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Even as GSEs step into MBS market, macro forces are controlling mortgage rates

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Government-Sponsored Enterprise, HWmember, LendingLife, MBS, Mortgage, Regulatory, Secondary market /

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been active in the mortgage-backed securities (MBS) market in recent weeks — but their approach appears more measured and opportunistic than many initially expected. Their activity has also been overshadowed by the U.S.-Iran conflict.  “We’ve seen some activity from the GSEs. Instead of issuing cash window pools and putting […]

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Florida court shields unused reverse mortgage credit from garnishment

Florida, HECM, HWmember, Lawsuit, Legal, Mortgage, Reverse, Reverse Mortgage Daily /

A Florida appeals court has ruled that funds available but not yet withdrawn from a reverse mortgage line of credit are protected under the state’s homestead exemption and cannot be garnished. The March 25 decision by the Fourth District Court of Appeal found that a creditor could not force a homeowner to access unused funds

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The case for seller choice: Why exposure is a strategy and not a setting

Agent, Brokerage, Contributors, Gary Keller, HWmember, MLS, Opinion, Real Estate, Technology, Zillow /

Gary Keller is one of the most consequential figures in the history of residential real estate. In nearly five decades, few people have done more to educate, elevate and safeguard the well-being of the real estate professional. I say this as a 36-year veteran of this business and as someone who spent six years working

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CoStar says Zillow copyright infringement now tops 53,000 photos

CoStar Group, HWmember, Legal, Real Estate, Realtor.com, Redfin, Technology, Zillow /

CoStar Group is claiming that Zillow’s alleged infringement upon copyrighted photos owned by CoStar has continued despite the ongoing copyright infringement lawsuit CoStar filed against Zillow last July. In an amended complaint filed on Friday, CoStar claims that Zillow has infringed on CoStar’s copyright on more than 53,000 watermarked photos across Zillow and the platforms

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NEXA Lending targets recurring income model for loan originators

HWmember, Loan Officer, Mike Kortas, Mortgage, Mortgage Servicing, MSRs, NEXA Lending, Origination, Servicing /

NEXA Lending announced Friday that it’s developing a new initiative aimed at allowing loan originators to participate in recurring income tied to the long-term performance of the loans they originate. The initiative, described as a “servicing-aligned income model,” is expected to begin rolling out as early as July 2026, the company said. The program centers

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Mortgage rates now closer to 7% than 6% as the Iran war escalates

Housing Demand, Housing Market, HWmember, Mortgage Rates, Pending Home Sales /

Two weeks ago on CNBC, I talked about how the housing market was poised for growth for the first time in years — unless mortgage rates shot up due to the war with Iran. Mortgage rates were sub 6% before the war and today they hit 6.62%, according to Mortgage News Daily. That is a

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The GSEs updated their rules for condo loans. Will they be helpful or harmful?

Fannie Mae, FHFA, Freddie Mac, GSEs, HWmember, LendingLife, Mortgage, NAMB, Regulatory /

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac last week enacted updates to condominium project standards and property insurance rules for one- to four-unit properties and larger developments, aiming to lower costs for homeowners. The moves have been met with mixed opinions from mortgage professionals. The updates, which Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced on March 18, allow greater leeway

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‘Six-figure limit’ aims to halt Social Security trust fund insolvency

Affordability, Aging in Place, Baby Boomer, Gen X, HWmember, Mortgage, Retirement, Reverse, Reverse Mortgage Daily, Social Security /

With the Social Security trust fund less than seven years from insolvency — at which point a 24% across-the-board benefit cut could be triggered — a new proposal suggests capping annual payouts for the nation’s wealthiest retirees. A white paper released by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget advocates for a “six-figure limit” that

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Did the industry build a machine for reverse steering and call it seller choice?

Agent, Brokerage, Contributors, Homes.com, HWmember, Opinion, Real Estate, Real Estate Listings, Realtor.com, Zillow /

Five major deals in five days. That’s what happened last week in real estate, and I don’t think anyone has fully processed what just happened. Zillow Preview signed almost 30 brokerages. eXp signed deals with Realtor.com, Homes.com and ComeHome.com. Compass already had its Redfin partnership locked in. Zillow rewrote its listing standards to make the

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RealTrends Verified Tampa team returns to eXp Realty

Agent, eXp Realty, Florida, HWmember, Mergers and Acquisitions, Real Estate, real estate teams, Tampa /

A high-producing Tampa real estate team has returned to eXp Realty after a stint with another brokerage. Maximum Tampa Group — led by Yulia Olivo and Jennifer Rivera — will now operate as FIG Team Maximum Tampa in collaboration with Veronica Figueroa’s FIG Team. The move comes after Maximum Tampa Group had joined LPT Realty

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