Author name: Ricky Vasquez

What ideas might be on the table as housing measures expand

What ideas might be on the table as housing measures expand

WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 04: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters on the south lawn of the White House on May 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. The President spent the weekend in Florida and returned to Washington on Sunday. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)Tasos Katopodis/Photographer: Tasos Katopodis/Ge The Trump administration has more housing initiatives

What ideas might be on the table as housing measures expand Read More »

Card debt hits record amount as providers charge high rates

The average credit card user carries a balance of nearly $6,000, as Americans hold more debt than ever, a new industry report found. Processing Content Americans bear a record $1.21 trillion in credit card debt, as the median interest rate hit 25.3%, according to Academy Bank’s latest white paper. The trend could affect home loan

Card debt hits record amount as providers charge high rates Read More »

Economists forecast just 50 basis points of Fed cuts in 2026

Just 14% of the economists surveyed by Wolters Kluwer expect the Federal Open Market Committee’s next short-term rate reduction to take place at its January meeting. Processing Content Overall, the Blue Chip Economic Indicators panel consensus is for two cuts during this year to the Fed Funds Rate and none next year, with almost no

Economists forecast just 50 basis points of Fed cuts in 2026 Read More »

Bill Pulte seen as key instigator behind Powell subpoena

Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte was a driving force behind the Trump administration’s decision to subpoena the Federal Reserve, according to people familiar with the matter, intensifying pressure on the central bank as President Donald Trump prepares to pick a new Fed chief. Processing Content Some of Trump’s allies were alarmed by the

Bill Pulte seen as key instigator behind Powell subpoena Read More »

The Credit Score Myth That’s Holding Would-Be Buyers Back

The Credit Score Myth That’s Holding Would-Be Buyers Back

Would-be homebuyers aren’t sitting on the sidelines because they don’t want to buy. They’re sitting out because they think they can’t. And sometimes, it’s their credit score that’s holding them back. According to a Bankrate survey, 2 out of every 5 (42%) Americans believe you need excellent credit to qualify for a mortgage. That may

The Credit Score Myth That’s Holding Would-Be Buyers Back Read More »

The $2–4% mortgage trap is freezing housing: Defeasance may be the way out

For the past several years, the U.S. housing market has faced an unusual constraint: not a lack of  buyers, but a lack of sellers willing — or able — to move. Millions of homeowners remain “rate-locked,” holding mortgages originated in 2020–2022 at  interest rates between 2% and 4% (Federal Housing Finance Agency; Freddie Mac Primary 

The $2–4% mortgage trap is freezing housing: Defeasance may be the way out Read More »

December jobs data continues to support lower mortgage rates

Jobs Friday came and went without much reaction in bond yields because the labor market isn’t breaking, nor is it getting stronger. Mortgage rates dropped into the 5s for a short time on Friday as a result of Trump’s earlier announcement directing the GSEs to buy $200 billion in mortgage backed securities. The 10-year yield

December jobs data continues to support lower mortgage rates Read More »

WSJ: DOJ leadership halted antitrust review of Compass–Anywhere deal

News that the proposed merger between Compass and Anywhere would close this week came as a surprise to many in the industry, especially those who were anticipating a robust antitrust review of the deal. Several news outlets are reporting that antitrust regulators were blocked from a deeper investigation into the deal by officials higher up in

WSJ: DOJ leadership halted antitrust review of Compass–Anywhere deal Read More »

Real estate leaders weigh in on potential ban on large investors

President Donald Trump announced plans to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes earlier this week, arguing the move would ease competition for families and improve housing affordability. The proposal has reignited a long-running debate over the role Wall Street-backed landlords play in the housing market — and whether restricting them would meaningfully lower

Real estate leaders weigh in on potential ban on large investors Read More »