United States
The United States: the market, agents and brokerages, commission rules and the cases that reshape them.
US federal AVM rule: who it covers and what its five factors require
Since 1 October 2025 a federal rule has set quality control standards for automated valuation models in US mortgage lending. Who is covered, the five factors, and the gaps.
US first-time buyers: IRA withdrawals, 401(k) loans and the MCC
How federal rules treat retirement money used for a first home in the United States, how the Mortgage Credit Certificate works on Form 8396, and what a buyer can deduct at purchase.
US flood zones and the lender's flood insurance rule for home buyers
How flood zones are drawn in the United States, when a federally regulated lender must require flood insurance, and what the national programme covers, with its limits and waiting period.
How a US foreclosure auction works, from the 120-day rule to the sale
Federal rules set when a US mortgage servicer may start a foreclosure and when a sale must wait. State law sets the notices, the auction, redemption and deficiency.
How to read the weekly US mortgage rate: Freddie Mac's survey and APR
What Freddie Mac's weekly survey of US mortgage rates measures since November 2022, which loans it averages, and how it differs from a lender's quote and from an APR.
US fake review rule: what the FTC bans for real estate agents
A federal rule in force since October 2024 bans fake, bought and undisclosed insider reviews. How its six prohibitions read for US agents and brokerages, and what a violation can cost.
USA: home inspection or appraisal, and who gets the appraisal report
A home inspection and an appraisal answer different questions for a US buyer. Who orders each, what FHA and VA say about theirs, the right to a copy, and radon testing.
USA: when a home loan can close without a traditional appraisal
How Fannie Mae's value acceptance, its property data option, hybrid appraisals and Freddie Mac's ACE work in the United States: which loans qualify, the limits, and who gets what.
How to read US house price measures: FHFA index and Census medians
The FHFA index said US house prices rose 2.6% in a year while the Census median new home price fell 5.8%. What each official measure counts, and why they part.
US housing algorithms: what HUD said on AI and what still applies
HUD's 2024 guidance on AI in tenant screening and targeted housing adverts, what the Fair Housing Act and its rules require in the United States, and where each document stands today.
US listing data rules: the 2008 VOW judgment and what followed
How United States multiple listing services let brokers show listings online: the 2008 federal judgment on virtual office websites, seller opt-outs, and the 2024 and 2025 changes.
US mortgage escrow accounts: the cushion, shortages and waivers
What a US mortgage escrow account pays, how much Regulation X lets a servicer hold, how shortages and surpluses are settled, and when the account is required or can be dropped.
Mortgage fraud in the United States: red flags and where to report
How Fannie Mae defines mortgage fraud, the schemes and red flags it publishes, the two federal statutes with 30-year maximum terms, and the bodies that take a report in the United States.
US mortgage preapproval, rate locks and points before an offer
What a US preapproval letter is and is not, how credit checks are counted while a buyer compares lenders, when an application legally exists, and how rate locks and points work.
US new-build homes: builder warranties and the federal rules
What a builder warranty covers on a new US home, where federal warranty law stops, the FHA and VA completion form, the builder's lender under RESPA and the land sales act.
USA: offering property tokens under Rule 506 and Regulation Crowdfunding
Once a US property token is a security, how is it offered? Rule 506(b), Rule 506(c) and Regulation Crowdfunding: who may buy, how much, which forms are filed and when.
How US real estate agents' commission income is taxed by the IRS
A US agent paid by commission is usually self-employed for federal tax. How the IRS rule works, from Form 1099-NEC to self-employment tax, estimated payments and the QBI deduction.
How many US real estate agents are there, and what do they earn?
Federal figures count 530,600 broker and sales agent jobs in the United States. What they earn, what Realtors report, and what a licence requires in three states.
US telemarketing rules for real estate agents: calls, texts and AI
Two federal agencies govern how a US agent may phone or text a prospect. The registry, the 31-day check, calling hours, consent, AI voices and penalties, explained.
USA: when is a real estate token a security under federal law?
A token tied to a United States building can be a security. The Howey test, the SEC interpretation in force since 23 March 2026 and the exempt offering rules, explained.