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

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

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

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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Beeline Title completes milestone crypto real estate deal

Beeline Title Holdings, a subsidiary of Beeline Holdings Inc., has closed what it says is one of the first residential real estate transactions funded through the sale of a cryptocurrency token backed by real property. The company described the deal as a milestone in merging decentralized finance with traditional title and escrow operations. Beeline executives

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US housing construction is dead with current mortgage rates

New home sales missed sales estimates significantly in Wednesday’s report and we have negative revisions to the previous months. The builders’ profit margins are dwindling, which means housing construction, which has been at early COVID-19 recession levels for some time, could worsen if mortgage rates stay elevated or head even higher. So, instead of focusing

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If you think DPA is a niche, you’re missing the bigger picture

Lenders, take note. June is National Homeownership Month, and if you’re still treating down payment assistance (DPA) like some fringe program, you’re about to get left behind. The housing market isn’t just shifting—it’s being dismantled and rebuilt in real time. Younger buyers are bypassing the legacy playbooks. They’re digitally native, financially savvy, and actively searching

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Redefining what it means to win in mortgage

You likely hear strategies rooted in competitive advantage: how to stand out, gain market share and outperform rivals. In mortgage, that playbook often mirrors sports—one side wins, the other loses. But what if winning didn’t require someone else to lose? A smaller market still full of opportunity According to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s May 2025

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Homebuyers finally catch a break with more inventory

Homebuyers in 2025 are finally getting some good news. Active housing inventory is returning to the levels we experienced before the pandemic, which means the chaotic and unhealthy housing market of the last several years is finally a thing of the past. As someone who was concerned about home prices skyrocketing out of control between

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15 commission lawsuit settlements gain final approval

In a move that’s unsurprising, U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Bough has granted final approval to 15 more commission lawsuit settlement agreements. Bough granted final approval to settlements negotiated in the Gibson and Keel suits during a joint hearing on Tuesday afternoon.  The settling defendants in the two suits, both of which are being overseen

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Record-high home equity provides opportunity for the reverse mortgage industry

Soaring prices and increasingly strained affordability have made things difficult for prospective buyers shopping for their first home. But for households that own their home already, rising prices have been a wealth bonanza. That’s evident in data from the annual State of the Nation’s Housing Report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS),

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