Industry News

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Rural Development agency has selected six additional lenders to participate in a pilot program designed to speed up approvals for rural home loans.

Young Americans are buying fewer homes than they were seven years ago, but purchases involving older co-applicants are bucking the trend.

The MBA’s Market Composite Index, which tracks mortgage application volumes, recorded seasonally adjusted growth of 3.4% over the seven days ending Oct. 23. That reversed seven straight weeks of application declines as mortgage rates surged above 7% through September. Average rates for typical 30-year home loans eased for the second consecutive week, falling to 7.37% from a recent peak of 7.5% earlier this month amid sustained cooling in long-term government borrowing costs.

Rocket guided Q4 adjusted revenue to range of $2.1 billion to $2.3 billion while noting that refis could drop nearly 50% from Q3

Tech Jitters are Back. Bonds Like It As has been the case for the past several weeks, the near-term fate of the rate rally is dependent on tech jitters. While those had leveled off in a sideways pattern over the first few days of the week, they resurfaced today, both at the NYSE open and close. The 4pm move was bigger for stocks and directly linked to weak guidance in Intel and Amazon earnings releases. Bonds were already moderately stronger on the day after the 9:30am gains, but improved even more after the 4pm NYSE close. Econ Data / Events Core PCE (m/m) (Sep) 0.3% vs 0.3% f'cast, 0.2% prev

CEO Hoby Hanna says founders have contacted him, he wants clarity on governance, funding and end goals before committing

Buying a home is supposed to be a dream come true — but for millions of Americans, the road to homeownership comes with a side of ugly crying. More than one in three recent homebuyers, or 34%, admitted to shedding tears during the process, according to Zillow’s 2026 Consumer Housing Trends Report.

After 4 rather uneventful trading days, the bond market (which underlies interest rate movement) experienced a bit more volatility today. Fortunately, it was volatility in a friendly direction. 10yr Treasury yields ended the day at their lowest level since September 22nd. Mortgage rates dropped to their lowest mark since September 23rd for the average lender. [thirtyyearmortgagerates] Bond gains coincided with moments of weakness in the stock market, primarily at the 9:30am NYSE open and the 4pm close. Weaker guidance from the likes of Intel and Amazon reinforced the recently cautious narrativ

The partnership adds 875 agents across 12 offices in Birmingham, Montgomery and Huntsville

Bright MLS and Northstar MLS cite modernization potential, SDMLS flags adoption hurdles and data set concerns

Company cites a 62-bps average LLPA reduction in the first 60 days after scores improved

Courted found 16% of agents moved in 2025, top brands traded down as net volume grew 1.8%

Wells Fargo and Freedom Mortgage recently added home equity portfolios to ICE’s MSP platform

Officials at the FDIC and CFPB highlighted cyber hygiene, investment fraud red flags and veteran pension scams in their Money Smart educational series

Among parents of children 5 and under, 14% have already started saving for a future down payment

The changes span mortgage insurance and specialty insurance

The industry keeps debating whether machines should value property. The expensive question is why anyone has to wait weeks for a first number

New 2027 structure would sit next to FICO’s $10 Preferred Program

Artificial intelligence continues to capture the imagination of a wide range of companies, including lenders. “Why Underwriting Is the Right Problem for AI to Solve First,” is a topic on a recent Thought Leadership piece. It will be a topic on today’s The Big Picture with James Sais, the head of mortgage lending at Fifth Third Bank. You may be thinking about rolling AI out, but who’s in charge, you or it? In its IPO filing Monday, Anthropic (ANT) warned prospective investors that artificial intelligence systems could pose catastrophic risks as they operate with greater autonomy. "Concerns have

Net income fell 16% from the previous quarter to $3.2 billion as a credit-loss benefit turned into a provision

The Jaeger case alleges misstatements on volumes and pricing accuracy, Zillow Offers ended after a $304M Q3 2021 write-down

PCE inflation was almost perfectly in line with even the unrounded expectations. The monthly core number was 0.32 vs 0.34 (or .3 vs .3 on most econ calendars). Perhaps the modest miss helps explain the modest drop in yields at 8:30am. All in all though, it was a small enough response as to obviate any further consideration. Bonds experienced a much bigger move at the 9:30am NYSE open when multiple large tech companies saw their stocks plunge sharply (led by Alphabet aka Google). A few instances of new corporate bond issues have accounted for small bounces in yields (Microsoft and Verizon, spec

ALTA member Maureen Pfaff WTP, president and CEO of Olympic Peninsula Title Co., warns that real estate fraud is on the rise in Washington's Olympic Peninsula as criminals use increasingly sophisticated technology and AI to impersonate property owners. Pfaff highlights how local title professionals are working to detect suspicious transactions and stop fraud before it succeeds. She also shares practical tips for homeowners and homebuyers to recognize red flags, verify suspicious requests and protect their property rights.

Fannie Mae reported $4.2 billion in third-quarter net income and an estimated $141 million in borrower closing-cost savings so far this year from its combined title insurance and appraisal alternative programs. The report connects the savings to the administration's recent executive order supporting expansion of the title acceptance pilot nationwide. While the figures demonstrate Fannie Mae's emphasis on lowering transaction costs, the reported savings are not broken out by title and appraisal initiatives, leaving questions about the specific impact of title alt

Slower household growth and aging demand could reshape land strategy, underwriting, and operating scale

Scott Cox models 2025-to-2035 demand at 123,000 to 670,000 permits a year vs. about 880,000 now

Existing home sales have hovered near 4 million annually for 4 years, pushing a larger share fight

As credit models, verification sources and AI workflows multiply, lenders need more than information. They need a defensible basis for relying on it.

The city of Philadelphia has received 152 reports of deed fraud so far in 2026, almost matching the 159 reports filed by the end of the year in 2025, according to the city’s Department of Records.

We still have some pressing issues with inflation, but it looks like the Fed doesn’t want to go crazy with rate hikes

The brothers were convicted in March 2026 after 11 women testified during trial

Minimal Impact From Fed Fed day has come and gone with minimal fanfare. Markets ultimately found reason to downgrade expectations for future rate hikes (likely due to Warsh's general "wait and see" comments during the press conference), but at the expense of a bit of weakness in the longer end of the yield curve. In other words, 2yr yields fell and 10yr yields rose. Neither were appreciably far from levels seen 2 days ago. Additionally, not all of the above should be attributed to the Fed. 10yr yields are actually ending the day lower compared to levels seen around noon (2 hours before the Fed

As demand moderates, Toll Brothers is tightening its underwriting hurdle rates and doubling down on prime "Main and Main" sites

Net new bookings totaled $37 million, while residential segment revenue rose to $460 million from $373 million

Today's Fed announcement had no impact on mortgage rate movement, and minimal impact on intraday bond market volatility. Well before the Fed announcement, the bond market was already slightly weaker compared to yesterday's latest levels. As a result the average mortgage lender set rates just a hair higher. Despite the increase, 30yr fixed rates are only 0.05% above the low of 7.30% seen last week and only 0.02% above yesterday's mark of 7.33%. Recent upward pressure is a factor of improvement in investor sentiment surrounding the tech sector.

The 1,600 unit project triggered 180 city inspections, with 65 violations and 18 partial stop work orders

Backers say the effort will streamline property data sharing to MLSs, portals and other sites ahead of a Q1 2027 launch

First American report shows the vast majority of accessible equity is tied to mortgages with rates that are not refi ready

Figure says approvals can take 5 minutes with funding in as few as 5 days, and borrowers can access up to $750K

Softer job growth clashes with hotter September inflation

The Federal Open Market Committee approved the following statement for release by a 12 10 – 0 2 vote: The Committee decided to raise maintain the target range for the federal funds rate by 1/4 percentage point to at 3-3/4 to 4 percent, in support of the Federal Reserve's dual mandate. The Committee is continuing its policy of maintaining ample reserves in the banking system. Economic activity is expanding at a solid strong pace. While uncertainty remains elevated owing, in part, to geopolitical developments, domestic spending has been resilient. Productivity growth is strong, and capital inves

Weekly scorecard shows $6.6M added from staffing and vendor cuts

A price cut spike in two California cities shows why short-term changes don't always signal a market shift

Freedom, Rocket and Redwood say balance-sheet discipline and selective M&A can drive growth

President Neda Navab outlined the changes at RETREAT in New Orleans with about 1,500 agents in attendance

A closer look at the White House's housing executive order reveals that its proposed mortgage insurance pilot would benefit only future borrowers, leaving existing mortgage holders unaffected. While most housing and mortgage industry associations welcomed the administration's affordability initiatives, ALTA offered a more measured response, with CEO Chris Morton warning that refinancing transactions are not risk-free. Morton pointed to rising seller impersonation fraud and research showing that fraud and forgery claims on refinances average nearly $207,000, unde

CMG will pay 0.15% on first-lien originations through Dec. 31, 2028, with closing expected next month

Second loan covers up to 3.5% and is forgiven after five years of on-time payments for owner-occupants

The other day I went to Costco, and for $5.99 bought a pumpkin pie the size of a hubcap. What inflation? Costco’s hot dog/soda combo or the rotisserie chicken are loss leaders, but actual gasoline, beef, lettuce, restaurant meals, goods from overseas, and other items’ price changes have kept inflation in the headlines and impacted mortgage rates. (Other headlines include Fannie Mae earning $4.2 billion in the 3rd quarter; more below.) What about water prices and availability… are they important to homeowners or potential buyers? What happens when you combine something like clean water with a p

She led a 140 agent office that produced more than $700 million in closed volume in the past 12 months

Coreweave stock moved higher again overnight and Coreweave bond yields continued lower, with some issues now back to yields seen 2 weeks ago. Treasuries/MBS have been doing their best to hold sideways after last week's rally, but can only do so much when that rally was driven by factors that are visibly unwinding. As for today's Fed announcement, the focus will be on the press conference in case markets can glean any clues about how the Fed's anticipated rate hike path may or may not line up with market expectations (there is no dot plot today).

