How is the housing market weathering war-time economics?

War-time economics have, of course, sent gas prices skyrocketing, but have also pushed mortgage rates higher over the last five weeks, from a low of 5.99% to a high of 6.64%. Rates have fallen a bit recently, but higher rates have slowed some of the housing data down. In the past, mortgage rates abo

So far, 2026 job growth is better than 2025 

As crazy as this may sound, the jobs data in 2026 has improved from the levels of 2025. That’s how low the bar was this year for growth and today’s jobs report reaffirmed that. Now, with a bar so low we can all trip over it, context is key. Over the last six months of job creation, we averaged 15,00

NYC builds taller housing again, as state, city law reset the stage

New York City is increasing housing density, though much of the early progress stems from state law changes and rezonings that predate Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration. Those moves are now starting to show up in steel and concrete, even as Mamdani advances his own housing agenda. The clearest e

Northwest MLS accuses Compass of deceptive ‘pocket listing’ scheme in counterclaim

Northwest Multiple Listing Service has filed counterclaims in federal court against Compass, alleging the brokerage’s “three-phase marketing program” is a deceptive scheme that hides listing data from the public and violates Washington’s Consumer Protection Act. In the filing, the Kirkland, Wash.-ba

NRMLA webinar to cover reverse servicing and maturity events

An upcoming industry webinar hosted by the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) aims to demystify what happens to a reverse mortgage long after closing, serving as an educational component for loan officers and the seniors they serve. The April 9 webinar, “From Boarding to Maturity:

Better bets on ChatGPT as the new front door for origination

Better.com says that its new integration with ChatGPT is more than a flashy plugin. According to CEO Vishal Garg, it’s a tool that could shift how mortgage technology is distributed and adopted across the industry. In early March, Better announced the conversational credit decision engine that allow

Texas SB 17 has reshaped foreign capital in homebuilding

America’s largest homebuilders no longer just build subdivisions. Rather, they’re consolidating power. Scale is the new advantage, land is the new currency, and increasingly, ownership structure is the new danger. Foreign capital hasn’t pulled back from U.S. housing. It’s being organized. Japanese f

Join the most powerful room in housing at The Gathering April 27-30

HousingWire will host The Gathering from April 27-30 in Austin, Texas, bringing together real estate, mortgage and homebuilding executives for four days of networking and strategy sessions. Billed as “the most powerful room in housing,” The Gathering is designed for leaders across the housing ecosys

PartnerOne finalizes acquisition of Mortgage Cadence

PartnerOne has completed its acquisition of Mortgage Cadence, adding another long-standing mortgage technology platform to the portfolio of the global enterprise software group, the company announced Thursday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction was previously announced as an agree

Century 21 Integra expands Chicago presence with acquisition

Century 21 Integra has acquired Schaumburg, Illinois-based Realty Executives Advance — expanding its presence in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. “Bringing Realty Executives Advance into the Integra family is a natural fit,” said Jim D’Amico, owner of Century 21 Integra. “Hank (Fatoorehchi) and his team

What Washington state agents are seeing with new ‘millionaires tax’

Washington state is entering a new policy era with its “millionaires tax” — targeting high-income earners who shape the luxury real estate market. The law imposes a 9.9% tax on annual income above $1 million, with implementation expected in 2028 pending legal challenges. For real estate professional

Lower launches Movoto Advantage for solo real estate agents

Lower has launched Movoto Advantage, a limited-access, subscription-based program that connects high-performing solo real estate agents with motivated home buyers and sellers through real-time live transfers, the company announced Thursday. The program, which Lower began rolling out in late 2025, op

D.C. pushes single-stair apartments higher with added safety rules

Washington, D.C., council members are leaning into a growing national trend by relaxing single-stairway rules to cut the cost of building small and mid-rise housing. On Tuesday, the D.C. Council unanimously advanced the One Front Door Act. If it passes on second reading, the maximum height for resid

HECM activity rises in March, but proprietary loans are taking a bite out of business

U.S. reverse mortgage endorsements rose sharply in March following subdued activity in February, but overall volume remains down compared with recent months, according to data released Wednesday by Reverse Market Insight (RMI). Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsements increased 16.3% in M

FOA introduces second-lien reverse mortgage LOC in California

Finance of America (FOA) on Thursday introduced HomeSafe Second Line of Credit, a second-lien reverse mortgage line of credit now available in California that lets homeowners 55 and older tap home equity over time without refinancing or taking on a new required monthly mortgage payment. The product,

NAR rolls out expertise-based application process for 2027 committees

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has introduced an expertise-driven application process for its 2027 governance committees, aiming to match members to roles based on their experience, qualifications and leadership background, the trade group announced Thursday. This announcement comes one

Frost Bank is betting on 0% down mortgages in Texas

Frost Bank previously announced in 2023 that it was reentering the mortgage business after a multiyear buildup that included system development and pilot programs. Now, reporting from Dallas news outlet WFAA says that the Texas-based bank is coming back swinging with a new program for borrowers who

Manufactured housing is the homeownership solve we keep ignoring

“Most men appear never to have considered what a house is, and are actually though needlessly poor all their lives because they think that they must have such a one as their neighbors have.” — Henry David Thoreau, Walden. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) said on 3.24.2026 that from January

Why HousingWire’s new Mortgage Rankings matter for originators

The HousingWire Mortgage Rankings launched this week to give the housing industry a standardized, transaction-based view of origination activity across the country. The rankings are powered by InGenius data and they’re built on recorded mortgage transactions, not submissions or self-reported numbers

Housing market demand is holding, but pricing gaps are breaking deals

Housing demand is still holding up on a year over year basis, even as mortgage rates sit at 6.64%, a level that has historically marked a key dividing line for demand. That is the backdrop Logan Mohtashami laid out in this week’s Housing Market Tracker, where he wrote that “we are at a key inflectio