Anthony Casa on UMortgage’s new broker model empowering loan originators

UMortgage has rolled out a broker model designed to give loan originators more autonomy, higher earning potential, and access to a proprietary technology platform. Anthony Casa, President & CEO, shares how the new broker model empowers LOs with entrepreneurial control, unique revenue opportunities,

Local fees trap state housing affordability reforms in a vicious circle

Procedural and zoning barriers are proving to be only the beginning of the gauntlet for adding new ground-up residential supply to America’s housing-starved communities. While removing red tape and outdated zoning laws might formalize more homes on paper, local fee structures still decide whether th

Housing demand is up and inventory is down, even with Iran conflict

In the crazy world of economics, with all the drama last week, it was a pretty normal housing week. Housing data showed year-over-year growth, weekly pending home sales rose, inventory declined slightly and mortgage rates were very steady, considering the conflict with Iran. Let’s take a look at pro

Redwood launches Aspire securitization shelf with $391M non-QM deal

Redwood Trust closed a $391 million securitization backed by nonqualified mortgages (non-QMs), marking the inaugural deal from its Aspire platform that was expanded in early 2025, the company announced Friday. The transaction (SPIRE 2026-1) establishes Redwood’s third securitization shelf, alongside

Can innovation, policy reform redeem manufactured housing’s image?

What realistic, visionary, and wise players in the U.S. housing sector believe is that some solutions are already here, hidden in plain sight. Part of the problem is that what often hides those solutions from view is a past history, baggage or a whiff of negative reputation. Manufactured housing is

Allied Title and Escrow expands into Ohio, Michigan

Virginia-based Allied Title and Escrow has expanded its operations into Ohio and Michigan — bringing its total footprint to 14 states. The move marks another step in Allied’s national growth strategy and expands its presence in the Midwest as leaders cited increased demand from real estate agents, l

FinCEN’s AML rule reshaping title processes — and buyer behavior

A sweeping new anti-money laundering rule from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), took effect this week, introducing new reporting obligations for certain residential real estate transactions. The regulation, effective March 1, expands federal oversight into parts of the real estate

Negative jobs report keeps mortgage rates calm amid surging oil prices 

Oil prices are surging and mortgage rates are roughly flat so far today. It has been a crazy day in the bond market: the 10-year yield first went lower after the jobs report, then Trump posted that the goal in Iran is “ultimate surrender,” which sent the 10-year yield higher with oil prices over $90

The condo queen: How a Miami broker closes $1B+ a year

On paper, Maile Aguila’s story reads like a fairy-tale version of the American dream: After 30 years of hard work, a daughter of 1960s Cuban exiles sells $1 billion worth of Miami condos in a single year for a multi-national developer. Then she partners with The Agency, one of the buzziest luxury re

Angel Oak’s Tom Hutchens on new growth path for non-QMs as rates ease

When mortgage rates stayed higher for longer over the past few years, originators increasingly turned their attention to nonqualified mortgages (non-QMs). But that resurgence may not lose momentum even if rates decline in 2026. “We traditionally have seen nonagency volumes represent about 10% of the

Ninja Selling’s Larry Kendall: Control the habits, not the headlines

Real estate agents and brokers are bombarded daily with headlines predicting the industry’s next upheaval. Let it go, says Larry Kendall, founder of Ninja Selling, because most of that noise sits firmly outside of your control. While it’s important you keep up with current headlines, Kendall believe

US loses 92,000 jobs in February as labor market continues to cool

In a sign of a still-softening labor market, U.S. employers eliminated 92,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in February, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Economists say the report is unlikely to change the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates. Meanwhile, t

Builders started 2026 with margin pressure, then came Iran war risk

Making less money but making steady headway may be a crude way to boil down what early 2026 was looking like for many homebuilding business leaders. Public homebuilder execs were not discussing a plain-and-simple “recovery trade.” The most consistent post-earnings themes – across demand, pricing, ma

Better launches ChatGPT-based credit decision engine for mortgage and HELOC lenders

Better.com has launched a conversational credit decision engine that lets mortgage and home equity lenders run underwriting through ChatGPT using the company’s Tinman AI platform, the company announced Thursday. The integration, built with OpenAI using a Model Context Protocol (MCP) connector, allow

Study finds 65-year-olds need $135K for long-term care

A new report from consulting firm Milliman concludes that the average 65-year-old should set aside $135,000 to cover high-intensity long-term care in the future. But averages can mask wide variation depending on gender, location and health.   Women face significantly higher costs than men — an avera

NAR speaks out on “coming soon” listings

The National Association of Realtors said it does not set a national policy for “coming soon” listing statuses and leaves those decisions to local multiple listing services. “NAR respects the rights of individual brokers to make their own business decisions and does not comment on specific brokerage

New eXp division bridges homebuilder-brokerage service gap

eXp Realty has announced the launch of eXp New Homes, a specialized division designed to help agents expand into the new construction market — from boutique urban developments to large master-planned communities. The division aims to bridge the gap between traditional brokerage services and the spec

USDA lending changes could handcuff low-income California homebuyers

Housing advocates warn that recent changes to a federal rural lending program could sharply limit homeownership opportunities for low-income families in California communities. The California Coalition for Rural Housing said revisions made Feb. 10 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Secti

Compromise Indiana housing reform law trims local zoning power

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun swiftly signed into law comprehensive state housing reforms after lawmakers spent weeks debating how much the state could and should override local zoning rules and design standards. The law adopts a softer approach to neutralizing local zoning authority after mayors, county

NAHB data maps modest housing affordability gains in 2025

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Cost of Housing Index, released on Thursday, indicates that housing affordability slightly improved in 2025 as new home prices decreased nationwide and mortgage rates steadily declined during the second half of the year.  The quarterly ind