Carmel, Ind.-based nonprofit Diabetes Will’s Way received a $6,000 grant from the ALTA Good Deeds Foundation to support its work in the local community. The organization was one of 20 nonprofits nationwide awarded grants totaling $120,000, recognizing the causes championed by title professionals and the industry's commitment to giving back to the communities they serve.

Purchase applications rose 4% week over week, while the refinance index was 61% lower than 1 year ago

Four South Florida real estate professionals, including two investors, a real estate agent and a notary, face criminal charges for allegedly exploiting an elderly man with dementia to steal his home. Authorities say the defendants used improperly notarized documents to transfer ownership of the property, removed the man from his home and took his personal belongings, including three vehicles. The disturbing case highlights the vulnerability of older homeowners to real estate fraud and the importance of safeguards to protect property rights.

Earnings call emphasized Fannie's work to support affordable homeownership

Court said permit seekers are the intended beneficiaries of the 60-day ministerial duty

Amended federal complaint asks a judge to affirm that public listing cooperation rules comply with antitrust law

Survey results show 34% delayed exploring homeownership over credit assumptions, and 52% want rent and utility payments counted

Public bid tabs show about a 3x spread for the same concrete flatwork item, from $4.50 to $13.68 per square foot

In an article examining President Trump's executive order on housing affordability, Realtor.com highlights ALTA's advocacy to ensure efforts to lower housing costs, including expanding the title insurance waiver pilot, do not come at the expense of critical consumer protections. ALTA CEO Chris Morton emphasized the industry's commitment to affordability while warning, "Fraud is unaffordable, and the threats facing homeowners are growing." Morton reinforced ALTA's position that reforms must preserve essential safeguards and avoid shifting significant financial risks onto American families an

The U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to hike interest rates twice more in 2026, Bank of America’s Ralf Preusser says. Investors should expect more divergence to come in terms of the policy path for central banks.

Not everyone in the mortgage industry is fully in love with President Trump's executive order signed on Oct. 22. While lots of the reaction is positive, others, including several posters from the industry on LinkedIn, pointed to the limited nature of the order. ALTA CEO Chris Morton emphasized that affordability efforts must preserve essential consumer safeguards, citing rising seller impersonation fraud and average fraud and forgery claims of nearly $207,000 on refinances.

Young Americans are buying fewer homes than they were seven years ago, but purchases involving older co-applicants are bucking the trend. Home purchases by borrowers under 35 have fallen 15% since 2018, while purchases involving a co-applicant age 55 or older have increased roughly 3%, according to a new Rocket Mortgage analysis of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data released Tuesday.

Sales of newly-built single family homes fell more than 5% year-over-year in September, according to data out Tuesday from the Census Bureau. The median price of a new home fell, too — nearly 4% from a year ago, as builders cut prices to try to lure buyers. Prices of existing homes, meanwhile, continued to rise in August, according to the latest Case-Shiller home price index. Nationally, home prices rose about 2%, which is less than overall inflation.

Higher-end homes are posting stronger price growth than starter homes across much of the country, revealing a split in the purchase market that the national slowdown alone does not capture. Luxury-tier home price appreciation outpaced starter-tier appreciation in roughly 70% of the major markets First American Data & Analytics tracks, according to its September Home Price Index report. Chief Economist Mark Fleming attributed the difference to buyers’ uneven ability to absorb higher financing costs.

HousingWire Data shows that seven of the top 10 markets are at least 10% more affordable than the national average

NAR data shows 81% of firms do not offer health insurance to independent contractors or agents

Farrell highlights the new MORE education platform, plus policy priorities tied to LLPAs and VA loan funding fees

Home prices gained 2.1% YoY while CPI inflation was 3.4%, and only 2 metros posted monthly gains

Boring, Sideways Day. Does Wednesday's Fed Announcement Even Matter? Neocloud concerns continued to experience a small correction/consolidation after last week's surge. Interest rates could have justified a bit of weakness as a result, but managed to hold fairly steady. Bond market indecision likely has more to do with that and less to do with any sort of Fed Day anticipation. Markets have almost fully priced in a "pause." Any Fed-induced volatility would thus be dependent on verbiage--either in the announcement itself or the 2:30pm ET press conference. This is one of those Fed meetings that c

Federal Reserve officials are having two debates at once this fall. The first, over how much higher interest rates need to go, gets settled at policy meetings. The second, over how much to tell the public about where rates could be headed, is playing out in the open.

It was a remarkably calm day for the mortgage market on two separate levels. First off, the average lender set this morning's rates right in line with yesterday's latest levels. Additionally, there were very few intraday changes (and in those cases, rates improved modestly). [thirtyyearmortgagerates] All of the above is made possible by the fact that the bond market stayed right in line with yesterday's levels all day long. This has happened for two straight days now, and it's the sort of stability that seemed like a distant memory several weeks ago. Will it last? There's never any way to know

September new-home price averaged $400,000, and months’ supply inched lower to 8.4 despite weaker buyer traffic

Case-Shiller rose 2.1% YoY in August, while September new home sales ran 676,000, with builder buydowns still shaping demand

A town hall drew 1,000-plus attendees as members challenged the mandate and meeting restrictions

Founders say listings must flow to MLS and portals together, critics want clearer ownership and seller choices

The program delegates preclosing approval to lenders for rural mortgages backed by USDA’s 90% guarantee

In an exclusive interview with HousingWire, Huskey says the timing is right to hand the baton to new CEO Jackie Thiel

Fed officials face a ‘massive conundrum’ as hotter inflation and weaker economic data collide

The complaint targets Risk Factor grades for flood, wildfire, wind, heat and air quality that appear on major listing portals

Court filing dated Oct. 5 shows the case was dismissed with prejudice in SDNY after a leadership fight

Fannie Mae has expanded the circumstances in which lenders can use attorney opinion letters (AOLs) to satisfy its title requirements, removing three restrictions that previously limited their eligibility.

The ancient Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu said, “Sometimes the best victory is the battle that was not fought.” In a shrinking residential market there are a lot of potential battles, for example: “Rob, are you hearing that some IMBs are not charging an origination fee or putting caps on LO comp for jumbo loans?” Of course, especially if the independent mortgage bank, or broker, is in an area where’s you’re battling it out with credit unions and banks. If you have a $2 million loan, and an IMB’s LO is charging a point, that’s $20k, but if an originator at a CU or depository bank is charging $5,0

ICE First Look report: Active foreclosure inventory rose 37% to hit its highest level since early 2019

"Neocloud" has entered the commentary. This is shorthand for the market segment in which Coreweave operates. Neocloud companies have been the epicenter of recent concerns in tech that have helped fuel the mid October bond rally. Their negative momentum leveled off last Thursday--the same time bond yields bottomed. Neocloud stocks are up sharply this morning and their bond yields are falling. Coreweave yields are back to last Wednesday's levels (though still hugely elevated from early October levels). The consolidation mirrors the bond market over the past several sessions, although this mornin

More than 4,000 agents listings will surface in a Google carousel through My State MLS feeds

Stylecraft sold nearly 1,000 homes last year and grew revenue 17% by laser-focusing on smaller and mid-sized Texas markets

GSE exception allows UAD 2.6 through May 19, 2027, but rep and warranty protections drop starting March 1, 2027

Speakers warned synthetic identities and fake deeds can undermine underwriting, QC and servicing controls

Preferred Program locks in FICO pulls at $10 per score as industry shifts to multiscore framework

Bonds Hold Ground Despite Some Healing in Tech Monday was exceptionally uneventful for the bond market--as is more often than not the case for data-free Mondays without any other major developments. There were some minor developments though. Tech stocks bounced back a bit, closing at their best level since last Wednesday. Corporate bond yields for Coreweave (a recent focal point for tech sector contagion potential) also moved slightly lower. On most recent occasions, that would imply upward pressure on mortgage rates. In that light, today's sideways performance was a victory.

