Apply Online
Schedule a Call

October 2025

Jefferson signals cautionary stance on tariffs, labor and rate path

Economy, Inflation, Monetary policy, Politics and policy /

Key insight: Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson described a delicate balancing act, supporting moderate rate cuts to protect jobs while keeping long-term inflation under control. Supporting data: GDP growth slowed to 1.6% in the first half of 2025, and tariffs are nudging prices higher as long-term expectations remain anchored. Forward look: Jefferson emphasized durable inflation […]

Jefferson signals cautionary stance on tariffs, labor and rate path Read More »

Top-producing Colorado teams combine forces

Brokerage, Colorado, HWmember, Mergers and Acquisitions, NextHome, Real Estate, Real Estate Agents, real estate teams /

NextHome Front Range has joined West + Main Homes and rebranded as the Front Range Collective team, the companies announced. The move expands West + Main Homes’ footprint in Colorado across Fort Collins and Colorado Springs — providing the team’s 28 agents with additional resources and offices in the Front Range. Front Range Collective said

Top-producing Colorado teams combine forces Read More »

What we know about the labor market, even without Jobs Friday data

Federal Reserve, Housing Market, Inflation, Jobs Report /

Jobs week ended with an eerie silence, as the government remains shut down and we didn’t receive the last two major reports for the week. Given that job growth has been slowing dramatically this year, it’s time to examine what is really going on.  For me, the situation is straightforward: over the past 24 months,

What we know about the labor market, even without Jobs Friday data Read More »

Proprietary reverse loans give younger homeowners more options

FHA, Finance of America, HECM, Housing Market, HWmember, Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, Reverse, Reverse Mortgage Daily /

In an effort to nudge older homeowners to tap into their home equity, the reverse mortgage space is expanding beyond federally backed offerings as lenders develop proprietary products with fewer restrictions. The push reflects a confluence of factors: rising home values, inflation, relatively high mortgage rates and a swelling population of Americans nearing or entering

Proprietary reverse loans give younger homeowners more options Read More »

VantageScore’s ‘future of credit’ rests on shaky math

Credit scores, Underwriting /

Enjoy complimentary access to top ideas and insights — selected by our editors. VantageScore says it’s building the future of credit scoring. But based on our analysis, the foundation it’s building on is shaky at best. Earlier this month, we published a study showing that VantageScore 4.0’s claimed performance gains over Classic FICO are overstated

VantageScore’s ‘future of credit’ rests on shaky math Read More »

Even as shutdown halts BLS data, hiring appears to be slowing

Federal Reserve, Jobless claims, Politics and policy, Regulation and compliance /

Key Insight: Payroll firm ADP showed that employers lost 32,000 jobs in September, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics did not release its scheduled jobs report Friday because of the federal government shutdown. Forward look: The Fed cut rates by 25 basis points in September as a “risk management” move. The absence of a key

Even as shutdown halts BLS data, hiring appears to be slowing Read More »

Why October Is the Best Time To Buy a Home in 2025

Why October Is the Best Time To Buy a Home in 2025

Buying Tips, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers /

If you’ve been watching from the sidelines, now’s the time to lean in. It’s officially the best time to buy this year. According to Realtor.com, this October will have the most buyer-friendly conditions of any month in 2025: “By mid-October, buyers across much of the country may finally find the combination of inventory, pricing, and

Why October Is the Best Time To Buy a Home in 2025 Read More »

NEXA Mortgage rebrands to NEXA Lending, but it’s not a pivot to retail

HWmember, Mike Kortas, Mortgage, NEXA Mortgage, Origination, Wholesale Lending /

Mike Kortas wanted to be clear as he announced the company’s rebrand from the stage at NEXA Fest 2025: the company is not going into retail. The name change — from NEXA Mortgage to NEXA Lending — could seem like the prelude to lending in a new channel, but Kortas said it was actually a

NEXA Mortgage rebrands to NEXA Lending, but it’s not a pivot to retail Read More »

Alabama’s housing market reveals a growing affordability divide

Affordability, Alabama, Artificial Intelligence, Housing Market, Housing Market Data, HWmember, Pending Home Sales, Real Estate /

Alabama’s housing market is splitting. Lower-priced homes are selling briskly, while higher-end listings linger, according to the latest HW Data. Affordable homes fuel pending sales Alabama’s entry-level homes are moving quickly. The state recorded 1,843 pending sales in its most affordable tier last week at a median price of $165,000 — well below the national

Alabama’s housing market reveals a growing affordability divide Read More »

FICO’s new program draws mixed reviews from mortgage market

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

Fair Isaac Corp.’s (FICO) decision to let resellers calculate and distribute its scores directly to lenders drew a mixed response from the mortgage industry — viewed by some as a step toward more competition, but by others as a potential driver of higher credit score costs in the short term. On Wednesday, FICO unveiled the

FICO’s new program draws mixed reviews from mortgage market Read More »