Interlinc Mortgage adds Gary Royal as Southeast sales manager

Interlinc Mortgage announced Wednesday that Gary Royal has joined the company as its Southeast regional sales manager. Royal has nearly 40 years of mortgage industry experience and “brings a proven track record of leadership, growth, and team development across multiple markets,” Interlinc said in a

Tech Trendsetters share their best advice for emerging industry leaders

As the housing industry continues to evolve at the speed of technology, staying ahead requires more than just keeping up with the latest tools — it takes vision, adaptability and a focus on real impact. To celebrate the 2025 Tech Trendsetters awards, we asked past honorees to share their best advice

Homeowners cashing in with ‘Airbnb for anything’ rentals

Homeowners are turning underused private spaces into sources of income — renting out pools, backyards, and home gyms by the hour. From Los Angeles to Miami, residents are tapping into what some call the “Airbnb for Everything” trend. Pools are booked for small social gatherings, backyards host yoga

RealReports AI property data expands to MLS platforms

RealReports and Restb.ai announced a partnership on Tuesday to integrate appraisal-grade property insights into multiple listing service (MLS)-facing tools. First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) in Georgia and MLS Now in Ohio will be among the first MLS organizations to offer the technology to membe

Mortgage compliance challenges affect 60% of lenders

Amid a new administration and new lending rules entering the arena, 60% of organizations say they are struggling to keep systems aligned with evolving federal and state rules. That’s according to new survey findings from Carleton, a provider of compliant loan calculation and disclosure solutions. Th

Compass-Anywhere deal brings $9B mortgage JVs under one roof

If Compass’s proposed acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate moves forward, the companies will jointly oversee a $9 billion-per-year mortgage operation in partnership with Rate — enough to make them the 26th-largest U.S. originator in the first half of 2025. On Monday, Compass and Anywhere announced a

Smartfi Home Loans shutters retail division

San Diego-based Smartfi Home Loans, a top 15 U.S. reverse mortgage lender, recently made the decision to close its retail division and place an “exclusive focus” on its wholesale channel, the company confirmed Tuesday with HousingWire’s Reverse Mortgage Daily. The move was officially announced Sept.

NAR faces new Whittman antitrust suit over membership structure

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) may have been dismissed from two lawsuits related to its three-way membership agreement, but that didn’t stop William Whittman from filing his own suit on Friday. Whittman, who is a licensed broker in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia, is suing NAR, Virginia Real

VA awards $84 M in grants to support homeless veterans

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced Tuesday that it will distribute $84 million in grants to 176 organizations nationwide to help veterans who are homeless or at risk of losing housing. About $42 million will go toward legal aid — with the remaining half supporting case managers who wo

Compass’s Anywhere deal raises questions about industry power shifts

For Anywhere Real Estate, news of its acquisition by Compass, generated quite a bit of interest in its stock, thanks to the excitement of what this deal means for the future of the company.  The real estate conglomerate saw its stock price rise from $7 at close of market on Friday to over $11 at 9:3

Pulte announces FHFA’s termination of equitable housing committee

On Tuesday, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte took to X to announce the agency’s termination of the advisory committee on affordable, equitable and sustainable housing, also known as ACAESH. “Effective Immediately, U.S. Federal Housing is TERMINATING Biden’s ‘racial equality

11 best real estate cold calling scripts for lead gen (+tips and tools)

Cold calling usually isn’t a part of what real estate agents look forward to, but it still works if you do it right. Picking up the phone and having a direct conversation is one of the quickest ways to meet new clients and uncover opportunities you wouldn’t find otherwise. The challenge for most age

The Compass deal to buy Anywhere draws applause and alarm

After over a decade in the industry, real estate brokerage Compass has amassed its fair share of critics and supporters. While industry leaders may have differing opinions on the Robert Reffkin-helmed firm, most seem to agree that Compass’s deal to acquire Anywhere Real Estate is impressive. “Congra

What to know about Anywhere following acquisition by Compass

In the wake of Compass’ acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate — formerly known as Realogy — here’s a primer on Anywhere’s trajectory as a major housing market player. Anywhere oversees and franchises some of the most recognizable names in residential real estate, including: Coldwell Banker Century 21

Property tax, mortgage relief package introduced by Ohio lawmakers

A new bill introduced in the Ohio Senate would create a grant program to help older and disabled homeowners cover the cost of their property taxes, mortgages and essential household bills. Senate Bill 255 — dubbed the “Save the Dream Ohio” program — would allow qualifying homeowners to apply for up

Sun Belt leads sales volume but posts nation’s lowest absorption rate

The Sun Belt region continues to dominate the U.S. housing market in raw transaction volume, recording 25,857 weekly home sales across its metropolitan areas, nearly six times the Northeast’s 4,452 sales and more than double the West’s 11,061 transactions. However, this sales advantage masks a marke

Katie Sweeney, AIME lawsuit escalates as broker group files counterclaims

Katie Sweeney, the former top dog at the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME) and the current executive vice president of strategy and broker advocacy at Rocket Pro, is denying claims by AIME that she misrepresented her role, concealed conflicts and awarded herself payments she wasn’t

US birth rate hits record low, housing costs weigh on family planning

The U.S. birth rate fell to an historic low in 2024, continuing a nearly two-decade decline that researchers say is shaped in part by rising housing costs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the national fertility rate dropped below 1.6 children per woman last year. The rep

Legal experts say RESPA suit against Zillow is ‘going nowhere fast’

Zillow’s legal workload became even heavier on Friday when homebuyer Alucard Taylor filed a class action lawsuit against the real estate behemoth over its Premier Agent and Flex programs.  The lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle, alleges both the Washington Consumer Protection

CalHFA announces Tony Sertich as new executive director

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that Tony Sertich is the new executive director of the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA). Sertich most recently served as the assistant deputy director for the division of state financial assistance at the California Department of Housing and Co