Barry Habib, Logan Mohtashami say housing market set for pent-up demand surge

The U.S. housing market may be poised for a historic surge as pent-up demand meets a potentially lower rate environment. As part of an expert panel at HousingWire’s 2026 Housing Economic Summit, MBS Highway founder and CEO Barry Habib said the first move downward in mortgage rates could trigger a ru

Brokerage leaders express optimism for 2026 housing market conditions

Real estate brokerage leaders are entering 2026 more confident and optimistic than they have in years, according to Delta Media Group’s Real Estate Leadership Report.  To compile the report, Delta Media Group surveyed more than 100 brokerage leaders representing firms that were collectively responsi

Optimal Blue mortgage data shows 50% refi jump in January as rates dip

Optimal Blue reported a sharp increase in refinance activity in January as falling mortgage rates spurred borrowers to act, according to its January 2026 Market Advantage data report released on Tuesday. Total rate-lock volume rose 16% from December and was 36% higher than in January 2025. The incre

Figure CEO Michael Tannenbaum on partnering with Bed Bath & Beyond

The parent company of Bed Bath & Beyond is moving deeper into financial services through the launch of a personal finance platform that will offer home loans in partnership with Figure Technologies. The initiative, tied to the company’s pending acquisition of Tokens.com, aims to combine traditional

Dono raises $6.5M to expand property records platform

Property records platform Dono has raised $6.5 million in a seed round to support geographic expansion and broaden its customer base beyond title insurance, the company announced Tuesday.  Link Ventures led the round, with participation from lool VC and Alumni Ventures. The investment brings total f

‘Objectively failing’ — Real estate leaders call for data-first strategy

Dan Duffy did not ease into his critique of the housing industry’s approach to analytics. “I’ll be the first one to admit that we are currently objectively failing at United,” the United Real Estate Group founder and CEO told attendees Tuesday at HousingWire’s 2026 Housing Economic Summit. “That’s a

Rate partners with Alianza to expand bilingual mortgage education

Rate and Alianza have entered a multi-year collaboration that names Rate the official mortgage lending partner of Alianza, a grassroots soccer platform serving Latino communities across the United States. The agreement follows a pilot partnership in 2025 and will run through the 2026 and 2027 season

Barrier to entry: builders’ first challenge is to work through a glut

For builders, particularly in the Sun Belt, the challenge from the get-go in 2026 will be to work through surplus entry-level inventory. As monthly-payment affordability pressures from high mortgage rates and home prices plague first-time buyers, solving this supply imbalance will only occur gradual

Single-file credit proposal reignites debate over savings vs risks

A proposal to replace the longstanding tri-merge credit report with a single-file model has reignited debate over borrower costs and systemic risk, placing trade associations on opposing sides. Supporters argue a single pull would encourage more predictive credit data and reduce systemwide costs wit

NEXA Lending CEO Mike Kortas explains why he’s buying shell companies

NEXA Lending CEO Mike Kortas is in the process of acquiring several shell companies to build joint ventures, he said in an exclusive interview with HousingWire on Monday.  “They are for multiple JVs with large teams, agencies, builders and strategic partnerships,” Kortas said without providing detai

February Demo Day: DigitalTax® Forecasting Insights by Cotality

DigitalTax® Forecasting Insights DigitalTax Forecasting Insights helps servicers and local governments anticipate future tax amounts and escrow needs by identifying potential shortages early. Our Forecasting tool improves cash‑flow planning, reveals drivers behind underfunded accounts, and enables p

February Demo Day: Insellerate’s Aithena

Insellerate’s Aithena Aithena empowers mortgage lenders to analyze 100% of calls, coach in real time, and predict closable deals with 89.4% accuracy—right from the first conversation. Drive empathy, elevate performance, and capture more revenue with AI + Human insight.. Product Fast Facts #1 89.4% a

February Demo Day: Blend

Blend’s Rapid Home Equity Blend’s Rapid Home Equity is an automated digital origination solution that leverages real-time data to accelerate the home equity lending cycle. It features instant pre-approvals, pre-filled applications, and integrated debt consolidation tools, enabling lenders to close l

The ultimate listing appointment checklist for agents (+ tips & scripts)

Successful listing agents know that winning the listing starts long before they walk through the door. Preparation is what allows you to lead the conversation, answer questions with confidence, and avoid getting caught off guard during the appointment. This guide breaks down exactly how to prepare f

Zillow and Redfin ordered to produce documents in $100M rental syndication antitrust case

Zillow and Redfin must turn over documents related to their $100 million rental syndication agreement, according to a court order issued on Thursday in the antitrust lawsuit filed by state and federal regulators.  On Thursday, Judge William Porter ruled that the defendants must comply with the docum

The Mortgage Collaborative, MBA partner to expand advocacy efforts

The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC) and the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) on Monday announced a partnership aimed at expanding advocacy, education and engagement opportunities for independent mortgage lenders. The Mortgage Collaborative, the largest independent cooperative network for mortgage len

Looming risk for mortgage credit and MBS investors from “Lender Choice”

Since 1996 when Freddie Mac introduced the industry to the first automated underwriting system (AUS) for GSE-eligible mortgages, a borrower’s credit score has served as one of the most important predictors of mortgage delinquency.  For many years thereafter, FICO score was the sole provider of score

Housing inventory and new listings show impact of winter weather

I was amazed that the last Housing Market Tracker didn’t show much drama from the epic late-January snowstorm that impacted much of the U.S., but today’s tracker data got hit for sure. However, the housing market will be back in full force again soon. Last week, inventory declined, new listings data

Why antitrust talk may be a pressure tactic — not a probe —against homebuilders

A Friday-morning news report suggesting that the Trump administration is exploring an antitrust probe into U.S. homebuilders landed with its intended shock value. The implication? Washington, having rattled its saber, may be preparing to treat large builders as a concentrated market actor whose beha

Why antitrust talk may be a pressure tactic — not a probe — against homebuilders

A Friday-morning news report suggesting that the Trump administration is exploring an antitrust probe into U.S. homebuilders landed with its intended shock value. The implication? Washington, having rattled its saber, may be preparing to treat large builders as a concentrated market actor whose beha