2025

U.S. homeowners lost a portion of their pandemic-era wealth gains in the third quarter as cooling home prices and heavier leverage began to erode equity, according to a new report from property data firm Cotality. Total borrower equity in mortgaged homes fell $373.8 billion from a year earlier, a decline of 2.1%, leaving aggregate net equity at $17.1 trillion, Cotality said in its third-quarter Homeowner...

As mortgage rates stay near 6%, our weekly housing demand data lines have improved so much that we are at multiyear highs in total pending sales and purchase application data combined. This shouldn’t be a shock for our readers because whenever mortgage rates break below 6.64% and head down toward 6%, housing data noticeably improves and unlike last year, mortgage rates haven’t spiked higher from that...

With just a handful of seasonal elements — lush evergreens, vibrant berries, structural branches and twinkling lights — it’s relatively easy to craft an eye-catching arrangement to carry your entryway gracefully through the holidays and beyond. Take a look at the following 10 ideas that all...

When this family of five asked designer Bre Hance, who uses Houzz Pro software, to update their ranch-style home, the goal was simple: to create spaces that would look good and work hard. Whether it’s a family room and dining room with durable finishes, an attic converted into a kids’...

This Trending Now story features the most-saved new patio and deck photos uploaded to Houzz since Jan. 1, 2025.If you’re looking to refresh your outdoor space, you’ll find plenty of inspiration in this countdown of 2025’s most-saved patios and decks. The spaces are in a...

Don Goettling, a nearly 40-year veteran of the mortgage and real estate industry, announced last week that he’s committing full time to his role as CEO of Momentum Builder, the company he co-founded in 2018. The organization, which provides resources for housing professionals — including coaching, workshops, events and technology tools — also oversees the Sales Mastery event, founded by Todd...

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is proposing changes to rules under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) to clarify lenders’ responsibilities on issues including disparate impact, discouragement of applicants and special purpose credit programs (SPCPs) that industry leaders say could hurt women’s ability to get a mortgage loan in their own name. The comment period for the proposal...

Title and settlement services technology provider Settlor has introduced a new integration with DataTrace. The connection allows Settlor’s users to access DataTrace tools directly within Settlor’s title production system — eliminating the need to switch between platforms. Integration gives users the ability to run automated title searches tied to specific properties and retrieve related documents...

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced Thursday that it is opening an investigation into the city of Boston’s housing policies, examining perceived discrimination against white residents. In a letter to Mayor Michelle Wu, Craig Trainor — HUD’s assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity — said city officials had prioritized people of color in their...

Ideas for reshaping the federally insured reverse mortgage program and its avenue for secondary market issuance is the hot topic of conversation for industry professionals in late 2025. And New View Advisors added to the discussion last week with a host of comments submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The company published...