Single credit bureau pulls: Look before you leap

The conversation around credit reports in mortgage lending has taken a recent turn. Faced with spiraling mortgage origination costs and continued affordability challenges for homebuyers, policymakers and industry leaders understandably are searching for ways to reduce friction and cut costs in the m

Weekly pending home sales back to year-over-year growth as we head into spring

Weekly pending home sales, which had shown year-over-year growth up until the late-January snowstorm, got back on track with year-over-year growth again last week. One thing to remember about our weekly pending sales data: it takes about 30-60 days to be reflected in the existing home sales data, so

Zillow seeks dismissal of consolidated RESPA lawsuit in Seattle

Zillow is seeking to have the consolidated Taylor-Armstrong Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) lawsuit dismissed.  The real estate giant filed its motion to dismiss in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Friday. The lawsuit, which was consolidated in early December, began in mid-September,

January “green shoots” won’t tell homebuilders what July will

If you walked the aisles at this year’s International Builders Show, you could feel it. The vibe wasn’t panic. It wasn’t euphoria. It was something in between – a cautious optimism that maybe, just maybe, the worst is behind us. Traffic anecdotes sounded a little better. Some builders spoke about st

Trade groups push for lower MSR capital charges, tailored mortgage risk weights

Eight trade groups representing lenders are urging federal regulators to revise bank capital rules by adopting a more tailored risk weight for mortgages held on balance sheets and by significantly cutting the capital charge applied to mortgage servicing rights (MSRs). In a letter sent Friday to the

Opendoor posts $1.3B loss in 2025 but sees path to profitability

Opendoor may have lost $1.3 billion in 2025, but company executives say the iBuyer is back on track to becoming a profitable business.  On an earnings call with investors and analysts Thursday evening, Opendoor CEO Kaz Nejatian called his company’s fourth quarter and full-year 2025 earnings “good.”

New home sales still at multiyear highs

With all the housing drama lately going on, one truth has stayed constant for years: new home sales are holding up due to rate buy-downs, but housing permits are still at recession levels! What gives here? First and foremost, new home sales have outperformed the existing home sales market for many y

2025 new-home sales inched up; concessions weakened prices

A delayed December new-home sales release showed a slight increase in 2025 over a year earlier, but median new-home sales prices decreased, reflecting a challenging homebuilding market weighed down by cost reductions, elevated incentives and a slower-than-expected sales pace.  “New home sales ended

REMAX posts higher 2025 net income despite U.S. agent drop

For REMAX, U.S. agent count remains a challenge, even as the company reported a larger net income in 2025 than it did in 2024, according to an earnings report published on Thursday evening.  In 2025, REMAX reported a net income of $8.2 million, up from $7.1 million. This increase came despite revenu

Kiavi closes $350M RTL securitization, nears $7B in total issuance

Kiavi, a digital nonbank lender for residential real estate investors, announced Thursday that it closed a $350 million rated securitization of residential transition loans (RTLs). The transaction marks Kiavi’s sixth rated securitization and 24th deal under its LHOME shelf, bringing its total offere

Study finds wide credit score gaps across bureaus amid tri-merge debate

A study by Andrew Davidson & Co. found meaningful credit score discrepancies among the three major bureaus — a key data point for those arguing in favor of maintaining the tri-merge standard rather than shifting to a bi-merge or single-report model. According to the paper, released Friday, 35% of th

Supreme Court overturns Trump’s tariffs in 6-3 decision

The Supreme Court on Friday ruled in a 6-3 decision that President Donald Trump overstepped his authority by imposing sweeping tariffs under a federal law intended for national emergencies, a decision that marks a rare defeat for the administration at the high court, which holds a 6-3 conservative m

Older women worry about retirement security, making them prime reverse mortgage candidates

Women who are 50 and older are feeling the pinch of rising costs and economic uncertainty, even as they enjoy time with their family and hobbies, according to a new AARP survey. The research, part of AARP’s “She’s the Difference” series, highlights financial concerns that weigh heavily on older wome

Gov. Pritzker calls for zoning reform to buoy Illinois housing access

Illinois state lawmakers took up housing affordability last year. The results underwhelmed. Now, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is pushing to put housing at the center of Illinois’ broader affordability agenda.​ “The problem is clear – rent is too high and home ownership is too far out of reach,” Pritzker said

Huntington Bank’s Carolyn Gorman on expanded mortgage footprint with Cadence, Veritex partnerships

Huntington Bank — which is poised to become a $280 billion institution after its acquisitions of Cadence Bank and Veritex Bank — is aggressively expanding its mortgage footprint across Texas and the Southeast while emphasizing a “partnership” culture over a traditional acquisition model. That’s acco

For Toll Brothers, disciplined execution beats market uncertainty

Today’s headwinds new-home market rewards homebuilding teams that do the hardest things the best. In that light, a glib explanation for Toll Brothers’ Q1 2026 performance would be to point to geography and demographics: a luxury buyer profile, higher incomes and lower sensitivity to mortgage rates.

No exodus after all? Manhattan luxury market sales accelerate under Mamdani

For months, some affluent New Yorkers warned they would leave if progressive policies took hold at City Hall. With Zohran Mamdani now mayor and debate intensifying over a possible city wealth tax or property tax increase, early market data shows no sign of a luxury exodus. Instead, Manhattan’s top t

FirstHome IQ partners with MBA to boost loan officer advocacy on Capitol Hill

FirstHome IQ, a nonprofit focused on first-time homebuyer education and financial literacy, announced Thursday that it’s teaming up with the Mortgage Bankers Association to bring a coalition of loan officers to Washington, D.C., for the MBA’s National Advocacy Conference in April. The initiative aim

Bachman Realty Group joins The Real Brokerage

The Real Brokerage has added Bachman Realty Group — a 65-agent team serving the Dallas–Fort Worth and Houston metro areas. Led by Tiffany and Greg Bachman, the team closed 650 transactions in 2025 totaling $245 million in sales volume, according to the company. The group joins Real from Fathom Realt

Leading the digital shift: DocMagic’s Leah Sommerville on scaling sales and paperless innovation

For more than a decade, the HousingWire Rising Stars award has recognized professionals ages 40 and under who are driving measurable impact across housing. Since being named a 2025 Rising Star, Leah Sommerville has expanded both her leadership scope and her industry influence — transitioning into a