Zoning rewrite allows homes on any lot meeting yard rules, hundreds of city held parcels now qualify

It was an uneventful day for mortgage rates, which is just the sort of thing you want to see when the average lender is just a hair above the lowest levels in more than a month. There were no significant economic reports or other market developments that caused any major volatility for rates/bonds. The dominant theme, of late, has been investor rotation out of AI-related assets and into the bond market. Excess demand for bonds is good for rates, all else equal. But there's a nuance. Corporate bonds related to certain tech companies have seen sharply lower demand. That's actually been good for

MMY US has an off-site construction facility in Louisville, and is planning to build another modular factory in Cleveland

With fewer Medicare Advantage plans available in 2027, seniors may look to their home equity to offset rising expenses

Leaders say local MLS governance remains in place as Open Real Estate prepares for a Q1 2027 rollout

Hauser will focus on expanding ENRG's national presence

Agents and leaders can ask questions in plain language and get answers grounded in The Agency's own data

Lender and Broker Products, Services, and Software Manual document reviews, repeated data entry and time-consuming “stare and compare” tasks slow down back-office processes. ICE Aurora is an enterprise mortgage AI solution that helps lenders and servicers move from manual, fragmented steps to more connected, AI-supported workflows. This allows more time for the work that matters. AI-assisted capabilities span the loan lifecycle. They include compliance and investor guideline lookups, document classification, loan data validation, and AI voice and chat agents for borrowers. ICE Aurora embeds go

The transaction includes 4,474 HEAs originated and managed by Unlock

Flat pricing on Classic FICO and FICO 10T comes amid competition

Industry open letter calls for standardized data sharing across MLSs and portals

The ALTA Good Deeds Foundation recently announced $120,000 in grants to 20 nonprofit organizations nationwide, including a $6,000 grant to Impact GulfCoast in Gulf Shores, Ala. Announced during ALTA ONE, the grants recognize organizations nominated by title professionals that are making a meaningful difference in their communities.

Bonds are technically just a hair stronger this morning, but in the slightly bigger picture, nothing has happened yet this week (not that we'd expect that to be the case before 10am on a Monday). The tech stock narrative that precipitated a sharp bond rally last Thursday continues to consolidate in a sideways pattern. Bonds are doing the same. Both are waiting for whatever's next. Wednesday's Fed announcement could be a source of inspiration if any forward guidance manages to slip through Warsh's forward guidance moat.

eXp, NextHome, HomeServices, Keller Williams and Real REMAX Group join forces to create a national data-sharing program

Fighting deed fraud takes teamwork, and Arizona title professionals are joining forces with law enforcement to stop criminals in their tracks. During an ALTA ONE panel discussion, Pioneer Title's Mike Hayden shared how early coordination with law enforcement is helping identify suspicious transactions, uncover fraud schemes and protect homeowners' property rights.

The Fox & Jacobs 'North Dallas Special' model 402 showed how buyer research and market focus can outperform national scale

Michael Gifford says securitization demand could lower pricing over time, but the regulatory picture remains cloudy

Mortgage rates are volatile. The time for C-level decisions is now.

On a $429,100 median home with 20% down, principal and interest rises from about $2,130 to $2,350

In an article examining President Trump's executive order on housing affordability, Realtor.com highlights ALTA's advocacy to ensure efforts to lower housing costs, including expanding the title insurance waiver pilot, do not come at the expense of critical consumer protections. ALTA CEO Chris Morton emphasized the industry's commitment to affordability while warning, "Fraud is unaffordable, and the threats facing homeowners are growing." Morton reinforced ALTA's position that reforms must preserve essential safeguards and avoid shifting significant financial risks onto American families an

The Times of Northwest Indiana highlights a $6,000 grant awarded by the ALTA Good Deeds Foundation to the Blind Social Center in Gary, Ind., as part of its nationwide effort to support local community organizations. The grant will help the nonprofit expand services for people who are blind or visually impaired and advance plans to provide affordable housing, reflecting the title industry's commitment to strengthening communities and improving lives.

More of America’s highest-income households are choosing not to turn their purchasing power into homeownership in a rental market that offers them more flexibility, mobility, and choice. The number of U.S. households earning at least $1 million a year while renting the home they live in rose 229% between 2020 and 2024, climbing to about 18,400 households, according to a new RentCafe analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data..

Conservation easements are a common tool for protecting agricultural land, open space, wildlife habitat, and other natural resources throughout California. While frequently associated with conservation efforts, conservation easements are fundamentally a property-rights mechanism that allows landowners to limit future development while retaining ownership of their land.

In a column for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, ALTA member Kristen Boxberger warns homeowners about the growing threat of sophisticated real estate fraud schemes. Drawing on a recent fraud attempt her office uncovered, Boxberger highlights new national fraud data, explains the critical role title professionals play in detecting and preventing fraud and offers practical steps northeast Colorado homeowners can take to protect their property rights.

Last week’s dip in mortgage rates was no reason for originators to relax, and lenders that lean on servicing income are better positioned to ride out what comes next, according to analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods.

Look closely at each home and pick the location you think it's in. Your full results and score are revealed at the end. Eight questions. One photo each.

Mortgage-servicing complaints rose 49% in the first nine months of 2026 as borrowers faced payment-processing errors, delayed responses and growing foreclosure pressure. Forbes links the surge to economic strain, outdated servicing systems and reduced CFPB oversight, which housing counselors and attorneys say has made it harder for homeowners to get problems resolved.

United States pending home sales fell to their lowest level in records dating back to 2021 in the four weeks ending October 18. Weekly average mortgage rates holding at 7.4% continued to sideline buyers across all 50 of the country’s largest metro areas for the second straight week, according to Redfin, the real estate brokerage powered by Rocket.

Rates fell toward 7.30% as the 10-year yield dipped below 5% in a wild week for the bond market

Appraisers say hidden interiors and off-market sales limit comp verification and will extend turnaround times

The Agency now has over 190 offices across 18 countries and launched 27 new offices in 2025

Analysts see the moves as largely benign for mortgage and title insurers

Slightly Weaker, But Much Stronger on The Week Friday was calm and sideways in the bigger picture. Sure, a 4+ bp increase in 10yr yields and an MBS decline of just over an eighth of a point might sound somewhat unpleasant on the average day, but considering we saw 4 times as much movement in the other, friendlier direction yesterday, we're not bothered. Rationale was rational to boot. The NASDAQ drifted sideways to slightly higher and nittier grittier canaries like Coreweave bond yields bounced back slightly lower as well. Overall, today did nothing to change the big picture. We're still waiti

Garrett, McAuley & Co. surveyed 53 mortgage banking firms, with composite scores ranging from 53 to 80

Sheryl Palmer said trust helps Taylor Morrison rework land deals and avoid deeper discounts amid 2026 market pressure

Yesterday was an exciting day for rates with the lowest levels since September 23rd and a fairly brisk decline versus the previous day. Today? Fairly boring by comparison. Rates were technically a hair higher, which isn't too surprising given the prevailing motivations in the tech sector. Yesterday's rate rally coincided with heavy selling in tech stocks. With those same stocks avoiding drama today (and the NASDAQ moving slightly higher overall), bond yields (aka "rates") also inched higher. The average mortgage lender moved up 0.03% for a top-tier 30yr fixed scenario leaving our index at 7.33

Mortgage applications continued to decline even as mortgage rates finally moved lower. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 5.3% drop in total application volume for the week ending October 16, despite the first weekly decline in mortgage rates in more than two months. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 7.41% from 7.50% the previous week. That improvement wasn't enough to revive demand, with both purchase and refinance applications moving lower. The seasonally adjusted Purchase Index fell 7% for the week and was 18% below year-ago levels . Refinances fared somewhat be

From takeoffs to trade scheduling, Summit conversations show how to turn founder know-how into repeatable, enterprise systems

Residential construction failed to find even footing in September, with housing starts declining and single-family building permits pulling back, while total permits held nearly steady and completions edged higher. This week's Census Bureau data highlights weakness in new construction, particularly on the single-family side, while starts and completions were comparatively stable. Privately owned housing starts fell 5.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.221 million , down 7.4% from September 2025. Single-family starts declined 4.6% to 859k , and multi-family came in at 349k . Building

Mortgages originated in 2022 or later represented 46% of all foreclosure auction activity in the third quarter

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) dropped three points to 29 in October--its lowest level in 14 years. As per usual, higher mortgage rates, rising costs, and worsening labor and lot conditions were the driving factors. All three component indices declined, with prospective buyer traffic suffering the steepest drop. HMI Component September October Change Current sales conditions 35 33 -2 Sales expectations 37 32 -5 Prospective buyer traffic 23 18 -5 "Buyer traffic has now fallen to its lowest level since April 2012, excluding the initial pan

Customers sign up from inside Qualia Core and can keep their existing escrow bank account

Complaint seeks class status and an injunction against Keller Williams Elite in Lancaster County

As automated messaging rises, leaders can create an edge by coaching voice, temperament fit and sustainability

In an article examining President Trump's executive order on housing affordability, Realtor.com highlights ALTA's advocacy to ensure efforts to lower housing costs, including expanding the title insurance waiver pilot, do not come at the expense of critical consumer protections. ALTA CEO Chris Morton emphasized the industry's commitment to affordability while warning, "Fraud is unaffordable, and the threats facing homeowners are growing." Morton reinforced ALTA's position that reforms must preserve essential safeguards and avoid shifting significant financial risks onto American families an

Proceeds and preferred raise would target nonfunding debt paydown

AD Mortgage survey of 250+ respondents finds 34.5% expect conventional channel growth, while 55% cite income and DTI hurdles

Lender and Broker Products, Services, and Software The ability to move swiftly and confidently through the origination and underwriting process matters more than ever. That’s why Plaid is empowering mortgage bankers to close faster, with more certainty. With Plaid, you can instantly verify an applicant’s assets, income, and employment, all straight from the source. Applicants get a quicker way to share their financial data, and your teams get a simpler way to act on it. That means fewer rejections, fewer delays, and more confident approvals. Discover why top mortgage lenders partner with Plaid

Lender funded $12.9 billion in mortgages in Q3 as high rates pressured volume

The show, launched in 2020, now tops 1.4 million annual downloads and often ranks in the top 15 of business news podcasts

Analysis shows 65.6% of outstanding mortgages had rates below 5% in Q2 2026

Complaint says 43 members voted yes, short of the 55 required under HANFRA bylaws

Planners began CEQA review; the tallest tower would rank second only to San Francisco's Salesforce Tower

Little has changed between yesterday's close and this morning's early trading. 10yr yields are still several bps under 5%. MBS are still effectively at the highest levels in a month. Tech isn't happy, with futures hugging yesterday's lows ahead of the open. One difference, however, is that we'll get a piece of economic data this morning that had a shockingly big impact on bonds when it came out last month: S&P PMIs. We're still incredulous about the 9/23 sell-off being driven by S&P PMIs, but we haven't seen a better explanation. That said, the jury's out as to whether that's a one-off. It wou

The Times of Northwest Indiana highlights a $6,000 grant awarded by the ALTA Good Deeds Foundation to the Blind Social Center in Gary, Ind., as part of its nationwide effort to support local community organizations. The grant will help the nonprofit expand services for people who are blind or visually impaired and advance plans to provide affordable housing, reflecting the title industry's commitment to strengthening communities and improving lives.

