For Toll Brothers, whose enviable core customers are ones whose financial wherewithal effectively shields them from worries about high prices and high interest rates, the question is not “can they buy?” It’s will they? And will they buy now? “America’s Luxury Homebuilder” continues to rely on its move-up, active adult, and luxury segments — and […]
Toll Brothers leans on luxury to navigate homebuilding’s headwinds Read More »
Optimal Blue on Wednesday released its November 2025 Market Advantage report, which revealed that mortgage rate-lock activity slowed with typical late-fall seasonality but still posted the strongest November in four years. Total lock volume fell 25% from October but was up 17% from November 2024, driven by strong refinance activity and mortgage rates hovering near
November mortgage lock data driven by strong refinance activity Read More »
Loft47 — a back-office automation and commission management platform for real estate brokerages — has introduced a new product aimed specifically at teams. Loft47 for Teams is built to automate commissions, payouts and accounting workflows while giving team leaders real-time visibility into performance and profitability. “Real estate teams are running increasingly complex businesses within brokerages,
Loft47 launches automation and commission management platform for real estate teams Read More »
Ncontracts, a provider of compliance, risk and vendor management solutions for the financial services industry, released a new survey Tuesday that examines how institutions are managing evolving compliance expectations in 2026. The survey, “The Future of Compliance: Benchmarking the People, Processes, and Pressures Shaping Compliance in 2026,” included responses from 183 financial institutions across various
2026 mortgage compliance trends show staffing strains, regulatory risks Read More »
The Federal Reserve delivered another 25-basis-point cut to its benchmark interest rate on Wednesday, setting the target range at 3.5% to 3.75% amid signs of a softening labor market and inflation that’s still above the central bank’s 2% target. The move marks the Fed’s third straight rate cut to end 2025, following 25-bps cuts in
Fed delivers third straight rate cut, but housing market will see limited relief Read More »
From Bethesda and Towson to Havre de Grace and Silver Spring, it’s now easier than ever to complete the required 60 hours of real estate prelicensing classes from the comfort of your own home in Maryland. Our guide to the best Maryland real estate schools will help you find the right online program to fit
4 best real estate schools in Maryland (MD) for 2026 Read More »
Shauna Walters and Nicole Plaxen, the broker duo behind the Walters | Plaxen Group, have joined Sotheby’s International Realty. The affiliation follows a standout year for the five-person team. RealTrends Verified shows Walters | Plaxen Group accounting for $222 million in closed volume across 134 transactions in 2024 — with an average home sale price
Walters | Plaxen Group joins Sotheby’s International Realty Read More »
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is reopening the public comment period for a review of federal reverse mortgage programs, the agency announced Wednesday in the Federal Register. HUD previously issued a request for information in October, seeking input on the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) and HECM Mortgage-Backed Securities (HMBS) programs.
HUD reopens reverse mortgage comment period Read More »
A surge in Sun Belt in-migration for well over a decade blessed Georgia with population growth that prompted a spate of apartment and home construction. Despite a heavy dose of added supply in the past few years, there was no catching up. The state still has a housing shortage, particularly in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Georgia lawmakers aim to speed housing permits for affordability Read More »
Title insurers may face more paperwork and larger compliance costs next year as a federal court is leaning toward allowing a new reporting rule to go into effect. Processing Content U.S. Magistrate Judge Samuel J. Horovitz recommended this week to the case’s presiding judge to grant the government’s motion for summary judgment, in a challenge
Court backs tougher reporting rule for title firms Read More »