Contracts, Invoices & Legal

Hunton Andrews Kurth explores what makes an attractive shell entity. View the full article

Conforming loan limits are determined using a home price index. A congressman is proposing a switch to an income-based metric, creating more jumbo mortgages. View the full article

The typical homebuyer's monthly mortgage payment reached a record high, up 5.3% year-over-year, but consumers are putting more money down, adding to equity. View the full article

A lapse in the National Flood Insurance Program because of the US government shutdown threatens to snarl home sales in the nation's riskiest floodplains and leave some homeowners without coverage in the middle of hurricane season.

Some lenders have a workaround for the Federal Housing Administration's suspension of reverse mortgage endorsements but fewer options exist in other instances. View the full article

The bill would provide pay for furloughed government workers, resume withheld federal payments to states and localities and recall agency employees who were laid off during the shutdown. View the full article

As the government shutdown stalls key housing programs, lenders are shifting tactics to keep loans moving and preparing for bigger challenges ahead. View the full article

New Federal Reserve research reveals that identity theft victims who use extended fraud alerts often see significant and lasting credit improvements. View the full article

Toronto-based Simply Approved Mortgages is opening for business in Florida and Colorado, looking for the cross-border success that eluded companies like Rocket. View the full article

The industry vendor SitusAMC has not publicly disclosed how many consumers, nor how many banks and lenders, were impacted in a cyberattack last fall. View the full article

A near-record share of homeowners unable to sell their properties are renting them out instead, with "accidental landlords" accounting for 2.3% of listed rental stock in October, per Zillow data. View the full article

The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation index showed little progress toward its target of 2%, increasing the likelihood of a prolonged rate pause. View the full article

The addition of HELOCs at SoFi comes alongside the launch of a new advisory group, as the company heightens its focus on real estate lending. View the full article

The challenger bank exceeded analysts' expectations in income, revenue and earnings per share. View the full article

Dan Sogorka is leaving Rocket to be with his family in San Diego, while Austin Niemiec's title is unchanged but he will no longer be responsible for retail. View the full article

With prices possibly rising over 4% through next year, respondents to a Fall 2024 survey said they would turn to their investment portfolios to fund the down and monthly payments. View the full article

The number of homes with default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions last month was down from January but up 20% from a year ago. View the full article

While San Francisco had the biggest improvement in affordability for prices today versus 2019, Hartford remains in a very deep freeze, First American said. View the full article

A definitive move could occur as early as fiscal year 2026 or take until 2033, depending on what the government is willing to do, according to one analyst. View the full article

The so-called spec home, a spin on the American dream home with standardized color schemes and toilet fixtures, is falling out of favor with some US builders. View the full article

While prices are still rising, an increase in reductions from listing suggests sellers are adjusting to the new reality for home buying this season. View the full article

Whether current conditions favor buyers or sellers is up for debate, as economic uncertainty begins to influence consumer behavior, The Real Brokerage said. View the full article

While more consumers claim they can't tell whether now is a good time to purchase a home, over half of prospective buyers said the market is better than it was in 2024. View the full article

Adjustable rate mortgages accounted for 12% of total home loan volume in March, reaching its highest share of the market since October 2022. View the full article