR Group’s Advisory Angle at 11AM PT. STRATMOR Senior Partners Garth Graham and Nicole Yung explore the latest findings from STRATMOR's Technology Insight Digital Innovations study. The conversation examines where lenders are seeing the greatest return on digital investments, the barriers slowing adoption, and the technologies shaping the next phase of innovation in mort

From summertime Monday to summertime Tuesday... Yesterday's modest strength is now erased by today's modest weakness. In both cases, the movement is too small to worry about obvious catalysts, though some may assume that there's an oil price component following Iran's attacks on commercial ships in The Strait. A separate consideration would be Amazon filing for a potentially large corporate bond offering (why do we care?). But even if these things are moving markets, they're not very good at it. The same can be said for essentially all of the line items on the econ calendar today.

Uneventful Summertime Monday Volume and--sometimes--volatility can be generally lower in the middle of the summertime months as fewer traders are consistently at bond desks--especially on days adjacent to 3-day holiday weekends. Today was a classic example. Bonds barely budged and volume is on track for one of the lightest full trading days of the year. In many ways, today was simply a 4th weekend day and we'll know more about how bonds are feeling on Tuesday. But at the very least, it's somewhat constructive to be starting the week without any extension of last week's selling pressure. Econ D

Volatility is always a risk surrounding 3 day holiday weekends when it comes to markets and mortgage rates, but this time around, things have been very calm. The average top-tier 30yr fixed rate remained almost perfectly flat versus last Thursday with the MND index technically falling by 0.01%. This week's calendar of scheduled events is less consequential than last week's. After today, there is essentially no big-ticket economic data. In the bigger picture, 30yr fixed rates are near the center of their range over the past 6-7 weeks. Collectively, that range represents the highest levels in ro

One of the key selling points for an LO talking to a potential client about becoming a homeowner is the landlord/client relationship, which can go awry. (Pearl is the daughter of the short film’s director, by the way.) There are many reasons why renters aren’t owners, like, “can they not afford a residence,” or “are none available?” We recently learned that May new home sales slid to 580,000 (seasonally adjusted) and are down around 7 percent m-o-m and y-o-y. Sales of completed homes have declined for three straight months and are down over 30 percent since November. The supply of new homes fo

<p>A New York jury found Joseph Makhani guilty after a seven-week trial for criminally possessing two Harlem brownstones worth a combined $4.7 million, using fraudulent deeds, false documents and shell companies as part of the scheme. The case underscores the ongoing risk of deed theft involving forged or fraudulent documents, vulnerable homeowners, heirs and long-recorded properties, as well as the importance of careful title review and fraud detection before criminals can use stolen property to obtain financing, collect rent or attempt evictions.</p>

Bonds weathered the 3-day weekend without issue. We started the day modestly stronger, but have moved back closer to unchanged levels in the first 2 hours. The day's only big-ticket (or semi-big-ticket?) econ data was the ISM Services index, but admittedly, that has more of an impact when it's released BEFORE the jobs report. Moreover, it was right in line with expectations at 54.0 vs 54.0, so even if this had come out last week, it may not have moved the needle. There are always multiple ways to approach trends and The bigger picture is a bit more gloomy as it involves a longer-term uptrend i

<p>The mortgage industry's transition to new credit scoring models took another step forward Thursday with MISMO releasing updated guidance designed to support the use of FICO Score 10T and VantageScore 4.0 in mortgage insurance processes. The updated Mortgage Insurance Implementation Guide establishes standardized data requirements for exchanging information between lenders and mortgage insurers during key parts of the loan process, including mortgage insurance rate quotes, commitments, contract underwriting, document delivery and mortgage insurance order responses.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court dealt Big Brother a blow on Monday with a landmark ruling for digital privacy rights in Chatrie v. United States. Conservative Justices John Roberts, Brett Kavanaugh, and Neil Gorsuch joined the liberal bloc of Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson in finding that smartphone location data is subject to privacy protections under the Fourth Amendment.</p>

