AOL provider Voxtur files for Chapter 15 bankruptcy

Voxtur, one of the largest proponents and providers of attorney opinion letters (AOLs), has filed a Chapter 15 bankruptcy petition in Delaware. This comes after the Canadian firm already committed to a restructuring plan in Ontario.  In the U.S. bankruptcy filing, which covers Voxtur and dozens of i

Spanberger unveils Virginia housing affordability plan

Affordability has become the defining test of political electability today. From housing to groceries, voters increasingly judge candidates by their ability to reduce everyday costs.​ Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger (D) focused on improving affordability during her campaign. To follow through

TD Bank expresses cautious optimism for affordable housing in 2026

Affordable housing developers are entering 2026 with mixed expectations, balancing optimism about long-term demand with immediate concerns over costs and policy shifts. A new TD Bank survey shows that half of affordable housing professionals believe market challenges will affect their deal pipelines

Sonic Fire Tech launches infrasound wildfire defense system in California

Sonic Fire Tech recently announced the commercial rollout of its Sonic Home Defense system, a wildfire defense system in California that extinguishes fires using inaudible, infrasound technology instead of water or chemicals.  The product has personal significance for Remington Hotchkis, chief comme

Keller Williams sharpens focus on agent teams for 2026

For many of the real estate industry’s newest entrants, team recruitment and retention was a primary focus in 2025. And while Keller Williams recognizes that other companies are jumping on the mega and expansion team bandwagon, the firm is confident that it has what it takes to compete in this arena

CertifID’s Tyler Adams on deepfakes, fraud and protecting homebuyers

Cybercriminals are not inventing entirely new schemes in 2025. They are perfecting old ones. According to Tyler Adams, CEO and co-founder of CertifID, fraudsters are combining artificial intelligence (AI) with patience, timing and realism to exploit real estate transactions in increasingly convincin

Reverse mortgage vet says an end to HUD counseling risks senior protections

A proposal to remove housing counseling as a front-end requirement for borrowers seeking government-insured reverse mortgages would eliminate a key consumer protection for seniors, according to Peter M. Mazonas, CEO of NatEquity Inc. Mazonas voiced his concerns in a letter to the U.S. Department of

Top agent Heather Domi rejoins Douglas Elliman in Manhattan

More familiar faces are returning to Douglas Elliman. After announcing the return of Natalie Passerini, who will serve as the firm’s new chief marketing officer, the brokerage announced that Heather Domi and her team will be returning to the firm after more than seven years at Compass.  The Heather

Better names Barry Feierstein as new COO

Better Home & Finance Holding Co. announced Friday the appointment of Barry Feierstein as the company’s chief operating officer. In his new role, Feierstein will oversee Better’s corporate operations. “We’re thrilled to have Barry on board as Better’s new COO. His background brings a rare combinatio

Renovated homes are still a draw, but the edge is fading

Renovated homes continue to attract more online interest and sell faster than other older properties — but their long-standing fix-and-flip advantage has narrowed sharply as higher mortgage rates reshape buyer behavior, according to a new Realtor.com report. The analysis builds on earlier research s

Poll finds broad support for independent Social Security commission

A recent Cato Institute survey of 2,000 adults found strong bipartisan support for creating an independent, nonpartisan commission with authority to address Social Security’s long-term funding shortfall. Seventy-one percent of respondents said they favor Congress establishing such a body, reflecting

Dwight Schar, founder of NVR Inc., has died

Dwight Schar, the founder and former executive chairman and CEO of NVR Inc., has died, according to posts on LinkedIn.  James Honeycutt, managing partner at Credo Construction, discussed Schar’s legacy in a post on Thursday afternoon.  “Mr. Schar wasn’t flashy or dismissive — just calm, kind, and ve

Distressed property auctions outperform traditional REO sales

Auction.com released its 2025 Disposition Strategy Report on Wednesday, showing that distressed property sales at auction have increasingly outperformed traditional retail real estate sales over the past two years. The report analyzed more than 390,000 distressed property dispositions from January 2

Google’s MLS listings via HouseCanary reignites IDX policy debate

The news that Google is now displaying property listings in mobile search results for homes in certain markets, powered by a partnership with HouseCanary subsidiary ComeHome, has perhaps unsurprisingly sparked a bit of a debate online.  As with Zillow’s announcement of its app integration with ChatG

J.P. Morgan: Credit card debt a retirement hurdle for many

Nearly half of retirement plan participants carry credit card debt, a factor that increases the likelihood they’ll take a loan from their retirement accounts, according to a new report from J.P. Morgan Asset Management. The “Retirement by the Numbers” study found that high credit card balances are l

Will federal AI regulations override state housing efforts?

President Donald Trump’s new executive order that creates a single federal framework for artificial intelligence (AI) is reverberating throughout the housing industry. While states have been moving to regulate AI tools used in home pricing, marketing, tenant screening and mortgage decisions, the new

Exclusive: UWM’s Blake Kolo breaks down the strategy behind the Two Harbors deal

The move by United Wholesale Mortgage’s (UWM) parent company to acquire Two Harbors Investment Corp. for $1.3 billion — the first acquisition in its history — marks a shift towards a more balanced business model between origination and servicing for the nation’s top mortgage lender. UWM will continu

Matic says home insurance market stabilized in 2025

Despite years of sharp price increases, the home insurance market showed signs of stabilization in 2025, according to Matic‘s annual year-end trends and predictions report. The report, released Thursday, is based on proprietary data from properties quoted and insured through Matic. It examines devel

AD Mortgage survey reveals positive 2026 outlook from brokers

AD Mortgage on Thursday released its first Mortgage Professionals Pulse Report & 2026 Outlook, which offers a glimpse into broker sentiment, performance, challenges and expectations based on a survey of more than 300 mortgage professionals nationwide. The survey, conducted in late November and early

Century 21 expands presence in Idaho

Century 21 Real Estate has expanded its presence in Idaho’s Magic Valley through the affiliation of Twin Falls-based Gateway Real Estate. The brokerage — now operating as Century 21 Gateway — has been owned and operated since 2010 by Nathan Lyda, a Twin Falls native. Lyda entered the real estate ind