TikTok forms US entity, easing social media marketing concerns for mortgage pros

TikTok has finalized a deal to form a new U.S. entity with investors that include Oracle, Silver Lake and Emirati firm MGX, easing the threat of a nationwide ban and allowing the social media app to continue operating for more than 200 million American users. The company said Thursday that the new T

California housing reform faces new test as LA Metro resists transit zoning law

California has become a test lab for housing reform. The state stands as an ongoing experiment-in-process for how far lawmakers will go to legalize the development of more homes and how hard local officials and neighborhood activists will fight to stop it.​​ The latest flashpoint struck on Thursday,

CrossCountry Mortgage hires Sam Sharp as regional EVP in Chicago

CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM) announced Friday that it has hired Sam Sharp as regional executive vice president, expanding the lender’s presence in the Chicago market. Sharp, who brings more than 23 years of mortgage industry experience, is known in the Chicago area for a borrower-focused approach and

Post-holiday pending sales rebound exposes regional divides

The U.S. housing market is showing clear signs of a post-holiday recovery. Pending home sales climbed to 50,096 new contracts this week, a 25.7% increase from last week’s 39,841, as buyer activity rebounds from the typical holiday slowdown. The increase in buyer activity, combined with shifting mark

KB Home opens new wildfire-resilient community in NorCal hills

In the foothills of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, KB Home has unveiled a fire-resilient new-home subdivision designed and engineered to protect homeowners, buffer neighboring communities and potentially lower property insurance rates.  The homebuilder opened its model home and began selling

30 must-have real estate text message scripts to convert leads and close deals

As a real estate brokerage leader with decades of experience, I know firsthand that every connection counts, so having the right words at your fingertips is essential. That’s where text messaging for real estate agents comes in — it’s quick, personal, and gets straight to the point. We’ve gathered 3

FHFA reports clean GAO audit for fiscal year 2025

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)’s annual Performance and Accountability Report was published on Friday, revealing that the agency received clean audit results for fiscal year 2025 from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The report disclosed that the GAO did not find any “material

Tapping a 401(k) for homeownership is risky business, experts say

President Donald Trump has floated proposals to make it easier for Americans to pull from their 401(k) retirement accounts to buy a home — framing the idea as a way to boost homeownership and financial stability. But financial experts say the strategy could undermine long-term financial security, pa

AmeriTrust hires Shea Pallante as it preps for correspondent lending launch

AmeriTrust Mortgage Corp. has appointed Shea Pallante as chief revenue officer as the lender pursues a growth strategy that includes expanding into nondelegated correspondent channels and more than doubling its monthly origination volume. A mortgage industry veteran, Pallante joins AmeriTrust from n

New deduction may lower seniors’ Social Security tax burden

The federal tax bill passed in mid-2025 includes a provision marketed as “no tax on Social Security,” but it does not eliminate taxes on benefits. Instead, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act expands deductions for older Americans, potentially reducing federal taxes for many retirees, a finance leader re

Digging into how an institutional investor ban would play out

President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes has broad – even bipartisan – political appeal. Still, most housing experts doubt that it will exert a significant impact on affordability. The order could also pose risks for build

NAR outlines legal risk mitigation, litigation strategy in 2025 report

It is no secret that the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has faced its fair share of legal challenges over the past few years. From the commission lawsuits, to an investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to lawsuits over the three-way membership agreement and the now defunct, optional

Mortgage pros warn credit card rate cap could backfire on homebuyers

In the mortgage industry, the initial reaction to President Donald Trump’s proposal to cap credit card interest rates at 10% has been concern that the policy could ultimately backfire on would-be homebuyers. The cap might seem beneficial on paper, but the long-term consequences, including reduced cr

Newfi Lending expands DSCR program to accept crypto reserves

Newfi Lending, a national mortgage lender focused on non-QM originations, announced Tuesday that it’s expanding its debt-service-coverage ratio (DSCR) loan program to allow larger loan amounts, financing for rural properties and the use of qualifying cryptocurrency assets to meet reserve requirement

Providence mulls 4% rent cap as national rent control debate boils

The rent stabilization bug has hit Providence, RI. Municipal officials there are jumping on the bandwagon with other cities and states whose local officials have adopted or are weighing the policy as a housing affordability strategy.​ Providence City Council President Rachel Miller, alongside counci

Chris Heller joins PLACE as chief revenue officer

Chris Heller has joined PLACE as its chief revenue officer, a newly created role. The company said Heller will oversee revenue strategy across its technology and services portfolio — including pricing, customer acquisition, retention and cross-platform integration. His responsibilities will also inc

GSEs boost foreclosure prevention as forbearances surge

Foreclosure prevention activity increased in October as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac completed more than 17,000 actions to help struggling homeowners, according to a Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) report released Thursday. The government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) completed 17,032 foreclosure

What D.R. Horton’s dominance means for every U.S. homebuilder

We’ve said it before. When D.R. Horton reports its quarterly earnings, what you’re watching isn’t just the scoreboard of America’s largest homebuilder. You’re watching a business model operating at a different altitude — and with different oxygen — than almost every other homebuilding enterprise in

Philadelphia proposes new retirement savings program

The Philadelphia City Council has advanced a proposal to create PhillySaves, a city-sponsored automated retirement savings program designed to reach private sector workers whose employers do not offer retirement benefits. City officials said the initiative aims to expand access to retirement savings

Long-term care advocates speak out on regulatory rollbacks

The Trump administration has rolled back a series of health care regulations affecting nursing homes, home care workers and Medicare beneficiaries — scrapping minimum staffing standards and launching a new experiment that expands prior authorization in traditional Medicare. The changes reverse years