Housing finance experts have a myriad of ideas for President Donald Trump should he declare a national housing emergency. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted at the move in a Labor Day interview with the Washington Examiner, noting that closing costs “are on the table.” While housing regulators have implemented some measures this year to address […]
What lenders want if Trump declares housing emergency Read More »
The headlines about potential declines in mortgage rates has consumers more inclined to become home buyers, but views on selling took a hit last month, Fannie Mae reported. Its Home Purchase Sentiment Index for August was 71.4, a 0.4 point decline from July. The only months in the past 12 which the index was lower
Buyers gain hope on rates, sellers turn cautious Read More »
US Chief Justice John Roberts let President Donald Trump temporarily oust a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission, signaling that the Supreme Court is likely to back Trump’s bid to assert control over the independent agency. Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, the FTC’s only Democrat, had briefly returned to her job after a federal appeals court
US chief justice lets Trump oust FTC commissioner for now Read More »
U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) introduced legislation last week that would make it easier for faith-based organizations and colleges to convert unused land into affordable housing. The measure — called the Yes in God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) Act — would direct federal resources to help religious
Bill aims to expand affordable housing on unused religious, college land Read More »
The total value of U.S. homes has climbed to a record $55.1 trillion, although growth has cooled in the past year amid high housing costs. That figure represents a $20 trillion increase since early 2020 and an $862 billion gain over the past year, according to an analysis released Monday by Zillow. But while the
US housing market value hits record $55T, but growth is slowing Read More »
Los Angeles will make $387 million available for affordable housing projects — reportedly the largest single funding round in the city housing department history. Applications for the funds opened Sept. 5 and close Oct. 20. Eligible applicants include nonprofit and for-profit developers, community land trusts, limited equity housing cooperatives, public entities and other organizations, the
Los Angeles ‘mansion tax’ fuels record affordable housing funding Read More »
Longbridge Financial has officially launched a home equity line of credit (HELOC) program that’s designed for homeowners ages 62 and older, offering approval and funding in as little as five business days. The move marks an expansion beyond the company’s core reverse mortgage business while staying focused on older borrowers. This demographic collectively holds nearly
Longbridge’s ‘HELOC for Seniors’ is officially on the market Read More »
On Friday, 46 independent mortgage banks (IMBs) jointly sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and FHFA Director Bill Pulte, laying out priorities for IMBs for a successful Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac exit from conservatorship. Spearheaded by the Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA), the only national group that exclusively represents IMBs, this IMB sign-on
Top 5 IMB priorities for GSEs in a post-conservatorship world Read More »
Top-performing Douglas Elliman-brokered large team, The Michael Lorber Team is expanding into Connecticut. The Michael Lorber Team is the No. 6 ranked large team in New York after recording $269.05 million in sales volume across 101 transaction sides in 2024, according to the 2025 RealTrends Verified Rankings. “Our team has built a strong reputation representing
Top Douglas Elliman team expands into Westchester, Connecticut Read More »
Homeowners are spending a growing share of their mortgage payments on property insurance, which is now rising faster than principal, interest and taxes, according to the September ICE Mortgage Monitor. Data shows that annual property insurance payments for single-family mortgage holders now average nearly $2,370. That amounts to 9.6% of monthly mortgage-related expenses, the highest
Rising insurance costs deepen homeownership strain Read More »