The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Reserve Board, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency have jointly launched new thresholds for smaller loan exemption from appraisal requirements for higher-priced mortgage loans for 2024.
Most Recent Articles
Average U.S. Buyer’s Agent Commissions Rise for Third Straight Quarter
Redfin has reported the average U.S. buyer’s agent commission jumped in Q2 year-over-year, reflecting the third consecutive quarter in which commissions increased after new National Association of...
Q2 Home Prices Jump While Sales Continue to Slip
Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist for the National Association of Realtors, highlighted in a recent report that "home sales and the homeownership rate are underperforming relative to job growth,"...
MortgagePoint’s 2025 Agent & Broker Excellence Awards
MortgagePoint honors its 2025 Agent & Broker Excellence Award winners, licensed real estate professionals who consistently deliver exceptional service, build client trust, and uphold the highest...
Where Are Households Most Hampered by Property Taxes?
With inflation and rising home values pushing property taxes higher, causing greater financial strain for many, delinquent property taxes are on the rise as Americans struggle with increased...
Tariff Implications Could Shift the Rental Market
Despite rent prices having declined for the 24th consecutive month in July 2025, cutbacks in multifamily construction due to rising tariff costs may signal trouble ahead for the future of rental...
How to Combat Loan Application Abandonment
Borrowers start the journey to homeownership with clear intent—but somewhere between application start and submission—they run into friction, confusion, and a lack of immediate support ... and...
IPO in Sight for Fannie and Freddie?
After consulting some of the nation’s top banking execs, President Trump may be closer than ever to bringing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public. Here’s what a new report reveals. The post IPO in...
Goldman Sachs: Is the Weakening Housing Market Foreshadowing a Recession?
Jan Hatzius, Chief Economist at Goldman Sachs, is the most recent economist to raise the alarm about the problems facing U.S. homeowners, predicting that housing will continue to be the weakest...
CFPB Slams GAO for ‘Weaponizing’ Budget Law, Defends Funding Choice
In a recent exchange, Mark Paoletta, Chief Legal Officer of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), defended the agency's budget decisions and criticized the Government Accountability...
Mortgage Closing Costs Ranked by State
A new report examines how closing costs nationwide are being driven upward by elevated home prices, steep transfer tax rates, complex legal requirements, and varying urban regulations, all of...
Which U.S. Housing Market Is Standing the Strongest?
According to Redfin, one region in particular is home to most of America's most resilient housing markets, which are experiencing both rising home values and sales. The post Which U.S. Housing...
Remodeling Expenditures Predicted to Stall
“Weakness in the current housing market is expected to have a dampening effect on home improvement spending,” said Rachel Bogardus Drew, Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The...
Are Opportunity Zones Living Up to Their Promise?
While many OZs are seeing healthy annual gains, the lag among low-priced tracts and widespread volatility highlight uneven levels of recovery. Here’s what Q2’s data reveals. The post Are...
Trump Nominates Stephen Miran for Vacant Federal Reserve Board Post
After the resignation of Adriana Kugler, Stephen Miran, current Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers and architect behind the President’s tariff policy, has accepted nomination for the open...
New Bill Bars CFPB From Interfering in State-Based Insurance Regulation
The Business of Insurance Regulatory Reform Act seeks to clarify that the Bureau cannot exercise its authority over entities engaged in the business of insurance. The post New Bill Bars CFPB From...
Report: Sen. Schiff Under Investigation for Mortgage Fraud
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland has reportedly opened an investigation into California Sen. Adam Schiff for alleged violations related to wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and making...
New Construction Surges, Offering Buyers More Options
In Q2 2025, the price premium above existing homes fell to a historic low of 7.8%, making new building a more appealing and affordable option for today’s consumers. In addition to being more...
From Leasing to Owning: Why Tenants Are Buying Office Buildings Amid Market Reset
A growing number of office tenants in the U.S. are shifting from leasing space to buying it outright. Spurred by declining property values, favorable lending terms, and the desire for long-term...
For Homebuyers With Limited Savings, PMI Offers Possible Path to Ownership
A new report reveals how low-down-payment borrowers were able to achieve homeownership via private mortgage insurance in 2024, amid a housing market hampered by a constrained supply, high prices,...
Homeowner Energy Freedom Act Aims to Rescind Biden Era Green Initiatives
Rep. Craig Goldman has proposed HR 4758, a bill that repeals three provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that restrict consumer choice and drive up the cost of home appliances. The post...