Lenders have made meaningful progress in modernizing the closing process. eSignatures, hybrid eClosings, and remote online notarization have reduced friction at the signing table and improved the borrower experience where it is most visible.  That focus has paid off; digital closings move faster, re

As shocking as it may seem with all the crazy things that have happened in 2026 — AI labor disruption headlines, epic snowstorms and especially the Iran conflict — housing demand, even last week, still showed year-over-year growth with mortgage purchase applications data and our weekly pending home

It may come as a surprise amid the noise, negativity, and volatility in today’s new-home market that Florida remains one of the most dynamic homebuilding markets in the country. The housing landscape in the nation’s third-most-populous state shares a vertiginous, bumpy near-term outlook with other S

DeCaro Auctions has expanded its executive team as the luxury real estate auction firm seeks to grow its international platform. The appointments come after Mario Vargas was recently named CEO. “Luxury auctions are about more than marketing reach. They are about relationships, strategy and execution

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a bill into effect earlier this week that bans noncompete agreements across the state. The move marks a significant shift in employment law that will take effect on June 30, 2027. The measure prohibits contracts that restrict workers from joining or starting compe

BuildersUpdate.com has rolled out a “pay upon performance” model that shifts new-home marketing costs from upfront spend to a flat fee due only when a sale closes, aiming squarely at builders’ growing concern over wasted lead-gen dollars in a choppy demand and rate environment. Announced March 26, 2

A federal judge in Texas has vacated the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN) nationwide anti-money laundering (AML) rule — creating a legal vacuum and uncertainty among title and real estate professionals. While the ruling eliminates a significant compliance burden that industry groups h

A Florida appeals court has ruled that funds available but not yet withdrawn from a reverse mortgage line of credit are protected under the state’s homestead exemption and cannot be garnished. The March 25 decision by the Fourth District Court of Appeal found that a creditor could not force a homeow

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been active in the mortgage-backed securities (MBS) market in recent weeks — but their approach appears more measured and opportunistic than many initially expected. Their activity has also been overshadowed by the U.S.-Iran conflict.  “We’ve seen some activity from t

Gary Keller is one of the most consequential figures in the history of residential real estate. In nearly five decades, few people have done more to educate, elevate and safeguard the well-being of the real estate professional. I say this as a 36-year veteran of this business and as someone who spen

CoStar Group is claiming that Zillow’s alleged infringement upon copyrighted photos owned by CoStar has continued despite the ongoing copyright infringement lawsuit CoStar filed against Zillow last July. In an amended complaint filed on Friday, CoStar claims that Zillow has infringed on CoStar’s cop

NEXA Lending announced Friday that it’s developing a new initiative aimed at allowing loan originators to participate in recurring income tied to the long-term performance of the loans they originate. The initiative, described as a “servicing-aligned income model,” is expected to begin rolling out a

Two weeks ago on CNBC, I talked about how the housing market was poised for growth for the first time in years — unless mortgage rates shot up due to the war with Iran. Mortgage rates were sub 6% before the war and today they hit 6.62%, according to Mortgage News Daily. That is a big move. It’s unfo

Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte is again targeting New York Attorney General Letitia James, this time filing criminal referrals with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) over alleged insurance fraud. The referrals were sent to two U.S. attorneys — Jason Reding Quinones of t

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac last week enacted updates to condominium project standards and property insurance rules for one- to four-unit properties and larger developments, aiming to lower costs for homeowners. The moves have been met with mixed opinions from mortgage professionals. The updates, whi

For the past decade, Dallas-Fort Worth’s housing story has been written in bold letters along the U.S. 75 corridor – Frisco, McKinney, Plano and every patch of land north of there that could support a rooftop and a Starbucks. The northeast corner became a symbol of Texas growth: prices soared, commu

With the Social Security trust fund less than seven years from insolvency — at which point a 24% across-the-board benefit cut could be triggered — a new proposal suggests capping annual payouts for the nation’s wealthiest retirees. A white paper released by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Bu

Five major deals in five days. That’s what happened last week in real estate, and I don’t think anyone has fully processed what just happened. Zillow Preview signed almost 30 brokerages. eXp signed deals with Realtor.com, Homes.com and ComeHome.com. Compass already had its Redfin partnership locked

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is threatening legal action against cities and counties that do not comply with a 2025 housing reform law that allows higher density near public transit. During a Wednesday press conference, Newsom said his administration has warned 15 cities and counties that they have

A high-producing Tampa real estate team has returned to eXp Realty after a stint with another brokerage. Maximum Tampa Group — led by Yulia Olivo and Jennifer Rivera — will now operate as FIG Team Maximum Tampa in collaboration with Veronica Figueroa’s FIG Team. The move comes after Maximum Tampa Gr