In a column for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, ALTA member Kristen Boxberger warns homeowners about the growing threat of sophisticated real estate fraud schemes. Drawing on a recent fraud attempt her office uncovered, Boxberger highlights new national fraud data, explains the critical role title professionals play in detecting and preventing fraud and offers practical steps northeast Colorado homeowners can take to protect their property rights.

Angie Mykel says combining inventory, pending sales, and new listings helps flag demand changes earlier

The mortgage rate lock-in effect shows no sign of releasing its grip on the US housing market. Pandemic-era loans now account for a record 42.8% of all outstanding mortgages as of the second quarter of 2026, up from 40.8% the prior quarter, according to Realtor.com’s Q2 2026 Outstanding Mortgage Data report.

Standard templates help consistency, but individual bios, reviews, and specialties drive borrower trust

Institutional investors are kicking the tires in the American housing market once again. Investors who own more than 1,000 homes accounted for 2.2% of the share of home sales in August, up from 1.4% in February, according to new data from real estate analytics firm Cotality

Bank of America projects muted mortgage growth in 2027, with total originations reaching $1.719 trillion and only about $344 billion coming from refinances, according to a report released Friday.

U.S. single-family housing starts fell 4.6% in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 859,000 units, according to the US Census Bureau’s Monthly New Residential Construction report.

Vague language in easements is one of the most common sources of property disputes. When the wording is unclear, owners, neighbors, and even tenants can find themselves fighting over basic questions and creating enforcement issues over time.

Real-estate giant CBRE is acquiring a company that equips data centers in a $1 billion deal, the latest sign that commercial real estate is tying its growth to the AI spending boom.

ALTA announced $120,000 in grants to 20 local community organizations nominated by title professionals, including Miko’s Place in Schwenksville, Pa. , which received a $6,000 grant from the ALTA Good Deeds Foundation. The nonprofit supports survivors of domestic violence, and the grant reflects the Foundation’s commitment to backing local organizations that strengthen families and communities where ALTA members live and work.

Falling mortgage rates offered brokers and their clients a momentary reprieve last week, but it wasn’t enough to reverse a market in retreat. Mortgage applications across the United States declined 5.3% in the week ending October 16, on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey.

Expert warns future Social Security recipients against assuming they’ll receive currently projected amounts

White House fact sheet also mentions expansion of title insurance waivers, along with lower USDA and VA direct loan rates

The brokerage also created a consumer-direct mortgage tool

Thursday was a wild day, and there was some short covering in bonds

Tech Tanks and Bonds Pick Up The Slack What began with focus on funding concerns for Coreweave (and, to a lesser degree, a very small handful of other companies) is spreading to bigger tech names today. Mix and match your favorite combo of disappointing earnings, underwhelming guidance, or cautionary tales from analysts. Any combo you choose adds up to massive losses in tech stocks. From there, several avenues lead back to bond buying. At the most superficial level, we can simply say it's a flight to safety. But thinking deeper, an ongoing AI capex slowdown has implications for econ data and c

General counsel Philip Parziale will take over as president while keeping his legal role

The proposal calls for an 18-month window for institutional investors to buy newly built BTR communities

Executives cited $35 trillion in accumulated equity and the potential for $150 billion in 2026 originations as second liens gain attention

Interest rates continue taking cues from the market rethinking the pace of AI-related growth/spending. Last week's focus was on Coreweave and a few other companies who saw their cost of financing rapidly increase--a sign that investors were starting to worry about future return of capital. One remedy for such worries is to shift money into the safest parts of the bond market such as US Treasuries and mortgage-backed bonds. As demand for those bonds increases, rates fall. Today was a sharper, broader continuation of the same theme. Disappointing earnings calls and guidance for several big names

Nearly 90% of respondents said CMAs will become more relevant in the future

At MBA Annual, leaders discussed labor automation and client recapture as a path forward during the down cycle

Leadership change takes effect Nov. 1, with White shifting to executive chairman after 40-plus years with the brand

The order includes several directives aimed at lowering housing costs such as authorizing the FHFA director to expand the title acceptance pilot into an ongoing program, broaden refinance eligibility, remove geographic limits and add title-assessment providers. ALTA warns cost-reduction initiatives must preserve protections for homeowners and their property rights and not shift risk to consumers and taxpayers.

The order includes several directives aimed at lowering housing costs such as authorizing the FHFA director to expand the title waiver pilot into an ongoing program, broaden refinance eligibility, remove geographic limits and add title-assessment providers. ALTA warns cost-reduction initiatives must preserve protections for homeowners and their property rights and not shift risk to consumers and taxpayers.

Remote work and limited coastal, agricultural supply are pushing premiums toward vineyards, views, and distance from neighbors

Plaintiff filed a notice of settlement in federal court in Los Angeles, terms are confidential

DPR tracked 2,833 programs, with 2,110 offering down payment and closing cost assistance

AuthoritySignal AI analyzes digital signals across markets and specialties

Lender and Broker Products, Services, and Software “Ready to get ahead of what’s next in mortgage technology? Join us for the client-exclusive Optimal Blue Summit 2027, taking place Feb. 1 – 3, 2027, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona, for hands-on training, insightful breakout sessions, product demonstrations, and conversations with mortgage and business leaders. Hear from special guest Troy Aikman, Mortgage Bankers Association President and CEO Bob Broeksmit, MBA Chief Economist Michael Fratantoni, Optimal Blue leaders, and more as they explore the market tre

Changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027, with CFO David Holland serving as interim president of originations

Suit seeks injunction barring Vidal from serving as REMAX president for one year under a 2025 agreement.

Matheson will stay on as a non-executive advisor through mid-July under a transition agreement

ARMLS, Bridge, Canopy, REcolorado, Hive, and Doorify seek an injunction over cooperation rules and office exclusives

We all know that responding to leads in a timely manner is necessary, but that leaves a few questions: how fast do I need to respond? Why do I need to respond so fast? Will responding fast actually get the person to work with me? Answering these questions is a matter of looking at statistics…

Oil prices are up. Bond yields are down sharply. If this was early September, that wouldn't make sense. Bonds decoupled from the oil correlation on Fed week and then REALLY decoupled as stronger econ data was priced in, starting with that very weird S&P PMI reaction on Sept 23. Ever since then, yields have been fumbling around in the dark, trying to find a long-term ceiling. Then Coreweave concerns came to the forefront, slowly at first (October 8) and then swiftly last week. Once again today, Coreweave bond drama is directly linked to this morning's sharpest movement toward lower yields.

Agents can reduce friction by making online marketing align with room size, light and walkability

The move doubles Balance Homes' footprint following a relaunch backed by $30 million led by Falco Group

Los Angeles ordinances that took effect June 30 hold off full SB 79 compliance citywide until 2030, which Raman opposed

Research estimates smaller lots could have added 3.1 million starter homes in 10 years, at 10% to 15% lower prices

AI can speed captions and photo cleanup, but templates tied to MLS data prevent errors at scale

Officials are seeking an administrator to guide participants through the process

Executive order draft calls for policy actions across several areas, including mortgage insurance, manufactured housing and refinance costs

Ultimately Flat After Options-Driven Volatility Treasuries continued in the same sideways holding pattern seen over the past 4 trading sessions. This generally mirrors a holding pattern in certain tech companies' credit risk metrics. In short, bonds currently have nothing better to do than wait and see if tech is experiencing some kind of true inflection point or just a false alarm. Today was set to be especially boring as a result, but there was some afternoon volatility surrounding the options expiration cut-off (which affected both Treasuries and stocks). Even then, the net effect of that v

It was another ho-hum day for mortgage rates, which is more of the exception than the rule these days. But we're not complaining! The uneventful, sideways movement means rates are holding in line with the lowest levels in nearly a month. Today would have been slightly lower than yesterday had it not been for some mid-day weakness in the underlying bond market. While there were a few war-related headlines that coincided with the timing, the volatility is more attributable to esoteric trader positioning considerations in the Treasury options market.

