Union Home Mortgage acquires assets of Sierra Pacific Mortgage: sources

Ohio-based Union Home Mortgage (UHM), led by Bill Cosgrove, has reached an agreement to acquire California-based Sierra Pacific Mortgage‘s assets, sources told HousingWire. The deal marks UHM’s second deal in 2025, following its March purchase of Houston-based Nations Reliable Lending (NRL Mortgage)

How to compete and win with your listing presentation (+ template)

The real estate listing presentation is one of the most critical tools in your arsenal for demonstrating your knowledge, expertise, experience and authenticity to seller leads. A well-done listing presentation not only distinguishes you from your competitors — it also elevates the seller’s experienc

FEMA funds blocked illegally, GAO finds

A federal watchdog has ruled that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) broke the law by blocking or delaying aid money that Congress had already approved, including funds for programs that provide shelter and food. The Government Accountability Office (GAO), which oversees federal spending

Section 8 use barriers analyzed in new study

RAND and the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at the University of California at Berkeley have released a joint report examining how local housing agencies can more effectively use federal housing vouchers. The study, funded by the Cooper Housing Institute, found that while the Housing Choice Vo

Emilia Bechrakis Serhant joins SERHANT. as licensed agent

Nine years after marrying Ryan Serhant, Emilia Bechrakis Serhant is joining the brokerage that bears her surname. On Tuesday, SERHANT. announced that Bechrakis Serhant was joining the firm’s New York City office as a licensed real estate agent. She will work alongside Melissa Post. Born in New York

Real Estate One expands with Michigan acquisition

Michigan-based Clients First Realtors of Canton has joined the Real Estate One Family of Companies. Founded in 1995, Clients First has operated within Michigan for more than 25 years. “Clients First Realtors’ values align closely with our own, especially when it comes to giving back to the communiti

Pacaso unveils 30-year mortgage for vacation home co-ownership

Pacaso on Tuesday announced the launch of the first purpose-built, 30-year mortgage designed for co-ownership of vacation homes in the U.S. The new financing option gives qualified buyers and existing Pacaso owners a standardized way to finance their share of a second home, with a simplified closing

Coldwell Banker Realty acquires Prime Real Estate Group

Coldwell Banker Realty is strengthening its presence in Hudson County, New Jersey. On Tuesday, the firm announced its acquisition of Hoboken-based Prime Real Estate Group. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. This acquisition adds one office and 60 agents to Coldwell Banker’s presence

Boomers aren’t selling: 61% plan to stay put indefinitely

A new survey from Clever Real Estate shows that 61% of baby boomer homeowners say they “never” plan to sell their homes, a jump of 7 percentage points from 2024. The main reason? More than half want to age in place.  “For years, analysts and experts have wondered when boomers might sell their homes

Mortgage rate declines are raising the likelihood of a refi surge

With the Federal Reserve all but locked into a 25 basis-point cut on Wednesday after the conclusion of its two-day meeting, the question for housing market professionals is how much lower mortgage rates could go after their recent tumble. At HousingWire’s Mortgage Rates Center on Tuesday, long-term

Stephen Miran confirmed as Fed governor ahead of FOMC meeting

In a narrow 48-47 vote, the U.S. Senate confirmed economist Stephen Miran to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors on Monday evening ahead of a highly anticipated FOMC meeting. Miran, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, was approved by the Senate Banking Committee last week wi

Court rules against Trump, allowing Fed Governor Lisa Cook to vote on rate cuts

A federal appeals court on Monday evening denied a last-minute attempt by President Trump to block Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook from participating in the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting this week. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit‘s decision upheld fed

Miami luxury home prices soar to $1.13 million, nearly triple national average

New construction drives market with $2.29 million average price tag as future builds signal even higher luxury premiums Miami’s real estate market continues to outpace national trends with average home prices reaching $1.13 million, nearly triple the national average of $647,307, according to the la

North Carolina housing market offers 20% price advantage over national average

The North Carolina housing market delivers significant value for homebuyers. Current data shows 62,710 active listings with an average home price of $519,908. This represents a 19.7% discount compared to the national average of $647,307. The Tar Heel State provides abundant options for first-time bu

Amazon-backed affordable housing hits Seattle milestone

Amazon has reached a milestone of 10,000 affordable housing units funded in Seattle’s Puget Sound region, part of the $2 billion Housing Equity Fund the online retail giant launched in 2021. The announcement coincides with the opening of Connection Angle Lake — a 130-unit development from Mercy Hous

Trump wants quarterly earnings reports to become a relic of the past

President Donald Trump on Monday renewed his call for U.S. companies to move away from quarterly earnings reports, building upon an idea he floated during his first term. Since 1970, the nearly 3,700 publicly traded companies in the U.S. — including mortgage and real estate companies — have been req

Compass adds top-producing agent couple in DC area

Dave and Patricia Smith — a husband-and-wife real estate team with more than two decades of experience in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region — have joined Compass. The pair has closed more than $500 million in career sales volume, averaging about $50 million annually. They have consi

Saving for retirement is a ‘fragile and divided’ topic

As Social Security benefits face an increasingly uncertain future and living expenses for seniors continue to rise, a larger share of American workers and employers believe that “retirement confidence is fragile and divided.” That’s the key takeaway from the 10th annual iteration of BlackRock’s Read

Mortgage rates hit a new yearly low before the Fed meets

Mortgage rates dropped to a new low for 2025 on Monday morning, reaching 6.25%. This decline follows disappointing manufacturing data from the New York Fed, which has caused bond yields to decrease. And mortgage spreads continue to adjust positively as they have all year. The question now is whether

Have Fed rate cuts already been priced into mortgage rates?

Last week, mortgage rates hit a new low for 2025, as the labor market proved more critical to the bond market than inflation. The big question is: what will happen after the Fed cuts rates this week? Last year at this time, mortgage rates hit a yearly low of nearly 6% and the Fed cut rates — only to