Where homebuying is heating up—and why it matters In a housing market full of noise and uncertainty, knowing where real opportunity exists is key—especially for first-time home buyers. Rising mortgage activity often signals renewed confidence, more inventory, and areas where buyers are finding success. Each month, MMI’s Mortgage Benchmark Report highlights the U.S. counties and states seeing the biggest increases (and decreases) in home purchase activity. These trends aren’t just numbers—they’re a snapshot of where people are actively getting into homes. Let’s take a closer look at what’s moving—and what it could mean for your next move. Verify your home buying eligibility. Start here Regional housing trends The tables below reflect MMI’s April repost, showing the variance in purchase and construction production volumes across states and counties from January to February 2025. Top 5 Rising States State Unit Change Units Vol Change Vol Arkansas 23.74% 3,263 16.78% $753M Wyoming 17.29% 692 19.34% …

Landlords: What To Do When ICE arrives By Denise Holliday What are landlords supposed to do if and when ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement) . arrives at your rental property? According to ICE, their agents are tasked with “finding and deporting specific individuals based on existing deportation orders and criminal convictions.”  Contrary to the hyperbole in the news, ICE says it “does not conduct raids or sweeps and does not target noncitizens indiscriminately.” Some of the targeted individuals will undoubtedly live in rental communities, and ICE will seek to find and remove them from those communities.  While landlords are not required to cooperate with ICE, they cannot block or prevent ICE from pursuing lawful action. Things to consider if ICE agents come to your property: 1)  First and foremost, maintain a professional demeanor.  Engaging with law enforcement can be scary and intimidating.  Keep in mind these agents are looking for …

If you bought a home with a down payment under 20%, chances are you’re paying for mortgage insurance — and you know how quickly that cost adds up. But now, a bipartisan group in Congress is working to bring back a popular tax break that could put money back in your pocket. The new Middle Class Mortgage Insurance Premium Act would restore and expand the mortgage insurance premium (MIP) deduction that expired in 2021. This deduction helped millions of homeowners offset the cost of insurance on their tax returns. Check your home loan options today What’s changing this time around? This isn’t just a reboot — it’s an upgrade. Here’s what the bill would do if it passes: Reinstates the MIP tax deduction, letting homeowners deduct mortgage insurance costs again. Raises the income cap for eligibility from $100,000 to $200,000, meaning more middle-class families could qualify. Makes the deduction permanent, …

If you have a VA home loan and you’ve been worried about falling behind, here’s something you need to know: The VA had a program that helped over 17,000 veterans avoid foreclosure — by stepping in when mortgage servicers couldn’t. But it’s ending soon. And if you’re not in it by May 1, you might not have access to the same kind of help if things get tough. Verify your VA loan eligibility. Start here What the VASP program did — and why it mattered The program is called VASP — short for Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched it last year to help veterans who hit a financial wall and were in danger of losing their homes. Here’s how it worked: If a veteran with a VA-backed mortgage couldn’t keep up with payments and the loan servicer didn’t have a solution, the VA could …

According to ATTOM’s Q1 2025 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report, there were a total of 93,953 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings in the first quarter.  This figure is 11% higher than the previous quarter and 2% lower than one year ago.  Across the country, one out of every 1,515 housing units had a foreclosure filing in the first quarter.  The  states with the highest foreclosure rates were Delaware (one in every 761 housing units with a foreclosure filing); Illinois (one in every 857); Nevada (one in every 874); Indiana (one in every 976); and South Carolina (one in every 1,021). “Following three consecutive quarters of decline, foreclosure activity ticked up in the first quarter of 2025, with notable growth in both starts and completions…While levels remain below historical averages, the quarterly growth suggests that some homeowners may be starting to feel the pressure of ongoing economic challenges. However, strong home equity …

A new path to homeownership It turns out Zoomers aren’t just dreaming about homeownership—they’re teaming up to make it happen. Co-buying is one of the clever ways they’re getting a foot in the door. Stanford’s Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences says, “Gen Z are typically self-driven, collaborative, and diverse-minded. They value flexibility, authenticity, and a pragmatic approach to addressing problems.” What could be more collaborative, flexible, and pragmatic than co-buying—when two or more people, often unmarried partners, relatives, or close friends, purchase a home together? Older generations may find this puzzling, having viewed homeownership as a milestone for individuals or committed couples. But the reality is, they faced fewer and lower hurdles than today’s first-time buyers—regardless of how challenging they remember it being. Even Millennials, who aren’t too far removed from the struggle themselves, don’t see things quite the same way. According to the 2025 NextGen Homebuyer …

The U.S. government is reporting that privately‐owned housing starts in March, 2025 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,324,000, which is 11.4% higher than February’s revised number and is 1.9% higher than one year ago.  March’s rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 371k.  Privately‐owned housing units authorized by building permits in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,459,000, which is 1.6% higher than February’s revised number and is 0.2% lower than one year ago.  Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 445k in March. Click here to read the full report at the U.S. Census Bureau.   The post Housing Starts Drop 11.4% in March appeared first on Real Estate Investing Today.

Thinking of giving your kitchen a facelift or finally converting that awkward nook into a dreamy home office? You’re not alone—and you might already be sitting on the cash to do it. According to the 2025 Remodeling Impact Report from the National Association of Realtors, 54% of homeowners used a home equity loan or line of credit (HELOC) to fund their latest remodel. Yep—more than half of recent renovators didn’t drain their savings or max out credit cards. They tapped into the value of the home they already live in. Time to make a move? Let us find the right mortgage for you Why are so many homeowners renovating right now? If you’re a millennial homeowner, odds are high you bought a home that needed a little love. Between bidding wars, tight inventory, and rising prices, many buyers compromised on layout, finishes—or, let’s be honest, vibes. But here’s the twist: …

In our ongoing effort to keep you informed about the Trump Administration’s policy changes affecting the housing market, we present this analysis of recent executive orders and policies, along with their potential implications. Find your lowest mortgage rate. Start here In this article (Skip to…) Trump’s Executive Orders Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy What Happened: On March 14, 2025, President Trump signed the executive order titled “Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy.” The order directs the elimination or restructuring of several federal entities deemed nonessential, including: The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) On March 31, 2025: 75 employees at the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) were placed on paid administrative leave and instructed to cease operations immediately. From April 10–17, further reductions were implemented: The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) was effectively shut down, …

Pros and Cons of Truist Pros Offers low down payment programs, including CHIP and government-backed loans Posts mortgage rates online without requiring a full application Provides in-person service at branches plus online and phone applications Includes specialized options like construction and physician loans Has competitive origination fees and interest rates Cons Not available in Alaska, Arizona, or Hawaii Higher than average number of CFPB complaints Poor customer service reviews on third-party platforms Limited transparency around loan servicing after closing Truist mortgage rates While Truist interest rates are competitive, they typically land around the national average. You won’t necessarily find the lowest rates here, but they remain reasonable for most borrowers. Here’s a snapshot of Truist’s current mortgage rates by loan type. Loan Type Average Interest Rate Conventional 30-Year 8.30% Conventional 15-Year 5.74% FHA 30-Year 6.24% VA 30-Year 6.16% Average rate and fee data sourced from public rate and fee records …