Mortgage & Economy
Mortgage rates, Federal Reserve policy, employment, inflation, and what they mean for Bay Area affordability.
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The design-build business model when land is no longer the moat
Land developer/contributor Scott FInfer argues for a parallel clean tech stack, retail design studios, and engineered financing tied to payment
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HomeSmart merges with NorthGroup, adds 2,000 agents
Deal lifts HomeSmart to 27,000 plus agents and 250 plus offices across 48 states
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Every channel has a moat. Have you found yours?
RETR tracked 17,438 originator moves in 2026, broker and non-delegated was the only channel with net gains
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Higher mortgage rates are expected to lead to fewer originations through 2027
With 30-year conforming rates reaching 7.32% this week, MBA has penciled in two more Fed hikes in the next 12 months
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LoanCare names Amy Jones chief information officer
Jones previously led customer technology and experience at Wellmark, and held servicing tech leadership roles at Wells Fargo
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New American Funding promotes Stacy Chevalier to Northwest regional VP
The lender said Chevalier will build teams and branches across five Northwest states
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Massachusetts ballot puts lot density up for a vote of the people
The state is the first to put minimum lot sizes on the ballot, with a Nov. 3 vote on a 5,000 square foot cap
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Why more real estate agents are getting their mortgage loan originator license
A December 2022 FHA letter and higher-rate friction pushed renewed focus on dual licensing and end-to-end deal control
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NextHome large-office model adds 5 former Keller Williams offices
Nearly 400 agents across California joined after the May launch of the 5-year large-office franchise model
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Millrose plans $1 billion bond sale to fund homesite growth
The land bank lines up $1.5 billion in debt capacity tied to Dream Finders–Beazer land strategy