<p>As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, there's a lot of talk about how much has changed since the nation's founding. But when it comes to commercial real estate, there are a number of buildings that have endured. From a 375-year-old hotel in Puerto Rico to a 272-year-old mill in Maryland, some American properties that were already doing business before the Declaration of Independence was signed are still in use.</p>

<p>For years, America didn't have enough homes to meet rising demand. Soon, it may not have enough homebuyers. A new report from the Mortgage Bankers Association argues the housing market is nearing a major demographic shift. After more than a decade of demand outpacing supply, slower population growth and an aging population are expected to reduce the need for new housing, potentially reshaping forecasts for homebuilding, home prices and affordability.</p>

<p>Buying a first home remains out of reach for many Americans, with fewer than 4 in 10 non-homeowner households able to afford a typical starter home, a new LendingTree analysis found. A typical starter home costs $200,000, with LendingTree defining entry-level homes as owner-occupied properties valued at the 25th percentile of the housing market.</p>

Not Reading Too Much Into Late Day Reversal Bonds rallied quickly in response to this morning's jobs report and pressed to even stronger levels by mid-day. That's the point in the day that most traders (the ones actually working) consider bonds to be "closed." You're free to do the same and count today as a win. But in the noon-2pm hour, a decent chunk of the AM gains were erased. We wouldn't read too much into those and instead view them as a facet of pre-holiday-weekend illiquidity and/or position squaring. This doesn't imply directionality in the future. It just means we have to wait for ne

Today is a half day for financial markets, which is a typical feature of a federal holiday weekend. Because tomorrow is fully closed, the big jobs report (normally a Friday affair) was instead released this morning. It ended up helping rates move lower. The jobs report (officially "The Employment Situation") measures new jobs created (or lost) each month in addition to the unemployment rate. The job count was much weaker than expected and, although the unemployment rate technically dropped, it did so for the wrong reasons (fewer people considered themselves part of the workforce). In fact, if

Mortgage application activity was essentially unchanged last week, as a modest increase in purchase demand offset a slight decline in refinancing. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 0.04% increase in total application volume on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending June 26. Purchase activity provided the week's modest support. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index increased 1% from the previous week and remained 3% higher than the same week one year ago, extending a trend of stronger year-over-year demand. Refinance activity eased slightly, with the Refinance Index de

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) reported on the performance of first-lien mortgages in the federal banking system during the first quarter of 2026. The OCC Mortgage Metrics Report, First Quarter 2026 showed that 97.7 percent of mortgages included in the report were current and performing at the end of the quarter, a slight increase from 97.6 percent in 2025. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by Experian. From lenders and landlords to employers and consumers, Experian helps connect the housing ecosystem with the data and insights needed

Home price appreciation remained subdued in April, as the latest data from both FHFA and the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Indices continued to point to a housing market with little overall momentum. While annual price growth improved modestly from the prior month in both reports, elevated mortgage rates and ongoing affordability challenges continued to keep appreciation well below historical norms. FHFA reported that U.S. house prices declined 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis in April, marking the first monthly decline since last summer. March's gain was also revised higher to 0.2%

Bonds continued drifting gently higher in the overnight session with 10yr yields just barely edging above 4.50% before today's big jobs report (the only calendar event of note before the holiday weekend). The reaction is perfectly reasonable given the data results. The payroll count was weaker (57k vs 110k, with another -71k of revisions) and bonds rallied immediately. If the 4-5bp rally in 10yr yields seems like less than you'd expect, turn your attention to 2 year yields which fell at a much quicker pace. This is a factor of its closer connection to the Fed Funds Rate (which makes sense if y

In a real sense, today's rate update is more of an addendum to yesterday's rate update. Yesterday afternoon saw heavy, continued selling in the bond market amid a flood of trading associated with the end of the quarter. Because mortgage rates are directly based on the bond market, this resulted in multiple lenders raising rates late in the day (after yesterday's update). Today has been much calmer by comparison with bonds holding fairly close to yesterday's latest levels after some early weakness. Even so, there was still some weakness for mortgage lenders to account for. From yesterday mornin

