In an aerial view, two-story single family homes line the streets on Jan. 14, 2026 in Thousand Oaks, California. Kevin Carter | Getty Images Mortgage rates began climbing again last week, and that took a toll on refinance demand. Homebuyers, however, seem finally to be ready for the spring market. Total mortgage application volume fell…
A shopper carries a Hollister bag at a shopping mall in Dayton, Ohio, Oct. 21, 2025. Kyle Grillot | Bloomberg | Getty Images The Federal Reserve is on the cusp of a “regime change” after the Department of Justice dropped its criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell, eliminating a potential obstacle to confirming President Donald Trump’s nominee, Kevin Warsh,…
FILE PHOTO: A for sale sign is shown for a residential home in Encinitas, California, U.S. July 25, 2025. Mike Blake | Reuters A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to venture…
Fannie Mae will now accept crypto-backed mortgages via a new product by mortgage company Better Home and Finance and Coinbase. It’s not the first crypto backed mortgage, but it is the first accepted by Fannie Mae, which is under government conservatorship. The offering allows homebuyers to use their crypto assets as collateral. Fannie Mae will…
A realtor gives neighbors a tour during an open house at a home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on Jan. 11, 2026. Zak Bennett | Bloomberg | Getty Images Spring is traditionally the busiest season for home sales, and while this year’s market dynamics have shifted strongly in favor of buyers, broader forces in the…
In an aerial view, two-story single family homes line the streets of neighborhood on Jan. 13, 2026 in Thousand Oaks, California. Kevin Carter | Getty Images Mortgage rates surged to their highest level since September on Friday as bond yields moved higher due to the war in Iran. The average rate on the 30-year fixed…
Home sales made a small gain to start the year, but higher mortgage rates now could throw cold water on the spring season. Existing home sales in February rose 1.7% from January to a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate of 4.09 million units, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales were down 1.4% from February of…
Lifestylevisuals | E+ | Getty Images When it comes to buying a house, affordability continues to slowly improve. U.S. households that have a median income — an estimated $86,300 — and enough money for a 20% down payment can now afford a $331,483 home, up $30,302 from $301,181 a year ago, according to a new…
Vishal Garg, Better.com Source: Better.com The online mortgage platform Better has partnered with OpenAI to launch an app within ChatGPT that the companies said will dramatically reduce the time it takes to underwrite a mortgage or home equity loan, CNBC has learned exclusively. The app, to be announced later Thursday, takes Better’s mortgage engine and…
Morsa Images | Digitalvision | Getty Images There’s a line item in homebuyers’ closing costs that’s causing a clash in the mortgage industry: the fee for lenders to check borrowers’ credit. While the charges — typically in the tens or hundreds of dollars — represent a tiny slice of the amount that buyers pay when…
