News•Feb 24, 2026
How Brokers Can Use HELOCs to Give Homeowners Protection in a Volatile Economy
Brokers are promoting home‑equity lines of credit (HELOCs) as a financial safety net for homeowners facing job uncertainty in a volatile economy. Matt Stahl of Edge Home Finance highlights that first‑position HELOCs give borrowers unrestricted access to equity for up to 30 years, helping them weather layoffs, gig‑economy income swings, or other life events. The article links rising AI‑driven layoff concerns and a growing gig workforce to the need for flexible credit solutions. By positioning HELOCs as a proactive tool, brokers can protect borrowers before a loss of income occurs, rather than reacting after a default.
By Mortgage Professional America
News•Feb 24, 2026
Hanley Investment Group Arranges $1.9 Million Sale of Ground Lease in Indianapolis
Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors arranged the sale of a new single‑tenant ground lease for a McDonald’s restaurant at Southern Dunes Commons in Indianapolis for $1.9 million. The lease is a 20‑year absolute triple‑net agreement backed by McDonald’s corporate guarantee....
By Shopping Center Business
News•Feb 24, 2026
Bank Holdings of Residential MBS Seesaw Down in 4Q
Bank holdings of residential mortgage‑backed securities (MBS) fell sharply in the fourth quarter, registering a net outflow of roughly $12.4 billion, the lowest level since early 2021. The decline was uneven, with large banks cutting positions more aggressively than regional lenders,...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 24, 2026
Strong Demand for GSE-Eligible Loans in Non-Agency MBS
Investors are showing strong appetite for GSE‑eligible loans embedded in non‑agency mortgage‑backed securities, tightening spreads and lifting prices across the segment. The surge reflects limited agency supply and the premium investors assign to loans that meet Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac eligibility...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 24, 2026
Share of Complaints to CFPB Receiving Relief Drops
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported a sharp decline in the share of consumer complaints that receive relief, dropping to 38% in the most recent quarter. Complaint filings rose 12% year‑over‑year, driven largely by mortgage‑related issues. Mortgage lenders now account...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 24, 2026
Better Turns to Stablecoin for Warehouse Funding Alternative
Better.com announced it will use a US‑backed stablecoin to finance its mortgage warehouse line, marking a first for a major U.S. mortgage originator. The company plans to tap USDC on a public blockchain to raise short‑term capital, bypassing traditional bank...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 24, 2026
Short Takes: Home Prices Tick Up / Chase Offering Rate Discount / Bed Bath & Beyond Getting Into Mortgages /...
Home prices edged higher in the latest quarter, while Chase announced a modest rate discount to spur loan demand. Retail giant Bed Bath & Beyond entered the mortgage origination space, signaling non‑traditional players’ interest in housing finance. Bayview Capital began stocking GSE‑eligible loans...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 24, 2026
5 Tips for Scaling Smart Building Across Large CRE Portfolios
Large CRE owners face rising energy costs, volatile pricing and tightening regulations that pressure NOI. Smart building technologies—IoT sensors, AI analytics and automated controls—promise 15‑25% energy savings when deployed at scale. The article outlines five actionable steps: thorough assessments with...
By Buildings.com
News•Feb 24, 2026
Could the Current Cold Snap Pummel the Eastern Housing Market?
A severe Arctic blast swept the Eastern United States in February, halting in‑person real‑estate transactions and delaying listings, contracts, and closings across major metros. Mortgage applications fell 8.9% that week, with purchase requests down 14%, despite a modest dip in...
By Mortgage Professional America
News•Feb 24, 2026
Commentary: Case-Shiller Home Price Index Price Growth Slowing Through December
The S&P CoreLogic Case‑Shiller National Home Price Index rose 1.3% year‑over‑year in December, a slight dip from 1.4% in November, indicating a slowdown in price growth. Existing‑home sales fell to a 1995 low while national inventory more than doubled since...
By Realtor.com Research
News•Feb 24, 2026
Asia-Pacific Commercial Real Estate Extends Rebound in 2026
Asia‑Pacific commercial real estate is set for a 5‑10% investment boost in 2026, extending the rebound that began in 2025. Full‑year transaction activity hit $157 billion, up 22% from 2024, as net buying intentions climb to 17%. Office properties have reclaimed...
By World Property Journal
News•Feb 24, 2026
Young Adult Headship Rates in 2024: Cyclical Slip or New Equilibrium?
