Many housing companies and landlords across the country can and do require a background check as part of the application process, along with the traditional credit check, but the unverified or inaccurate information contained in them usually hurts renters first.
Most Recent Articles
Recognizing the Public Sector Trailblazers Supporting Homeownership
The five female finalists for Five Star’s Public Sector Champion Award represent government agencies and GSEs whose work has impacted and strengthened the stability of the U.S. housing market. The...
Cooling Home Prices Stalls Economic Growth
Moderate price increases are being offset by rising costs, high interest rates, and stretched affordability, limiting actual gains in housing wealth, with Dr. Selma Hepp, Cotality’s Chief...
Mortgage Credit Availability Shows Signs of Improvement
With overall mortgage credit availability rising and conforming loans easing, some mortgage types are becoming less restrictive, but supply remains tight amid economic caution. The post Mortgage...
New Legislation Seeks to Expand Mortgage Access for Crypto Investors
The American Homeowner Crypto Modernization Act of 2025 would require HUD, the USDA, VA, and FHFA to update their underwriting guidelines, systems, and standards to ensure assets held in brokerage...
More Consumers Are Self-Reporting Rent Payments
After a new FHFA policy made it easier for rent payments to help consumers qualify for mortgages, the number of consumers whose rent payments are being reported to credit reporting agencies is...
Pace of New Apartment Rentals Improves
With affordability still a concern amongst the homebuying public, the rental market continues to flourish, as nearly half the apartments built in the first quarter were snapped up by renters. The...
Could Homeowners Insurance Become the Next Housing Crisis?
According to a new Realtor.com report, a majority of the recent and prospective homebuyers surveyed cited concerns about obtaining or renewing homeowners' insurance. The post Could Homeowners...
Recognizing Mortgage Visionaries at Five Star Conference
Meet the finalists for Five Star’s Mortgage Visionary Award, recognizing those female mortgage professionals who have demonstrated inspirational leadership, and have shaped lending practices or...
Delinquencies Climb for Commercial & Multifamily Loans as CMBS Weakens
"The delinquency rate for commercial mortgages increased in the second quarter of 2025 across most major capital sources," said Reggie Booker, MBA’s Associate VP of Commercial Real Estate...
House Dems Raise Concerns Over Pulte’s Investigation of Fed Governor
Rep. Maxine Waters is leading a contingent of House Democrats in seeking information on FHFA Director Bill Pulte’s mortgage fraud investigation into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. The post...
Rising Home Equity Is Driving Up Entry Barriers
A new Realtor.com report reveals that, as sellers benefit from big gains, buyers face higher down payments, fiercer competition, and shifting rate risks. The post Rising Home Equity Is Driving Up...
Is It a Buyer’s Season Yet? Housing Market Conditions Shift
While price growth dipped in July, well below the rate of inflation recorded in the Consumer Price Index during that same period, a new report from Cotality revealed the national average and...
Keeping an Eye on REO Trends
Upward movement in both foreclosure starts and completions may signal increasing financial strain for some homeowners, amid elevated home prices and interest rates. The post Keeping an Eye on REO...
Recognizing the Next Generation of Industry Leadership
Meet the finalists for Five Star’s Rising Star Executive Award, honoring dynamic women executives who represent the next generation of leadership who possess the ability to inspire teams, spark...
CFPB Reportedly Nearing Staffing Cuts
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau may be on the verge of reducing more of its workforce due to new limits under Congressional funding, with staffers concerned there may be insufficient...
More Seniors Are Renting Than Ever Before
The face of U.S. rentership is getting older. Between 2013 and 2023, the number of renters aged 65+ grew by 2.4 million, representing a nearly 30% jump and the largest increase of any age group....
Senate Banking Committee Advances the Nomination of Stephen Miran as Fed Governor
Nominated by President Trump after Adriana Kugler’s resignation from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, if confirmed, Miran will serve out a term expiring January 31, 2026. The post Senate...
Disaster Housing Bill Back in Play: Eviction and Foreclosure Moratoriums Proposed
The Federal Disaster Housing Stability Act provides housing protections for families experiencing economic hardship due to natural disasters, including a 120-day moratorium on evictions and a...
House Judiciary Committee Member Calls Out FHFA Director Over Fraud Investigations
House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin has sent a letter to Bill Pulte, accusing the FHFA Director of “brazen abuse” of authority and utilizing resources to “conduct deep-sea...
Median Rents Tick Up But Renters Remain Active
"Apartment construction boomed during the pandemic, but many of those projects have since wrapped up and fewer new ones are breaking ground," said Sheharyar Bokhari, Senior Economist at Redfin....