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Author name: Ricky Vasquez

Closing the gap: How Rocket Close has streamlined its platform experience

Mortgage, Origination, Rocket Companies, Sponsored /

Rocket Close and Rocket Pro have taken a major step forward by integrating the two platforms into a single, more efficient platform, designed to simplify the closing process and enhance the broker experience. Under the leadership of Matt Brown — Rocket’s Executive Vice President, Sales and Revenue Strategy, with a background in tech, finance, and […]

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Trump initiates plan to install a shadow Fed president

Donald Trump, Federal Reserve, Housing Market, HWmember, Jerome Powell, Mortgage Rates /

President Trump has started Operation Shadow Fed President, with news breaking Wednesday night that he has identified several candidates for the next Federal Reserve chairman. Under this strategy, the president selects a new Federal Reserve chair well before they can officially assume the role and they communicate new Fed policy to the markets, which undermines

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Here are the three metros where homeownership is still affordable

Affordability, Data & Visuals, Detroit, Housing Market, HWmember, Pittsburgh, Realtor.com, St. Louis /

The rapid rise in home prices and housing costs over the past five years has strained affordability in every part of the country, but a new study seeks to put a finer point on which metropolitan areas are getting hit the hardest. Realtor.com calculated the share of income a typical household spends on housing by

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Dermot Buffini discusses brokerage leadership, real estate market shifts

Brokerage, HWmember, Podcast, Podcasts, Real Estate, Real Estate Agents, Team Leaders /

Dermot Buffini, the CEO of Buffini & Co., joined this week’s episode of the RealTrending podcast for a conversation on the evolving challenges for real estate leaders. Speaking with host Tracey Velt at HousingWire’s The Gathering, Buffini addressed the pressures that brokers and team leaders face amid market volatility and shifting agent performance. He emphasized

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Aspiring buyers turn to Realtors first in their home searches: survey

First-Time Homebuyers, Homebuyers, Homebuying, HWmember, NeighborWorks America, Real Estate, Real Estate Agents, Realtor /

A national survey released by NeighborWorks America found that prospective homebuyers overwhelmingly turn to Realtors first when seeking information about the homebuying process — outpacing friends, family and online searches. According to the poll, 41% of respondents who plan to buy a home in the next year — or are waiting for the right time

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New Home Co. acquires Landsea, forming a top 25 homebuilder

Homebuilders, Housing Market, HWmember, Mergers and Acquisitions /

New Home Co. has completed a previously announced acquisition of Landsea Homes, the companies announced Wednesday. The deal creates a top-25 national homebuilder based on the number of new homes sold in 2024. Matthew Zaist, who currently serves as president and CEO of New Home, will led the combined company. New Home was the nation’s

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Survey shows buyers gaining leverage as real estate market slows

Brokerage, Homebuyers, Homebuying, HWmember, Real Estate, Real Estate Agents, The Real Brokerage /

The housing market continued to cool in May, with buyer leverage increasing across many regions of the country, according to a new survey from The Real Brokerage. Real’s May 2025 Agent Survey — which polled more than 260 real estate professionals across the U.S. and Canada — points to softening transaction activity and a shift

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More pets than kids: The increased role of animals in real estate

Homebuyers, Homebuying, HWmember, National Association of Realtors, Real Estate, U.S. Census Bureau /

As American demographics shift, so do the priorities of homebuyers, and pets are playing an increased role in real estate decisions. “Did you know there are more households with pets than children?” Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist and vice president of research at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), wrote in a recent blog post.

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Bill White Jr. returns to Baird & Warner as VP of broker relations

Brokerage, Chicago, HWmember, Illinois, People Movers, Real Estate, Team Leaders /

Baird & Warner has named Bill White Jr. as its new vice president of broker relations for mortgage and title services, marking his return to the firm after several years at Compass. In his new role, White will act as the primary liaison between real estate agents, attorneys and loan officers to support coordination across

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Powell: Fed is reviewing Basel III, supplemental leverage ratio rules

basel III, Congress, Federal Reserve, HWmember, Jerome Powell, LendingLife, Mortgage, Regulatory, Regulatory Compliance /

During a second straight day of testimony on Capitol Hill, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank is reviewing the Basel III rules (also known as the “Basel Endgame”), which would significantly increase bank capital requirements and could impact the mortgage industry, if implemented. Powell’s statement comes as the Fed prepares to vote

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