Young adult headship rates slipped to 43.7% in 2024, reversing the post‑pandemic rise that peaked at 44.2% in 2023. While this figure still exceeds the 40.2% level recorded in 2017, it remains below the roughly 46% benchmark of the 1990s‑early...
By NAHB – Eye on Housing
News•Feb 24, 2026
Half of Americans Struggle to Pay Rent or Mortgage, With Gen Z Hit Hardest
A Redfin‑Ipsos survey of 4,000 U.S. adults finds that 49% of Americans now struggle to afford their rent or mortgage, up from 44% last spring. The burden falls hardest on Gen Z, with 67% reporting payment stress versus roughly 53% of...
By Redfin News
News•Feb 24, 2026
Placer.ai Overall Retail, E-Commerce Distribution, Industrial Manufacturing Index, January 2026 – Placer.ai Blog
Placer.ai’s January 2026 index shows both e‑commerce distribution centers and brick‑and‑mortar retailers recorded year‑over‑year foot‑traffic growth, extending holiday‑season momentum. Distribution centers posted a 2.6% increase while retail chains rose 1.8% YoY. In contrast, the Industrial Manufacturing Index slipped, driven by Winter...
By Placer.ai Blog
News•Feb 24, 2026
What Awaits the New CEOs at Walmart and Target? – Placer.ai Blog
Walmart closed Q4 2025 with foot‑traffic up 2.3% YoY and a 4.5% comparable‑sales gain, bolstered by 28% e‑commerce growth, positioning new CEO John Furner for a strong start. Target’s Q4 2025 visits fell 2.0% YoY and comparable sales dropped 2.7%, with weekend...
By Placer.ai Blog
News•Feb 24, 2026
Dollar Stores, the New Face of the Holiday Season – Placer.ai Blog
Dollar stores experienced a 4.5% year‑over‑year increase in foot traffic during Q4 2025, matching growth rates of off‑price clubs and outpacing traditional holiday categories such as apparel and electronics. Five Below led the surge with strong same‑store visits focused on gifting,...
By Placer.ai Blog
News•Feb 24, 2026
Placer.ai January 2026 Office Index: Fern Puts RTO to the Test – Placer.ai Blog
Placer.ai’s January 2026 Office Index shows that winter storm Fern dented foot‑traffic but did not derail the broader return‑to‑office (RTO) recovery. Adjusted for working days, office visits reached the highest January level since the pandemic began, even as overall traffic stayed...
By Placer.ai Blog
News•Feb 24, 2026
Tech and AI: An Evolution, Not a Reinvention, of Commercial Real Estate – Placer.ai Blog
Commercial real estate (CRE) is not being displaced by AI, but a strategic tech stack can accelerate insight, cut risk, and sharpen strategy. The industry’s reliance on local knowledge and relationships remains, yet COVID‑driven digital adoption highlighted the need for...
By Placer.ai Blog
News•Feb 24, 2026
Costco Broadens Audience While Tightening Membership – Placer.ai Blog
Costco raised membership fees and tightened access rules, yet foot traffic kept rising through late 2025 and early 2026. Same‑store and total visits posted year‑over‑year gains, supporting mid‑single‑digit comparable‑sales growth reported in 2025. The higher cost of commitment appears to...
By Placer.ai Blog
News•Feb 24, 2026
Continued Improvement in the Home Improvement Space – Placer.ai Blog
Foot‑traffic analysis from Placer.ai shows The Home Depot and Lowe’s each posted roughly 3% year‑over‑year visit growth in November 2025, with a rebound in January 2026 driven by storm‑prep shopping. Both retailers reported sales expansion and higher big‑ticket purchases in Q3 2025, indicating...
By Placer.ai Blog
News•Feb 24, 2026
NPTN by LMS Joins Bank of England Synchronisation Lab to Tackle Remortgage Friction
LMS, through its NPTN network, has entered the Bank of England’s Synchronisation Lab to pilot a synchronized settlement model for remortgages. The eight‑week test will run in a simulated Real‑Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) environment, splitting payments into earmark and settle...
By The Fintech Times
News•Feb 24, 2026
Government Office Closures Deliver over £17 Million in Annual Savings
The UK government announced that closing three central London office buildings has generated more than £17 million in annual savings, with the latest closure of 10 Victoria Street delivering around £8.8 million in rent reductions. The closures are part of a broader...
