DeCaro Auctions has expanded its executive team as the luxury real estate auction firm seeks to grow its international platform. The appointments come after Mario Vargas was recently named CEO. “Luxury auctions are about more than marketing reach. They are about relationships, strategy and execution,” said Vargas. “Each member of this team brings deep experience […]
DeCaro Auctions expands executive team Read More »
A federal judge in Texas has vacated the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN) nationwide anti-money laundering (AML) rule — creating a legal vacuum and uncertainty among title and real estate professionals. While the ruling eliminates a significant compliance burden that industry groups had criticized, legal observers warn that FinCEN retains broad authority over real estate
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a bill into effect earlier this week that bans noncompete agreements across the state. The move marks a significant shift in employment law that will take effect on June 30, 2027. The measure prohibits contracts that restrict workers from joining or starting competing businesses after leaving a job. Noncompete agreements
Washington just banned noncompete agreements. Will other states follow suit? Read More »
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been active in the mortgage-backed securities (MBS) market in recent weeks — but their approach appears more measured and opportunistic than many initially expected. Their activity has also been overshadowed by the U.S.-Iran conflict. “We’ve seen some activity from the GSEs. Instead of issuing cash window pools and putting
Even as GSEs step into MBS market, macro forces are controlling mortgage rates Read More »
A Florida appeals court has ruled that funds available but not yet withdrawn from a reverse mortgage line of credit are protected under the state’s homestead exemption and cannot be garnished. The March 25 decision by the Fourth District Court of Appeal found that a creditor could not force a homeowner to access unused funds
Florida court shields unused reverse mortgage credit from garnishment Read More »
CoStar Group is claiming that Zillow’s alleged infringement upon copyrighted photos owned by CoStar has continued despite the ongoing copyright infringement lawsuit CoStar filed against Zillow last July. In an amended complaint filed on Friday, CoStar claims that Zillow has infringed on CoStar’s copyright on more than 53,000 watermarked photos across Zillow and the platforms
CoStar says Zillow copyright infringement now tops 53,000 photos Read More »
Gary Keller is one of the most consequential figures in the history of residential real estate. In nearly five decades, few people have done more to educate, elevate and safeguard the well-being of the real estate professional. I say this as a 36-year veteran of this business and as someone who spent six years working
The case for seller choice: Why exposure is a strategy and not a setting Read More »
NEXA Lending announced Friday that it’s developing a new initiative aimed at allowing loan originators to participate in recurring income tied to the long-term performance of the loans they originate. The initiative, described as a “servicing-aligned income model,” is expected to begin rolling out as early as July 2026, the company said. The program centers
NEXA Lending targets recurring income model for loan originators Read More »
The California Mortgage Bankers Association (CMBA) testified on March 20 before the California Assembly Banking & Finance Committee during an oversight hearing on California Assembly Bill 238, which focuses on the effectiveness of mortgage forbearance and the broader challenges facing homeowners affected by the state’s January 2025 wildfires. AB 238 provides up to one year
California MBA urges guardrails for bill targeting wildfire-related forbearance Read More »
Most mortgage companies have gotten very good at recruiting. You can measure recruiting. You can count heads. You can show momentum on a spreadsheet and call it growth. Development is harder to quantify. It takes time, structure, and discipline, especially when the market is moving and everyone is tempted to chase short-term volume. But if
How mentorship, not recruiting alone, builds strong loan officers Read More »