2025

Seeking to align with recent executive orders issued by President Donald Trump, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced on Wednesday the publication of a new mortgagee letter (ML) that restricts qualification for FHA-backed mortgages to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The measure applies to all Title II single-family mortgage programs, including the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage...

A plumbing expert explains why pouring coffee grounds down the drain is a bad idea—and what you should do...

In 1961, an engineer constructed a modern house on a sloped, wooded lot in Greenville, South Carolina. Over the next 60 years, vinyl siding covered the original exterior, a Craftsman-style kitchen was added and other period-inappropriate renovations crept in. But when a couple with a fondness for...

Shrink Extra Space Storage facility in Upland, California. Photo courtesy of Extra Space Storage. Expand Extra Space Storage facility in Upland, California. Photo courtesy of Extra Space Storage. The self-storage REIT is ramping up third-party management and bridge loan...

The latest Daft.ie House Price Report reveals that housing prices across Ireland rose by an average of 3.7% in the first quarter of 2025. The national average listed price reached €346,048, reflecting an 11.6% increase compared to the previous year and a 35% rise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This rate of inflation is the second-highest recorded in the decade since the implementation of...

Elon Musk and his team in the White House reportedly plan to lay off a substantial portion of employees in the U.S. Department of Treasury as part of their ongoing effort to reduce the federal workforce. In a court filing Tuesday surfaced by Bloomberg Law, the Treasury’s Deputy Assistant Secretary Trevor Norris stated that the department is finalizing plans to comply with President Donald Trump’s...

The National Association of Realtors‘ Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP), which requires agents to put a listing on the MLS within one business day, will remain in place, NAR announced Tuesday. But the trade group is also offering an additional option to home sellers — a delayed marketing exemption period. The CCP has been a polarizing issue between brokers who believe in the policy and those who would...

In a series of posts to his account on social media platform X, Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte published housing orders that terminate special purpose credit programs (SPCPs) and rescinds a 2024 advisory bulletin detailing the agency’s enforcement against unfair or deceptive acts or practices (UDAP). Pulte did not include separate comments with each of these orders and...

As the scrutiny of home equity investment (HEI) products has accelerated, credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings this week released a report explaining its approach to such products, reiterating that it does not rate them. While some other ratings agencies have opted to provide assessments for such products, Fitch continues to avoid “provid rating criteria for securitizations backed by HEI/HEA assets,”...

Today’s report on new home sales reveals a slight shortfall in sales estimates. However, it also emphasizes a more critical issue: the currently elevated supply of new homes. This surplus has significantly contributed to the stagnation of housing permits for some time. By addressing and reducing the excess inventory, homebuilders can work toward creating a more balanced market and fostering a revival...