What's happening: Mortgage rates climb above 6% after Iran attack
The 30‑year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.12%, a 13‑basis‑point jump, as Treasury yields rose nine basis points and mortgage‑backed‑security prices fell. The increase follows heightened geopolitical tension after the Iran attack, pushing rates back above the 6% threshold.
Also developing:

Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. announced a partnership with The Baldwin Group to launch Fairway Home Insurance Agency, offering homeowners insurance at loan origination. The collaboration embeds Baldwin’s proprietary technology into Fairway’s workflow, allowing real‑time policy quotes during the mortgage application. Rollout is slated for the second quarter of 2025, expanding Fairway’s product suite beyond traditional lending. This move follows a broader industry trend of lenders diversifying services to retain borrowers post‑closing.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has unveiled a proposal to overhaul digital connectivity readiness ratings for real‑estate projects. The plan expands the existing five‑star scale to a nine‑star system with half‑star increments and introduces a design‑stage assessment that...

A New York appellate court ruled that U.S. Bank’s mortgage on homeowner John Williams is permanently cancelled because the bank filed a foreclosure action beyond the six‑year limit set by the Foreclosure Abuse Prevention Act (FAPA). The bank’s four attempts...

Mortgage One Funding LLC, a Michigan‑based lender, faces a federal class‑action lawsuit alleging it used artificial‑voice technology to cold‑call consumers about cash‑out refinancing without prior consent. The calls targeted numbers listed on the National Do Not Call Registry, violating the...

The article outlines current interior office build‑out costs for a typical 25,000‑sf floor plate in Houston, breaking down basic, mid‑range, and high‑end tenant improvement (TI) allowances. It provides per‑square‑foot cost ranges—$83‑$104 for basic, $107‑$140 for mid‑range, and $158‑$280 for premium...
Tariff volatility under the Trump administration is forcing U.S. brands to rethink where they source products. Executives like Brooklinen's COO note that shifting production to a new country takes months, not weeks, and domestic cotton supplies are limited. Companies are...

UK retail property is re‑emerging as a high‑yield asset class, with prime shopping centre yields near 8% and secondary assets offering double‑digit returns. Transaction volumes in 2025 were modest at £5.83 bn, but the market saw a flurry of marquee deals,...

Manchester City and Ohana Development have announced a joint‑venture to build Manchester City‑branded residences on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island, with sales slated to begin on 1 March 2026. The waterfront project covers 1.67 million sq m and will offer studios through five‑bedroom villas priced between...
The Rookie Reply podcast outlines a hybrid real‑estate strategy that blends house hacking, flipping, and the Burr rehab‑while‑living approach to generate cash flow, appreciation, loan paydown, and tax benefits within five years. It advises new investors to leverage modest capital...

London’s managed office segment now commands a roughly 40% price premium over serviced desks, averaging £230 more per seat, according to Rubberdesk data. In Q4 2025 managed supply rose 5.5% while serviced office stock contracted 7.3% and prices fell 4% year‑on‑year....

The 2026 luxury housing report shows the median entry price for the nation’s top 10 % of homes steady at about $1.2 million, while the elite “ultraluxury” ZIP codes now start at $5.5 million. Newport Coast, CA (92657) displaced Fisher Island, FL to...
Los Angeles office landlords are converting premium space into compact, influencer‑ready studios, a trend embraced by brands like Puma, Skims and e.l.f. These in‑house production hubs serve as showrooms, event venues and content creation labs, allowing companies to showcase products...

University of California, Riverside researchers deployed large‑language‑model agents as “virtual residents” to capture community sentiment on data‑center proposals early in the planning cycle. The AI agents consistently highlighted water consumption, utility costs and electricity demand as primary concerns, while identifying...

Valckensteyn, Rotterdam’s first mass‑timber residential tower, has been completed, delivering 82 affordable rental homes in the post‑war Pendrecht district. Designed by Powerhouse Company for housing corporation Woonstad Rotterdam, the 7,970 m² building relies on a CL Cross‑Laminated Timber core, with demountable fibre‑cement...

JLL’s new report warns that power reliability is eclipsing traditional location priorities in commercial real estate. Tenants in data centers, advanced manufacturing, labs and healthcare are willing to pay sizable rent premiums for sites with resilient energy supplies. The study...

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) and global data‑center operator Equinix have signed a $4 billion agreement to develop the atNorth platform across the Nordics. The partnership will fund the construction of multiple hyperscale facilities, targeting the region’s growing demand...

