NYC office conversions face scrutiny after Pfizer HQ incident

Buckling columns at the former Pfizer headquarters this week forced evacuations across seven Midtown East blocks. The incident raises new questions about office-to-residential conversion, one of several tools the city has used to add housing. It is also a tool Mayor Zohran Mamdani leaned into becaus

Synergy One to take over Newrez distributed retail mortgage operations

Synergy One Lending, a division of American Pacific Mortgage (APM), will assume control of Newrez’s distributed retail mortgage business under a new strategic agreement announced Wednesday, extending an existing partnership and reshaping both lenders’ retail strategies. The agreement — which is not

Visionary Homes names former Oakwood exec Ryan Smith CEO

Ryan Smith will become CEO of Visionary Homes on Sept. 1, 2026, as founder and current chief executive Jeff Jackson transitions to chairman of the board, the Utah homebuilder recently announced. Smith joined Visionary Homes on June 15 and will work alongside Jackson through the summer before formall

CFPB seeks input on mortgage disclosures and TRID rules

In a request for information (RFI) scheduled for publication Thursday in the Federal Register, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will seek public input on whether mortgage disclosure requirements and other lending regulations should be revised to reduce compliance burdens and improve a

Why it will be hard to get mortgage rates over 7%

Can mortgage rates get to 7% or above this year, given the continued nature of the Iran conflict? While not part of my forecast in 2026, the Iranian conflict has changed a lot of things. However, even with all the drama this year, mortgage rates have still not reached 7%. Today I’ll explain why we h

Sotheby’s International Realty acquires Majestic Realty Collective

Sotheby’s International Realty has acquired Majestic Realty Collective, a luxury real estate organization operating multiple Sotheby’s International Realty affiliates across the western U.S. The acquisition expands Sotheby’s International Realty’s presence in luxury and resort markets, adding operat

Douglas Elliman launches AI-focused business unit, broader tech overhaul

Douglas Elliman announced today a companywide technology transformation aimed at consolidating systems, automating operations and developing new real estate intelligence capabilities through a newly formed business unit called Elius. The New York-based real estate firm said the initiative will opera

Unlock agrees to restitution, compliance with Colorado laws on home equity agreements

Unlock Partnership Solutions Inc., dba Unlock Technologies, has agreed to treat its home equity agreements (HEAs) as consumer credit under Colorado law, pay restitution to affected homeowners, and meet state licensing and disclosure rules, the Colorado attorney general’s office announced June 24. Th

Now’s the time: Market forces and AI align to make property management an appealing option for brokers

The residential real estate market today is fundamentally different than just a few years ago. In April, 5.8% of homes were taken off the market, reaching delisting rates not seen since March 2020. Plus, economic uncertainty and rising inflation have made generating sufficient income a challenge for

AI is changing mortgage lending. Business intelligence is making it possible.

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes embedded across the mortgage lifecycle, lenders are rethinking how they use data to drive decisions and automate workflows. Chris McEntee, Vice President of Corporate and Product Development at ICE, discusses how AI mortgage lending is transforming mortgage bu

The other half of the lake: Why lifecycle lending is becoming mortgages’ next growth strategy

Loan originator pipeline growth has followed a familiar formula: originate a purchase loan, capture a refinance when rates fall and hope the borrower returns for their next home purchase. But in today’s housing market, that model is producing fewer opportunities. Purchase volume remains constrained,

The AI edge for builders: Why institutional knowledge is becoming the industry’s most valuable asset

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming part of every conversation in homebuilding. But as builders invest in AI to improve sales, marketing and operations, many are overlooking the factor that will determine whether those investments succeed: organizational knowledge. AI is only as valuabl

Former Stockton Mortgage employees, Novus deny trade secret allegations

Several former Stockton Mortgage Corp. employees have denied allegations that they misappropriated trade secrets and interfered with the company’s business after leaving to join competitor Ixonia Bancshares, operating as Novus Home Mortgage, according to court filings. Eighteen defendants filed thei

North Carolina kicks parking rules to the curb in statewide reform

North Carolina housing advocates have tried for years to pass state-level zoning reform. They kept falling short. Broad reforms met the same fate in the recently ended session – except one: parking reform. What started as a stormwater management bill became one of the most aggressive parking reforms

Zillow, MRED, Compass await ruling in Chicagoland MLS fight

The hearing regarding Zillow’s motion for a preliminary injunction in its ongoing antitrust battle with Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) and Compass International Holdings may have concluded last Thursday, but the parties are still waiting for an answer.  This week, all three parties must file post-h

Compass adds RealTrends Verified Palm Beach agent Daniel Ekerold

Compass recently added Palm Beach luxury real estate professional Daniel Ekerold to its Florida roster, the brokerage said Tuesday. Ekerold, who is coming to Compass from Douglas Elliman, is known for working with ultra-high-net-worth clients, hedge fund principals, developers and investors, accordi

Mortgage rates rise past 6.75% as inflation uncertainty persists

Mortgage rates took a brief U-turn last week, but they resumed their upward path again this week as hawkish statements from the Federal Reserve over inflation and monetary policy are guiding the direction of borrowing costs. At HousingWire‘s Mortgage Rates Center on Tuesday, rates for 30-year confor

Realtors slam focus on trademark policing: ‘Is this really the next hill NAR is going to stand on?’

When the National Association of Realtors (NAR) asked its members to help the trade group identify misuses of its trademarks during the association’s legislative meeting late last month, it unsurprisingly stirred up reactions among real estate professionals.  “While agents are fighting for listings

Congress has a chance to expand affordable homeownership. It shouldn’t waste it.

America’s housing affordability crisis has reached a breaking point. Home prices remain out of reach for millions of families, apartment rents continue to climb and the dream of homeownership is slipping further away for first-time buyers, working families, seniors and young Americans. Manufactured

San Diego to get more transit housing density as SB 79 row settles

San Diego has spent recent years earning a reputation as one of California’s most aggressive housing builders, streamlining permits citywide. But city leaders hesitated when state law required them to draw boundaries for new housing near neighborhood bus stops. San Diego officials proposed a far tig