Trump’s mortgage order sets stage for regulatory shift, draws consumer backlash

President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting mortgages addresses several concerns raised by banks and nonbanks, which have largely welcomed it as a road map for regulatory change. But it’s also receiving pushback from consumer advocates.Friday’s order on “promoting access to mortgage credit” a

CrossCountry Mortgage to strengthen footprint with Summit M&A deal

Cleveland-based CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM) has struck a deal to acquire Summit Funding, broadening its geographic reach, the companies announced Wednesday. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “In 2025, we financed 1 in 35 homes sold nationwide, ranking as the No. 1 retail mortgag

Anywhere’s Sue Yannaccone named Compass International Holdings COO

Compass International Holdings (CIH), the parent company of Compass, @properties, Christie’s International Real Estate and the six Anywhere Real Estate brands, has promoted Sue Yannaccone to chief operations officer, according to an announcement on Wednesday. Yannaccone’s promotion comes a little ov

Fed keeps rates unchanged as inflation, geopolitical risks cloud outlook

In a widely expected move, the Federal Reserve held its benchmark interest rate steady Wednesday at a target range of 3.5% to 3.75%, the same level it set in January. “Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace. Job gains have remained low, and the unemplo

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac announce revisions to condo insurance standards

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on Wednesday announced updates to condominium project standards and property insurance requirements for one- to four-unit properties and project developments, with a stated goal of reducing costs for homeowners. “We are replacing a disruptive and expensive Biden insurance

The industry’s quiet first line of defense

Most professions get credit for what people can see them do. A surgeon’s skill is visible in the outcome. The engineer’s work shows up in the bridge that holds. In real estate, the closing table tends to get all the attention, from the signatures and the handshakes to the transfer of keys. What does

Older Americans maintain record share of housing wealth

Older Americans now hold as much real estate wealth as middle-aged homeowners, illustrating the widening gaps in homeownership access and long-term home price gains. An analysis from Redfin, based on data from the Federal Reserve Board, found that Americans ages 70 and older controlled roughly 26% o

How FrameTec plans to cut build-cycle times and reduce waste

Dozens of innovative companies have sprung up over the past 15 years, each vowing to revolutionize home building.  Many haven’t, don’t, and won’t make it through the “early-stage” gauntlet of A, B, and C series capital raises, where they can pay off their debt, cover their bills and sustainably gene

Finance of America expands HomeSafe Second reverse mortgage to three more states

Finance of America (FOA) has expanded access to its HomeSafe Second product into Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, giving senior homeowners more options for tapping record levels of home equity without giving up their low post-pandemic mortgage rates, the company announced Tuesday. Reintroduced in 2023 as

Washington law limits private listing networks for homes

Beginning in early June, real estate professionals in Washington state must publicly market their residential real estate listings to all consumers, unless the seller can show doing so would negatively impact their health or safety. This requirement comes after Washington Governor Bob Furgeson signe

Banks eye bigger role in mortgages as regulators reconsider capital rules

Top banks in the mortgage space, which have relied on a similar playbook for years, say they could become more active if upcoming changes to capital rules provide more flexibility, several industry executives told HousingWire. But any shift in strategy is expected to take time. Depositories typicall

MBA’s Broeksmit on Trump orders, AI and mortgage affordability at ICE X26

“Just when I think things are falling in place, another wild card arrives,” Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) president and CEO Bob Broeksmit said Tuesday morning at ICE Experience’s X26 annual mortgage conference.  In a conversation with ICE Mortgage Technology President Bob Hart that spanned rece

Serving VA buyers: Practical guidance for real estate agents

Military families and veterans don’t buy homes the way most civilians do. They move on short notice and often finalize purchases from hundreds or thousands of miles away. When you add a VA home loan into the mix, some lenders and agents assume the transaction is headed for trouble before it even sta

States sue HUD over guidance they say weakens fair housing protections

A coalition of 16 attorneys general has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), alleging the agency is attempting to force states to weaken their housing discrimination protections. The dispute centers on written guidance issued by HUD in September to stat

The Real Brokerage adds RealTrends Verified ranked Atlanta group

The Real Brokerage has added Legends Real Estate Group, expanding its presence in the Atlanta metropolitan area and northeast Georgia. The group includes 55 agents and several established teams that previously operated under a REMAX-affiliated brokerage. They will now operate within Real’s platform

Reducing risk: Why logging, protection, and review matter

In real estate, title insurance, and mortgage lending, transactions depend on technology operating accurately and securely behind the scenes. Every login, file access, system change, and integration generates activity that can either support business continuity or signal potential risk. One of the m

Homebuilder confidence nudges up but remains below par

Homebuilding business executives maintain a guarded outlook on the homebuilding market, amid tepid demand, shrinking profit margins and weak consumer sentiment. The ongoing conflict with Iran could further complicate the outlook for builders.  The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells F

Wyoming refund exposes legal risk for local housing fee ordinances

Small wins on impact fees occasionally occur in costly U.S. housing markets. Teton County, Wyoming, officials agreed last week to refund a $24,325 “affordable workforce housing” fee that a homeowner had to pay to obtain a permit to build a single-family home. The payment settles a lawsuit the homeow

eXp defendants move to toss Roberts sexual assault lawsuit ahead of April hearing

The remaining defendants in the Roberts sexual assault lawsuit have all independently filed motions seeking dismissal of the case. Last week, Michael Bjorkman and David Golden, two former top recruiting agents at eXp Realty, as well as eXp World Holdings and its CEO, Glenn Sanford, all filed motions

Housing muni market swells amid affordability policy debate

Financing affordable housing development – typically for lower-income households – is one of the most challenging matters in real estate. Making the economics work on a deal requires layered “hard and soft” funding sources as developers navigate rising costs, policy instability, and structural gaps