The Home Purchase Sentiment Index published monthly by Fannie Mae reported yet another increase to its highest level since May 2022, mainly due to greater consumer optimism about mortgage rates.
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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....
Scarce Buyer’s Markets Still Offer the American Dream for Some
While home affordability and supply remain a hurdle for many Americans, the U.S. housing market reached a "rare state of balance" this summer, according to Realtor.com’s August monthly housing...
Independent Mortgage Banks Express Concern Over Fannie/Freddie IPO
A group of 46 independent mortgage banks—non-bank mortgage loan originators—have sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and FHFA Director Bill Pulte, outlining recommendations to...
New Legislation Aims to Support Military Housing
Rep. Jimmy Patronis has introduced the HOMEFRONT Act, a measure that waives overcompliance that restricts the military’s ability to modernize and improve military housing, and protects...
VA Loan Holders Mistakenly Receive Foreclosure Letters
Approximately 35,000 U.S. veterans with homes backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have received a letter informing them they are at risk of their homes being foreclosed upon. The...
Report: Multifamily Lending Rebounded in 2024
"Following 2023’s low-volume year, multifamily lending picked up in 2024," said Reggie Booker, MBA’s Associate VP of Commercial Real Estate Research, "with activity increasing across lenders of...
Property Insurance Costs Hammer Housing Affordability
A new report reveals that average property insurance costs have risen nearly 70% over the past five years, outpacing growth in other mortgage-related expenses. The post Property Insurance Costs...
Q2 Black Homeownership Rates Shrink as Unemployment Rises
The Black homeownership rate fell in the second quarter, representing the lowest level since Q4 2021, while the Hispanic homeownership rate ticked up slightly. A new Redfin report examines the...
President Trump Signs Trigger Leads Bill Into Law
The bipartisan Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act targets abusive trigger leads and seeks to reduce the number of unwanted calls and messages potential homeowners receive during the homebuying...
Treasury Secretary Calls for Fed to ‘Change Its Course’
In an op-ed piece, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has stated that the Federal Reserve should be relieved of its duty regulating the nation’s banks, noting that it has steered away from its core...
DOJ Launches Criminal Mortgage Fraud Probe Into Fed Governor Cook
The U.S. Justice Department has begun a criminal mortgage fraud probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and has issued grand jury subpoenas out of both Georgia and Michigan. The post DOJ...