Christina Thompson

Are home updates actually worth it right now? - HousingWire Should you update your home before selling? Three in four homeowners say they’d rather replace their appliances than accept a low offer.

Finding Ginnie Mae president should be a priority for Biden - HousingWire GInnie Mae needs a permanent president now more than ever, argues Ted Tozer, Ginnie Mae president from 2010 to 2017.

Gary Keller stars at KW's Mega Camp - HousingWire Whatever changes are afoot at Keller Williams, Gary Keller remains the company’s public face. Here's what we learned from KW's "Mega Camp."

Inside Figure and Homebridge's massive bet on blockchain - HousingWire Figure and Homebridge are out to prove that blockchain is going to revolutionize the entire mortgage process. The whole industry is watching.

Home sales beat estimates: no housing crash in sight - HousingWire NAR's existing home sales data beat estimates in July, demonstrating once again that there is no housing crash coming, despite what social media says.

Minority borrowers struggled in 2020: HMDA - HousingWire Uejio says HMDA data shows “Black and Hispanic borrowers continued to have fewer loans be more likely to be denied than non-Hispanic White and Asian borrowers.”

Blend loses $40M in Q2, but grows customer base - HousingWire Cloud-banking software company Blend Labs posted a $39.6 million loss for the second quarter, its first as a publicly traded company.

Why aren't builders creating more housing inventory? - HousingWire Homebuilders are navigating their housing stock well to make sure not to give up too much on the margin side of the business in the future.

Is 156-year-old Baird & Warner ahead of its time? - HousingWire Baird & Warner lays claim to be the oldest U.S. brokerage still in operation, launching in 1855. How does it remain competitive today?

iBuyer Offerpad claims profitability, pre-IPO - HousingWire Offerpad, a six-year-old Arizona-based iBuyer, apparently actually makes money. We look at the company's finances as it prepares to go public

Fannie Mae’s rental payment change worries some - HousingWire The mortgage industry had mixed feelings about the FHA’s move to count positive rental history in Fannie Mae’s underwriting process.

Rocket Companies' plan to transcend mortgage - HousingWire Rocket Companies is not content with merely being America's largest lender. Its ambitions are far outsize, even for a firm with a reputation for taking moonshots.

Opendoor ramps up but loses $144M - HousingWire “We think it’s mainstream,” Opendoor CEO Eric Wu said of his company’s instant homebuying platform. “All the homeowners crave what we’re offering.”

Down payment assistance part of $3.5T infrastructure plan - HousingWire The $3.5T social infrastructure framework includes down payment assistance, but little else to address housing challenges for low-income borrowers.

Compass loses less money than you'd think - HousingWire “We are in the strongest position we have ever been as a company,” declared Compass CEO Robert Reffkin during an earnings call Monday. HW+ Premium Content

First American fined $1 million for illegal perks to agents - HousingWire First American agreed to pay a $1.185 million penalty after regulators alleged that a former employee provided agents with illegal perks.

Zillow earns profit, no thanks to iBuying - HousingWire Zillow makes money through agents advertising on its website. It loses money via buying homes for cash and then reselling them.

More households paid their rent and mortgage in Q2 2021 - HousingWire Fewer than five million households failed to make their rent or mortgage payments in the second quarter of 2021, down from Q1

Biden announces new CDC eviction limits - HousingWire The Centers for Disease Control on Tuesday issued new limits on evictions for non-payment of rent or mortgage through October 3, 2021. The Centers for Disease Control today issued new limits on evictions for non-payment of rent or mortgage through October 3, 2021.

Mortgage lenders are loosening standards on jumbos - HousingWire Banks moved to ease lending standards for most mortgage loan products during the second quarter, according to a survey published this week by the Federal Reserve Board

Biden taps Phyllis Fong as FHFA watchdog - HousingWire The Biden administration on Friday named longtime regulator Phyllis Fong as the acting inspector general of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

The challenges direct-to-consumer lenders are facing - HousingWire HousingWire recently sat down with Total Expert's Josh Lehr to learn more about recent trends around direct-to-consumer lending.

Ginnie Mae should protect smaller issuers - HousingWire The CHLA submitted a detailed comment letter asking Ginnie Mae to withdraw its proposal or at least or rework it to focus on larger issuers.

You’re living the dream – what’s next? - HousingWire In a half-day format, technology companies will demo their platforms and answer questions. You can tune in for the whole demo day, or strategically drop in on sessions to learn about specific solutions.

Stewart bolsters Midwest presence with acquisition - HousingWire Big Four title insurer Stewart Title has acquired Title First Agency, which is licensed in 34 states and headquartered in Westerville, Ohio.

Could online mortgage lenders reduce discrimination against Black homebuyers? - HousingWire The rise of online mortgage lenders increases competition for minority homebuyers and can minimize housing discrimination.

First American, Stewart Title and Old Republic report for 2Q - HousingWire Title insurers First American, Old Republic, and Stewart released their second quarter earnings this week.

Crypto firm names Kraninger top lobbyist - HousingWire As regulatory oversight of cryptocurrency looms, Solidus Labs has appointed former CFPB director Kathy Kraninger to grease the wheels. As regulatory oversight of cryptocurrency looms, Solidus Labs has appointed former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Kathy Kraninger to grease the wheels...

Buyers showing renewed interest in condos - HousingWire Condos sales are roaring back after months of dwindling sales. The typical condo sold for 0.7% above asking price in June.

New homes selling well even as builders pass on costs - HousingWire New homes are selling well during this turbulent ride despite the higher construction costs that builders have passed on to their customers.