The search for housing affordability is getting harder as mortgage rates top 7%, with weakening contract activity in Omaha, Huntsville and Tulsa

The company has mapped renovation hotspots by ZIP code as lenders and servicers eye home equity opportunities

Total funds held in Real Wallet checking accounts have grown to $45 million

Americans want Congress to make housing more affordable. A sizable share also blames the companies financing their homes for the crisis. Thirty-three percent of respondents hold mortgage lenders and banks responsible for the housing affordability crisis, according to a new survey from Clever Real Estate, a low-commission real estate brokerage. That matches the share blaming homebuilders and developers and sits below corporate and institutional investors at 37%. The Trump administration drew blame from 48%.

Deal is expected to close by the end of 2026

Investor activity remained concentrated in the Midwest and Sun Belt

Orion was launched by MetroList, Northern Nevada Regional MLS and Oregon Data Share

Kentucky broker says a 5% deposit promise and delayed funds raised laundering concerns

Let’s see what’s in my electronic mailbag. “Rob, is it true that LOs can now join the MBA directly?” Yup. There’s MBA Homebase that provides loan officers with education, coaching, professional development, and a stronger voice in the mortgage industry. It is open to loan officers at every lender and across every origination channel, regardless of whether their company is an MBA member. “Rob, I watched President Trump talk about Montana being helped, financially, by Fannie and Freddie. Is that legal?” Hah, define “legal.” Montana has about 10,000 sales a year, $3 billion divided by 10,000 is $

NAR data shows median expenses hit $9,530 while median gross income reached $59,200 in 2026

Onity says it has cooperated with state regulators and is prepared to meet any properly defined standards

We find ourselves in a bit of a lull in the bond market this week, and we don't object! Yields aren't screaming back up toward recent highs. Nor are they extending last week's swift rally. Both would cause problems for different reasons. Consolidating last week's rally in this narrow, sideways pattern is arguably the very best thing that could have happened this week. Whatever happens next is likely to be driven by a combination of the evolving narrative on tech sector concerns, econ data, and the Fed policy stance (which is really just a function of the econ data). In general, it is the tech

Purchase applications dropped 7% week over week and ran 18% below last year

The Washington state federal case would keep antitrust and consumer claims alive if the order stands

An inside look at the company's genesis, growth and the $1.2 billion sale to New Home Co. in 2025

With 36 states voting, platforms span supply reforms, rent rules, and tax changes that could steer 2027 sessions

DFW’s 110,000 vacant developed lots equal 32 months of supply, but submarket mix drives outcomes

Pending home sales in September fell to their lowest level on record as the housing market hit a wall in the form of surging mortgage rates. The National Association of Realtors’ pending home sales index plummeted 7.3% from the previous month to its lowest point since the metric began in 2001. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expected a decline of 0.4%. On a year-over-year basis, sales fell 11%, NAR said.

ICE data shows $11.7T tappable equity held by 47.5M borrowers in Q2 2026, with 54% of equity taps using second liens

Fannie and Freddie shift to MISMO-aligned fields, while listing pricing still starts with an unstructured CMA

American homebuyers are gaining negotiating ground in more markets across the country, but a sharp run-up in mortgage rates past 7% is reducing what those buyers can actually afford to spend, the Realtor.com Market Clock report shows.

Surging mortgage rates are sending many buyers to the sidelines, while affluent shoppers are driving overall prices higher with big cash purchases.

Director Bill Pulte said the Federal Housing Finance Agency is reviewing whether to change loan-level price adjustments (LLPAs) and the use of multiple credit reports in mortgage underwriting, signaling possible policy changes as soon as 2026. In a series of posts on X on Saturday, Pulte said “we are studying the usage of just one or two credit reports to bring even more savings than we already have to American consumers.” He added that he expects to decide “whether there will be any changes to LLPAs before year end.”

Brown Harris Stevens, NextHome and Lamacchia Realty leaders say listing hoarding could undermine comps and appraisals

Tech Concerns Keeping Bonds in The Game There was some oil price volatility today that looked like it might line up with some of the intraday volatility in the bond market. This may have actually been relevant between 10:10 and 10:30am as various rumors circulated regarding a draft deal. But the general trading range of Treasuries/MBS has been facilitated by the ongoing focus on potential credit concerns for a few key tech names. Coreweave is front and center with today's corporate bond volatility lining up very well with the AM Treasury volatility. Specifically, the height of Coreweave's yiel

DOJ says the servicer refused rate cut requests and retaliated against those seeking relief

Poleg also predicted that U.S. home prices could decline over the coming months

Federal prosecutors in Houston have charged two Texas residents with mortgage fraud after an alleged scheme involving fabricated pay stubs, W-2 forms, and bank statements. The pair allegedly used the falsified documents to help unqualified borrowers secure home loans. Their actions put the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insurance program at risk of nearly $5.9 million in potential losses.

While HECM volume fell to $880 million in Q3 2026, private-label loans totaled $1.2 billion

Agents using Referral Central can list areas of expertise to help colleagues find appropriate matches

Mortgage rates dropped 0.03% today on average leaving the top-tier 30yr fixed rate index at 7.40% vs 7.43% yesterday--the third lowest level in more than 3 weeks. As has been and continues to be the case, the lower rates seen since last Wednesday are primarily being driven by concerns about deleveraging and potential contagion in the AI sector. One of the most closely-watched bellwethers has been Coreweave where a sharp decline in stock prices and sharp increase in corporate bond yields has broadly mirrored recent moves in interest rates. Some of today's intraday volatility can also be viewed

12News reporter Trisha Hendricks attended ALTA ONE in Scottsdale, where she interviewed Mike Hayden of Pioneer Title and Ben White of Mother Lode Holding Company about the growing threat of seller impersonation fraud. The segment highlights the evolving tactics criminals are using to target property owners and the critical role title professionals play in detecting fraudulent transactions, preventing scams and protecting consumers' property rights.

HousingWire Data shows 30-year conforming rates at 7.52%, down 11 bps week over week, as the 10-year yield fell to 5.09%

The North Carolina-based team has logged 418 loans and $125.5M in volume year to date

HousingWire Intelligence data showed 51,947 new pending single family sales for Oct. 16 week, down 13.1% year over year

A 2026 survey found 63.2% of homeowners are stressed by ownership costs as taxes, insurance and upkeep rise

With mortgage rates near 7.5%, look for softness in 2027

“I ordered a book online titled, ‘How to Scam People Online.’ It’s been six months and I still haven’t received it.” Being scammed, and fraud in general, isn’t a laughing matter. Companies like SoFi publish information on how to recover afterward. People over 60, as always, are more susceptible. The FBI has a website on mortgage fraud which is well-regarded. Good loan officers are instrumental in teaching their clients about it. I mention all of this because I continue to hear from LOs about how artificial intelligence has increased fraud more than reduced it. Generating one’s own paystubs onl

Digital lender’s latest plan trims $250,000 a month in expenses as it leans on AI and non-QM products

Dispute tests whether publicly marketed homes must enter the MLS, as Compass sues CRMLS and eyes more actions

The deal makes Dream Finders the sixth-largest U.S. homebuilder and extends its reach to 26 of the top 50 MSAs

ALTA announced $120,000 in grants to 20 local community organizations nominated by title professionals, including Next Step Homeless Services in Fort Smith, Ark. , which received a $6,000 grant from the ALTA Good Deeds Foundation. The organization helps people experiencing homelessness move toward greater safety and stability through shelter, case management and housing support, and the grant highlights the title industry’s commitment to supporting members and organizations making a difference in their local communities.

More than 600 Side partners across 19 states can qualify to show in a Google mobile carousel via My State MLS

ALTA announced $120,000 in grants to 20 local community organizations nominated by title professionals, including Miko’s Place in Schwenksville, Pa. , which received a $6,000 grant from the ALTA Good Deeds Foundation. The nonprofit supports survivors of domestic violence, and the grant reflects the Foundation’s commitment to backing local organizations that strengthen families and communities where ALTA members live and work.

The bond market continues to decide who it wants to be in Q4, 2026--the harbinger of inflation concerns, debt issuance and economic growth or a safe haven for cash being freed up by AI capex deleveraging. We're starting slightly stronger today with the AI deleveraging trade apparently setting the tone. Movement is too modest to demand any rigorous analysis (Nasdaq lower, yields lower), but at least it's green.

