Housing markets

Insurance provider Kin starts Florida mortgage business

Insurance provider Kin starts Florida mortgage business

Kin, a direct-to-consumer home insurance provider, has entered the mortgage broker business, starting in Florida, and offering a full array of mortgage and home equity products. The mortgage broker business is also direct-to-consumer and plans are to eventually expand to other states where Kin has a presence, said company founder and CEO Sean Harper. He […]

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Senior home equity holdings rise to record level

Seniors’ home equity holdings set a record in the second quarter as property values continue to increase, albeit at a slower pace than earlier this year. However, given the ongoing government shutdown, endorsements of Home Equity Conversion Mortgages, the Federal Housing Administration product which makes up the bulk of reverse mortgage lending, are on hold.

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Down payment percentages stay elevated due to higher prices

The typical down payment made by home purchasers during the third quarter increased by $500 over the previous fiscal period, with the average share remaining near 14.4% of the price, Realtor.com said. Compared to last year’s third quarter, the dollar amount of $30,400 was down by $100. While it is normal for the down payment

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When is the best time to buy a home? January. Here’s why

Consumers who opt to purchase a home in January, one of the months with the lowest share of sales, could save over $23,000 on their buy versus May, one of the busiest, a LendingTree study found. In 2024, January had the lowest share of sales at 6.3%, while May had the most at 9.9%; although

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Homeowners see slimmer profits from third-quarter sales

 Homeowners are seeing smaller profits from sales compared to a year ago, but the latest numbers still surpass pre-pandemic levels, as growing numbers hold onto their properties amid surging equity accrual.  Sellers gained an average of 49.9% in profit after transactions closed during the third quarter, according to the latest home sales report from real

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Miran: China trade war further bolsters rate cuts

Miran: China trade war further bolsters rate cuts

Bloomberg News Key insight: Fed Governor Stephan Miran, one of the chief architects of President Donald Trump’s trade policies, said China’s move last week to limit rare earth exports, changed his “sanguine” outlook on economic growth. Expert quote: “It’s about where the balance of risks has moved and risks exist now that didn’t exist a

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Lower rates fuel big September refi spike

The latest refi boomlet sustained its momentum that showed up in late summer, with rate drops driving a noticeable spike in September lock volume, according to Optimal Blue.  Rate locks jumped 28.2% from August to September, the product-pricing engine platform said in its latest market advantage report, and drove its monthly market index to a

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ChatGPT, Gemini increasingly used in home buyer searches

When it comes to learning about today’s housing market, a majority of potential buyers are going digital, turning toward artificial intelligence and social media for information, according to Realtor.com. A majority of potential buyers said they are excited about how AI can help personalize their home search experience, and 82% are using it in their

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More home sales fall through as buyers gain leverage

With the market favoring buyers, more home sales are falling through as minor disagreements can lead to deals being called off. Nearly 60,000 home-purchase agreements were canceled in August, according to a new report from Redfin, a subsidiary of Rocket Cos. That’s 15.1% of homes that went under contract, up from 14.3% a year earlier

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FinCEN delays controversial real estate reporting rule

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, FinCEN for short, has delayed the enforcement date of its residential real estate reporting rule. The announcement exempts “all reporting persons” from compliance with the anti-money laundering regulation from Sept. 30 until March 1, 2026. The rule was supposed to go into effect on Dec. 1. This rule was promulgated

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