A group of Senate Democrats has asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte and other employees over criminal referrals against several public figures as they seek to determine whether federal authority and resources were

Tidalwave, an agentic AI mortgage technology startup integrated with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, recently announced the hiring of Jason Cao as chief operating officer. Cao, an early investor in Tidalwave two years ago, was most recently COO at CertiK, where he helped build it into a unicorn as the w

Century 21 Real Estate has expanded its presence in the Orlando metro area through the affiliation of Hancock Realty Group in Clermont. The move brings the Lake County brokerage — now operating as Century 21 Hancock — under the Century 21 banner as it marks its 10th year in business. Century 21 Hanc

A group of longtime top-producing Oregon real estate professionals has launched a new brokerage, Christie’s International Real Estate Evergreen, that marks the brand’s latest expansion on the West Coast. The firm is led by veteran broker Brian Pienovi, his son Andrew Pienovi and Patrick Clark, one o

PulteGroup announced plans to expand its Ohio operations, including an entry into the Cincinnati market.  In a press release, Tony Barbee, PulteGroup’s North Area president, said that the company is well-positioned for success in Cincinnati due to its already established presence in the state.  “Thi

While headlines scream that Berkshire Hathaway has taken a $4-plus billion position in Alphabet, a quieter, “closer-to-home” move slips into the latest 13F filing. In the same quarter that Berkshire built its stake in Google’s parent, it closed out its position in D.R. Horton and added to its stake

Fathom Holdings is leaning into expansion, agent productivity initiatives and stronger ancillary service performance — reporting double-digit growth across its core operations in the third quarter. Revenue rose 38% year-over-year to $115.3 million, while agent count climbed 24% and transactions incr

Former Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler is said to have engaged in several financial transactions that violated the central bank’s ethics rules, multiple outlets have reported. That’s according to filings made public by the Office of Government Ethics on Nov. 15. They revealed that Kugler fil

A federal judge has rejected an effort by luxury brokers Tal and Oren Alexander and their brother, security executive Alon Alexander, to dismiss sex-trafficking charges — clearing the way for their January trial. U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni allowed the case to proceed, tossing only one count

A federal judge has struck down class-certification efforts in the Batton homebuyer commission lawsuit — handing the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and several large brokerages a procedural victory while leaving the door open for a revised filing. U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt on Wedn

This is not my usual column, where I share an opinion (right or wrong) about what I’m writing about. Instead, I’m proposing an open question to our industry, as I’m neither an economist nor a health care expert. The Issue Most have heard that ACA insurance premiums could double for some households.

Monday marked Kevin Sears’ 679th day as president of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Sears spent what is effectively his final day as association president by leading NAR’s board of directors meeting held at the conclusion of NAR’s NXT conference in Houston.  While Sears’s time as presid

For many Realtors, the legal maelstrom that engulfed the industry over the past two years, served as a wake up call of sorts, forcing them to look for ways to mitigate and manage risks. Given this environment, it is no surprise that risk management was a popular topic at the National Association of

Welcome back to Tech Pulse — HousingWire‘s weekly series rounding up the latest in technology news, including tools, integrations and trends that impact mortgage and real estate. Here’s what happened this week: Redfin puts forth AI chat tool for home searches Redfin has launched a new AI-powered “co

After a year of easing mortgage rates and slightly improved affordability, the U.S. housing market heads into 2026 with expectations for steady, if uneven, progress. First American deputy chief economist Odeta Kushi said a broader reset remains gradual. “There are no quick fixes — recoveries take ti

Figure Technology Solutions reached $2.5 billion in consumer loan marketplace volume in the third quarter of 2025 — a 70% year-over-year increase, the company reported Thursday in its first earnings release since going public. Most of Figure’s volume continues to come from home equity lines of credi

Earlier this month, title and real estate services company Stewart Information Services Corp., owned by SISCO Holdings, agreed to acquire the mortgage services of property preservation provider Mortgage Contracting Services (MCS) for $330 million. The transaction, which expands Stewart’s suite of se

As the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and its members prepare for Monday’s board of directors meeting, leaders are asking members and directors to consider some proposed changes to both the code of ethics and MLS rules. Repeals are the name of the game When it comes to MLS rules, according t