Trump cancels signing of landmark bipartisan bill aimed at lowering housing costs
President Donald Trump cancelled his approval of a landmark bill aimed at lowering Americans' housing costs just hours ahead of a planned signing ceremony at the US Capitol. Both chambers of Congress had earlier approved the legislation in a rare bipartisan move, signalling how pressing the issue has become for American voters across the political divide.
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Congress passes the largest housing affordability bill in decades - and Trump cancels the signing
If there's room for agreement on anything in Washington, it's that lawmakers need to do something to make homeownership more affordable. On Tuesday, legislators on both sides of the aisle clinched the final vote in the House to pass the largest piece of housing legislation in decades. But that unity was threatened Wednesday morning when President Trump posted on social media that he was abruptly canceling a signing ceremony for the bill unless Congress passes a strict voter ID bill called the Save America Act.
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Pulte says Fannie Mae title waiver pilot program poised for expansion
Fannie Mae's small-scale title waiver pilot program is likely to get larger soon. Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), announced the news through his social media account this week. "Fannie Mae is working actively to expand its title pilot program, especially on title insurance for home refinancings," Pulte stated on his personal X account. "As long as it is safe and sound, our team is pushing for efficiencies and lower costs in title insurance. Announcements coming soon from the Fannie Team!" According to Fannie Mae, the program is a limited test that allows certain qualifying refinance mortgages - those with a low title risk - to be sold without requiring a lender's title insurance policy or an attorney opinion letter. It is intended to lower the cost for borrowers by using AI to manage title risk.
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Stolen deed lawsuit names Fidelity National Title and eight other defendants
A national title insurer is among nine defendants in a Philadelphia lawsuit over a stolen deed and a closing the property owner says it never attended. The lawsuit, filed June 23, 2026 in federal court in Philadelphia, involves an empty lot at 1701 Montrose Street. Lurube Developers LLC says it has owned the lot since 2002. But according to the complaint, a deed recorded on March 6, 2020 handed the property to a buyer the company says it never approved.
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Company argues efforts to lower closing costs could transfer risk to lenders, borrowers and investors
As policymakers and industry groups continue searching for ways to reduce the cost of buying a home, First American Financial is making the case that one frequently criticized closing cost may be protecting far more than a single real estate transaction. The company released a white paper this week arguing that efforts to waive or replace title insurance in the name of affordability do not eliminate risk from the housing finance system.
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