While much has been said about the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” to be led by billionaire Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, much of the focus has been levied at programs the new entity will aim to cut. But programs under the purview of the U.S. Department

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) this week published a final Mortgagee Letter (ML), 2024-23, that requires lenders to report a cybersecurity breach within 36 hours of being detected. While the FHA posted a draft version of the ML online in September to seek feedback, the agency stated that t

One week after it was granted final approval, the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) commission lawsuit settlement agreement is facing more challenges.On Monday, settlement objector and University of Buffalo law professor Tanya Monestier filed a motion to intervene in the Sitzer/Burnett suit. A

In one of its final regulatory efforts under the Biden administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed a new rule on Tuesday that aims to protect consumer financial data from misuse by limiting its sale by data brokers. The proposal has drawn criticism from industry trade gr

Global analytics software leader FICO on Tuesday announced the launch of the first-ever government-issued mortgage-backed security (MBS) with loans originated using FICO Score 10 T. The MBS pool was issued by Cardinal Financial and included loans from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). FI

President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants could threaten one of the few bright spots in housing over the last few years: new home construction. Mass deportations would hit homebuilders and others in the construction sector with labor shortages, as a recent Red

In a new episode of the “Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered Podcast,” hosts James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson speak with Collabra Technology CEO Russ Cofano to dive into cooperative compensation and the National Association of Realtors‘ (NAR) Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP), among other subjects.This co

The reverse mortgage division of Rate, formerly known as Guaranteed Rate, has been on a mission to bolster its market presence for the past few years. According to Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsement data compiled by Reverse Market Insight (RMI), the company grew its endorsement volum

Compass is heading into the final weeks of 2024 with a bang. On Monday, the firm announced its plan to acquire Christie’s International Real Estate and @properties. According to a press release, the merger is expected to close in 2025 and is subject to regulatory approval.In an 8-K filing with the S

It can be tricky talking about the national housing market when different parts of the country have very different market dynamics. Nationally, home prices will finish 2024 with an increase of about 5% over the previous year, despite historically low home sales and that there are 27% more homes unso

Despite being the beneficiaries of historic increases in home-price appreciation during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, older baby boomers — many of whom are approaching the age of 80 in 2025 — are now finding themselves challenged by a dearth of housing inventory that can best accommodate living i

A series of threats leading up to and following the Thanksgiving holiday targeted several prominent people in the Republican and Democratic parties, including cabinet nominees for president-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming administration and multiple Democratic lawmakers.Among the Trump cabinet nominee

Fitch Ratings announced Monday that it has revised its outlook for the mortgage origination and servicing sector in 2025 from “deteriorating” to “improving,” reflecting forecasts of lower mortgage rates.The credit rating agency sees higher origination volumes and gain-on-sale margins on the mortgage

Despite gaining final approval of its commission lawsuit settlement agreement, the antitrust issues for the National Association of Realtors (NAR) are far from over.Last week, Luz de Amor Eytalis — the broker of Texas-based Strategic Realty — filed an antitrust suit in U.S. District Court in Wichita

Wells Fargo announced on Monday that it has expanded its $10,000 down payment grant program for underserved borrowers to an additional 12 metro areas, more than a year after initially launching it in eight markets. “We are expanding the availability of our Homebuyer Access grant program to additiona

Despite initial concerns that tariffs would push mortgage rates up to 8% and reduce housing demand, this week has brought some encouraging news. The 10-year yield has remained stable at a crucial technical level and even reversed direction, resulting in improved mortgage rates. Additionally, housing

Communities across the country, particularly those that are popular among retirees, are seeing an influx of older residents as a “silver tsunami” — based on population rather than housing inventory — prepares to wash over them.South Florida — already a popular retirement destination due to its warme

In a new episode of the Power House podcast, host Diego Sanchez chats with James Dwiggins, CEO and co-founder of NextHome and co-host of the “Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered” podcast. During this conversation, the duo explore NextHome’s “humans over houses” philosophy and its referral-focused growth

The housing market had a tumultuous year marked by low inventory and high interest rates that pushed prices to record levels. Prospective first-time buyers are hoping it will turn around in 2025, and although there are some predictions that they could have an easier time getting into a home, much wi

Key observations from October• Continued decline in agent movement:  The seasonally adjusted AMI metric for October dropped to 86.2, marking another decrease in agent mobility and continuing the downward trend observed in recent months. • Factors influencing decline The Presidential election and the