Key insight: The court declared that Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Russell Vought’s decision not to request funding for the agency was a “transparent display of partisanship” and granted summary judgment to Rise Economy, a consumer advocacy group that had sued the CFPB over the decision. What’s at stake: The judge rejected the CFPB’s novel […]
Federal court rules against CFPB in funding lawsuit Read More »
Lower mortgage rates and less volatility have been one of the key positive stories in 2026 for the housing market. Until last week, rates were under 6.25% all year and we didn’t see much volatility, which is a key variable for a healthy housing market. However, a lot of that changed last week as the
Housing demand still positive, but for how long with rising rates? Read More »
New Western released a new report examining the role of real estate investors in supplying entry-level housing. It found that small investors added far more homes in the starter-home price range than homebuilders in 2025. The company’s 2026 Flip Side Report on residential real estate investing trends said independent investors delivered 120,193 homes in the
Local investors outpace builders in delivering starter homes Read More »
President Donald Trump on Friday announced two executive orders that aim to increase the U.S. housing supply and consumer access to mortgage credit. One of the orders directs various federal agencies — including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) — to work together on reviewing
Trump executive orders target housing supply and mortgage credit Read More »
The White House announced on Friday afternoon its effort to challenge what it calls “unnecessary regulatory barriers” to homebuilding by issuing a broad executive order to reduce environmental, permitting and programmatic restrictions that federal officials say are contributing to the nation’s housing affordability crisis. The order, signed by Donald Trump, directs multiple federal agencies to
Trump executive order targets regulatory barriers to homebuilding Read More »
In the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, overwhelmingly approved by the Senate on Thursday, is a provision titled, “Homes Are for People, Not Corporations.” This provision seeks to impose new restrictions on institutional investors in the single-family housing market. Under the provision, entities owning 350 or more single-family homes would face limits on purchasing
Realtor.com data challenges effectiveness of Senate ban on big home investors Read More »
A federal judge on Friday blocked subpoenas that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) served the Federal Reserve in a case involving Jerome Powell’s Congressional testimony on the central bank’s headquarters renovation, concluding the effort appeared designed to “harass and pressure” him to lower interest rates or resign from his position. The DOJ served the
Federal judge blocks DOJ subpoenas targeting Federal Reserve Chair Powell Read More »
Uncertainty, margin compression and the gut-check math of affordability are the givens of a new-home market impatiently waiting for relief on at least one of those three fronts. Most public homebuilders – facing this indefinite limbo – are doing the same thing: slowing down. Production starts are throttling down. Spec inventory is being sold down.
Contrarian Smith Douglas leans into its system, goes for market share Read More »
iBuyer Opendoor’s recently launched mortgage product — which promises below-market interest rates after the company removed its markup — has sparked debate across the industry about who absorbs the cost and whether the model is sustainable. Some industry professionals view the offering as similar to the strategy many homebuilders use — providing below-market mortgage rates
Opendoor’s cheap mortgage rates spark sustainability debate Read More »
The private listings debate just got louder. Howard Hanna Real Estate Services has launched HannaList, an internal listing network that allows Howard Hanna agents to share listings exclusively with Howard Hanna buyer agents before those properties ever reach the MLS. Combined with what Compass has built since acquiring Anywhere, two of the industry’s most significant
HannaList adds fuel to the escalating private listings war Read More »