Why LGI Homes is the clearest read on entry-level buyer math

A tale of two Spring Selling housing markets set the scene for LGI Homes’ Q1 2026 earnings release this week. Structurally, it’s not a market short on demand. Behaviorally and psychologically, though, it’s got homebuilders struggling to convert it. Team LGI’s performance – and every other public hom

The Gathering: How is AI reshaping mortgage lending and servicing?

It’s difficult to understate the impact that artificial intelligence is having on all aspects of the mortgage industry. From lead generation and borrower qualification to loan servicing and customer retention, companies must find ways to streamline processes to bring more customers in the door and k

ONE Sotheby’s adds luxury adviser as South Florida development expands

ONE Sotheby’s International Realty has recruited a veteran luxury real estate adviser as the brokerage continues expanding its new development business across South Florida. Angel Gonzalez has joined the firm after more than a decade working in luxury residential sales and development projects. The

NorthstarMLS, CREB partner with Broker Public Portal

NorthstarMLS and California Real Estate Brokers, Inc. (CREB), which is the majority shareholder of MetroList MLS, have both entered strategic partnerships with Broker Public Portal (BPP) that will expand the reach of Cribio.com, the industry-owned consumer home search platform, the organizations ann

Atlas VMS launches insurance-backed appraisal warranty for lenders

Valuation and mortgage solutions company Atlas VMS on Thursday announced the launch of Atlas LoanShield, an insurance-backed appraisal warranty designed to protect mortgage lenders from financial losses tied to appraisal defects that lead to loan repurchase demands. Loan repurchase risk remains a ke

Corina Lessa says visibility drives trust in real estate leadership

In Corina Lessa’s view, “real estate is the most powerful force shaping human civilization.”  “Behind the real estate industry, there are leaders that are making the decisions that are shaping this industry,” Lessa, the broker-owner of Tampa Bay Key Real Estate told attendees on Thursday at the Wome

North Carolina House Democrats revive state housing reform

North Carolina House Democrats will take another shot at sweeping housing reform. Several cycles of defeat on similar legislation loom in their rearview mirror. Undaunted by a string of previously unsuccessful efforts and banking on a redoubled surge of political will to address housing affordabilit

Builders don’t have a rate problem, they have a reliability problem

A builder lines up a deal. Land is identified. Plans are drawn. The numbers work. The lender says yes. And then — somewhere between approval and execution — the ground shifts. The timeline stretches, the draw gets delayed, the capital tightens or worse, disappears altogether. By the time it’s clear

‘Didn’t see that coming’: Real estate brokers react to Real-REMAX deal

At a time when it seems like most real estate brokers can’t agree on anything, one thing they can agree on is that The Real Brokerage’s acquisition of REMAX, announced on Monday, came as a surprise.  “To me it came a bit out of left field because I don’t think anybody had talked about Real,” Gary As

UWM adds VantageScore alongside FICO for conventional loans

United Wholesale Mortgage announced Wednesday that independent mortgage brokers working with UWM can now access both FICO and VantageScore credit scoring models for conventional loans, a move aimed at giving brokers more flexibility when evaluating borrowers. In a press release, the Michigan-based l

ERA Real Estate affiliates form new billion-dollar-plus partnership in California

Real Estate Experts ERA Powered has entered into a strategic partnership with Legacy Real Estate & Associates, which will operate under the name Legacy Real Estate Experts ERA Powered, expanding its presence across the San Francisco Bay area. The combined California organization includes more than 3

Housing starts overachieved in March amid warning signs aplenty

Housing starts spiked in March to their highest point in more than a year, but economists caution that this increase is likely temporary as ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty roil a near- and mid-term outlook.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s new residential construction data releas

CoStar Group, Homes.com surge in Q1 — CEO welcomes end of activist ‘distraction’

CoStar Group delivered its 60th consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth in the first three months of 2026, posting results at the high end of guidance and raising its profit outlook for the year. The online real estate marketplace operator reported $897 million in revenue for the quarter

Figure’s Michael Tannenbaum warns rush to adopt AI could accelerate poor mortgage processes

The mortgage industry’s rush toward the adoption and use of artificial intelligence could risk the acceleration of inefficient processes unless lenders first modernize the underlying infrastructure powering loan origination and securitization. That’s according to Figure Technology Solutions CEO Mich

Nykia Wright outlines NAR transparency and antitrust reset

When Nykia Wright was named permanent CEO of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in August 2024, she was tasked with righting a ship, which in her opinion had “lost its way.” “What we are trying to do is get that confidence back and the only way to do that is to be transparent,” Wright told a

HUD proposes rollback of equal access rule protections

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has proposed rolling back protections for gender identity and sexual orientation in nearly 50 housing regulations, a move that is drawing criticism from affordable housing advocates who say the changes could further marginalize vulnerable co

Everything we know about Real’s REMAX acquisition and the shift to tech-driven consolidation

The planned acquisition of REMAX Holdings by The Real Brokerage is set to reshape the residential real estate landscape, combining a fast-growing, cloud-based brokerage with one of the industry’s largest global franchise networks. Valued at roughly $880 million including debt, the deal will create a

The Gathering: Sue Yannaccone says scale can be a ‘super power’ as brokerages consolidate

As the real estate brokerage space continues to consolidate, creating large national firms with massive scale, critics have claimed this move will lead to a homogenization of formerly disparate brands.  However, Sue Yannaccone, who was recently promoted to chief operations officer of Compass Interna

CrossCountry raises bid for Two Harbors after rival offer from UWM

UWM Holding Corp. may not win the bid to acquire Two Harbors Investment Corp., but an unsolicited proposal for the real estate investment trust just forced CrossCountry Intermediate Holdco to raise its offering. Two Harbors announced Tuesday that it amended its merger agreement to increase the all-c

KW’s Sandra Howard: Why tough markets expose weak branding and how to prevent strategic drift

Companies that stay grounded in a clear identity are better positioned to make smart decisions than those that chase every new trend, said Keller Williams executive Sandra Howard — speaking at HousingWire’s The Gathering in Austin, Texas. Addressing an audience of real estate and mortgage leaders, s