By Workplace Insight
News•Feb 23, 2026
District Court in Washington Refuses to Block State SPCP
A Washington district court declined to issue an injunction against the State's Secure Property Credit Program (SPCP), allowing the program to continue operating. Plaintiffs argued the SPCP violated federal mortgage regulations, but the court found insufficient evidence of immediate harm....
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 23, 2026
Other News in Brief
Bank holdings of residential mortgage‑backed securities dropped in Q4, while investor appetite for GSE‑eligible non‑agency loans surged. The CFPB reported a lower share of complaints receiving relief, and fintech Better turned to stablecoins for warehouse funding. M&A activity is reshaping...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 23, 2026
Pilots Win Court Fight Over Housing Near California Airport
A Santa Cruz County judge ruled that Watsonville violated the State Aeronautics Act and CEQA by approving a 21‑unit housing project inside the safety zone of Watsonville Municipal Airport. The court ordered the city to adopt state‑mandated airport compatibility standards...
By AVweb
News•Feb 23, 2026
Huey Magoo’s Open 12 New Restaurants in Texas, Alabama
Huey Magoo’s signed a development agreement to launch 12 new restaurants—four in Birmingham, Alabama, and eight across North Dallas, Texas. The locations will be owned and operated by the Jha Rajput Patel group. Founded in 2004, Huey Magoo’s already runs...
By Shopping Center Business
News•Feb 23, 2026
Bank Mortgage-Banking Earnings Slip in Fourth Quarter
Bank mortgage‑banking earnings slipped in the fourth quarter, falling roughly 12% year‑over‑year despite a modest 5% rise in loan volume. Residential mortgage‑backed securities (MBS) holdings saw a sharp decline, while demand for non‑agency, GSE‑eligible loans surged. Banks turned to stablecoin‑based...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 23, 2026
Mortgage Investors Expect Early Challenges With New Credit Score Models
Mortgage investors are bracing for short‑term disruption as major credit bureaus roll out next‑generation scoring models that incorporate alternative data and machine‑learning algorithms. The new frameworks promise finer risk granularity but also introduce uncertainty around model validation, regulatory approval, and...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 23, 2026
Industry Participants Have Pulte’s Ear in First Year at FHFA
Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request reveal that FHFA Director Bill Pulte met with a broad array of industry participants during the first seven months of his tenure. The schedule shows more than 150 engagements with banks,...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 23, 2026
Risks Seen in Potential Shift From Tri-Merge Process
Industry analysts warn that moving away from the established tri‑merge securitization framework could introduce significant operational and liquidity risks for mortgage lenders. The tri‑merge process, which bundles GSE‑eligible loans from multiple originators, has underpinned stable funding flows for years. A...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 23, 2026
Short Takes: Expanded-Credit MBS From Redwood / MSRs on Offer / Rate Launches Crypto Option / Sales of New Homes...
Redwood introduced an expanded‑credit mortgage‑backed security, widening the pool of agency‑eligible assets as banks see their residential MBS holdings dip in Q4. Mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) are now being offered directly, reflecting heightened M&A activity that is reshaping the conventional...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 23, 2026
It’s a Buyer’s Market: America Has 44% More Home Sellers Than Buyers—A Near-Record Gap
In January 2026 the U.S. housing market recorded a near‑record imbalance, with 44% more home sellers than buyers – roughly 600,000 excess listings. This buyer’s market, defined by a gap exceeding 10%, has persisted since May 2024 and follows a...
By Redfin News
News•Feb 23, 2026
The ROI of Predictive Property Management with IoT Sensors
A six‑month pilot at Langvout Court retirement complex in the Scottish Borders equipped the site with unobtrusive IoT sensors linked to an ambient assisted‑living platform. The deployment generated a 4.4 to 1 return on investment, meaning each £1 spent produced £4.40 of...
By Workplace Insight
News•Feb 20, 2026
The Return of Pacific Place
Los Angeles‑based BH Properties acquired Seattle’s Pacific Place in May 2024 and announced a full revitalization. The 335,000‑sq ft downtown mall, which had slipped to 45% occupancy under the previous owner, will receive interior upgrades, lease‑ready suites, and a four‑story LED...
By Shopping Center Business
News•Feb 20, 2026
Gen Z Is Shifting the Future of Retail
Generation Z is redefining retail by favoring in‑person experiences despite their digital upbringing. A recent Retail Dive survey shows 69 percent prefer brick‑and‑mortar stores, with three‑quarters visiting weekly, prompting brands to create hybrid, experience‑focused spaces. Architects like RDC are translating online identities...