We find ourselves in the 3rd quarter of 2026. The stock market has made the headlines, but between a) the reduction in the number of publicly held companies, and b) the weight given to AI-related stocks, it is worth reminding everyone that the stock market is not the economy. Economies are complex, as are countries. Did you know that more Europeans die each year from summer heat than Americans die from gun violence? Over 1,000 recently in France; 1,500 deaths in Western Europe are being attributed to the climate. Returning to this country, there are six state capitals West of Los Angeles. (You

<p>LodeStar Software Solutions reported that national purchase loan closing costs fell 2.9% year over year in 2025, with declines in 27 states and Washington, D.C., and underscored that closing costs include a broad mix of expenses beyond title, including transfer taxes, recording taxes and document fees. The company noted that recording fees are increasingly being redirected to fund non-real estate programs such as affordable housing. Refinance activity rose 7.8% year over year, with refi closing costs averaging less than half of purchase loan costs, though refi costs remained notably higher

<p>Realtor.com reported that the national median asking price fell 2.5% year over year in June to $430,000, the eighth straight month of declines and the steepest annual drop in its data history dating back to 2017. The report said lower prices and slightly lower mortgage rates helped reduce the typical monthly payment by about $132 compared with June 2025, while pending sales rose 3.7% year over year. Realtor.com economists said sellers appear to be pricing more realistically from the start, with price cuts down and homes spending the same amount of time on the market as last year.</p>

<p>The House has officially shipped a colossal bipartisan housing package to President Donald Trump, and lawmakers are hoping that, at the very least, he doesn’t veto it. Trump was supposed to sign the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act last week, but his last-minute decision to ghost the signing ceremony with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., put into question whether the bill was dead.</p>

<p>As the U.S. prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, now is the time to look back at how the nation has historically helped its citizens fulfill the American dream of homeownership, and what's in store for the next generation of homebuyers. A new report from Realtor.com examines how two centuries of federal housing policy successfully "unlocked doors" to create a staggering $48.7 trillion in real estate wealth, while also highlighting the modern hurdles still left to overcome, including a slowing growth of the homeownership rate due to affordability constraints, massive supply shortages, a

<p>Home prices over the past year have kept rising. So, apparently, has prospective buyer optimism. Home prices measured by the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller index tracking 20 of the nation’s large metropolitan areas rose 1.1% in April from one year prior, beating FactSet estimates that called for a 0.9% gain, S&P Dow Jones Indices reported Tuesday morning. On a national level, prices in the same time period rose 0.8%.</p>

<p>National home prices touched a fresh historical high in May, even though year-over-year appreciation remained below 1% for a ninth straight month, according to First American Data & Analytics' latest Home Price Index. The non-seasonally adjusted index rose 0.3% from April to May and 0.7% from a year earlier, the firm reported June 30.</p>

<p>CFPB advanced a mortgage access RFI to OMB on June 22 tied to Trump’s March 13 executive orders. Industry experts expect targeted changes such as LO comp adjustments, ATR flexibility for small creditors, and limited TRID timing tweaks.</p>

<p>S&P/Case-Shiller released the monthly Home Price Indices for April ("April" is a 3-month average of February, March and April closing prices). February closing prices include some contracts signed in December, so there is a significant lag to this data. Here is a graph of the month-over-month change in the Case-Shiller National Index Seasonally Adjusted.</p>

<p>The near-term performance of mortgages backed by government-sponsored enterprises wavered little although those outstanding longer experienced some slight stress, bearing up while the Federal Housing Administration insured market experienced more. The share of homeowners late by 60 or more days decreased to 0.81% at the end of the first quarter, according to a Federal Housing Finance Agency report released last week. The FHFA completed 58,317 prevention actions, up from the previous quarter's 55,028.</p>

