At a press conference on Wednesday, April 22 (attended virtually by RISMedia), Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Bill Pulte and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner announced that “effective immediately,” government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will begin accepting new credit scores, VantageScore 4.0 and FICO 10T, for…

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Spring is the busiest season for home sales, but the ‘dream home’ narrative often ends abruptly once the inspector arrives. Visible mold or a history of moisture issues frequently leads to inspection contingencies, allowing buyers to back out or demand costly repairs, while lenders may refuse financing on affected homes.  Restoration 1 owners Vanessa and…

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Last year, Natalie Davis advanced inclusion and belonging across Keller Williams Realty International, serving as director of community growth and company liaison to national Affinity Groups. She launched the first Virtual Inclusion Summit open to all real estate professionals, hosted the inaugural Inclusion & Belonging Affinity Group Community Luncheon and implemented quarterly town halls to…

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Despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, recent mortgage rate declines have boosted mortgage application activity for a second week in a row. According to the latest Market Composite Index from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)—its measure of mortgage loan activity volume and includes purchases and refinances—increased 7.9% on a seasonally adjusted basis from last week’s 1.8% increase,…

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With a shareholder vote just days away during the company’s annual meeting on whether to reincorporate from Delaware to Texas, eXp World Holdings filed additional proxy materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) early this week, making a pointed argument that its planned departure from its corporate home has nothing to do with the…

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Editor’s Note: The RISMedia series Legislative Round-Up looks at pending and passed federal and state-level legislation that impacts real estate professionals. Illinois Realtors® back Governor JB Pritzker’s housing plan to revise zoning  Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who has been speculated as a 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, appears to be cultivating a relationship with the Illinois…

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Platinum Properties has rebranded to Platinum Forbes Global Properties and been named the exclusive New York City affiliate of Forbes Global Properties. This appointment connected the New York City-based firm to an international network, expanding its reach among high-net-worth buyers and sellers.  Founded in 2005 by siblings Khashy Eyn and Dezireh Eyn, the brokerage operated…

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The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) has released its first quarterly update on the 2026–2028 Strategic Plan, highlighting progress made toward the plan’s initiatives.  In the first quarter of implementation, the association stated that it initiated two-thirds of the plan’s projects, centered on affordable housing, the Realtor® brand, and broker relationships. “This plan was built…

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While there have been some stabilizing signs in the housing market—home price appreciation has significantly slowed and inventory is showing year-over-year growth—the construction industry continues to face challenges. Beyond the supply chain and overall economic issues for builders, land prices and inventory have yet to recover from pandemic-era downfalls, according to the latest data from…

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Tuesday morning, the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee held a confirmation hearing for Kevin Warsh, President Donald Trump’s nominee to succeed Jerome Powell as chair of the Federal Reserve. Warsh previously served on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, appointed by President George W. Bush in 2006 and remaining until 2011. He has…

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