Small developers are stacking state tools to make lots feasible, from backyard units to 10-home subdivisions

A former banker turned builder hire learns why risk tolerance and return assumptions decide outcomes

New Home Star’s buyer insights show why homebuyer affordability, buyer psychology and new home sales conversion increasingly depend on understanding what buyers value beyond price

Mortgage servicers are offering more pre-foreclosure short sale options to a rapidly growing pool of underwater homeowners who are also behind on mortgage payments

AI will not change mortgage economics until lenders measure how much expert attention each loan actually consumes

Half of Gen Z workers earn independent income, lenders are leaning on cash flow analysis plus underwriter expertise

NAHB’s October Housing Market Index for builder confidence dropped three points to 29, a low since June 2012

Economist explains how 7% mortgage rates and lower home price growth are reshaping affordability and mobility

More than half of respondents say the events of 2026 have impacted their retirement planning

What's Up With Monday's Weakness? Bonds were moderately weaker on Monday and not in a way that was obviously connected to any of the potential scapegoats. We know that there was selling in the EU bond market overnight and while U.S. yields correlated with much of that move, that correlation broke down precisely when an EU-driven move would have been most relevant. It's easier to blame an ongoing recovery in the tech space even though there's a similar lack of elegant correlation between tech stocks and bond yields. Bottom line: Treasuries benefited from last week's moments of highest concern s

An analysis of 10 million real estate leads found that 91% had received no human contact in 90 days

Ownify partner helps fund purchases, buyers make five years of fixed payments, then face renewal or buyout

Mortgage rates were moderately higher to start the new week, adding to the modest losses seen on Friday. The silver lining is that any of the past 3 business days saw the lowest rates since September 23rd. There were no clear reasons for today's rate movement in terms of economic reports or news headlines. The same was true for last week's biggest swings which were driven by broad bond market sentiment as traders sought safer havens due to concerns about a pull-back in the tech sector. On that note, tech stocks had their best day in several weeks today with much of the improvement already inta

Analysts see persistent lock-in effect and fading demand despite modest supply gains

With rates over 7%, city-led reforms could speed homebuilding and ease prices

Beydoun’s team has originated $41.9 million on 115 transactions in 2026

HomeServices survey of 1,000 buyers found 46% cite uncoordinated providers as the top frustration

Trade group points to tri-merge costs, plus LLPA and FHA MIP changes

Median income for borrowers served was $66,000, with typical assistance of $16,700 and a $260,500 purchase price

“There’s a cohort of American males who believe that, with 1-2 years of dedicated practice, they could win the Masters golf tournament. As a marketer, it is important to understand that you can sell these people anything.” Advertising is not the same as marketing (it’s a component of it) and artificial intelligence is a part of it, especially for lenders. Many will say that any AI Agent should proclaim, “I am an AI Agent,” and anything from a bot should proclaim, “I am from a bot.” Would you let an “AI Agent” manage your money? Or move money in escrow? After Muse launch, U.S. Banks are saying

Pulte pushed back on media reports that he might become White House chief of staff

In an interview with The Title Report, incoming ALTA President Craig Haskins outlines his priorities for the year ahead, including bringing fresh perspectives and emerging leaders into ALTA’s leadership, embracing AI and technology to improve efficiency and strengthening consumer protections. Haskins emphasizes that efforts to improve housing affordability must not come at the expense of essential title protections and highlights the industry's critical role in combating fraud.

Warren and Booker cite lead routing, lender steering, and private listings in a letter to the FTC

Court filing says claims against Bjorkman and Golden are still pending despite the Sunday settlement notice

The initiative aims to streamline and expand digital permitting, ADU and zoning reforms and housing strike teams

Last week's most notable development was a flight to safety in the bond market precipitated by concerns about a shift in tech sector sentiment. The shift in question was mainly driven by Coreweave which saw shares plummet and corporate debt spreads explode. That cause some concern about spillover to the rest of the tech sector. Treasuries benefited not only only from general safe haven demand, but also because the tech jitters implied a slower pace of AI capex and corporate debt issuance (both of which had previously created upward pressure on bond yields). The NASDAQ is starting the new week

Darryl Davis argues leaders should diagnose who first, then why, then strategy, and use a monthly integrity sheet to guide coaching

Findings suggest retention requires more than monitoring sales and adjusting commission structures

Longbridge survey of 2,000+ homeowners found 47% confidence among ages 55 to 64

Inventory to backlog ranges from 0.44x at NVR to 3.09x at Century, with margin pressure risk into Q4

The company has its sights set on making reverse mortgages mainstream via the broker channel

HUD extended FHA multifamily programs to BTR, opening up 221(d)(4) new construction and 223(f) refi and acquisition options

D Bank data shows AI finance use rose to 55% in 2026, while 81% still want human support

In an interview with HousingWire, incoming ALTA President Craig Haskins outlines his priorities for the year ahead, including raising consumer awareness of the title industry's value, embracing technology to improve efficiency and developing the next generation of industry leaders. Haskins emphasizes that efforts to improve housing affordability must not come at the expense of consumer protections. He also calls for greater recognition of the title industry's behind-the-scenes work to prevent fraud and resolve title issues, increased adoption of digital closings and more opportunities for e

Pending home sales fell from a year earlier in all 50 major U.S. metros Redfin tracks, the first such across-the-board decline in three years, even with a record share of sellers cutting their asking prices. The findings point to continued pressure on purchase lending: Buyers have more homes to choose from and more opportunities to negotiate, but financing costs are keeping monthly payments near record highs.

Former American Land Title Association President David Townsend Esq., NTP challenged title professionals to rethink how they explain the industry’s value. At ALTA ONE, he argued that stronger storytelling can help title professionals advocate for the industry, attract new talent and demonstrate why human expertise will remain essential even as artificial intelligence transforms the business.

The Trump administration sharpened its rebuke of international fiscal watchdogs on Thursday, with a senior Treasury official directly challenging the International Monetary Fund’s authority to question US fiscal policy — even as 10-year Treasury yields hold above 5%, a level that has deepened affordability pressure on mortgage borrowers throughout 2026. David Zervos, counselor to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington, DC, and a former chief market strategist at Jefferies & Co. in New York, told CNBC.

California regulators are seeking a 12-month suspension of Wallick & Volk’s lending license as part of an enforcement action against the lender. The case highlights continued scrutiny from state regulators and the potential for further enforcement activity across the mortgage industry.

Housing affordability is on statewide ballots in California, Florida and Massachusetts, with voters weighing measures tied to lot sizes, environmental review timelines and property-tax relief. The proposals vary widely: Massachusetts would cap minimum lot sizes for many single-family homes, California would set deadlines for environmental reviews and court challenges, and Florida would significantly expand the homestead exemption while tightening assessment caps on non-homestead property.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently released its annual fair lending report, covering its fair lending activities in calendar year 2025, as well as certain 2026 actions it considered particularly relevant and important. The report reflects changes to the CFPB’s fair lending program, many in response to Trump administration executive orders, to streamline its fair lending activities by focusing on “proven, intentional racial discrimination with actual identifiable victims.”

The average interest rate on a new 30-year mortgage in the United States this week is 7.4 percent, a number so high it makes many would-be buyers wince. But for decades, that number would have seemed perfectly normal, even low. Before Americans got used to mortgage rates below 5 percent, sometimes even below 3 percent, rates were consistently well above 7 percent for decades, from the 1970s through the 1990s.

California voting on new housing reform ballot measures are underway; other states start early voting later this month

A path back below 7% exists, but spreads and geopolitics still matter

Economists at Fannie Mae are now predicting much higher mortgage rates through the end of 2026 and into 2027. It now puts the average rate on the 30-year fixed at 7.4% for the fourth quarter of this year and 7.5% through all of 2027.

Christies International Real Estate expands in New Jersey

Could Have Been Better. Could Have Been Worse If the bond market was a Mario Bro, it found a gold star at some point on Wednesday. As Thursday afternoon, the gold star ran out of juice and we're back to regular old Mario. In other words, astonishing resilience/bullishness has been replaced by a sideways-to-slightly-weaker grind. It could be as simple as the desire among traders to consolidate recent gains without getting too carried away. Ongoing selling in tech stocks ostensibly allowed for another bond rally, so the fact that we lost a bit of ground could end up looking like an important clu

Complaint alleges fines up to $2,500 for public marketing outside the MLS when clients direct it in writing

If you're busy, we can make this quick. Existing home sales dropped sharply from over 6m units per year starting in 2022 and had bottomed out around 4m units per year by the end of 2023. They've done essentially nothing exciting since then and the latest update is no exception. The end. If you prefer to read an article-sized article, here you go: Existing-home sales edged higher in September with The National Association of REALTORS® reporting a 1.5% increase to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.99 million . August and September mark the two slowest months for home sales this year, as hig

Mortgage applications continued to lose ground as mortgage rates held near their highest levels in nearly three years. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported a 2.7% decline in total mortgage application volume for the week ending October 9. That's an important date, because a substantial majority of a fairly sharp decline in interest rates occurred AFTER October 9. As such, next week's data is a great opportunity to see the impact of lower rates. Purchase activity took another step back, with the seasonally adjusted Purchase Index falling 4% for the week and running 16% below year-ago

Bank is moving to align its mortgage production more closely with core relationship clients

After dropping sharply over the past 5 days, mortgage rates finally reminded us that they're still capable of moving higher. Thankfully, today's bump was modest in the recent context, only adding 0.04% to a 30yr fixed that had fallen 0.27% since October 7th. Even though today's losses were minimal, they're potentially informative. Much of this week's improvement can be traced to concerns surrounding tech companies, and possible warning signs about a reduction in AI-related spending/investment throughout the sector. While it's too early to draw any conclusions about such things, we can certainl

Lessons from deregulation, software shifts, wireless competition, and patient consumerism point to a consistent pattern, choice changes behavior

Refinance activity takes the brunt of the revision

The MBA believes that 2027’s production will be 5 percent less than 2026’s and be below $2 trillion. “Rob, are you hearing that, with volumes down (units and volume), lenders are once again examining keeping entire loan originator workforces?” Indeed I am. At the most basic level, as we move through autumn and into winter with no sign of greatly improved rates and the spring “home buying season” five months away, lenders are asking, “Is the LO carrying him/herself?” Lenders are moving LOs to part-time status, cutting benefits when possible, or suggesting they “find success elsewhere.” Many are

The company promoted three executives into CTO, CFO, legal roles

Candidates pair pro-supply policies with populist proposals like investor limits, LIHTC expansion and down payment help

The past two days saw a unique confluence of factors that led to a precipitous, unexpected, and fairly large rally in the bond market. The easiest scapegoat is the general notion of fear surrounding AI/tech share prices and debt contagion. One simple effect was investors reallocating out of stocks and into bonds. Another effect could be investors shifting out of AI corporate debt into safer havens. Either way, it doesn't feel like a coincidence that tech stocks slid roughly 5% over the exact same time frame as the 10yr rallied from 5.34 to 5.07. If we use the QQQ ETF as a loose benchmark for t

CINC’s Jeff Walker says the priority is recognizing lead intent during a 12-month sales cycle and acting at the right moment

Zelman data shows housing M&A deal value up 56% through Aug. 2026 while investment grade issuance fell 71%

Letter cites lead gen referrals, mortgage steering, and office exclusive listings as affordability pressures

A diversified benchmark approach could reduce balance sheet shocks that precede credit deterioration

The MBA’s Market Composite Index, which tracks mortgage application volumes, declined 2.7% on a seasonally adjusted basis over the week ending Oct. 9. Purchase application activity, which has not posted a weekly increase since the end of August, declined 4% last week and landed 16% lower year over the year. Refinance activity was 0.4% lower over the week and 56% below the same week last year.

