California affordable housing programs face new legal challenge

Hundreds of affordable housing programs across California may be in legal jeopardy after a new federal lawsuit challenged the constitutionality of one of the state’s most widely used housing tools. The suit — filed Thursday in federal court in San Francisco and first reported by CalMatters — targets
Read MoreUBS will pay $300M to settle Credit Suisse case

UBS Group said on Monday that it will pay $300 million to settle lingering obligations tied to a Credit Suisse deal with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) over the sales of residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS). UBS inherited the obligations when it acquired Credit Suisse in a 2023 rescue
Read MoreRocket revamps real estate arm, moves home search to Redfin

Rocket Companies has begun to reshape Rocket Homes, its real estate subsidiary, following the closing of its acquisition of Redfin. The changes include sunsetting Rocket Homes’ search portal, consolidating agent networks and executing layoffs. Users who visit the Rocket Homes website are now met wit
Read MoreDouglas Elliman doesn’t want private listings to be the norm

While some brokerages are leaning into the use of private listing networks, luxury firm Douglas Elliman said it does not want private listing networks to become the norm. “At Douglas Elliman, we have a long- standing commitment to offering clients greater choice and flexibility while continuing to p
Read MoreLPT Realty, Aperture Global book their spot on the Nasdaq ticker

Cloud-based brokerage LPT Realty and its luxury spinoff Aperture Global Real Estate on Monday announced their reservation of a combined Nasdaq stock ticker as they prepare for an initial public offering. “One step closer to our IPO,” Michael Valdes, the CEO of LPT International, wrote in an Instagra
Read MoreMortgage rates hit lowest levels of 2025
Following the surprising jobs report released on Friday, the 10-year yield dipped slightly on Monday. As a result, mortgage rates have reached a new low for 2025, with Mortgage Daily News reporting a rate of 6.57%. Remarkably, we haven’t seen a single Fed rate cut this year! The bond market influenc
Read MoreBaird & Warner launches image services division amid VHT Studios closure

Baird & Warner Real Estate has launched an internal Image Services division to provide real estate marketing visuals in response to the abrupt closure of VHT Studios. The new unit will be led by Shannon Lange — former area sales and account manager for VHT Studios and Matterport — and a licensed rea
Read MoreHow to write a lead-winning real estate agent bio in 7 steps (+ examples)

As a real estate agent, it’s easy to assume your listings speak for themselves, but buyers and sellers still want to know who they’re working with. A well-written agent bio helps you build credibility, make a lasting impression on prospective clients and turns curious browsers into serious leads. Yo
Read MoreHECM endorsements rise to highest level since February

The reverse mortgage market appeared to recover in July after dipping in June, according to Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsement data compiled by Reverse Market Insight (RMI) that was released late last week. HECM endorsements rose 5.6% in July to 2,369 loans, the highest level recorde
Read MoreHow much lower can mortgage rates go after Friday’s jobs report?
Mortgage rates fell 0.18% last week, breaking below the key threshold of 6.64%. Why is this important? Because in the last three years, when mortgage rates fell from 6.64% to 6%, housing demand has improved. Now the question is: can rates go lower? 10-year yield and mortgage rates In my 2025 forecas
Read MoreTrigger lead ban bill advances to Trump’s desk

The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act (H.R. 2808) passed through the U.S. Senate with unanimous consent and without amendments late Saturday. The legislation gained approval from the U.S. House of Representatives earlier in June. The legislation is designed to enact a national prohibition on the mis
Read MoreOutdated tax law could cost senior homeowners looking to sell

The American dream of homeownership has been a way to build wealth for decades as people pay down their debt while their homes appreciate in value. The result is a nice home equity nest egg — especially for seniors who have owned homes for many years. But an outdated tax law could claw back much of
Read MoreTop Miami agent Raul Santidrian joins Coldwell Banker Realty

Raul Santidrian — a veteran of south Florida’s luxury real estate market — has joined Coldwell Banker Realty’s Pinecrest/Miami office after more than a decade at Douglas Elliman Florida. Santidrian consistently ranks among top agents statewide and brings a track record that includes more than 600 cl
Read MoreTech Pulse: ICE posts strong earnings; bill pushes unconverted crypto in mortgage

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: ICE posts $851M profit in Q2 2025, raises revenue guidance Intercontinental Exchange repo
Read MoreHow to build high-converting real estate landing pages (+ examples)

As a Realtor, your real estate landing pages are one of your most valuable lead generation assets. They are the final gatekeepers between you and your lead. Get them right, and your ROI from paid leads will soar. Get them wrong, and your conversion rate will plummet. It’s no wonder that most Realtor
Read MoreThe Fed could cut rates in September. Mortgage pros are skeptical of the impact

While many expect the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates at its September meeting, mortgage professionals caution that even if it happens, it won’t significantly impact the industry.Loan officers have encouraged borrowers to continue with their home loan applications. They note that home sellers
Read MoreTucson-based independent merges with United Real Estate Specialists

Tucson, Arizona-based independent firm KMS Realty is merging with United Real Estate Specialists, according to an announcement on Friday. Suzanne Rothman, who served as the designated broker KMS Realty, will serve as the managing broker of United Real Estate Specialist. She is also the immediate pas
Read MoreHome insurance rates are cooling — but they’ve jumped 45% since 2022
After several years of sharp hikes in premiums and coverage challenges, the U.S. home insurance market is showing early signs of stabilization, according to a new report from digital insurance agency Matic. Affordability remains a top concern, with climate events, deductibles and aging roofs all pla
Read MoreAdriana D. Kugler, who helps set interest rates, resigns as Fed governor

The Federal Reserve Board announced on Friday that Adriana D. Kugler will step down from her position as governor. Kugler, whose term was set to expire at the end of January 2026, joined the board of governors in September 2023 after being nominated by former President Joe Biden. She submitted her l
Read MoreMortgage rate mythbusting: Destroying the most common misconceptions

Bad takes about mortgage rates spread faster than wildfire — especially when they come from politicians or go viral on X. But when these narratives are misleading or flat-out wrong, they don’t just confuse consumers. They erode trust in our industry and inject unnecessary chaos into an already compl
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