By Shopping Center Business
News•Feb 20, 2026
Methodical Growth
Retail real estate in the Mid‑Atlantic remains healthy but is becoming increasingly selective as limited supply, zoning constraints, and rising construction costs tighten the market. Developers are focusing on mixed‑use, grocery‑anchored projects such as Richmond’s $2.4 billion Diamond District and the...
By Shopping Center Business
News•Feb 20, 2026
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Profits Decline in 2025
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reported a sharp decline in 2025 net earnings, falling roughly 12% year‑over‑year. The drop coincides with an 8% contraction in bank holdings of agency residential mortgage‑backed securities in Q4 and a reduced share of correspondent...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 20, 2026
Rep. Hill Unimpressed by Trump’s GSE ‘IPO’ Plan
Representative Hill voiced strong skepticism toward President Trump’s proposal to launch an initial public offering of the government‑sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He warned that a rushed IPO could destabilize the secondary mortgage market and raise borrowing costs...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 20, 2026
FHFA Eliminates Key Fair Lending/Fair Housing Rule
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced the repeal of its longstanding fair‑lending and fair‑housing rule that imposed heightened nondiscrimination standards on GSE‑originated mortgages. A recent GAO review gave FHFA a clean bill of health on its accounting, while noting...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 20, 2026
FHFA to Improve Nonbank Supervision on GAO Nudge
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced plans to tighten supervision of non‑bank mortgage lenders following a GAO recommendation. A GAO review gave FHFA a clean bill of health on its financial statements but highlighted $32.9 million in costs tied to...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 20, 2026
Pulte Met With Many in Industry During First Year
FHFA Director Bill Pulte’s first seven months in office were marked by an intensive outreach schedule, meeting with dozens of banks, GSE representatives, fintech firms, and mortgage servicers. The FOIA‑released list shows roughly 45 engagements covering agency‑MBS policy, stablecoin warehouse...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 20, 2026
Study Finds GSE-Backed Investor Loans Crowd Out FTHBs
A recent study shows that loans backed by government‑sponsored enterprises (GSEs) for investor purchases are increasingly displacing first‑time homebuyers (FTHBs) in the mortgage market. Investor‑originated, GSE‑secured loans grew 12% year‑over‑year, while FTHB loan share slipped 8% in Q3 2025. The...
By Inside Mortgage Finance
News•Feb 20, 2026
Brad Carr: Canada Needs to Cut the GST/HST for All New Homebuyers, Not Just First-Timers
Brad Carr, CEO of Mattamy Homes, urges the federal and Ontario governments to broaden the GST/HST rebate to all new‑home buyers, not just first‑timers. He points to a sharp decline in Canadian home sales—GTA sales fell 11.2% in 2025, with...
By Financial Post — Personal Finance
News•Feb 19, 2026
HUD Moves to Close 'Mixed Status Households' Roommate Loophole
HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced a proposed rule that would require proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status for every resident in HUD‑funded housing, targeting so‑called “mixed‑status households.” The rule follows a HUD‑DHS audit that identified roughly 200,000 units...
By HUD
News•Feb 18, 2026
Garry Marr: Home Buyers' Plan Was Invitation to Disaster for Young Canadians Who Bought at Market Peak
The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP), which lets Canadians withdraw up to $60,000 from their RRSPs for a first‑home down payment, was widely promoted as a tax‑free shortcut to homeownership. However, buyers who entered the market at the March 2022 peak of...
By Financial Post — Personal Finance
News•Feb 17, 2026
January 2026 Rental Report: Renter Conditions Improve Across U.S. Markets, With Notable Increases in Vacancies
Realtor.com’s January 2026 Rental Report shows the 29th consecutive month of year‑over‑year rent declines for 0‑2‑bedroom units, with the median asking rent falling 1.5% to $1,672. Vacancy rates in the nation’s 50 largest metros rose to 7.6%, the highest since...
By Realtor.com Research
News•Feb 11, 2026
Capital Shift: Office-To-Residential Conversions Accelerate In The DMV
Office‑to‑residential conversions are rapidly reshaping the DMV, with more than 6,500 residential units now in the pipeline. The region needs roughly 320,000 housing units by 2030, leaving a shortfall of about 100,000 units that obsolete office space can help fill....
By Bisnow