"January 2026" Archives

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Refinance demand soars 20% after rates dropped last week

Mortgage applications increased 14.1% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending January 16, 2026. On an unadjusted basis, the index increased 17% compared with the previous week. Refinance activity continued to be elevated, with the refinance index increasing 20% from the…

How Compass grew so quickly and why its playbook is shifting again

Compass founder and CEO Robert Reffkin started with a simple goal: build a modern, tech-forward company that helps agents do more business with less friction. But the speed of Compass’s rise, and the way it continues to stack growth on top of growth, is an aggressive strategy that is about much more than being modern…

HUD suspends FHA loan approval for Equity Prime Mortgage, RAC in several markets

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has “revoked” the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan approval authority of Equity Prime Mortgage (EPM) and Residential Acceptance Corporation (RAC), in several markets, as outlined in Wednesday’s Federal Register. The action is part of HUD’s Credit Watch Termination Initiative, which monitors mortgage lenders’ performance. In the notice, HUD said Equity Prime is…