January 2026

Compass wraps acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate

Compass has completed its acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate, merging hundreds of thousands of real estate agents, and familiar brokerages, under one roof.  Processing Content The deal will also combine retail lender Guaranteed Rate’s separate joint ventures with each company into one, the businesses previously confirmed. The combined industry giant will cover over 200,000 real […]

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Latest jobs report quashes rate cut expectations

A mostly flat December jobs report points to more of the same for housing and mortgage markets. Processing Content The U.S. added 50,000 non-farm payroll jobs last month, while the unemployment rate came in at 4.4%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The numbers edged down from 64,000 new jobs in November and a

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FHA usage will continue to outgrow private MI in 2026

Insurance-in-force growth at the government-run Federal Housing Administration will continue to outpace its private counterparts going forward because of the current state of the housing market, a Keefe, Bruyette & Woods report said. Processing Content The market share (based on IIF) split between the two products has been narrowing since the third quarter of 2022.

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US housing starts fall to lowest level since May 2020

Housing starts in the US fell in October to the lowest level since the onset of the pandemic as data delayed by last fall’s government shutdown showed builders continued to cut back amid still-high prices and mortgage rates. Processing Content New residential construction decreased 4.6% to an annual rate of 1.25 million homes in October,

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10 best markets for first-time homebuyers in 2026

Almost all of the top markets for first-time homebuyers are located in the eastern half of the United States, a new report from Realtor.com found. Processing Content Rochester, New York, topped the list based on factors including affordability, inventory and local amenities. Rochester placed second last year behind Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which ranks second in 2026.

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How Trump’s institutional investor homebuying ban could impact loans

President Trump’s plan to restrict institutional investor purchases of single-family homes through bipartisan legislation to promote consumer access to affordable housing does match a past goal pursued by Democrats but has many practical challenges, industry professionals said Thursday. Processing Content “Trying to crack this nut of the affordability issues that we have in this country

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Expert Forecasts Point to Affordability Improving in 2026

Expert Forecasts Point to Affordability Improving in 2026

Wondering what to expect from the housing market in 2026? You’re not the only one. For the past few years, affordability has been the biggest barrier standing between most people and their next move. And a lot of buyers and sellers have been holding their breath waiting for things to get better. The good news?

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Mortgage Rates Modestly Higher on Thursday. Friday’s Risks Are Bigger

Mortgage Rates Modestly Higher on Thursday. Friday’s Risks Are Bigger Mortgage rates were just a hair higher for the average lender on Thursday. The underlying bond market lost some ground following a stronger weekly Jobless Claims report and in sympathy with global bond market weakness overnight.  Because rates are based on bonds, when bonds are

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New York joins states imposing CRA on nonbank lenders

New York is the latest state to implement a nonbank Community Reinvestment Act, with laws already in place in Massachusetts and Illinois and one pending in New Jersey. Processing Content While it will be a compliance burden for these lenders, at least one nonbank executive also thinks it is an opportunity. A regulation has been

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Trump directs $200 billion mortgage bond buy in housing push

US President Donald Trump said he was directing the purchase of $200 billion in mortgage bonds, which he cast as his latest effort to bring down housing costs ahead of the November midterm election.  Processing Content Trump announced the move on Thursday in a social media post, which was unclear on how the buys would

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