REALTORS & HOMEBUILDERS

President Biden had issued a rule in 2024 requiring newly constructed homes to abide by an energy mandate to be eligible for FHA- or USDA-backed mortgages.

More than a third of sellers have mortgage rates below 5%, yet still plan to list their homes this spring, according to a survey from Coldwell Banker.

Builder mortgage units saw Q1 profit slides (NVR down 17%) despite an 11% rise in new home loan applications. Overall homebuilder net income dropped, and sales incentives remain high.

Toll Brothers' purchase of Buffington Homes of Arkansas will extend its national outreach with a strong presence in northwest Arkansas, the company said.

Developers including D.R. Horton Inc., Lennar Corp. and KB Home all missed expectations last quarter and estimates suggest both sales and earnings have fallen further as conflict in the Middle East unsettled buyers and raised costs.

The war in the Middle East is adding to a slew of challenges already facing the construction industry in recent years, including elevated mortgage rates, labor constraints and higher prices for materials.

Company team members, including those in affiliated business arrangements, will be eligible; real estate and joint venture agent partners will not be.

Lending for new single-family homes jumped 11% from a year ago and 26% from February, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

The artificial intelligence-based technology automates manual processes associated with the financing, including draws, for homes under construction.

Olive Branch Home Loans is the first business established through a new LoanDepot partnership model aimed to help builders scale internal lending units.

TruLookup for Real Estate reduces the need for Realtors to access multiple databases or download numerous apps when researching a potential client or property.

The pace of applications and closings on new construction fell from January, while the average loan size also declined, despite a period of lower rates.

Realtors and loan officers are wary of using artificial intelligence in place of a real estate agent, after a homeowner claimed to realize meaningful savings.

Lennar's first fiscal quarter earnings were down by more than half after three years of persistent trials which are testing consumer confidence and sentiment.

The lender will offer a comprehensive suite of residential lending programs and commercial lending solutions, such as builder construction loans.

President Trump's criticism of large institutional investors prompted inclusion of a sales timeline for build-to-rent properties in the ROAD Act, which in turn pushed NAHB to withdraw its support.

Applications for renovation financing in 2024 were more abundant in some of the nation's smaller counties and states, than in the largest housing markets.

As the US‑Israel‑Iran war disrupts shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and boosts oil prices, investors and trade flows are responding, creating mixed pressures on mortgage rates, housing costs and building materials.

Toll Brothers Inc. fell short of analysts' estimates for quarterly orders, signaling that fewer people are signing contracts to build homes as high prices and economic uncertainty hold some buyers back.

An index of market conditions from the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo, in which below 50 means more builders see conditions as poor than good, edged down in February to 36, the lowest level since September.