Mortgage rates fall to 3-year low, offering relief for homebuyers
The average interest rate on a conventional mortgage in the U.S. dropped to 6.06%, the lowest level in more than three years, Freddie Mac said on Thursday. A recent dip in mortgage rates has spurred homebuying activity, with purchase applications on the rise and more owners acting to refinance their loans, according to the government-sponsored enterprise.
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Trump's proposed ban on buying single-family homes introduces uncertainty for family offices
Private investment firms of ultra-rich families could inadvertently get caught in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump's proposed ban on "large institutional investors" buying more single-family homes. While Trump's announcement took aim at Wall Street landlords, and particularly private equity giants like Blackstone, Haynes Boone partner Vicki Odette told Inside Wealth that family offices aren't necessarily out of the woods.
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Trump's Wall Street home-buying ban won't fix housing shortage, exec says
An executive at the largest owner of single-family rental homes in the US said President Donald Trump's move to outlaw institutional investors from owning homes won't actually address a homebuilding shortage. "The notion that we are crowding out the individual homebuyer, I think, is an old view," Stephen Scherr, co-president of investment firm Pretium, said in an interview.
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New 2026 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements for Land Title Surveys
The American Land Title Association ("ALTA") and National Society of Professional Surveyors ("NSPS") recently further updated the 2021 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements, which represents the benchmark of professional surveying, for ALTA/NSPS surveys. These new standards take effect February 23, 2026, and replace the existing 2021 Minimum Standard Detail Requirements. The 2026 standards focus on clearer documentation, more transparency, better communication with the surveyor and improved precision requirements.
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WFG Key Now Available to Real Estate Agents Through WFG National Title Ins. Co.
WFG National Title Insurance Company (WFG), a Williston Financial Group company, today announced that WFG KeyT is now available to the company's real estate agent clients, delivering a powerful new way to bring financial clarity, confidence, transparency, and accessibility to buyer and seller conversations. WFG Key is a financial clarity and scenario-planning tool designed to support the real questions consumers ask their real estate professionals every day, from affordability and monthly payments to pricing strategy, proceeds, and long-term value.
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