Rightmove reported audited FY 2025 results, delivering 9% revenue growth to £425.1 m and a 12% rise in operating profit. Agency membership increased 2% and retention reached its second‑highest level in a decade, while AI‑enabled Agent Valuation recorded its fastest adoption. The...
The episode examines the recent slowdown in REIT take‑private activity as market conditions improve, highlighting the $3.4 billion Affinius Capital acquisition of Varus Residential REIT as a benchmark. Guests Jonathan Brass, Sarah Marks, and Matthew Norris explain that higher valuations, abundant...
The article breaks down how Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) rates are calculated, emphasizing the prime‑plus‑margin formula. It shows competitive margin ranges by credit tier—prime + 0‑1% for excellent scores and higher for fair credit. It also warns that introductory rates...

India’s listed coworking operators have turned a profit in Q3 FY26, signalling a shift from pre‑IPO scepticism to financial stability. WeWork India posted a ₹16.8 Cr PAT and 29% revenue growth, while Awfis and Smartworks reported 43% profit growth and a...

Former housing secretaries Angela Rayner and Lord Michael Gove will appear before the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee on 3 March to give evidence on the Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill. The session will also hear leasehold campaigners, the Residential Freehold Association...

Upsizers reclaimed dominance in the UK housing market, accounting for 70.3% of all property moves in Q1 2026 – the strongest share since May 2021. Mortgage usage rose to 82.5%, the highest level in eight years, reflecting renewed borrower confidence as borrowing...
Sunstone Hotel Investors (SHO) reaffirmed its full‑year earnings outlook despite a choppy operating environment and a government shutdown. Third‑quarter RevPAR rose 2% year‑over‑year, led by strong performance in San Francisco and Miami Beach, while adjusted EBITDAre reached $50 million and adjusted...

The Albanese government has asked Treasury to examine limiting negative gearing deductions to a maximum of two investment properties. Data from the ATO shows fewer than 100,000 Australians currently own three or more negatively geared homes, but the figure has...
Camber Property Group sold a rent‑stabilized Brooklyn portfolio for $79.9 million, nearly matching its 2020 purchase price of $81.5 million. The eight pre‑war buildings comprise 387 units and benefit from a Section 610 rent‑subsidy amendment and a 40‑year Article XI tax abatement. The deal...
Hudson Pacific Properties posted a Q4 net loss of $277.9 million despite a revenue increase to $256 million, driven partly by a termination fee from Riot Games. The REIT signed 518 K SF of leases, lifting office occupancy to 76.3% and moving its leased‑percentage...

Rocket announced a three‑year strategic alliance with Compass, linking Rocket Pro brokers to Compass’s nationwide real‑estate agents and offering an 80‑basis‑point purchase credit. The partnership promises to feed more than 500,000 new listings into Redfin, expanding the searchable inventory for homebuyers....

Congress is juggling two housing bills—the House‑passed Housing for the 21st Century Act and the Senate’s ROAD to Housing Act of 2025—both aimed at easing affordability pressures. The House bill concentrates on construction regulations and expanding supply, while the Senate...

The Grattan Institute proposes that New South Wales could add up to one million homes by adopting Victoria’s “as‑of‑right” planning framework. Victoria’s model automatically approves terraces, townhouses and three‑storey apartments that meet objective design standards, removing council vetoes. Extending this...
Talonvest Capital arranged $42.6 million of permanent financing for three Class A self‑storage properties owned by The William Warren Group. The largest loan, $25 million, funds a 1,261‑unit facility in Hawthorne, California, with a five‑year interest‑only structure. Two additional loans of $9 million and...
Nauset Construction finished a full renovation of Forte at 1440 Beacon, a 136‑unit luxury apartment complex in Brookline’s Coolidge Corner. The upgrade modernized the lobby, common areas, exterior and MEP systems of the 1949‑built property while residents remained occupied. Wingate...

Mortgage‑market veteran Glen Weinberg argues that the United States’ housing‑affordability crisis cannot be fixed by short‑term policy tweaks such as 50‑year loans, 401(k) withdrawals, or banning institutional investors. He links persistently high mortgage rates to the federal deficit, which pushes...

TransUnion projects moderate credit growth for 2026, with mortgage originations rising 4.0% and unsecured personal loans expanding 11.2%. Credit‑card originations are slated for a modest 2.0% increase, while auto‑loan originations may dip 1.5%. The outlook emphasizes disciplined underwriting supported by...

