Federal judge orders release of DOGE operational records

A federal judge has ordered the U.S. DOGE Service — the controversial agency led by billionaire Elon Musk — to release records about its operations, citing concerns over its “unusual secrecy,” according to a report from Reuters on Tuesday.In a ruling on Monday, Judge Christopher Cooper of the U.S. D

New York moves to allow title insurance for state land deals

New York may soon allow title insurance for state land purchases, a shift that could streamline conservation efforts and resolve longstanding property disputes.The change, which was included in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent budget amendments, follows growing concerns from environmental groups and munic

What has the CFPB done for the reverse mortgage industry?

Since it was originally founded in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has been a chief figure in the regulatory enforcement of the mortgage industry, including the reverse mortgage business.But recent reports suggest that the Trump administration w

Safety, affordability concerns could be barriers for aging in place

An overwhelming majority of older Americans (84%) say that aging in place in their current homes is a priority, but significant challenges stemming from home safety and affordability concerns are some of the elements keeping them from actually doing it. This is according to a new survey from Point,

CertifID’s Tom Cronkright on how CISA cuts could impact cybersecurity practices

The Trump administration has cut millions of dollars in federal funding from two cybersecurity initiatives, including one dedicated to helping state and local election officials.The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has ended about $10 million in annual funding to the nonp

Renting is less expensive than homeownership in every major US metro

Deciding whether to rent or buy a home depends on several factors — including finances, long-term goals and local market conditions. While homeownership can be a long-term investment, renting remains the cheaper option in each of the country’s 100 largest metro areas, according to a LendingTree anal

NY congressional delegation says skeleton staff in HUD field offices imperils housing assistance

In the wake of severe cuts to staff and its field office footprint, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must reverse layoffs and planned closures of offices across New York state to avoid imperiling housing for 800,000 residents. This is according to a letter from members of N

Richmond, Raleigh rank as the friendliest cities for single-family renters

Single-family renter households have grown by 31% over the past two decades, outpacing the 21% increase in owner-occupied households. Alongside that growth, several metropolitan areas stand out as the best locations for single-family renters.These findings come from a recent analysis by real estate

How a luxury real estate agent fell for a listing scam

The conversation started like any typical interaction with a homeowner looking to sell their property. We discussed the current market conditions and revisited the property’s previous listing history — including that the last agent had failed to sell it, eventually pulling it off the market 60 days

Mortgage rates drop as investors seek bond market safe haven

Spring officially arrives next week and the 2025 housing market could heat up too, if the recent declines in mortgage rates are any indication.Data at HousingWire’s Mortgage Rates Center on Tuesday shows that 30-year conforming rates are averaging 6.79%, down 10 basis points (bps) from a week ago. A

Jason Mitchell Group announces merger with Arkansas-based iRealty

The Jason Mitchell Group (JMG) couldn’t have asked for a better two weeks.The Arizona-based brokerage announced Monday that it has merged with iRealty, a brokerage in Arkansas that boasts almost 200 agents and roughly 1,400 transaction sides per year. The move marks JMG’s entry into Arkansas, the 42

Maryland reverse mortgage bill withdrawn following industry dialogue

A reverse mortgage-related bill that was introduced in the Maryland state Senate that would have put the onus on lenders to cover some extra expenses tied to the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) origination process has been withdrawn by the sponsoring senator after conversations with reverse m

Columnist: Reverse mortgages have benefits that come with risks

A reverse mortgage could have benefits for a qualifying borrower, but anyone considering these loans should also be mindful of the potential risks. This is according to nationally syndicated personal finance columnist Liz Weston in one of her latest pieces.A reader who asked Weston to weigh in on th

HUD’s Innovative Housing Showcase is returning to DC in 2025

In conjunction with efforts to celebrate the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence next year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Monday announced that its Innovative Housing Showcase event and expo will be returning to the National Mall in Washington, D.C., later this year.The

HomeVision, Restb.ai partner on AI in collateral underwriting

HomeVision, a collateral underwriting and appraisal review platform, has partnered with artificial intelligence (AI) firm Restb.ai to integrate computer vision technology into real estate valuation processes.The collaboration will incorporate Restb.ai’s AI-powered image recognition into HomeVision’s

Iowa title insurance continues to thrive under state-run model

In an industry dominated by private insurers, Iowa Title Guaranty (ITG) continues to operate as a state-run, not-for-profit title system that gives homebuyers a more affordable avenue for settlement services.Iowa bans private commercial title insurance in favor of its unique state-backed model. It’s

Could homebuyers find bargains this spring?

The spring housing market is still trying to spring.Pending home sales inched up for the week with small gains but remained below numbers seen at this time last year.  New listings volume is trying to grow with its biggest week since September. List prices inched up for the week, though sales prices

Washington state lawmakers working on commercial-to-residential conversion bill

The House of Representatives in the state of Washington last week approved a bill that seeks to expedite the process of converting commercial buildings into residential complexes. The measure passed overwhelmingly in a vote of 95-2.HB 1757 is sponsored by Rep. Amy Walen (D) and would modify the regu

John Burns: Rising property taxes are forcing retirees out of some states

Rising property taxes are a thorn in the side of many Americans in today’s housing market. Older Americans in particular are feeling the brunt of higher tax payments in key metro areas and are being forced to move, a recent report concluded.John Burns Research & Consulting (JBREC), a leading real es

Are AMCs the next target of class-action lawsuits?

Appraisers concerned about the rising role of appraisal management companies (AMCs) were dealt a blow by the turmoil that’s engulfed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.Leaders in the appraisal profession had turned to the CFPB in