Foreclosures 'Could Signal Shifting Housing Market Dynamics'
Foreclosure filings rose to 118,727 in the first quarter, up 6 % from the prior quarter and 26 % year‑over‑year, according to Attom data. The increase is driven mainly by a rise in foreclosure starts, which are edging toward the 100,000 threshold. While still far below the 2008 crisis peak, the trend signals growing financial pressure on homeowners as interest rates stay high. Regional hotspots such as Texas, Florida and Indiana show the most acute activity, and average foreclosure timelines have shortened to 577 days.
Fired Fannie Mae Workers' Defamation Lawsuit Dismissed
U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema dismissed the defamation lawsuit filed by 61 former Fannie Mae employees, allowing them to refile the claim. The workers, all of Indian origin, said FHFA Director Bill Pulte’s public statements falsely portrayed them as engaging...
Mortgage Fraud Vulnerabilities Dip to 43.7% in Q1
The FundingShield Fraud Analytics Report shows mortgage file errors fell to 43.7% in Q1, the lowest rate since Q2 2022. Issues per transaction dropped to an average of 2.2, down from 3.2 in the prior quarter. Closing‑protection letter (CPL) defects remain...
Exclusive: Warren to Probe Warsh on His Role in 2008 Crisis
Senator Elizabeth Warren is pressing the Federal Reserve for records on former governor Kevin Warsh’s actions during the 2008 financial crisis ahead of his Fed chair nomination hearing. Warren alleges Warsh downplayed subprime mortgage risks and facilitated multibillion‑dollar taxpayer‑funded bailouts,...
Gen Z, Millennial Homeowners Struggle with Mortgage Payments
A 2026 ServiceLink State of Homebuying Report shows nearly half of Gen Z homeowners and 44% of millennials risk missing a mortgage payment, with 14‑15% facing repeated missed payments. LendingTree data reveals Gen Z borrowers allocate 24.5% of monthly income to mortgage...
New-Home Purchase Applications Hit Record High in March
New‑home purchase applications surged 11% year‑over‑year in March, the strongest pace since the MBA’s 2012 inception. Volume jumped 26% from February, pushing the builders index to a record high and lifting annualized sales estimates to 717,000 units. Despite higher mortgage...
Spring Purchase Activity Jumps Despite Climbing Rates
Purchase activity surged in March, with mortgage locks up 38% from February and 20% year‑over‑year, despite 30‑year rates climbing to 6.35%. Buyers made up 71% of locks, while adjustable‑rate mortgages rose to 12% of production, the highest since Oct 2022. Total...
FHLB Council Maps Out Mortgage Credit Expansion Plan
President Trump’s executive order on mortgage credit gives the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) system a new legal footing to expand funding options. The Council of Federal Home Loan Banks, led by Ryan Donovan, outlined a roadmap that includes a letter‑of‑credit...
Kastle AI Integrates with ICE's Mortgage Servicing System
Kastle AI announced a native integration with Intercontinental Exchange’s mortgage servicing platform, MSP, enabling servicers to deploy its AI agents without building custom infrastructure. The connection lets the AI agents, such as Avery, access loan data and execute workflows directly...
Fannie Mae Establishes New AI Governance Guidelines
Fannie Mae announced AI and machine‑learning governance guidelines that become mandatory on August 6 for lenders and servicers handling its guaranteed loans. The rules mirror Freddie Mac’s earlier policy but adopt a principles‑based framework, emphasizing communication, annual oversight, and risk‑management. Entities must train...
Why Remodelers Aren't Panicking About Rising Rates
Rising mortgage rates are cooling existing home sales, yet remodelers remain upbeat, citing an aging housing stock and the lock‑in effect that keeps owners at home. The NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index recorded a first‑quarter sentiment score of 62, modestly...
Existing-Home Sales Fall to Nine-Month Low as Prices Rise
Existing-home sales in March dropped 3.6% to an annualized 3.98 million, the lowest level since June. The median selling price rose 1.4% year‑over‑year to $408,800, while inventory crept to a four‑month high but remains tight. The National Association of Realtors cut...
Non-Banks See Opportunity in Physician Mortgage Niche
Kroll Bond Rating Agency estimates that physician‑focused mortgages could generate about $5 billion of new loan volume each year for prime private‑label RMBS, a modest but meaningful slice of the jumbo market. Non‑bank lenders such as Gershman Mortgage, Certainty Home Lending...
HEI Customers File New Class Action Against Unison
Home equity investment firm Unison is sued in Colorado federal court by homeowners Katharine and Charles Kane, who claim the company's shared‑appreciation contracts function as undisclosed loans. The Kanes allege the agreement, originally a $88,000 advance for a 70% home...
War, Oil and Inflation: What It Means for Rates
Inflation spikes tied to the Iran conflict prompted the Blue Chip Economic Indicators (BCEI) panel to revise upward its core PCE forecasts and soften expectations for near‑term Federal Reserve rate cuts. The panel now projects core PCE growth of 3.0%...