The national delinquency rate slipped to 3.65% in January, yet foreclosure starts surged to 42,000, matching early‑2020 levels. Late‑stage delinquencies rose 104,000 year‑over‑year, pushing the count of borrowers 90+ days delinquent to a July 2022 high. While mortgage rates fell, pre‑payment...

Michigan reported adding almost 87,000 new or rehabilitated housing units, completing its 2022 statewide housing plan a year early. Governor Gretchen Whitmer set a new target of 115,000 units for 2024 and called for zoning reforms and a state affordable‑housing...

Vancouver‑based fractional real‑estate platform Addy announced it is restructuring its business, engaging Dentons and Crowe MacKay to guide an orderly transition. The move follows a 2025 $100,000 fine from the British Columbia Securities Commission for trading $26 million of securities without...
The Truth in Lending Act grants a three‑business‑day right of rescission for HELOCs on a primary residence, allowing borrowers to cancel the loan without penalty. Cancellation must be submitted in writing before the deadline, and the lender has 20 calendar...
High‑income homeowners can secure jumbo HELOCs ranging from $500,000 to over $1 million, with approval hinging on equity, liquidity, and credit strength rather than salary alone. These lines let borrowers preserve low‑rate first mortgages while unlocking equity for luxury renovations, business...
The Mortgage Reports released a comprehensive 2026 guide on home‑equity lines of credit (HELOC) tailored for high‑income earners. It outlines that borrowers with a debt‑to‑income ratio below 43%, at least 15‑20% home equity, and credit scores over 700 typically secure...
Marcus & Millichap closed the sale of 44 Mead St., a 62,259‑square‑foot industrial complex in Leominster, MA, for $4 million to The Lexvest Group. The eight‑tenant, 4.1‑acre site features high clear heights, multiple loading docks, and direct access to Route 2 and the North Leominster...
OpenAI has signed a ten‑year lease for a 439,000‑square‑foot campus at 350 and 380 Ellis Street in Mountain View, securing its first right of purchase before the property is marketed by KKR Real Estate Finance Trust. The lease follows advanced...

Freddie Mac reported its single‑family serious delinquency rate rose to 0.60% in January, a marginal increase from December’s 0.59% and slightly below the 0.61% recorded a year earlier. Fannie Mae’s comparable rate edged up to 0.59% from 0.58% in December,...
Redfin announced a partnership with Compass International Holdings to display Compass listings on Redfin.com without days‑on‑market, price‑history, or valuation data. The arrangement lets sellers choose phased marketing, keeping listings MLS‑compliant while delaying full public exposure. Redfin emphasizes that 94% of...

Lithium‑ion batteries now power phones, laptops, e‑bikes and countless household gadgets, turning them into a fast‑growing residential fire hazard. Experts warn that thermal runaway—where a cell overheats and can reach temperatures above 1,000°F within seconds—can ignite silently while devices charge...

Prospective homebuyers need to maximize returns on down‑payment savings while preserving liquidity. High‑yield savings accounts (HYSA) currently offer 3.3‑4.5% APY, whereas six‑month certificates of deposit (CD) provide slightly higher fixed rates around 4.0‑4.1%. The choice hinges on the buyer’s timeline:...
A three‑judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a district‑court summary judgment that had favored Loancare, reviving a class‑action suit alleging the mortgage servicer mishandled borrower prepayments. The plaintiffs claim Loancare delayed applying prepayments to principal,...

Hovnanian Enterprises reported its first‑quarter 2026 earnings, delivering modest revenue growth and an earnings‑per‑share beat despite a softening housing market. Net income rose to $85 million, up 6% year‑over‑year, while home sales volumes slipped 3% as buyers delayed purchases. The company...
NewCourtland is allocating $2 million to build at least seven mixed‑age homes on Philadelphia’s Bonsall Street, each featuring accessory dwelling units (ADUs) for seniors. Working‑class buyers will purchase the main units, receive down‑payment assistance, and rent the senior ADUs, creating a...

Former WeWork CEO Adam Neumann’s real‑estate firm Flow purchased the 75‑year‑old Rader Memorial United Methodist Church in El Portal, Florida for $13.72 million and demolished it to make way for his wife Rebekah’s new private Jewish school, Student of Life, for Life...

Unscrupulous home sellers often employ deceptive tactics to boost a property’s price, ranging from hiding appliance ages to faking high‑end brand badges. They may obscure serial numbers, apply stainless‑steel decals, or swap hardware to make old units appear newer. Isolated...