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Politics and policy

Advocates urge judge to block $68m Colony Ridge settlement

Fair Housing Act, Litigation, Politics and policy, Regulation and compliance /

Key insight: Eight civil rights nonprofits have urged a federal court to reject a proposed settlement between the Department of Justice and developer Colony Ridge, arguing an immigration enforcement clause in the settlement is “unlawful.”  What’s at stake: The underlying lawsuit targeted a “foreclosure mill” that sold undeveloped, flood-prone land to Hispanic buyers at 10% […]

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Builders push back on 7-year build-to-rent selloff rule in ROAD Act

Affordable housing, Homebuilders, Politics and policy, REALTORS & HOMEBUILDERS /

Several trade groups usually supportive of efforts to increase housing inventory are taking exception to new homebuilding language added to a federal bill currently under Senate consideration. Processing Content Lawmakers added a provision in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act that will require large institutional investors purchasing build-to-rent properties to sell units they purchase

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Congress risks shutting out small housing investors

Politics and policy /

Policymakers in Washington are increasingly focused on the role of large institutional investors in the single-family housing market. The concern is straightforward: if large private equity firms are buying millions of homes, they could contribute to rising housing costs and reduced access for Americans trying to buy their first house. Processing Content Those concerns deserve

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Economy loses 92,000 jobs in February

Economy, Employment data, Monetary policy, Politics and policy /

Key insight: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the economy lost 92,000 jobs in February, signaling a cooling labor market. Supporting data: Health care jobs fell by 28,000, while the overall unemployment rate held steady at 4.4%. Forward look: The declining job totals could signal to the Federal Reserve that rate cuts are necessary

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House committee passes bank deregulatory package

Community banking, Politics, Politics and policy /

Key insight: The package includes measures that had already been considered by the committee, including a bill on brokered and custodial deposits and a number of measures aimed at relaxing oversight, particularly for community banks.  What’s at stake: The package is opposed by some Democrats, who argue the bill favors large banks as well as

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Fannie, Freddie join Anthropic ban, address DHS shutdown

Fannie, Freddie join Anthropic ban, address DHS shutdown

Politics and policy, Secondary markets, Servicing /

William Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee confirmation hearing in Washington on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. Photographer: Al Drago/BloombergAl Drago/Bloomberg Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and their oversight agency have responded to a couple of broader federal developments this week, including a falling out with

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Iran conflict’s impact on spring homebuying season

Housing markets, MARKETING TO BORROWERS, Mortgage Rates, Originations, Politics and policy /

The early reaction to the Iran conflict, with mortgage rates rising back above 6%, might be tempering an otherwise very positive outlook regarding the spring homebuying season. Processing Content The 10-year Treasury yield, one of the benchmarks used in pricing mortgages, had finally broken through the 4% floor on Feb. 27 to a 3.96% close.

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Housing bill moves forward with institutional housing ban

Housing, Politics and policy, Regulation and compliance, Trump administration /

Key insight: The White House has indicated its support for the compromise legislative language now moving forward in the Senate. The House passed its own housing bill last month, which included a number of community bank-related riders.  What’s at stake: Legislative language related to brokered and custodial deposits, as well as other policy reforms aimed

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Middle East conflict stokes inflation, risks higher rates

Economic indicators, Economic news, Mortgage Rates, Politics and policy, REALTORS & HOMEBUILDERS /

Early market reactions to the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict suggest inflation fears, not flight-to-safety buying, are dominating Treasury yields, a dynamic that could put upward pressure on mortgage rates. Processing Content Resolving the conflict swiftly and handling it in such a way that it increases security in the region could have some positive ramifications for housing, but

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The big risks banks face in the US-Iran conflict

Cyber security, Energy industry, Politics and policy, Risk /

Markets are just starting to digest and react to the events unfolding across the Middle East after this weekend’s attack on Iran by the U.S. and Israel. Processing Content The most recent attacks are an escalation of the military exchange between the U.S and Israel against Iran last summer. But while those attacks were focused

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