December 2025

Home ends dry spell with $150M deal for Tennessee bank

Forward look: Home BancShares CEO John Allison said Mountain Commerce Bank will serve as a platform for future Tennessee expansion.  Supporting data: Allison ranked Tennessee as one of the most attractive markets in the country along with Texas and Florida, where Home already has a presence.  Expert quote: “Given the current regulatory environment, we would […]

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Lower mortgage rates lift refi retention to 3.5-year high

Mortgage rates dropped almost 50 basis points in the third quarter, prompting more borrowers to refinance and retention rates on those customers to hit a three-and-a-half-year high, new industry data showed. Refinance retention reached 28% last quarter, the highest percentage since early 2022, and servicers held onto more than half of borrowers refinancing out of

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Housing falls out of must-pass defense spending package

Key insight: The NDAA is one of Congress’ few must-pass measures, and has always attracted a raft of financial and other policy-realm riders. What’s at stake: The housing package would cut red tape for housing construction and let state and local governments use government funds to promote housing supply.  Forward look: House banking committee Chairman

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Former Fed officials: CFPB’s Vought must ask for funding

Former Fed officials: CFPB’s Vought must ask for funding

Bloomberg News Key Insight: In a legal filing, the former Fed officials claim an opinion from the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel is factually incorrect.  What’s at Stake: The CFPB will run out of funding early next year and Vought claims that he cannot request funding from the Federal Reserve. Expert Quote: “The

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Bond traders defy Fed and spark heated debate on Wall Street

(Bloomberg) — The bond market’s reaction to the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate cuts has been highly unusual. By some measures, a disconnect like this, with Treasury yields climbing as the central bank lowers rates, hasn’t been seen since the 1990s. What the divergence indicates is a matter of heated debate. Opinions are all over the place,

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This May Be the Best Time To Buy a Brand-New Home

This May Be the Best Time To Buy a Brand-New Home

New home construction today is giving buyers something it feels like they haven’t gotten much lately: a real shot at both the home they want and the deal they need. More brand-new options are on the market right now, and builders are rolling out incentives that make these homes more affordable than many people expect.

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Inside the brewing battle over regional Fed bank leadership

Key Insight: Expectations are building that the regional Fed president reappointments set for February will break from historical norms, with a higher likelihood of dissents from the board of governors expected at the very least. Expert Quote:  “A couple of ‘no’s’ or abstentions can illustrate that the reappointment process is not merely a rubber-stamping or

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Borrowers raise RICO counts against DR Horton, DHI Mortgage

Borrowers are doubling down on racketeering accusations against D.R. Horton and its DHI Mortgage financing arm.  Seven plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit in Nevada federal court Wednesday, following a similar complaint that attorneys filed in Florida in October. While other mortgage players have faced RICO accusations in recent years, plaintiffs said they believe the

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December housing demand near 3-year high as spreads improve

As mortgage purchase applications approach a three-year high, it’s vital to recognize the significant role played by mortgage spreads. Without the improvement in mortgage spreads starting in 2024, we would not have gotten mortgage rates below 6.64%, which spurred the last 18 weeks of positive data. The following analysis examines this data in detail. Mortgage

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Kansas City sellers reduce listing prices as inventory grows faster than buyer demand

Nearly half of Kansas City metro home sellers cut their asking prices in the week ending Nov. 29, 2025, as the market navigates a delicate balance between rising inventory and slowing buyer activity. The 45.2% price reduction rate coincides with active listings climbing to 4,723 homes while weekly absorption dropped to 511 properties. The surge

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