FHFA Director Bill Pulte calls on Fed Chair Powell to resign

FHFA Director Bill Pulte called for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to resign today, shortly after President Trump urged Powell to cut the Fed funds rate by 2.5% in a social post.This follows the Federal Reserve’s decision yesterday to keep the Fed Funds rate unchanged. Although Powell pointe

Trump wants Powell to lower rates. Here’s how to do that

Today, President Trump called Fed Chairman Jerome Powell “Too Late” in a social post and said that he can save the country billions of dollars by shaving 2.5% off the Fed Funds rate. This is part of an ongoing Trump attack on the Fed Chair to cut rates, but is this strategy the best way to do it?As

Home flipping activity slows nationwide as profits tighten

The U.S. home flipping market showed signs of strain in the first quarter of 2025 as the number of flipped properties dropped to a six-year low and profit margins continued to erode, according to ATTOM’s Q1 2025 U.S. Home Flipping Report.A total of 67,394 single-family homes and condominiums were fl

15 commission lawsuit settlements are up for final approval next week

Commission lawsuit settlement agreements from 15 real estate industry players, including major names like Keyes Co./Illustrated Properties, Side, JPAR, NextHome and Baird & Warner will be up for final approval on Tuesday, June 24.The fifteen settling defendants, which come from the Gibson and Keel s

‘Feelings-based recession’: More Americans fearful of finances despite economic data

A rising tide of financial pessimism is washing over U.S. consumers, driven by concerns about inflation, global instability and a lack of economic clarity. At the same time, a solid majority of Americans remain optimistic about their financial future, according to TransUnion’s Consumer Pulse Study f

Hoby Hanna talks M&A strategy, market share goals

Hoby Hanna, the CEO of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services and Hanna Holdings, joined the RealTrending podcast this week to discuss his company’s approach to growth, technology and consumer offerings.In an interview with host Tracey Velt, Hanna breaks down a selective approach to mergers and acquisiti

Inside UWM’s tech evolution: How LEO and Mia are shaping the future of mortgage lending

Technology is accelerating change across the financial services industry, and United Wholesale Mortgage is at the forefront of mortgage innovation. With the launch of two groundbreaking platforms— the Loan Estimate Optimizer (LEO) and Mia, an AI-powered assistant for loan officers, UWM is setting a

Class Valuation unveils appraisal review tool

Class Valuation has launched a new appraisal review product designed to bring greater clarity and oversight to residential valuations. The new tool, Class Valuation Analysis (CVA), offers licensed appraiser-led reviews of existing appraisal reports by incorporating automated valuation model (AVM) te

Christie’s International Real Estate affiliate expands in Michigan

Birmingham, Michigan-based brokerage @properties REMI Christie’s International Real Estate is opening its 10th office in the state in July by expanding into the lakeside resort town of Traverse City.The brokerage was launched in 2021 by Detroit-area natives Eric Walstrom and Alex Irrer, and it has g

A financial planner shares her journey to understanding reverse mortgages

Rachel Gustafson serves as a certified financial planner with the Financial Investment Team, a firm based in Portland, Oregon. Over the course of a 12-year career in the field, she has a specialty for helping her clients figure out the best and most efficient ways to retire.When reverse mortgages fi

Are settlement rules pushing down agent commissions? New survey says the opposite

Few events in recent real estate history have rattled the industry more than the antitrust lawsuits filed against major brokerages and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), accusing them of artificially inflating agent commission rates.NAR settled the Sitzer-Burnett case for $418 million and a

Global equity release market projected to top $56B by 2035

Equity release — a class of financial products that involve unlocking home equity and converting it into cash flow — currently has global annual volume of roughly $17 billion.This class includes reverse mortgage products in the U.S., the United Kingdom and elsewhere, but a European equity release au

Lone Wolf, Follow Up Boss integrate platforms

Real estate software provider Lone Wolf Technologies is launching an integration with Zillow-owned customer relationship management system Follow Up Boss as it aims to connect transaction, marketing and accounting tools in one system.Follow Up Boss will be linked with Lone Wolf’s Foundation platform

Fed holds rates steady amid inflation concerns, resilient job market

The Federal Reserve held benchmark rates steady in the range of 4.25% to 4.5% following its two-day meeting on Wednesday, a decision with implications for the mortgage industry. The move, expected by virtually all monetary policy watchers, underscores the challenge facing the Federal Reserve — decid

Homebuilders have no motivation to grow permits with 7% rates

Even though new home sales showed growth last month, the homebuilders — both big and small — have no desire to grow housing permits or starts with 7% mortgage rates. Housing starts and permits peaked in 2022 and have been fluctuating at levels similar to the early stages of the COVID-19 recession fo

UpEquity receives warehouse facility from Silicon Valley Bank, Setpoint

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank, and lending partner Setpoint announced on Wednesday that they’re providing a $200 million warehouse facility to Austin-based mortgage tech firm UpEquity.The funding is expected to support $1 billion in originations over the next two years

VA loans are up 45% annually, and Gen Zers are leading the charge

Loan volume through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is up 45% during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. That’s according to an analysis of VA loan data released Wednesday by Veterans United Home Loans.The analysis, based on lending data from the first half of fi

Longbridge’s Bill Packer on crafting AI that’s inclusive of seniors

As more companies embrace the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into their business- and customer-facing operations, a concern has emerged among firms focused on delivering services to older peopleAI training typically occurs with younger staffers, who could then incorporate unconscious

Texas team rejoins eXp Realty amid YouTube-driven growth

Kyler Ferris — the founder of Ferris Realty in Conroe, Texas — has rejoined eXp Realty, bringing with him a 45-agent team and a reported sales volume of $164 million in 2024.The move marks a return to the national brokerage after Ferris Realty’s brief stint as an independent firm.Ferris, whose “Livi

NAHB encourages ‘practical’ renovations for aging in place

Aging in place is gaining momentum among older homeowners, and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has taken notice.The organization recently reported that 73% of homebuilding industry leaders say that requests for aging-in-place features have significantly or somewhat increased in the