The trade association released "Affordability in Action: A Policy Roadmap to Lower the Cost of Financing a Home to Own or Rent," at its annual convention in Chicago Wednesday. The plan outlines suggestions across five areas: lowering mortgage costs, expanding credit access for qualified borrowers, reducing rental housing costs, growing the affordable housing supply and strengthening the housing financing system.

Lower-income households face bigger obstacles to getting a mortgage than neighborhood-level data suggests, according to a new analysis from iEmergent. The mortgage research firm looked at HDMA data across five years, comparing applicants’ incomes with the typical family income in the communities where they wanted to buy or finance property. The data revealed that area-level income understates the difficulties faced by individual borrowers.

The new construction pipeline brokers were counting on has hit a six-year low. Rising mortgage rates pushed new home purchase applications down 8.3% year-over-year and 8% from August.

Many states require mortgage lenders to pay borrowers interest on funds held in escrow accounts—the accounts routinely used to cover property taxes, homeowners’ insurance, and related charges. Whether federal law preempts these requirements as applied to national banks has become one of the most actively contested questions in banking regulation. A recent circuit split, two new OCC rules, and a multistate lawsuit challenging those rules have created a compliance landscape that demands careful attention from every mortgage lender operating across state lines.

Maryland homeowners who open their mailboxes to find what looks like a check offering hundreds of thousands of dollars for their house will have one less reason to wonder whether they should cash it. A new state law took effect on Thursday making it illegal to send a check or other negotiable instrument as part of an unsolicited offer to buy someone’s property.

The all-cash deal is now expected to close on October 20

Latent Urban found 49 registered projects at exactly 99 units across the April and October releases

Census data show 256,000 homes under construction and 114,000 not started, as builders push for year end completions

The brokerage, also live in Florida and Texas, offers buyers up to 2% of the purchase price back at closing

MBA said 3,700 attendees still gathered in Chicago as FHFA director cited travel tied to housing funds

As agents feed large MLS datasets into LLMs for CMAs, MLSs weigh closed-loop tools and new governance layers

Mortgage rates dropped again today, and at a much faster pace than yesterday's decline. Top tier 30yr fixed rates are now down to 7.33% for the average lender, a drop of more than 0.25% from the long-term highs seen just last week. There are a lot of moving parts behind the scenes so let's focus on what we can know or at least reasonably conclude. [thirtyyearmortgagerates] Is this the big shift in rates we've been waiting for? The kind that sometimes follows sustained spikes to long-term highs? While there's a chance the past 5 days COULD serve as the early indication of a broader rate recover

Exciting Times, But Don't Get Too Excited There's no question that the past 5 days have been the best 5 days that we've seen in a long time in terms of direction movement in rates. They're made all the more miraculous because the past 2 days included much higher inflation readings. In a vacuum, inflation data was bad for rates. But the opposing forces are/were stronger in this case. There are two to consider: AI/tech correction and bond seller exhaustion. We've said for a while that yields would eventually be high enough to prompt some value buying and that 5.34-5.35% may be 2026's version of

Data points to close races to determine razor thin Senate and House majorities

With the MBA forecasting mortgage volume below $2 trillion in 2027, Point is framing HEIs as a viable business alternative

Mullinix ranked No. 32 on HousingWire’s Top Purchase Originators list with $197.2 million across 355 units

In the last 48 hours, we got two very hot inflation reports, positive retail sales, rising oil prices and historically low jobless claims

Appointment follows proxy fight that restored Vishal Garg’s influence

NAR reported median 2025 production of 9 sides for individual agents versus 32 for team-based agents, alongside major coverage differences

Trade group cites TILA and Regulation Z, says exemption should cover proprietary products available to borrowers under 62

“My coworker asked me how I’m doing this morning. Yet another third party trying to steal my data!” Data travels at the speed of light. Mickey D’s is reportedly using artificial intelligence to “dynamically” price its burgers. Imagine a lender trying that! AI filled the exhibition hall at the MBA’s conference this week. I don’t use AI to write this Commentary, but perhaps I should tack “AI” onto the end of it in case I want to raise money or attract more readers. On second thought, nah, we’re good as it is. But along those lines, AI is the focal point in today’s Chrisman LLC Demo Day, the seco

Builder Application Survey data also shows a 12% drop in estimated sales to a 584,000 annual pace, the weakest since April 2020

Craig Haskins began his term as ALTA president by emphasizing participation, action, innovation and mentorship. Drawing on his journey from a newcomer in the back row to president and CEO of Knight Barry Title Inc., he urged every member to contribute to the industry’s future.

The approach is acknowledge, switch to a call, provide context first, then give an honest range tied to service and timing

Core PPI was up 0.7 vs 0.3 forecast this morning. That's something that would normally send yields much higher. But everything is different this morning. Bonds rallied sharply in the overnight session and added a bit more to the gains after the 8:30am data. This is on top of yesterday's stunning comeback after getting rocked by higher CPI. To a small extent, the "control group" Retail Sales number may have helped, but the 8:30am gains have more to do with investors waiting to see PPI and finding it would add less than 0.1% to PCE in 2 weeks. This allows the market to maintain its focus on the

The Canadian-based company hired former SoFi executive Usman Maher as it seeks growth in the U.S.

The suit alleges threats to discourage showings because REX did not use the MLS or offer buyer broker compensation

Meta launched Muse on 09/08/2026, raising new questions on disclosure, authentication and delegated authority

AI adoption rose to 58%, operators now focus on escalation rules that protect resident trust

The ruling is a signal to warehouse and DIP lenders that financing structures secured by HMBS-related tails may be vulnerable if Ginnie Mae exercises extinguishment remedies

Mortgage giants are deploying tech to flag occupancy risk and income defects upfront

Localities are turning to AI to fast-track permiting, but outdated or conflicting zoning text and maps still delay approvals

A Zillow survey cited 74% of Hispanic sellers and 73% of Black sellers were steered to private networks, versus 24% of white sellers

You won't see too many days like today when it comes to mortgage rates and the underlying bond market that drives them. Bonds were eagerly awaiting this morning's Consumer Price Index (CPI), a key inflation report and an important source of guidance for the Fed rate outlook. Reminder: while the Fed Funds Rate itself does not control mortgage rates, Fed rate EXPECTATIONS tend to correlate much better. Fed rate expectations leapt higher this morning after inflation came in hotter than expected. The rest of the interest rate world followed in lock step. When lenders released their initial mortgag

At MBA Annual, Matt Jones and Joe Gormley touched on ways to move the needle in FHA single-family mortgage originations

Chamberlain will also launch the company's brand champions and creator program

Reffkin said 43% of listings had a price drop history in September, and 6% were pulled off market

In an interview with HousingWire, incoming ALTA President Craig Haskins outlines his priorities for the year ahead, including raising consumer awareness of the title industry's value, embracing technology to improve efficiency and developing the next generation of industry leaders. Haskins emphasizes that efforts to improve housing affordability must not come at the expense of consumer protections. He also calls for greater recognition of the title industry's behind-the-scenes work to prevent fraud and resolve title issues, increased adoption of digital closings and more opportunities for e

In a bipartisan op-ed, Pennsylvania state Reps. Chris Rabb and Tim Bonner urge the state Senate to pass House Bill 1406 to strengthen protections against deed fraud by establishing criminal penalties and providing victims with clearer legal recourse. The lawmakers cite ALTA's recent seller impersonation fraud study , which found that 59% of title insurance firms experienced at least one fraud attempt in 2025, more tha

Investment will help Zippy expand its 27-state footprint

High mortgage rates are keeping buyers on the sidelines, even as housing inventory falls

What percentage of the industry is shifting credit policies? Yesterday the industry learned that Fairway Independent and Movement are “now implementing VantageScore 4.0 (owned by Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion)… The VantageScore 4.0 credit scoring model is offered through Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, as well as mortgage technology providers including Xactus, Calyx, and Optimal Blue. Its use in mortgage was pioneered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as well as the Federal Home Loan Banks, FHA, and the VA. Keeping up on things can be a full-time job, and Chrisman Demo Day returns tomorrow,

