Mortgage & Economy

FirstTeam entered Kansas and Missouri via a Kansas City office with Rival Real Estate, growing to 62 offices and 2,200 agents.

Only about half of U.S. private-sector workers participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan at any given time — a gap driven almost entirely by small employers, according to new research from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

Late payments affect 70% of contractors, and average construction payment cycles run 90 days, creating operational risk for materials and payroll. The piece outlines standardized estimates, clear invoice terms and automation to improve timing and visibility.

Income needed to afford a median-priced home rose to over $120,000, up from $66,000 in 2020. With rates forecast near 6.5% and prices still rising, the column argues buyer preparation and loan options matter more than timing.

The article argues that AI impact in servicing depends on modernization fundamentals, migration automation, API-based integrations, recapture workflows and a single default lifecycle view. It also highlights real-time event automation for disasters and faster regulatory change monitoring.

SERHANT. is launching in Colorado with an 11-agent founding cohort that has closed more than $1 billion in sales over the past 12 months.

The share of home sales within five miles of a data center with at least 50 megawatts of capacity has more than doubled since 2018.

Illinois Realtors launched a program with local officials to reduce zoning and approval barriers and speed housing production statewide.

CrossCountry Intermediate HoldCo, the direct parent of CrossCountry Mortgage, has priced an upsized offering of $750 million in senior notes due in 2031 as it refinances mortgage servicing rights facilities tied to its growth plans.

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