A Massachusetts judge has barred home equity contract provider Hometap from arguing that state regulators previously approved or implicitly sanctioned the company’s business model — strengthening the attorney general’s consumer protection lawsuit against Hometap. In a Dec. 19 decision, Suffolk County Superior Court Judge Debra Squires-Lee ruled that such fairness-based arguments cannot be used to...

U.S. home price growth remained muted in October as high mortgage rates and affordability constraints continued to weigh on the housing market, according to data released Tuesday by S&P Dow Jones Indices. The S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index rose 1.4% from a year earlier — up slightly from a 1.3% annual increase in September. Despite the modest uptick, price growth...

Over the past few years, the mortgage industry has seen a significant decline in the number of loan originators. Loan officer burnout is a constant reality of the job, and what starts as long hours or a stressful month can gradually evolve into exhaustion, irritability, detachment and a loss of passion for work that once felt meaningful. Rather than appearing overnight, burnout builds quietly as work-life...

Some renovations are executed so well they rival new builds. They feature beautiful materials, thoughtful details, and craftsmanship that’s hard to fault. At first glance, it can be difficult to tell where renovation ends and true custom construction begins. The difference usually isn’t visible in finishes alone. It lives in decisions made much earlier in the process — before tile samples, before...

Luxury homes excel at many things, but perfection isn’t guaranteed in the sale contract — regardless of the final price tag. In fact, some of the most expensive houses on the market struggle with issues that feel surprisingly basic once daily life sets in. These shortcomings aren’t mistakes so much as byproducts of priorities that skew toward aesthetics, status, or idealized lifestyles rather...

Set deep in the South Carolina Lowcountry, Bonny Hall is the kind of property that rarely changes hands — not because it’s flashy or trend-driven, but because estates of this scale, history, and setting are almost impossible to replicate today. Spanning 86 acres along the banks of the Combahee River, the property occupies land once shaped by the rice plantation era and now reimagined as a fully...

This primary bathroom was part of the remodel of a family home in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, that also included the kitchen and mudroom. A referral from another client led the homeowners to Black Forest Design and Build, which handled the redesign and construction work. The primary suite changes...

The beginning of a new year is a natural time for fresh starts. If you’re planning to take advantage of that new year burst of energy and motivation to tackle the clutter around your house, this guide can help. Read on for 10 essential things to remember when purging clutter — including making an...

Managing a design or construction firm can be time-consuming, particularly when you’re busy with several different projects, but it pays to take some time out to analyze your business and plan ahead. Here, a design-build firm director, a landscape design business owner and an interior designer...

Image CEO Marshall Loeb says new supply is at multi-year lows due to zoning and permitting...