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From rates to reality: why innovative homeownership alternatives matter now

Affordability, Contributors, Down Payment Assistance, Home Prices, Housing Market, HWmember, Mortgage Rates, Opinion, Real Estate /

For generations, the American Dream was synonymous with homeownership — a white picket fence, a backyard and the pride of owning a place to call your own. But today, that dream is undergoing a quiet transformation. With the national median home price now exceeding $426,000, according to NAR, the goal for many Americans has shifted […]

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HomeSmart names Stacey Onnen president

Arizona, Brokerage, HomeSmart International, HWmember, People Movers, Real Estate, Real Estate Agents /

HomeSmart has announced its appointment of Stacey Onnen as president. Onnen has more than 20 years of experience in real estate — most recently working in the legal technology sector and previously leading a national initiative at Keller Williams. She also served as president of operations at eXp Realty from April 2019 to February 2022

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Government shutdown halts new reverse mortgage endorsements

FHA, Government Lending, Government Shutdown, HECM, Housing Market, HWmember, Reverse, Reverse Mortgage Daily /

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) said Wednesday it will continue processing claims during the government shutdown but cannot endorse new Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs) until funding is restored. That information was confirmed by the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA). Because most reverse mortgages fall under the FHA’s HECM program, FHA loan endorsements stop

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The Steven Cohen Team returns to Corcoran Group

Anywhere, Compass, Corcoran, Corcoran Group Real Estate, Douglas Elliman, HWmember, People Movers, Real Estate /

After five years at Douglas Elliman, Steven Cohen and his team are returning to Corcoran Group, according to an announcement on Wednesday.  The team will be affiliated with Corcoran’s East Side New York City office and it consists of nine real estate professionals: Scarlett Nawrocki, Stefanie Ruch, Heather Sherman, Andrew Hurwitz, Eleanor Gottesman Zuckerman, Meredith

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California MBA names Paul Gigliotti new CEO as Susan Milazzo retires

California, HWmember, Mortgage, Origination, Technology /

The California Mortgage Bankers Association (California MBA) announced a leadership transition on Wednesday, noting the retirement of longtime CEO Susan Milazzo and the appointment of Paul Gigliotti as her successor. Milazzo, who has served the association for two decades, will stay on as a consultant for the next year. In her role as CEO, Milazzo

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FICO bypasses credit bureaus with new program for mortgage lenders

Credit Score, FICO, HWmember, LendingLife, Mortgage, Origination /

Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO) has launched a program allowing tri-merge resellers to calculate and distribute its scores directly to mortgage companies, effectively bypassing the three nationwide credit bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. The move comes amid intensified competition with VantageScore, owned by the three bureaus, following the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) decision to let

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Fannie and Freddie waive some loan requirements amid shutdown

Fannie Mae, FHA, Freddie Mac, Ginnie Mae, Government Lending, Government Shutdown, HWmember, LendingLife, Mortgage, Origination /

Government agencies and enterprises issued guidance on Wednesday for mortgage lenders and servicers during the current government shutdown, which affects federal employees, services, contractors, vendors and other businesses. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are waiving some requirements for lenders due to the potential inability to confirm income, reserves, tax, and Social Security information from borrowers

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Why the FTC is targeting Zillow and Redfin’s rental deal

Federal Trade Commission, HWmember, Legal, Real Estate, Redfin, Regulatory, Rental Properties, Trump administration, Zillow /

Despite rumors earlier this year that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was investigating Zillow and Redfin over their $100 million rental syndication deal, the announcement that the FTC was suing the two companies still carried an element of surprise. “This shows that the Federal government is still looking hard at the realty space,” Chuck Cain,

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Title insurance premiums rise to $4.5B in Q2

ALTA, Earnings, Fidelity, Fidelity National Financial, First American, HWmember, Old Republic, Real Estate, Stewart, Stewart Title, Title, Title insurance /

Title insurers generated $4.5 billion in premiums during the second quarter of 2025, up from $4.1 billion a year earlier, according to the American Land Title Association’s (ALTA) latest Market Share Analysis. “The title insurance industry continues to demonstrate resilience and reliability, even as the broader real estate market faces headwinds,” said ALTA CEO Chris

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Radius launches AI assistant to streamline brokerage operations

Agent, Artificial Intelligence, Brokerage, Compliance, HWmember, Lead Generation, MLS, Radius, Real Estate, real estate teams, Regulatory Compliance, Technology /

Radius — a brokerage platform for real estate teams — has launched Mel AI, a built-in artificial intelligence (AI) assistant designed to support tasks across marketing, lead management, transaction oversight and compliance. Mel AI is integrated throughout the Radius platform, which provides tools and infrastructure for managing real estate businesses. AI is trained on MLS

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