California wildfire rebuilding bill paused until 2026

A California wildfire recovery bill will be shelved until 2026, after a torrent of online conspiracy theories and confusion overwhelmed public discussion and policymaking, the Los Angeles Times reported. State Sen. Benjamin Allen (D-Santa Monica) announced that he would pause S.B. 549 — legislation

Long-term health care costs are exploding. A reverse mortgage could help

As the U.S. population ages, many families are facing long-term care (LTC) issues. Most families either pay for it out of their savings or spend down these savings until they qualify for Medicaid.But there’s a group stuck between the two — those who are too “rich” for Medicaid benefits but not wealt

Figure expands Intellidebt offerings for debt consolidation

Figure Technology Solutions, a blockchain-native capital marketplace, announced on Monday an expansion of Intellidebt, its Direct Debt Payoff (DDP) solution. The move aims to allow borrowers to consolidate existing liens and high-interest debt directly through the loan application process.The upgrad

First American Title launches AI tool for agents

First American Title Insurance Co. has introduced a generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool designed to streamline how title agents access underwriting and compliance information.The new feature — called AgentNet Assist — integrates with the company’s AgentNet platform and is now rolling out to

It’s a summer scorcher in the New England housing market

Across the country, real estate industry observers are discussing a possible shift to a buyer’s market.“On the whole, the national market has gone back to balanced,” says Kara Ng, a senior economist at Zillow. “We’ve seen sellers return to the market in bigger numbers than buyers this year and sales

FHFA plans to eliminate GSEs’ equitable housing finance plans

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is proposing to repeal its fair lending, fair housing and equitable housing finance rule, arguing that the regulation is duplicative that the repeal aligns with prior executive orders aimed at streamlining agency functions.The rule, finalized in May 2024 und

Rithm Capital delays Newrez public listing, eyes M&A opportunities

Rithm Capital, the parent of multichannel mortgage lender Newrez, said it’s not currently moving forward with plans on an initial public offering for the subsidiary as it focuses on supporting the firm’s broader portfolio. Instead, the firm is turning its attention to mergers and acquisitions, even

MBA: Home equity debt rose 10% in 2024 — signaling it as a ‘product of choice’

Total originations of open-ended home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and closed-end home equity loans increased in 2024 by 7.2% from the previous year, when comparing originators that reported in both years. That’s according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s 2025 Home Equity Lending Study

Michael Isaacs out as CEO of Go Mortgage

Go Mortgage‘s majority owner and CEO Michael Isaacs have parted ways, sources told HousingWire this week.Staff at the Ohio-based retail lender were told on Monday that Isaacs’ tenure was over, and that majority owner Jordan Hansell had named himself as interim CEO. The departure was a mutual decisio

Housing inventory growth is starting to stall

Housing inventory growth is starting to stall, despite elevated mortgage rates. As new listings begin their seasonal decline, we might have already reached our peak percentage growth rate for 2025. The recent stalling has already gradually reduced the year-over-year growth percentage by a slight amo

Tech Pulse: Lawmakers press FHFA on crypto for mortgages

Welcome back to Tech Pulse — HousingWire‘s weekly series rounding up the latest in technology news, including tools, integrations and trends that impact mortgage and real estate.Here’s what happened this week:Senate Democrats press FHFA on crypto use in mortgagesFive Senate Democrats are urging caut

Hemp spells affordable housing for Native American community

The Lower Sioux Indian Community in Morton, Minnesota, has become the first in the country to create a fully vertically integrated “seed-to-wall” program using industrial hemp — addressing a critical shortage of affordable housing on its reservation.Prompted by U.S. Census Bureau data indicating the

Scott, Warren announce bipartisan housing bill markup

The Senate Banking Committee will hold its first bipartisan housing markup in more than a decade, Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) announced Thursday evening.The executive session, which will involve the consideration of the ROAD to Housing Act of 2025, will

Senate Democrats press FHFA on crypto use in mortgages

Five Senate Democrats are raising concerns about the potential risks of using unconverted cryptocurrency assets in mortgage underwriting, urging the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to tread carefully.In a letter addressed to FHFA Director Bill Pulte, the senators reacted to his social media po

Bright MLS: Housing market shifts toward necessity, balance

The U.S. housing market is entering a new phase defined less by competitive bidding and more by financial stress and practical necessity, according to a second-quarter Bright MLS agent survey released Friday.The findings reveal a marked departure from previous years’ demand-driven trends, with both

Nearly two-thirds of seniors are unhappy with Social Security checks

Nearly two-thirds of retirees are dissatisfied with Social Security benefits, according to a new survey conducted by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL).The average monthly Social Security check reached north of $2,000 this year, according to the survey, with just 10% of the 1,920 respondents saying t

Lawmakers voice support for FHFA’s adoption of VantageScore 4.0

Nearly two dozen members of Congress recently sent a letter to Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), that supports his decision to accept VantageScore 4.0 credit scores for mortgages purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.The lawmakers, led by Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.),

InGenius acquires mortgage recruiting platform SIMPL

Another merger and acquisition deal has hit the housing industry. Real estate and mortgage intelligence provider InGenius announced Wednesday that it has acquired SIMPL, a recruitment platform designed to support retail mortgage branch managers, and it has incorporate it into its existing data tools

NAR appoints Leslie Nettleford-Freeman to lead legal affairs, brand protection

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has named Leslie Nettleford-Freeman as its new associate general counsel and vice president of legal affairs and brand protection. In her newly created role, she will focus on strengthening the organization’s trademark defense and intellectual property stra

Mortgage prognosticator Barry Habib joins Fannie Mae’s board

Barry Habib, the founder and CEO of MBS Highway and a go-to source for mortgage industry predictions, has been named to Fannie Mae‘s board of directors.A recent filing with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) confirmed that Habib had been appointed to the board effective July 21. “The appointme