Fintech Aven raises $110M, expands into mortgage refinancing

Fintech Aven has raised $110 million in a Series E funding round, expanded into mortgage refinancing and added heavyweight advisers Lawrence Summers and Patrick McHenry to its board, the company announced Tuesday. The San Francisco-based fintech, best known for its home equity-backed credit card, is

Lower mortgage rates are ‘potential turning point’ for homebuyers

With the next interest rate decision from Federal Reserve monetary policymakers just over a week away, mortgage rates have continued their downward trajectory as many lenders and investors have priced in a cut. But the markets will need to navigate one more inflation report before the Fed’s Sept. 17

Bill would end Social Security benefit taxes, expand payroll tax to wealthy

Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) has introduced the You Earned It, You Keep It Act, which would eliminate federal taxes on Social Security benefits while extending the payroll tax to incomes above $250,000. “Like a lot of Americans, I’ve been paying into Social Security since my first job at 14. But des

Wildfire warnings accompany California’s older home sales

California has become the first U.S. state to require homeowners selling older properties in high-risk wildfire zones to disclose not just a house’s vulnerabilities, but also steps taken to reduce those risks. The new mandate took effect in July and applies to houses built before 2010 – when the sta

Bill aims to expand affordable housing on unused religious, college land

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) introduced legislation last week that would make it easier for faith-based organizations and colleges to convert unused land into affordable housing. The measure — called the Yes in God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) Act — w

US housing market value hits record $55T, but growth is slowing

The total value of U.S. homes has climbed to a record $55.1 trillion, although growth has cooled in the past year amid high housing costs. That figure represents a $20 trillion increase since early 2020 and an $862 billion gain over the past year, according to an analysis released Monday by Zillow.

Los Angeles ‘mansion tax’ fuels record affordable housing funding

Los Angeles will make $387 million available for affordable housing projects — reportedly the largest single funding round in the city housing department history. Applications for the funds opened Sept. 5 and close Oct. 20. Eligible applicants include nonprofit and for-profit developers, community l

Longbridge’s ‘HELOC for Seniors’ is officially on the market

Longbridge Financial has officially launched a home equity line of credit (HELOC) program that’s designed for homeowners ages 62 and older, offering approval and funding in as little as five business days.  The move marks an expansion beyond the company’s core reverse mortgage business while staying

Top 5 IMB priorities for GSEs in a post-conservatorship world

On Friday, 46 independent mortgage banks (IMBs) jointly sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and FHFA Director Bill Pulte, laying out priorities for IMBs for a successful Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac exit from conservatorship. Spearheaded by the Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA), the o

Top Douglas Elliman team expands into Westchester, Connecticut

Top-performing Douglas Elliman-brokered large team, The Michael Lorber Team is expanding into Connecticut.  The Michael Lorber Team is the No. 6 ranked large team in New York after recording $269.05 million in sales volume across 101 transaction sides in 2024, according to the 2025 RealTrends Verifi

Rising insurance costs deepen homeownership strain

Homeowners are spending a growing share of their mortgage payments on property insurance, which is now rising faster than principal, interest and taxes, according to the September ICE Mortgage Monitor. Data shows that annual property insurance payments for single-family mortgage holders now average

Hometap closes $300M securitization of home equity investments

Boston-based Hometap has closed a $300 million securitization of home equity investment (HEI) loans originated by the company, marking its fifth transaction in the space.  The deal, closed on Aug. 29, included a $231 million Class A tranche rated at BBB(sf) and a $12 million Class B tranche rated at

Refinance wave builds with Fed rate cut on the horizon, but how big will it be?

Mortgage rates at their lowest levels in nearly a year are driving a wave of refinance opportunities for lenders ahead of the Federal Reserve’s expected rate cut next week. The shift is encouraging more borrowers to leave the sidelines, with small rate moves already triggering meaningful activity. “

Stephen Miran may join the Fed before the next vote on interest rates

Last month, President Donald Trump nominated Stephen Miran to fill a vacant seat on the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. And much like other Trump administration picks that require Senate confirmation, Miran’s selection has drawn skepticism from Democratic lawmakers. Miran met last week with me

Can mortgage rates get below 6% with this Federal Reserve?

Now that jobs week is over, we are all left with one truth: it really is about the labor market over inflation data when it comes to mortgage rates, which hit a fresh year-to-date low after Friday’s terrible jobs numbers. The question now is whether mortgage rates can drop below 6% and stay there wi

Trump signs law banning trigger leads

President Donald Trump on Friday signed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act (H.R. 2808), establishing a nationwide ban on the abusive use of trigger leads beginning in March 2026. The legislation had broad mortgage industry support. It cleared the House in June and the Senate by unanimous consent

Tech Pulse: Trendsetters nominations open, AI sales agent eases mortgage process

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: Where Are They Now? Looking back at the first class of Tech Trendsetters As HousingWire o

HUD Innovative Housing Showcase begins Saturday

More than two dozen organizations will present cutting-edge housing and building solutions on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., this weekend during the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s annual Innovative Housing Showcase. The event, established by then-HUD Secretary Ben C

Housing market risk steepest in southern, western areas

A growing number of U.S. housing markets face elevated risks from high foreclosure rates, underwater mortgages and rising costs, according to a new report. ATTOM analyzed 579 counties nationwide for its second-quarter Housing Risk Report — with ranking criteria including affordability, foreclosure a

Zillow removes photos at center of CoStar suit from site

Zillow has begun removing the images at the center of CoStar’s copyright infringement lawsuit from its site this week.  A Zillow spokesperson confirmed that the listing portal giant is only removing images that are of issue in the lawsuit and that it is notifying partners of the removals. Additional