JPMorgan and Wells Fargo also reported lower mortgage volumes amid higher rates

Social Security retirement benefits will rise by an average of $75 a month in January 2027

A 2008-to-2009 case study and a 2025-to-2035 demographic outlook frame the risk of relying on one backer

Gasoline rose 34.2% year over year, shelter increased 0.4% month over month

Unrounded core CPI came in at 0.335, which nearly rounds to 0.4% versus an expectations of 0.2%. This is a big surprise when it comes to inflation data, and it matters more at the moment given the rapidly evolving Fed rate hike outlook. Recent Fed speeches caused a significant pull-back in rate hike expectations. Today's inflation data undoes most of that progress. It may not cause rates to break into new highs, but it makes a strong case for this week's lows being the floor until further notice. Confused about the market reaction? Let's talk more. For those wondering why forecasters didn't ex

The refinance share rose to 37.7%, and FHA refinance volume fell 5% as rates moved higher

Sissie Hsiao led the development of Google’s AI tool Gemini and Google App Ads

Commissioners voted 6-1 after 12 hours of public input, the county’s next step hinges on a resident lawsuit

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in September from the previous month, but slowed compared to a year ago, the latest sign the housing market remains stalled as rising mortgage rates and home prices discourage prospective homebuyers. Existing home sales rose 1.5% last month from August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.99 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday. One of the factors in the monthly increase is that sales in August were revised lower.

The US’s average inflation rate rose to 3.7% in September, increasing the odds of a Federal Reserve rate hike this month as soaring gas prices pushed the consumer price index higher. Labor Department data released Wednesday showed inflation continuing to rise above the central bank’s 2% target, sparked mainly by fuel cost increases as the war on Iran rumbles on.

Home sellers outnumbered buyers by an estimated 62.6% in September, the widest gap in Redfin’s records dating to 2013. Buyers gained negotiating room, but the purchase business kept shrinking: fewer homes went under contract, and cancellations reached their highest share since the pandemic’s opening months. The seller surplus widened from 56.9% in August, setting a record for the fourth consecutive month, according to Redfin’s buyer-and-seller report released Oct. 14.

About 150,000 homeowners with adjustable-rate mortgages face their first interest rate adjustment this year, with 64,000 scheduled for a shift from August through December, according to ICE Mortgage Technology. Some borrowers could see monthly payments jump by hundreds of dollars, and in some cases, more than $1,000. Others could see their payments drop as their rate adjusts downward. There are about 3.1 million ARMs outstanding, representing just 5.6% of the roughly 55.4 million active mortgages in the U.S., according to ICE.

Appraisal minus mortgage balance sets equity, but the buyout amount hinges on solo borrowing capacity

MBA data shows nonperforming servicing costs $1,573 per loan vs $176, exceptions can push costs higher

For years, Pamela Griffin cherished a promise from a stranger that the expansive plot of land just steps from her home in Taylor, Texas, would one day become the park she and other kids in her neighborhood always wanted. But as the land changed hands, a 14-word sentence in a 1999 deed was not carried forward, putting the property about 25 miles outside of Austin on track to become something much different: a data center.

For years, the Montana-Idaho boundary near Lookout Pass has been the subject of questions, maps that didn't quite agree and enough head-scratching to make a person wonder if the state line had simply wandered off for a while. Now, after more than a century of history, the construction of I-90 and several decades of questions, the line has finally received another look. And this time, it came with surveyors.

Although starter homes are becoming increasingly scarce throughout the nation, several affordable markets—predominantly situated in the Midwest—provide first-time purchasers with a robust and varied inventory of entry-level residential properties. What constitutes a starter home in precise terms? According to Realtor.com® economists, this category of real estate encompasses a property listed at or below 80% of the median listing price within its metropolitan area during a designated timeframe.

Plan would allow up to 150 units per acre and 8-story buildings, while design rules and state review could extend timelines

A StoneManor Homes brand extension, Valera Homes will offer Houston-area homes priced from the $270s to the $350s

Recent draw changes and a potential review of consultant requirements signal a refocus on the product

Founder Dan Cooper said five MLSs have signed on since early 2025, with more partnerships expected after contract reviews

@HeySerhant will publish original content daily for the next 12 months

Light Volatility and Modest Gains Ahead of CPI Bonds were modestly stronger in the overnight session in a move that is easiest to attribute to ongoing supportive buying in response to recently higher yields in the long end of the market. Fed Funds Futures were also in play as implied Fed Funds tracked fairly well with 10yr yields in terms of movement. Oil prices did little to explain the AM gains, but correlated well with an insignificant pull-back between 8:30-10:00am ET. Afternoon comments from Williams (who only sees the need for 1 more rate hike and then no hikes in 2027) helped the short

Non-QM represented 12% of production in September as the 30-year conforming rate ended the month at 7.39%

It was an uneventfully good day for mortgage rates. Unlike the average day over the past several weeks, there was minimal intraday volatility in the underlying bond market. This allowed the average lender to issue rates once this morning and avoid intraday rate changes. Fortunately, the overnight market movement was in our favor today as traders continued finding value in recently higher bond yields. Rates are based on the bond market where higher yields increasingly create demand among investors. In 2023, when the 10yr Treasury yield hit 5%, we saw a solid show of support from buyers. In 2026

NAR showed sales up 1.5% month over month, but rates have rapidly increased in the last few weeks

The tool pairs a full Experian credit profile with VantageScore 4.0 and supports a later shift to a hard inquiry

Proposed asset threshold changes could leave 31 million people in areas with limited community development coverage, association claims

HousingWire exclusive columnist Craig Rowe explores how agents are using AI tools to automate MLS workflows, in many cases against MLS bylaws.

Sales were lower year-over-year in all four regions

Redfin showed 32 missing properties and Homes.com 27, vs. 15 for Zillow and 12 for Realtor.com

Promise Robotics says it can frame a typical 1,800-square-foot home in about eight hours

FHA fell to 7.37% from 7.59% and jumbo slipped 10 bps to 7.75% as Treasury yields stayed elevated

If you want privacy, you may not want to buy a new car: Many new cards share your data with third-party companies via technology. Here at the MBA National, tech is not only a popular topic, but, thanks to AddyAI, there is an Agentic registered “attendee” named Adele. The robot’s job is roaming the halls. Are you doing your “dream” job? They vary by country, by the way, and here’s a map. Some jobs are “unsung,” and one of the topics at the MMLA event in Michigan, the MBAC event in South Carolina, and here at “The National” in Chicago is how lenders need to focus on some of these roles as they c

Both banks reported higher net income year over year in the third quarter

Tuesday morning joins a fairly long list of trading days where overnight bond market movement cannot be cleanly connected to news headlines or econ data. With yields having recently pushed up to multi-decade highs, and Fed policy expectations constantly shifting, this will be an ongoing phenomenon. Over the past several sessions, there's definitely been some organic buying in longer-term bonds (i.e. investors concluding 10yr yields around 5.3% represent a good entry point). The overnight rally followed a shift in Fed rate expectations. Oil prices correlated but the timing was off when it comes

During his opening address at ALTA ONE 2026, ALTA president David Townsend Esq., NTP challenged title professionals to become stronger advocates for the industry, arguing that the future of title insurance depends on thousands of professionals telling the industry's story—not just association leaders or lobbyists. Calling himself the industry's "biggest cheerleader" over the past year, Townsend used his ALTA ONE remarks to encourage members to become more active voices in educating consumers, engaging policymakers and promoting the value of title insurance.

Unlike other MLS deals, ARMLS participation is opt in and brokerages can also enroll directly through HouseCanary

The promotion signals Longbridge’s push to deepen offerings for senior homeowners and retirement-focused home equity products

Century Communities bought scale in Dallas-Fort Worth while Jabez and ONM Living stayed with the family

Rethinking lender value in a world where customer expectations extend beyond closing

Why retaining the context of a buyer's search is the true test of a real estate AI assistant

Robbins LLP filed the proposed class action, lead plaintiff deadline is December 7

The land banking and land development firm has 48,000 lots under control or under development in eight states across the Southeast

New survey found that North America is expected to account for much of the projected growth

Unauthorized traffic can damage a brokerage’s and domain’s reputation with email providers

The column highlights FHA 203(k) and conventional renovation loans for financing purchase plus eligible repairs.

Usherpa will be natively integrated into Optimal Blue, the companies say

Whelan Advisory's Margaret Whelan says five to 10 years of lots in strong markets can command premium pricing

MBA signals end of tri-merge credit reports as FHFA weighs options

Executives said the JV launches in January 2027 and will add eXp branding to Newrez servicing statements

New platform offers NMLS-approved CE, coaching, and Trust Certification with FirstHome IQ

Generational leadership as an operating model pairs negotiation skill with digital-first service expectations

Single workflow automates ordering and populates borrower and property data across connected LOS systems

More than 500,000 HELOC applications show this group has a high monthly debt load but significant equity to lean on

Haskins wants the industry to do a better job explaining its value to consumers

Measure expands beyond housing to water, energy, transit and schools, and sets a 270-day timeline for court challenges

Kamler said a specialist partner model can help credit unions serve members without building an in-house team

What two decades of mortgage cycles teach lenders and technology providers about adoption, accountability and financial protection

Analysis of $6.5B in declined volume found 35% could have been salvaged with DPA options