Starting last Thursday, mortgage rates have barely budged. In terms of our 30yr fixed index, the maximum day-over-day change has been 0.02% since then. The past 3 business days have seen rates either hold steady or move cautiously lower. Today's rates moved higher, but at just as slow a pace. The underlying bond market primarily took cues from trading motivations that didn't have anything to do with typical considerations like economic data and news headlines. As we discussed last week, some of the world's biggest investment accounts have been in the process of rebalancing their portfolios for

Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s ‘casts are sponsored by Experian. From lenders and landlords to employers and consumers, Experian helps connect the housing ecosystem with the data and insights needed to make faster, confident decisions. Lead a smarter housing journey with Experian. Today’s has an interview with Experian’s Likhitha Mahendar Singh how the modern first-time homebuyer has evolved, why rental payment data is reshaping how lenders identify mortgage-ready borrowers, and how a data-driven approach can help better target, underwrite, and serve the next generation of h

<p>Technology investments, succession planning and market recovery are fueling a new wave of consolidation across the title industry. For title agency owners, the question is no longer whether consolidation is happening. The question is whether their companies are positioned to benefit from it. While industry consolidation is not new, today's environment is being shaped by a unique combination of technological change, operational challenges and renewed optimism about the future of real estate. Read on to learn more about M&A activity in the title industry.</p>

Mortgage rates ended last week at the lowest level since May 14th. Most of the recent drop happened last Wednesday, but each day since then has added a microscopic improvement. Today was no exception with the 30yr fixed rate index falling a mere 0.01%--the lowest increment we measure. The calendar of economic events was completely empty and consequential news headlines were just as scarce. This will change over the next 3 days on at least one front. Big-ticket econ data comes out on each of the next 3 mornings. Thursday's jobs report is typically the most important scheduled monthly data, but

Lenders often ask about improving their execution, and STRATMOR’s current blog is “Pricing That Can Help Borrowers.” MLOs occasionally ask about an online tool that can help potential borrowers understand the process. Here’s something for your new clients, especially those who are first-time home buyers: a short quiz to get them started on what to think about in financing a home. For those of us in the industry who ask about some of the terms in our business, here’s something to keep in your back pocket: The MISMO Business Glossary delivers a curated set of standardized business definitions us

<p>New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the arrest and indictment of Queens resident Mark Salkey, who is accused of using forged documents to steal the East Flatbush home of 92-year-old Althea Garrick while she was receiving dementia care. Prosecutors allege Salkey transferred the title, placed tenants in the home, collected about $70,000 in rent and stole roughly $168,000 from Garrick’s accounts and pension deposits.</p>

<p>House Speaker Mike Johnson said he plans to send President Donald Trump a bipartisan housing bill Monday, just days after the president abruptly canceled a signing ceremony for the legislation after Congress failed to pass his elections security act. Johnson said the 21st Century ROAD To Housing Act is a Republican priority for lowering costs for Americans.</p>

<p>The primary reason that the price of the average home in America keeps ascending to new heights is, of course, a basic supply issue. Among other factors, the high immigration rates of recent years have contributed to a demand shock that has pushed prices upward, zoning barriers and high construction costs have hindered new development, and inflation continues to increase the desire for real estate as an asset class.</p>

<p>Gen Zers have gotten so accustomed to AI that they’re now using it for one of the biggest financial decisions they’ll ever make: buying a home. A study by the Bank of America Institute found that about a third of Gen Z had used AI tools in the past 12 months for homebuying research, a trend that could represent a generational shift in how people approach major financial decisions.</p>

<p>Housing affordability may be one of the few issues where Republicans and Democrats increasingly agree. A new survey commissioned by Redfin and conducted by Ipsos found overwhelming bipartisan support for government policies aimed at making homeownership more attainable, with large majorities in both parties backing first-time homebuyer tax breaks, down payment assistance, and other affordability initiatives.</p>

<p>Individual delinquency may result from simple forgetfulness or uncontrollable issues, but a state’s high percentage of delinquency suggests that its citizens are generally having financial difficulties. WalletHub examined proprietary user data from Q1 2026 for all 50 states to identify the areas where consumers are most struggling to pay their debts.</p>