housing wire

New findings from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) show a fresh picture of who’s buying and selling homes, with more first-time buyers entering the market and families looking for homes that fit multiple generations. Zillow’s 2023 Consumer Housing Trends Report finds

The market is rocky, margins are tight. And the grind may not end anytime soon, Mortgage Bankers Association President and CEO Bob Broeksmit told attendees in a fiery speech at the trade group’s annual conference this week in Philadelphia. “Normally,

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has tremendous potential to cut costs and improve customer experience, but regulation has not caught up to develop a governance program, industry pros said of AI’s implementation in mortgage lending. Bias, discrimination, privacy and security concerns

Available inventory of unsold homes rose by 1.8% this week. It’s quite clear that homebuyers have hit the brakes waiting to see if mortgage rates recede from these multi-decade highs. The leading indicators for sales prices show that 2023 will

HousingWire recently spoke to Alex Elezaj, chief strategy officer at UWM, about the work independent mortgage brokers can do right now to prepare for when rates drop and how to go above and beyond for clients. HousingWire: Why should independent

Today, the first class action commission lawsuit goes to trial in Kansas City, Missouri. While two of the defendants — Anywhere and RE/MAX — have settled in the case, those settlements have not been finalized. The National Association of Realtors,

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced on Monday morning that it will treat, in some aspects, loans in COVID-19 forbearance similar to those in natural disaster forbearance. The change, to be implemented on Oct. 31, means pandemic-related forbearance mortgages will remain

Regarding lenders’ vociferous complaints about increased loan buybacks from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, FHFA Director Sandra Thompson said the regulator expects originators to deliver loans consistent with the guidelines. But, she added, the Enterprises must implement a fair, consistent, and predictable process

The White House on Monday announced a series of new initiatives designed to boost U.S. homeownership, alongside data detailing housing aid that has been provided since 2021. New initiatives include allowing homebuyers to leverage income from accessory dwelling units (ADUs),

The long-anticipated Sitzer/Burnett class action commission lawsuit enters its first day in court on Monday, leaving real estate professionals to ponder the fate of today’s cooperation and commission practices. At the crux of the case is the allegation that commission

Philadelphia Federal Reserve President Patrick Harker advocated for stopping interest rate hikes, noting that disinflation is under way. “I believe that we are at the point where we can hold rates where they are,” Harker said at the 2023 Mortgage

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) on Friday issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would amend its Suspended Counterparty Program (SCP) to include additional forms of misconduct as a basis for keeping regulated entities from doing business with organizations

The 10-year yield and mortgage rates have been rising close to the 2023 high as some labor data shows that the honey badger labor market is still growing. To make things even more complicated, the spreads between the 30-year mortgage

The Homeowners Assistance Fund (HAF) — a program designed to offer financial help to homeowners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic — has kept more than 300,000 homeowners in their homes by curing defaults and keeping them out of foreclosure, according

The fix-and-flip market has seen a boom in recent years, with more than 407,000 homes flipped in 2022, a 14% increase from 2021 and a 58% increase from 2020, according to a recent report by real estate data firm ATTOM.

Nationwide Property and Appraisal Services LLC (NPAS), led by Sri Velamati and one of the largest appraisal management companies in the U.S., announced that it has acquired Integrity Appraisal Management (Integrity), a regional AMC based in Houston, TX.  The acquisition

Consumer confidence in housing may have plateaued, according to the latest home purchase sentiment index (HPSI) by Fannie Mae. The HPSI — which tracks the housing market and consumer confidence to sell or buy a home — rose a mere

The labor market is moderating gracefully, but conditions remain too hot for the Fed’s liking. Job gains were relatively solid yet again in June, with total nonfarm payroll employment reaching 209,000 jobs, compared to 339,000 in May, according to data

Government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac released updates on Wednesday related to condominium and co-operative project standards policies for properties in need of critical repairs and special assessments. “At the direction of the FHFA, Fannie Mae and Freddie

Digital mortgage lender Better.com disclosed that it posted a net loss of $89.9 million in the first quarter of 2023 and cut approximately 91% of its workforce over an approximately 18-month period — due in large part to a substantial

Mortgage rates jumped this week as investors grapple with persistent positive economic data and a hawkish Fed.  The Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey, which focuses on conventional and conforming loans with a 20% down payment, shows the 30-year fixed

In this tight market cycle, strategic operational decisions can be the difference between success and failure. An aligned team of operational leaders can transition your business into the future, but first, you need the tools to get there. How are

Homebuyers these days are facing much higher costs of ownership compared to a year ago, pushing most to the sidelines. Mortgage rates and home prices are high and inventory is paltry, resulting in a largely frozen housing market. Nearly two-thirds of

The National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) declared its support this week for a bill introduced by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives that would reinstate the Loan Level Price Adjustment (LLPA) structure that was in place prior to