housing wire

More than $700 billion in home equity is effectively “trapped” and inaccessible to homeowners due to a variety of economic circumstances, including employment shocks and shifts in the market that negatively impact their credit scores. This information comes from an

FirstTeam, an independent real estate brokerage based in Southern California, has begun its national expansion by opening new offices in Idaho and Washington, with plans to establish operations in Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon. Founded in 1976, FirstTeam operates more than

The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) sent a letter to President Trump Friday asking for tariff exemptions on building materials from Canada and Mexico. The letter follows a Trump announcement that the U.S. was levying tariffs of 25% on Canadian

I was 19, tired of long hours at Beau Jo’s Pizza, and ready to invest in my future. That’s when I came across a real estate investment series on VHS by Carlton Sheets (remember VHS?). Little did I know this

An aging-in-place technology platform recently secured a $35 million funding round, which it hopes to use to expand its existing partnership portfolio while also aiming to enter the Medicaid market. The Helper Bees is a platform that connects older adults

A group of state representatives in Hawaii have introduced a new bill into the legislature, calling for the establishment of a state-specific Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program to be managed by the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. (HFDC).

Higher mortgage rates are forcing many first-time homebuyers to adopt a “wait-and-see” approach to the market. According to HomeLight‘s Top Agent Insights report released this week, real estate agents are feeling this and are being forced to switch up tactics

President Trump fired Rohit Chopra, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on Saturday, abruptly ending a five-year term scheduled to run through late 2026. The Associated Press reported that Chopra was notified of his firing in an

A key homelessness report issued every year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) could be muddied by city ordinances and state law in Florida banning public sleeping and camping, according to a local official with a

It’s Friday and we have more news on tariffs. Initially, it was announced that collection of the tariff duties would be delayed by one month, but then the White House press secretary stated that they would take effect tomorrow.  So,

President Donald Trump is enacting tariffs on goods imported from three major U.S. trade partners, multiple news outlets reported Friday. The plan was set to go into effect Saturday, the White House confirmed, with 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico,

Alanna McCargo, the most recent Senate-confirmed president of Ginnie Mae who departed last year to become president and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) of San Francisco, has left the bank’s leadership team to assume a new policy

In the 16 years since the peak of the Global Financial Crisis, the structured products industry has transformed from a market dominated by large banks to one with space for new players. New relationships are forming between insurers seeking long-term

While 2024 was rife with challenges for the mortgage industry broadly — across forward and reverse — a new year brings a new mindset. Some challenges remain, with mortgage rates being chief among them. Education and distribution can also likely

Refinance volume is only a fraction of what it was three years ago when mortgage rates plummeted to historic lows, but borrowers have returned in greater numbers this year. Recent data from CoreLogic shows that $347 billion in refinances were

The most positive development in the housing market over 2024 has been the increase in active housing inventory, which is approaching the levels seen in 2019. Although those 2019 levels represent a five-decade low before COVID-19, the market was still

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to finding the right transaction management software for your real estate business. Whether you’re running a large brokerage, managing a small team or working on your own, the right transaction management platform can

As you plan your 2025, it’s important to be intentional about including self-development activities. After all, our business will only grow as much as we do as business owners. With hundreds of books to choose from, it can be overwhelming

If you’re reading this article, you’re not alone. You’ve likely heard about real estate teams and how they can impact your career — but what exactly are they, and why are so many agents joining or building teams? It’s a

Reverse mortgage business — and mortgage business generally — is not where people want it to be. That was a repeated idea shared by a group of reverse mortgage professionals when asked to assess what they see as the biggest

The United States saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness this year, attributed to a lack of affordable housing, devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

A new report from Redfin revealed that active listings climbed 12% year over year (954,703 listings) during the four weeks ending December 22, though that was the smallest increase since March. Pending home sales sat at 58,267 for the four

NAR’s volunteer leaders receive financial benefits that no other nonprofit in the housing space comes close to matching, 990 filings reveal. Earlier this week the National Association of Realtors(NAR) made headlines for the extravagant perks and compensation its executives and

White-label brokerage Side is seeking more than $4 million from the Alexander brothers and the brokerage Official Partners. According to an amended complaint filed this week, Side alleges that Official Partners and its founders Tal and Oren Alexander committed multiple