Amid growing insurance crisis, Farmers pulls out of Florida
A number of insurance providers have left Florida over the last year, apparently driven away thanks to extreme weather and a challenging legal landscape
by Jim Dalrymple II Jul 12
Lone Star lawmakers pass 'largest property tax cut in Texas history'
The deal raises the amount homeowners can exempt from the taxable value of their properties from $40,000 to $100,000, ensuring Texas will remain among the fastest growing states in the US
by Jim Dalrymple II Jul 12
DOJ: Ron DeSantis' foreign-buyer property ban in Florida is unlawful
Department of Justice officials claimed last week the bans on some foreign citizens buying property in Florida violate the Fair Housing Act and the US Constitution
by Daniel Houston Jul 3
Supreme Court nixes $430B in student loan forgiveness
Down payment assistance, income-driven repayment still offer path to homeownership for those repaying $1.6T in student loan debt as Biden administration pledges the 'fight is not over'
by Matt Carter Jun 30
Test triggering $2.3B in mortgage payments leads to $25M fine
ACI Worldwide admits no wrongdoing in settling CFPB's first-ever enforcement action over handling of consumer data in the processing of mortgage payments
by Matt Carter Jun 27
Loan servicers' pandemic-relief efforts 'a major success story'
Mortgage loan servicers collecting payments on loans guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac completed 2.36M 'home retention actions' during the COVID-19 pandemic
by Matt Carter Jun 26
Jumbo mortgage rates rise as lenders pull back
Rates for mortgages backed by Fannie and Freddie continue to ease despite tough talk on inflation from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, but liquidity issues put pressure on bigger loans
by Matt Carter Jun 21
Will chatbots make housing discrimination worse?
New artificial intelligence technology can recommend real estate listings based on neighborhoods' ethnic makeup. Experts are worried about the tech's potential for discrimination
by Jim Dalrymple II Jun 20
Veros says its AVM isn't tripped up by historical redlining boundaries
Study finds that homes located within historically redlined neighborhoods tend to have lower property values because they have less living space and smaller lot sizes
by Matt Carter Jun 16
Audits find fault with help provided to FHA borrowers during pandemic
Loan servicer Mr. Cooper is 'deeply disappointed' that the HUD OIG audit focused on problems it says were mostly technical, rather than on borrower outcomes
by Matt Carter Jun 15
This apartment complex wants to lock residents inside all night long
The Array Apartments in Austin, Texas, has announced a 'mandatory' curfew between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. each night. But legal experts are skeptical such a rule can be enforced
by Jim Dalrymple II Jun 13
The Texas plan that could win even more new homeowners
High property taxes in Texas have in the past canceled out some of the state's affordability advantages. But political leaders are looking for ways to reduce homeowners' tax burden
by Jim Dalrymple II Jun 6
Quality control standards for AVMs may cover discrimination
Proposed standards would include random sample testing and reviews to protect against data manipulation and ensure a 'high level of confidence' in the estimates produced by AVMs
by Matt Carter Jun 2
Airbnb sues New York City over 'de facto ban' on short-term rentals
The company says only nine of its nearly 40,000 units in New York have been approved under the new law — which Airbnb claims is meant to drive out short-term rentals
by Jim Dalrymple II Jun 2
Private mortgage insurers have friends in high places
House lawmakers with differing views on Fannie and Freddie ask SEC not to hinder a system that private mortgage insurers have used to transfer nearly $68B in risk since 2015
by Matt Carter May 26
Mortgage rate gap among lenders wider than previously understood
A homebuyer taking out a $300K loan could end up overpaying by $1,200 a year — and even more if they're in the market for a jumbo, FHA or VA mortgage, according to a new CFPB analysis
by Matt Carter May 26