For many borrowers, the appraisal is the most stressful step in a refinance: part mystery, part high-stakes hurdle. Will the home appraise high enough? Will it delay closing? What actually determines the final value?

For the past decade, rate marketing has been the dominant gravitational force in mortgage acquisition. Whoever shouted the lowest 30-year fixed rate the loudest won the most attention. But attention has never been the same as intent, and intent has never been the same as a closed loan.

Just in time for the holidays, Troy Palmquist looks at how this legacy manufacturer bounced back from a market downturn and how agents can, too A few weeks ago, on a podcast, I was asked which brands I admire most. Without hesitation, I said LEGO. The toy company has an incredible comeback story, from the brink of bankruptcy to one of the world’s most beloved and profitable brands.

Lubbock housing market leads Texas in buyer market conditions as inventory climbs to 8.1 months and demand slows.

Toledo’s housing market saw 46% more listings, 38.3% price reductions, and an 11.8% rise in weekly absorption compared to last year.

Large builders’ mortgage buydowns make new homes more accessible but may artificially inflate prices. There's an open debate regarding the long-term impact for buyers.

Pine Bluff homes remain unsold for 91 days, with 34.4% of listings cutting prices and inventory at 4.2 months.

Connecticut's new housing bill aims to address the affordable housing shortage, but faces criticism for limiting local control.

Average home prices in these metros fell from $1.04 million to $1.01 million, a sharper correction than in the national housing market.

CAP’s “Build, Baby, Build” proposal targets the U.S. housing shortage with federal incentives to lower costs and boost construction.