Center for American Progress offers blueprint to reduce housing costs

The Center for American Progress (CAP) recently put out a plan aimed at lowering housing costs nationwide by increasing construction and making homebuilding more affordable through federal efforts. The “Build, Baby, Build” proposal, published by CAP on Nov. 17, targets the nation’s estimated housing

Note to self: sell the lifestyle, not just the house, to boost sales

Selling houses in an uncertain market, as we find ourselves in today, is challenging. Maybe we should stop trying to sell the house and instead focus on the positive impact it will have on our buyers’ lives. This is the approach Mars Inc. used to sell its Snickers bar. The ad campaign “You’re not yo

Voters reject housing reform in Colorado suburbs and resorts

Trying to improve housing affordability and ease the path of development faces many hurdles that don’t always involve lawmakers. Voters can make or break efforts through ballot measures and referendums. Colorado’s small towns and Denver suburbs have become test cases in how far “not-in-my-backyard”

Jason Mitchell Group surpasses 1,300 agents, 36% increase in agent count

The nation’s top-ranked mega team, the Jason Mitchell Group (JMG) has surpassed 1,300 agents, according to an announcement last Wednesday. This represents a 36% increase in agent count over the past year. The team attributed this growth to the firm’s business-to-business referral opportunities, whic

Hillwood backs new homebuilding fund as AD&C credit tightens

The one thing that’s unambiguous right now in residential development and new construction is that the $80-to-$100 billion homebuilders throughout the U.S. draw on to site and build the new homes they plan to sell in 2026 and each year beyond is harder to get and more expensive to finance. National

FirstClose names Adam Nicholson director of professional services

FirstClose, a fintech provider of data and workflow technology for mortgage and home equity lenders, announced on Tuesday that it has appointed Adam Nicholson as director of professional services. Nicholson, who has spent more than a decade leading implementation and professional service teams in th

Kevin Hassett is the rumored lead for Fed chair position

Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, is the leading candidate to be the next Federal Reserve chair, advisers and allies of President Donald Trump told Bloomberg, as the deadline for a new Fed governor approaches. Trump has voiced his opposition to the current Fed lea

New home price premium hits record low

Monthly payments for new and existing homes are now nearly equal, amid a trend of stagnating prices and increased use of mortgage buydowns among builders.  That was one of the main findings from Realtor.com’s Q3 New Construction Report. According to the report, buyers purchasing a new home last quar

Former local Realtor association CEO charged with grand theft

Former East Polk County Association of Realtors (EPCAR) CEO Jennifer Garula-Mers has been charged with grand theft after she allegedly stole over $81,000 from the trade association, leaving it “all but broke,” according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO). The Florida-based Realtor associatio

Local governments turn to AI to streamline housing development 

As local governments face mounting pressure to streamline the review process for residential projects, a wave of AI-driven reforms is revealing how modern tools can shave days or weeks off approvals, potentially speeding up housing development. For 15-plus years, pressure has been growing on a shrin

Lender Price integrates FOA’s reverse products into marketplace

California-based Lender Price has added its first reverse mortgage partner to its pricing and product eligibility (PPE) platform through an agreement with Finance of America (FOA).Lender Price Marketplace will provide brokers and lenders with live pricing for FOA’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (H

eXp takes a step toward increased referral fee transparency 

National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) leadership may still have a divided view on the disclosure of referral fees, but one national real estate brokerage has come to a firm decision on where it stands. On Tuesday, eXp Realty announced that starting next Monday, Dec. 1, it will be implementing enha

Mortgage prepayments hit 3.5-year high as borrowers rush to refinance

Mortgage prepayments climbed to their highest level in three and a half years in October as lower interest rates prompted more borrowers to refinance, according to ICE Mortgage Technology’s First Look report. The single-month mortality rate, which measures prepayments, rose to 1.01%, up 16 basis poi

FHFA raises 2026 conforming loan limit to $832,750

The baseline conforming loan limit is set to increase by 3.25% in 2026, with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now authorized to purchase mortgages up to $832,750 for one-unit properties in most parts of the country, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The new limit, aligned with home-p

Total pending home sales reach multiyear high with mortgage rates near 6%

The housing market experienced a slightly positive shift mid-June and is ending 2025 on even more positive news. Existing home sales have shown four consecutive months of year-over-year growth and our total pending home sales data has just reached a multiyear high for this calendar week. By tracking

The Goldilocks case for home sales in 2026

Home sales are finally showing real momentum as we close out 2025. The trends are consistent enough to inspire me to sketch a Goldilocks case that results in very significant home sales growth 2026. What if we get lucky and the conditions land just right? First the data. The Altos weekly pending sal

Compass, Zillow debate irreparable harm at hearing

Thursday marked day three of Compass’s preliminary injunction hearing in its antitrust lawsuit against Zillow. The day featured testimony from Compass executives and expert witnesses. The hearing, which is being held in New York City under the auspices of U.S. District Court Judge Jeanette Vargas, w

With Powell set to move on, who are the candidates for the next Fed chair?

Several candidates have been publicly identified to serve as the next chair of the Federal Reserve, with current Chair Jerome Powell‘s term coming to an end in May. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC’s Sara Eisen in October that he would give President Donald Trump “three or four candidates

Elsafy Team’s journey to $80M in sales and a new home at Keller Williams

Essam Elsafy, founder of The Elsafy Team, has quietly become one of Wisconsin’s most successful real estate leaders, guiding his team to top statewide rankings. The Whitefish Bay–based group, now nine members strong, ranked No. 3 among Wisconsin medium-sized teams by sales volume in 2024, according

Mortgage credit report costs could jump 50% in 2026

Credit report prices for mortgage lenders will increase by up to 50% in 2026, despite regulatory efforts to boost competition and recent pricing shifts by some players, resellers told HousingWire. It will mark the fourth consecutive year of higher costs.  The increase is tied to credit reports that