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Housing Market

Potential picks for CFPB director after McKernan nomination pulled

Bloomberg, CFPB, Housing Market, HWmember, Politics, Regulatory, Regulatory Compliance, Senate, White House /

With notable bumps in the road and quickly changing priorities, the road ahead for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) during the second Trump administration remains clouded. The White House previously nominated someone for the CFPB’s director position who is largely seen as ideal by housing organizations across party lines. But that nominee, Jonathan McKernan, […]

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FHFA Director Pulte calls on Powell to lower interest rates

Bill Pulte, Federal Reserve, FHFA, Housing Market, HWmember, Jerome Powell, Mortgage Rates, Politics, Scott Bessent /

On Monday, FHFA Director Bill Pulte called on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to lower interest rates. His exact tweet was: “Jay Powell needs to lower interest rates – enough is enough. President Trump has crushed Biden’s inflation, and there is no reason not to lower rates. The housing market would be in much better

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Mortgage rates survive budget bond scare, but end the week higher

Housing Market, Housing Market Tracker /

Last week, we witnessed a pivotal moment for mortgage rates and the bond market, which some pundits have said has grown increasingly aware of our rising national debt and deficits. A bond auction last week was perceived as having soft demand, prompting media outlets and market speakers to suggest that the U.S. could face consequences

Mortgage rates survive budget bond scare, but end the week higher Read More »

Bessent weighs mortgage rate risk in potential release of GSEs

Conservatorship, Donald Trump, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, GSE Reform, Housing Market, HWmember, Mortgage Rates, Politics, Scott Bessent /

Releasing the GSEs from conservatorship became a hot topic again this week after President Trump posted that he was giving it “serious consideration” on Wednesday, followed by a Bloomberg interview with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday. The timing of the president’s announcement took many by surprise, given rising bond yields, an uncertain trade war

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Why did we just see the highest new home sales print in years?

Housing Inventory, Housing Market, HWmember, New Home Sales /

I know this is a crazy stat, given how much the builders’ confidence is falling, but new home sales just had the highest monthly sales print in years. Can this be revised lower in the future? Yes, just like the previous months have been. But there’s a bigger story here that I’ll address because this

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FEMA rescinds strategic agency plan ahead of hurricane season

Disaster Relief, FEMA, Housing Market, Hurricane, HWmember, Natural Disaster, Politics /

Hurricane season is set to commence on June 1, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) — which has been experiencing organizational challenges for the past several weeks — has reportedly rescinded its guiding plan for agency objectives and priorities, according to multiple FEMA employees and a memo obtained by news outlet Wired. On Wednesday,

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Buyers shrug off economic uncertainty as new-home sales rise

Home Prices, Housing Market, HWmember, New Home Sales, U.S. Census Bureau /

New-home sales continue to be a bright spot in a housing market that’s struggling with high mortgage rates and other economic headwinds. According to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), new homes in April sold at seasonally adjusted annual rate of 743,000, which is a

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With more inventory, where are home prices headed?

Existing home sales, Home Prices, Housing Inventory, Housing Market, HWmember, National Association of Realtors /

Last year, I predicted a national home-price increase of 2.33%. While that forecast was lower than most others, it seemed achievable due to higher mortgage rates and increased inventory. I was wrong and too low for 2024. This year, my prediction is even lower at 1.77% national home-price growth. So far this year, the existing home

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Home prices expected to dip as supply and demand collide

Affordability, Existing home sales, Home Prices, Home Sales, Housing Inventory, Housing Market, HWmember, Redfin /

U.S. home prices are projected to flatten in the third quarter and decline 1% year over year by the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a new report from Redfin. The company also expects mortgage rates to remain elevated near 7% through the end of the year. This marks a sharp reversal from more than

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Updated list of all Trump’s actions that impact housing

CFPB, Donald Trump, FHFA, Housing Market, HUD, HWmember, Politics, Regulatory /

Below is a timeline of the actions the Trump administration or Congressional Republicans have taken that impact housing since President Trump took office on Jan. 20, 2025, along with additional coverage of those topics. CFPB Tariffs HUD HUD watchdog swept up in large-scale firings of inspector general  Jan. 27 Memo mixup: Trump calls for freeze

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