December 2025

An action plan for condo affordability

In recent weeks, President Trump has increasingly focused on “affordability” as a top priority.   When it comes to housing, that means addressing homeownership affordability challenges, which are significant by historical standards.  According to a recent Report by the National Association of Realtors, “The share of first-time home buyers dropped to a record low of 21%, […]

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Impact of climate-fueled disasters seen in insurance, real estate data

Impact of climate-fueled disasters seen in insurance, real estate data

Point-Aux-Chenes, Louisiana, after Hurricane Ida in 2021.Bloomberg News Climate change-driven disaster risks are having a measurable impact on property insurance rates and home values, according to a recent National Bureau of Economic Research paper. Processing Content In a paper released in June 2024 and revised last month, academics Benjamin Keys and Philip Mulder say their

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Court backs tougher reporting rule for title firms

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

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Blue Owl widens Point HEI platform with $2 billion investment

Funds managed by Blue Owl Capital, the New York-based alternative asset manager, has made a $2.5 billion investment in Point, a leading home equity investment (HEI) platform, to help the latter expand its business. Processing Content The collaboration has brought HEI-backed securitizations to market in the past, raising $390 million in November and $248 million

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Toll Brothers leans on luxury to navigate homebuilding’s headwinds

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

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November mortgage lock data driven by strong refinance activity

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

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Loft47 launches automation and commission management platform for real estate teams

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,

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2026 mortgage compliance trends show staffing strains, regulatory risks

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

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Fed delivers third straight rate cut, but housing market will see limited relief

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

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4 best real estate schools in Maryland (MD) for 2026

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

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