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News Updates

Nearly 30% of Homeowners Considering Home Equity Loans Amid High Interest Rates and Economic Uncertainty

New MeridianLink survey reveals affordability concerns and knowledge gaps as top barriers to home equity lending According to new survey data from MeridianLink, Inc., a leading provider of modern software platforms for financial institutions and consumer reporting agencies, nearly three in 10 (28%) American homeowners are considering taking out a home equity loan or HELOC in the next 12 months. This marks a notable 7% increase compared to 2022, reflecting a

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New Construction Offers a Boost in Home Affordability, but Tariffs May Stall Progress

New homes are offering an affordability edge in today’s challenging housing market, according to the Realtor.com® New Construction Quarterly Report. In the first quarter of 2025, the median list price for newly built homes fell slightly year-over-year to $448,393, reducing the price gap with existing homes to its lowest first-quarter level in five years. This, combined with builders building smaller homes, and lower mortgage rates for new home buyers, is making newly built

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Class of 2025 Won’t Be Able to Afford to Buy a Home Until 2034

State-by-State Analysis Reveals Sharp Gaps in Homebuying Timelines for New College Graduates A new MortgageResearch.com analysis paints a sobering picture for the Class of 2025: The average new college graduate is unlikely to be able to afford a home until April 2034 — nearly a full decade after graduation — due to a triple threat of skyrocketing home prices, student loan debt and modest starting salaries. The study estimates how long it would take

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Introducing Asteris Lending: Atlanta-Based Finance Firm Offers Innovative Real Estate and Developer Lending Solutions

Macon Native Cortney Newmans Launches Minority-Owned Lending Firm Asteris Lending, a new institutionally-backed private lending firm headquartered in Atlanta, announces its official launch, targeting $1 billion in originations with a national footprint. Founded by Cortney Newmans and Justin Thompson, industry veterans with decades of experience in real estate lending and asset management, Asteris Lending is poised to elevate the private lending landscape with its sponsor-focused approach. The company provides tailored

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HOME EQUITY DIPS SLIGHTLY DURING FIRST QUARTER BUT REMAINS NEAR HISTORIC HIGHS

Proportion of homes considered equity-rich drops to 46.2 percent quarter-over-quarter; Rate of seriously underwater homes ticks up slightly  ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property data, and real estate analytics, released its first quarter 2025 U.S. Home Equity & Underwater Report, which shows that 46.2 percent of mortgaged residential properties in the country were considered equity-rich in the first quarter, meaning the combined estimated amount of loan balances secured by those properties

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Redfin Reports Monthly Housing Costs Hit All-Time High Amid Economic Uncertainty, Keeping Buyers on the Sidelines

Mortgage-purchase applications are declining and pending home sales are sluggish The 2025 spring homebuying season is lackluster, with record-high housing costs and widespread economic instability keeping would-be homebuyers at bay, according to a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. Mortgage-purchase applications are down 6% month over month, and Redfin’s Homebuyer Demand Index—a measure of tours and other buying services from Redfin agents—is essentially flat. Pending home sales fell,

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