Congress faces tough budget negotiations this month over the National Flood Insurance Program reauthorization and other issues, putting the single-family mortgage market on alert. Without a NFIP renewal by Sept. 30, flood coverage could lapse and a broader congressional impasse could cause a new government shutdown, requiring workarounds. What follows are a few of the […]
How lenders can prep for NFIP lapse, shutdown Read More »
Tariff-influenced lumber price volatility this year has markets trying to read the tea leaves to determine what the implications might be for housing and the economy at large. Since reaching a three-year high in early August, lumber futures declined by 25% to trade at approximately $525 this week, data from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange showed.
Lumber prices swing as tariff fears roil markets Read More »
Enjoy complimentary access to top ideas and insights — selected by our editors. In July 2025, a pivotal change came to the mortgage industry, when the Federal Housing Finance Agency officially approved the use of VantageScore 4.0 as an alternative to Classic FICO for mortgages purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. VantageScore claims that Classic FICO is
FICO isn’t the problem. A premature two-score system Is Read More »
The homeownership rate among Black Americans fell to 43.9% in the second quarter of 2024, the lowest level since late 2021, according to Redfin. That was down from 45.3% a year earlier and marked the steepest annual decline since the third quarter of 2021. By comparison, the Hispanic homeownership rate rose slightly to 48.8% from
Homeownership among Black Americans drops to 4-year low Read More »
Americans grew slightly less confident about the housing market in August, as more consumers expressed concerns about job stability, selling conditions and future home prices, according to Fannie Mae’s monthly National Housing Survey. The agency’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) fell 0.4 points to a reading of 71.4 — with four of its six components
Fannie Mae: Consumer housing sentiment slips in August Read More »
Compass has appointed Ethan Glass as its new chief legal officer. Glass — a veteran antitrust lawyer — previously led the global antitrust and competition practice at Cooley LLP and directed U.S. Department of Justice teams that investigated and sued multiple listing service (MLS) organizations over anticompetitive conduct. “I’m honored to join Compass, a company
Compass taps former NAR settlement attorney Ethan Glass as chief legal officer Read More »
HousingWire’s Tech Trendsetters award was created to recognize the visionaries behind the technology that powers housing. As we open nominations for the 2025 class of Tech Trendsetters, we’re revisiting past honorees whose insights continue to shape the industry. HousingWire reached out to 2022 Tech Trendsetter Simon Moir, vice president and segment leader for Wolters Kluwer‘s
Tech that builds trust: Insights from Tech Trendsetter Simon Moir Read More »
A new report from FirstHome IQ found that while younger generations express confidence in managing their finances, most still lack core financial literacy skills. The 2025 NextGen Financial Literacy Report, released on Monday, is based on a survey done in partnership between FirstHome IQ and National MI. It includes 500 people between the ages 18
The next generation of homebuyers is ‘overloaded’ and confused Read More »
Fintech Aven has raised $110 million in a Series E funding round, expanded into mortgage refinancing and added heavyweight advisers Lawrence Summers and Patrick McHenry to its board, the company announced Tuesday. The San Francisco-based fintech, best known for its home equity-backed credit card, is now valued at $2.2 billion following the round led by Khosla
Fintech Aven raises $110M, expands into mortgage refinancing Read More »
With the next interest rate decision from Federal Reserve monetary policymakers just over a week away, mortgage rates have continued their downward trajectory as many lenders and investors have priced in a cut. But the markets will need to navigate one more inflation report before the Fed’s Sept. 17 meeting. On Tuesday at HousingWire’s Mortgage
Mortgage rate declines are anchored to an expected Fed cut Read More »