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Finance & lending

US law lets HUD pilot support for mortgages of US$100,000 or less

Inman reports that a new US housing law lets HUD run a four-year pilot for mortgages of US$100,000 or less, a loan size that has fallen to 2.3% of the market.

9 min read
Investing

US large investors bought 2.2% of single-family homes in August

Owners of 1,000 or more homes took 2.2% of US single-family purchases in August, up from a 1.4% low in February, Inman reports from Cotality data. The reasons are still debated.

11 min read
Contracts & disclosure

USA: lead-based paint disclosure rules for homes built before 1978

A federal rule sets what sellers, landlords and agents must disclose about lead-based paint in older American homes, when they must do it, and what the paperwork has to contain.

19 min read
Fraud prevention

USA: NAR warns AI voice cloning can defeat phone checks at closing

The National Association of Realtors says a familiar voice no longer proves who is calling, and sets out the red flags and safeguards its cybersecurity staff recommend.

10 min read
First home buyers

US older owners to release 13.9 million homes, few of them starters

A Realtor.com analysis reported by HousingWire expects older American owners to release 13.9 million homes by 2036, but only about 38,000 starter homes a year.

11 min read
Tax & duty

US property tax delinquency hits 5.2% on mortgages without escrow

Cotality data reported by HousingWire put late property tax payments on non-escrowed US mortgages at 5.2% in 2026 so far, the highest since 2017, with wide gaps between states.

10 min read
Proptech

US proptech raised $2.21 billion in Q3 as seven deals took 58%

CRETI data reported by Inman put third-quarter proptech financing at about US$2.21 billion, with seven deals taking 58 per cent. Homeward's US$450 million shows how such totals are built.

10 min read
Buying

US housing costs: Redfin maps the road back to 2018 affordability

A Redfin report dated 8 October 2026 models when US mortgage payments could fall back to 30% of income. The answer runs from 2028 to more than a decade away.

10 min read
Rentals

US rents reach $1,932 in September as concessions spread: Zillow

Zillow's report of 6 October puts the typical US rent at $1,932, up 2.7% in a year, with concessions on 39.6% of listings. Two other reports show flatter rents.

10 min read
Investing

USA: how a section 1031 like-kind exchange and its deadlines work

A United States investor can swap one investment property for another and defer the federal tax on the gain. The IRS rules, the 45-day and 180-day clocks, and the sums.

20 min read
Agents

US agents' status: three-way rule survives appeal, Senate gets a bill

A federal appeals court left the Realtor three-way membership rule standing, and two senators filed a bill on agents' independent-contractor status. What each one changes.

10 min read
Conveyancers & escrow

US title insurance premiums rise 13% but outlook stays negative

AM Best says US title insurers wrote 13% more premium in 2025 and 18% more in early 2026, yet it keeps a negative outlook on the segment. What the figures show.

9 min read
Selling

US listing data to 2 October: more homes, more cuts, fewer deals

HousingWire's weekly tracker to 2 October shows 902,112 homes for sale, price cuts on 42.83% of listings and pending sales down a tenth on a year ago. What sellers can read in it.

10 min read
Buyer’s agents

US buyer agreements: what must be signed before a home tour

Since 17 August 2024, agents who use a US multiple listing service need a signed agreement before a buyer tours a home. What it must say about pay, and what stays negotiable.

19 min read
Prices & trends

Zillow: US home values slip in September as pending sales drop 8.5%

Zillow's September report puts the typical US home at US$366,913, down 0.5% in a month, while newly pending sales fell 8.5% on the year with mortgage rates at 7.28%.

11 min read
Commissions

Victoria sales authority: commission, rebates and how a fee is lost

What a Victorian sales authority must say about commission, expenses, rebates and commission sharing, how the fee is paid, and the cases where an agent cannot claim it.

19 min read
New developments

Western Australia opens its A$250 million pre-sale guarantee

Developers in Western Australia can now apply for Keystart to underwrite up to half of an apartment or townhouse project's unsold homes. How the guarantee works.

10 min read
First home buyers

Australia's expanded 5% Deposit Scheme, one year and 102,594 buyers on

A joint ministerial release of 1 October counts 102,594 first home buyers in the scheme's first uncapped year. What the figures show, state by state, and what the Reserve Bank adds.

10 min read
Fraud prevention

Australia: AUSTRAC issues first notices to non-enrolled businesses

AUSTRAC, the regulator of Australia's AML/CTF regime, has issued its first infringement notices to real estate and other newly regulated businesses that had not enrolled.

9 min read
New developments

Australia's home starts rise 7.0% in the June quarter, ABS data shows

ABS Building Activity figures for the June quarter 2026 show 52,201 homes started and 47,168 finished across Australia, with houses leading starts and other dwellings leading completions.

9 min read