ALTA Warns Homeowners Face Greater Risks as White House Executive Order Expands Title Acceptance Pilot
October 22 2026 | |
The American Land Title Association issued the following statement from CEO Chris Morton in response to the executive order signed by President Trump on Oct. 22 outlining several policy changes aimed at improving housing affordability, including a provision that would authorize the Federal Housing Finance Agency to expand its title acceptance pilot for eligible mortgage refinances into an ongoing program.
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Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
October 21 2026 | |
“Mortgage rates decreased for the first time in over two months, with the 30-year fixed rate dropping to 7.41 percent. However, lower rates were not enough to boost application activity, as both purchase and refinance applications continued to decline,” said Joel Kan, CMB, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist
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Pending Home Sales Decreased 7.3% in September
October 20 2026 | |
“Given that mortgage rates have already risen much more than the Federal Reserve’s short-term interest rate hikes, mortgage rates could be topping out,” Yun said. “However, increasing energy prices and the resulting inflationary pressure are highly uncertain.”
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Title Resources Group Appoints Robert Greenbaum as Executive Vice President
October 19 2026 | |
“Rob brings extensive experience connecting sales, marketing, technology and customer insights to create meaningful customer experiences,” said Kevin Wall, Chief Executive Officer of Title Resources Group. “His strategic perspective and customer-focused approach will help us deepen relationships, better understand and respond to customer needs, and deliver greater value across the customer experience.”
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Builder Sentiment Falls on Rising Rates
October 19 2026 | |
“Housing remains squeezed by supply-side constraints and significant affordability challenges,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “Demand persists, but higher mortgage rates, elevated construction costs and weaker consumer confidence are keeping more buyers on the sidelines. As a result, buyer traffic has fallen to its lowest level since April 2012, excluding the pandemic’s onset in April 2020.”
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Existing-Home Sales Increased 1.5% in September, According to NAR Report
October 18 2026 | |
“Despite the small monthly gain on a seasonally adjusted basis, August and September marked the two slowest months for home sales this year,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Further increases in mortgage rates in recent weeks mean fewer buyers can qualify to purchase a home.”
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MBA Releases "Affordability in Action" Policy Roadmap to Lower the Cost of Buying and Renting a Home
October 14 2026 | |
The roadmap focuses on targeted changes that can be implemented without legislative overhauls and are designed to lower upfront closing costs, reduce monthly mortgage or rent payments, and decrease the cost of building and financing new housing supply. The recommendations are intended to preserve the safety and soundness of the housing finance system while reducing unnecessary regulatory and administrative costs.
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Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
October 14 2026 | |
“Mortgage applications decreased as rates moved higher last week. The 30-year fixed rate was 7.5 percent, the highest rate since November 2023 and more than a percentage point higher than a year ago,” said Joel Kan, CMB, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist. “As a result, borrowers continue to rely more on ARM loans to help lower their monthly payments."
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American Land Title Association Elects Craig Haskins as President
October 14 2026 | |
With more than 30 years of experience in the title insurance industry, Haskins brings a strong track record of industry leadership to the role. As president and CEO of Milwaukee-based Knight Barry Title, Haskins oversees the company’s operations and continued growth across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and Florida.
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MBA and FirstHome IQ Launch MBA Homebase, a New Initiative for Mortgage Loan Officers
October 12 2026 | |
Homebase will give loan officers across the country access to professional education, coaching, trust-building resources, market insights, and opportunities to engage in MBA’s advocacy efforts. The initiative is open to loan officers at every lender and across every origination channel, regardless of whether their company is an MBA member.
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MBA Forecast: Mortgage Originations to Decrease 5 percent in 2027 as Mortgage Rates Remain Above 7 Percent
October 11 2026 | |
“Mortgage rates have recently spiked to their highest level in more than three years, while 10-year Treasury rates have reached their highest levels in 24 years. Around the world, there are too many borrowers and not enough savers. Inflation is too high, leading central banks to raise short-term rates, while budget deficits and debt are unsustainably high, leading bond investors to push up longer-term rates,” said Mike Fratantoni, MBA Chief Economist.
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MBA Offers Cybersecurity Benefit to Help Members Reduce Risk and Respond to Incidents
October 09 2026 | |
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) today announced an important new MBA member benefit designed to help mortgage companies reduce cyber risk and respond more quickly when incidents occur. Through FTI Consulting, MBA members will now receive preferred access to cybersecurity assessments, threat monitoring, and incident response support.
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Remodeling Market Sentiment Remains Stable in Third Quarter Despite Headwinds
October 08 2026 | |
“Remodeler sentiment remained stable in the third quarter, although remodelers in certain parts of the country continue to report issues with high material costs and finding enough labor to finish projects on time,” said NAHB Remodelers Chair Elliott Pike, a remodeler from Homewood, Ala. “Remodelers also report that economic uncertainty is making some potential customers hesitant to move forward with projects.”
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Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
October 07 2026 | |
“Mortgage rates moved to their highest level in almost three years last week, with the 30-year fixed rate reaching 7.49 percent as both Treasury rates increased and spreads widened with the increase in rate volatility,” said Joel Kan, CMB, MBA’s Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist. “Very few homeowners have an incentive to refinance at these rates, and the jump in borrowing costs has caused many potential borrowers to step back from the purchase market. With rates roughly a percentage point higher than a year ago, refinance applications last week were at the lowest level since 2025 and fell to less than half of last year’s pace.”
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MBA Opens Doors Foundation Kicks Off 2027 Fundraising Season with More than $3 Million in Donations
October 07 2026 | |
The MBA Opens Doors Foundation (Opens Doors) today announced it received $3,093,500 in corporate and individual donations during its Annual Appeal fundraising campaign for the 2027 fiscal year. The proceeds, which surpassed a set goal of $2.8 million, will support the Foundation's mission of helping vulnerable families with critically ill or injured children stay in their homes while their child is in treatment.
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WFG launches the next evolution of DecisionPoint® to modernize and accelerate refinance title production
October 07 2026 | |
WFG National Title Insurance Company, a Williston Financial Group company, today announced the next evolution of its title automation platform, DecisionPoint®. DecisionPoint’s AI-enabled production engine now delivers a touchless title commitment for qualifying refinance transactions. Built on a robust, proprietary business rules engine, trusted title information, and deep title production expertise, DecisionPoint accelerates the traditional title product, providing the highest level of protection to lenders and their clients, with the accuracy, reliability, and underwriting discipline customers expect from WFG.
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National Association of REALTORS® Names 2026 Good Neighbor Awards Finalists
October 04 2026 | |
“Each of this year’s Good Neighbor Awards finalists represents the power of service to transform lives and communities,” said NAR President Kevin Brown. “Their efforts have created new opportunities, inspired hope and strengthened the places people call home. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and recognize the meaningful impact they make every day.”
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CertifID Acquires Closinglock to Build a More Protected and Connected Closing Experience
October 01 2026 | |
“Title companies are being asked to protect more, move faster and deliver a better experience at a time when the risks have never been greater,” said Tyler Adams, CEO and Co-Founder of CertifID. “The challenges facing the real estate industry are real, persistent, and bigger than any one company or product can solve alone. By bringing our technology and expertise together, we seek to stay ahead of emerging threats while elevating the closing experience.”
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September Jobs Report Commentary from MBA's Mike Fratantoni
October 01 2026 | |
The National Association of REALTORS® launched “Protecting Your Clients and Your Business From Fraud,” a new online resource that provides information that helps members prevent, detect, and report potential real estate fraud of all kinds. The resource is designed to help members get to their next transaction with more confidence.
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