Bill Pulte, the head of an oversight agency for mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, is planning “a full scale review” of the credit bureaus. The director of the entity formerly known as the Federal Housing Finance Agency posted the statement on X Friday afternoon, and subsequently indicated on early Monday he also wants […]
Pulte plans ‘full scale review” of credit bureaus Read More »
Even as some factors causing current affordability challenges show signs of easing, a new study points to how high a barrier many aspiring buyers still have to get over to achieve homeownership. To afford a typical U.S. home currently priced at $367,969, households earning today’s median salary would need an additional $17,670 in annual income
Buyers need up to $250K more in income in some cities Read More »
A HUD employee has pleaded guilty to making false claims about her remote work activity, costing the government over $200,000. Crissy Monique Baker, 45, of Fairfax, Virginia, will be sentenced in September to a single charge of fraud that allegedly occurred while she was employed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development between 2021
Ex-HUD staffer pleads guilty to false claim over remote work Read More »
A bill reintroduced in the House of Representatives could offer relief for millions of Americans struggling to afford their first home. The Downpayment Towards Equity Act, introduced by a group of Democrat lawmakers led by Rep. Maxine Walters D-Calif, would offer $100 billion in grants to help new homebuyers purchase their first home. The bill’s
Bill offers first-time buyers up to $25K for down payment Read More »
Bloomberg News The Financial Technology Association filed a motion for summary judgment in federal court late Sunday, defending a final rule on consumer financial data rights that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under the Trump administration refused to uphold. The FTA said in a court filing that consumers cannot share their data without easy access
Fintech group urges court to uphold CFPB’s open banking rule Read More »
Enjoy complimentary access to top ideas and insights — selected by our editors. During testimony to the House Financial Services Committee, Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell repeatedly evaded questions from members of both parties about the impact of monetary policy on housing. Rep. Rashida Tlaib D-Minn. seemed perplexed or confused by Powell’s assertion that
The Fed chose Treasury markets over housing sanity Read More »
“We are looking at the opportunity to make the 2017 tax relief permanent,” said Senate Leader John Thune during a floor speech on Saturday. “We’re adding to the 2017 tax relief with new pro-growth provisions, like a provision to boost domestic manufacturing by implementing full expensing for new factories and factory improvements. Thanks to the pro-growth provisions
Budget resolution clears a hurdle, more to come Read More »
Multi-generational living is on the rise. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 17% of homebuyers purchase a home to share with parents, adult children, or extended family. That’s the highest share ever recorded by NAR (see graph below): And what’s behind the increase? Affordability. NAR explains: “In 2024, a notable 36% of homebuyers
Multi-Generational Homebuying Hit a Record High – Here’s Why Read More »
In a market where every deal counts, manual income verification is the silent killer of commissions. You know the scenario: the borrower is solid, the property appraises and everything looks good—until income verification turns into a bottleneck. Suddenly, you’re chasing paystubs, waiting on HR reps who don’t call back and explaining delays to a frustrated
Manual income verification is killing your commissions Read More »
In an era where technology often threatens to overshadow human roles, Better Mortgage is charting a different course. By developing in-house AI tools designed to complement rather than replace human expertise, the company is enhancing the mortgage experience for both borrowers and loan officers. Already, its AI Loan Agent, Betsy, handles over 125,000 customer interactions