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What the Housing for the 21st Century Act means for real estate agents, lenders

Affordable housing, ALTA, Congress, Donald Trump, Homebuilders, House of Representatives, Housing Inventory, HUD, HWmember, Lenders, Mortgage, National Association of Realtors, National Housing Conference, Real Estate, Regulatory Compliance, Trump administration, Zoning /

The Housing for the 21st Century Act — a sweeping housing reform package moving through Congress — is the boldest step yet in a broad federal push to increase housing supply and improve affordability. The legislation directs the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to publish “best practices” for states and local governments […]

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Judge upholds Washington state’s special purpose credit program

Discrimination, Fair Housing, Fair Lending, HWmember, Lawsuit, Legal, Mortgage, National Fair Housing Alliance, Origination, Redlining, Washington /

A federal judge this week refused to block a special purpose credit program (SPCP) designed to reduce the racial homeownership gap across Washington state, rejecting a constitutional challenge brought by nonprofit Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR). U.S. District Court Judge John H. Chun denied FAIR’s request for a preliminary injunction to halt the Covenant

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WFG National Title launches FinCEN reporting solution

Compliance, FinCEN, HWmember, Money laundering, Real Estate, Real Estate Fraud, Regulatory Compliance, Title, WFG National Title, Wire Fraud /

Title agents nationwide are preparing for a sweeping new federal reporting mandate to take effect — and WFG National Title Insurance is rolling out tools to ease the transition. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN) Anti-Money Laundering Regulations for Residential Real Estate Transfers Rule will require reporting on certain non-financed, all-cash transfers of residential real

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Zillow returns to profitability in 2025 as mortgage and rentals drive growth

Earnings, HWmember, Real Estate, Technology, Zillow, Zillow Premier Agent /

Despite a challenging legal year, Zillow Group recorded strong financial results in 2025, according to the firm’s full-year and fourth-quarter 2025 earnings report published on Tuesday.  Revenue in Q4 2025 rose 18% annually to $654 million, while revenue for the full year was up 16% compared to 2024, reaching $2.6 billion. In addition, net income

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Pennymac leader on policy shifts to ease homeownership barriers

2026 Housing Economic Summit, Affordability, Donald Trump, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Housing Inventory, Housing Market, HWmember, Interest rates, Manufactured Housing, Mortgage, Mortgage Rates, PennyMac, Real Estate, Trump administration /

As housing affordability remains strained, policymakers and industry leaders are weighing how regulation, mortgage markets and tax policy shape access to homeownership. Isaac Boltansky, head of public policy at Pennymac, fielded questions on the matter from Robb Van Raaphorst, senior vice president at Rational 360. Boltansky said debate in Washington, D.C., reflects growing urgency around

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Why title integrity needs decentralized governance

American Land Title Association, HWmember, Real Estate, Title, Wire Fraud /

The primary weakness in the American real estate market isn’t a lack of buyers or inventory, it’s the “trust gap” in our record-keeping. As HousingWire recently reported, the fragmentation across 3,000-plus local registries has created a multibillion-dollar opening for deed fraud. When ownership data is siloed and verification relies on manual oversight, the system becomes

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Barry Habib, Logan Mohtashami say housing market set for pent-up demand surge

2026 Housing Economic Summit, First-Time Homebuyers, Housing Market, Housing Market Data, HWmember, Interest rates, MBS, Mortgage, Mortgage Rates, Real Estate /

The U.S. housing market may be poised for a historic surge as pent-up demand meets a potentially lower rate environment. As part of an expert panel at HousingWire’s 2026 Housing Economic Summit, MBS Highway founder and CEO Barry Habib said the first move downward in mortgage rates could trigger a rush of buyers who have

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Brokerage leaders express optimism for 2026 housing market conditions

Artificial Intelligence, Brokerage, Housing Demand, Housing Inventory, Housing Market, HWmember, Real Estate Recruiting /

Real estate brokerage leaders are entering 2026 more confident and optimistic than they have in years, according to Delta Media Group’s Real Estate Leadership Report.  To compile the report, Delta Media Group surveyed more than 100 brokerage leaders representing firms that were collectively responsible for more than two-thirds of all U.S. home sales in 2025.

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Optimal Blue mortgage data shows 50% refi jump in January as rates dip

HWmember, MBS, Mortgage, Mortgage Rates, Optimal Blue, Origination, Purchase Applications, Rate Lock, Refinancing /

Optimal Blue reported a sharp increase in refinance activity in January as falling mortgage rates spurred borrowers to act, according to its January 2026 Market Advantage data report released on Tuesday. Total rate-lock volume rose 16% from December and was 36% higher than in January 2025. The increase was driven primarily by rate-and-term refinances, which

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Figure CEO Michael Tannenbaum on partnering with Bed Bath & Beyond

Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, Figure Technologies, HWmember, Mortgage, Partnerships, Technology /

The parent company of Bed Bath & Beyond is moving deeper into financial services through the launch of a personal finance platform that will offer home loans in partnership with Figure Technologies. The initiative, tied to the company’s pending acquisition of Tokens.com, aims to combine traditional lending with blockchain-based asset finance. The news prompted a

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