On one of the most coveted blocks in SoHo, a 2-bedroom residence inside a boutique condo building is up for grabs. But it’s far from your cookie-cutter city pad! Featuring exposed brick walls, double-height ceilings, and striking curved honeycomb skylights, it’s hands down one of the coolest lofts we’ve seen lately. Listed for $2,395,000 with Douglas Elliman’s Frances Katzen, the distinct...

Living rooms don’t often require the major remodeling steps that kitchens and baths do. But the opportunity to play with paint, furniture, wallpaper, drapery, rugs, millwork and other details offers tremendous potential for creating fashionable, functional and fun spaces. Here, designers share...

There are a lot of details, both big and small, to think about when designing or remodeling a bathroom. And I believe that to create a space that truly works for you, investing extra time and money on custom storage in the planning stages will be worth it in the long...

U.S. mortgage demand declined last week following the first rise in mortgage rates in nine weeks. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index, total mortgage application volume fell by 6.2% compared to the previous week. The average interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($806,500 or less) increased to 6.72% from 6.67%, while points,...

The top executives at Freddie Mac, along with a top HR official at the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), were fired today, according to a report on SEMAFOR. The publication reported that Freddie Mac’s CEO, COO and head of HR plus the FHFA’s COO and head of HR were all fired on Thursday. The news was first reported by Semafor reporter Eleanor Mueller on social media platform X as well as in...

One of the nation’s leading reverse mortgage lenders, Finance of America (FOA), on Thursday announced the appointment of two new members to its board of directors — including a former U.S. senator. Andrew Essex Andrew Essex, whom the company describes as a leader in marketing and brand strategy, formerly served as CEO of advertising agency Droga5. The company aims to leverage his expertise in...

Policies related to appraisal appeals, or reconsiderations of value (ROV), were rescinded Wednesday by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). “While the adoption of a standardized ROV policy was one that real estate appraisers understood and was generally good for appraisers and consumers, the issues associated with appraisal appeals will continue to evolve without the FHA policy,” said Bill...

Let’s start with the bad news: The U.S. housing deficit is currently between 1.5 million and 8 million homes (estimates among experts vary widely). And worse, the core reasons for such a shortage cannot be easily or quickly addressed. But there is good news, too, speakers said Wednesday at the U.S. Housing Supply Summit in Washington, D.C: There is finally widespread political acceptance that we have...

Lessons from California wildfires and other natural disasters California’s wildfires highlighted the chaos that natural disasters continue to unleash – not just on homeowners, but also on the mortgage servicers tasked with supporting them and the insurance industry that covers the cost of rebuilding. From wildfires to hurricanes, floods and earthquakes, each crisis tests a servicer’s ability to...

Call me biased, but I can’t think of anything more inviting than a Ranch-style home with adobe elements and Spanish influences. Yet a newly listed Santa Barbara home raises the bar, adding oceanfront living to the mix, with wide-reaching water views and picture-perfect sunsets unfolding past its windows. Listed for a hefty $19,995,000, the Santa Barbara property offers a piece of California’s...