Builders slow starts in May to rebalance pricing and incentives
The real story in today’s Monthly New Residential Construction release from the Census Bureau isn’t a collapse in construction. It’s a production strategy that took shape months ago. Headlines – and their sibling, “headline risk” –don’t enjoy a particularly good reputation among most homebuilding bu
FHFA pushes for direct power to sue for mortgage fraud
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and Director Bill Pulte are asking Congress for the power to bring civil lawsuits against individuals suspected of mortgage fraud. In its newest Annual Report to Congress, released Monday, the FHFA recommended new authority to directly sue for mortgage marke
CoStar amicus brief denied in Zillow MRED Compass case
CoStar’s attempt to enter the ongoing legal battle among Zillow, Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) and Compass International Holdings has been denied. In a ruling on Tuesday, Illinois-based federal judge John Tharp denied CoStar’s motion to file an amicus curiae brief. No reason for the judge’s denia
Social Security funding gap widens in 2026 trustees report
Social Security’s long-term financial outlook deteriorated significantly in the latest annual report from the program’s trustees, with officials projecting a larger funding shortfall and an earlier depletion date for the retirement trust fund. The 2026 Trustees Report estimates Social Security‘s 75-