More homebuyers are turning to adjustable-rate mortgage loans to keep their payments affordable. It’s easy to understand why. The average rate for a 5/1 adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is 5.51%, compared with 6.33% for a 30-year fixed-rate conventional loan, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s most recent Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey. On a $400,000 loan, that difference translates to about $210 in monthly savings with an ARM. ARMs begin with a fixed interest rate, followed by periodic ...

Core Viewpoint - Newrez is set to allow certain cryptocurrency holdings to be counted as qualifying assets in its mortgage underwriting process, potentially increasing access to home loans for borrowers with digital assets [1][4]. Group 1: Policy Change Details - The new policy will take effect in February and will apply to Newrez's non-agency products, including home purchases, refinancings, and investment properties [3]. - Eligible crypto holdings will include Bitcoin, Ether, spot exchange-traded funds backed by these assets, and U.S. dollar-pegged stablecoins, allowing borrowers to use these assets without liquidating them [4][8]. - The assets must be held with U.S.-regulated crypto exchanges, fintech platforms, brokerages, or nationally chartered banks, and valuations may be adjusted for market volatility [5]. Group 2: Market Context and Implications - The decision reflects changing investor behavior, particularly among younger buyers, with about 45% of Gen Z and Millennial investors holding cryptocurrency [6]. - This move aims to broaden access to homeownership for demographics that have faced challenges in entering the housing market [6]. - The policy aligns with ongoing discussions among U.S. policymakers regarding the integration of cryptocurrencies into mortgage risk assessments [7][8].

Group 1 - The average US gas price has fallen to $2.79 per gallon, the lowest since March 2021, leading to an expected savings of $11 billion for American households in 2026 compared to 2025 [3] - The US stock market indices, including the Dow, S&P, and Nasdaq, ended the week down about 1%, yet remain near all-time highs, indicating resilience despite uncertainties [8] - The value of US households' stock portfolios increased by $5.5 trillion in Q2 2025, while real estate holdings rose by $300 billion, contributing to a total net worth increase from $176 trillion to $182 trillion [26] Group 2 - Credit card lending has become more profitable, with JPMorgan reporting a net yield of 9.7% on over $200 billion in card loans, while a proposed 10% cap on credit card expenses is facing resistance from card issuers [12][14] - The median US home price is now $410,800, with nearly 60% of millennials planning to spend less than $400,000 on a home, and 44% willing to allocate over half their income to housing [16] - Mortgage rates have dropped below 6% for the first time in three years due to government intervention, which may artificially support the housing market rather than improve long-term affordability [20]

SONYMA’s Low Interest program offers a lower interest rate on a fixed-rate mortgage for first-time homebuyers in New York State. The program is very similar to the Achieving the Dream program, with many of the same requirements and benefits. The major difference between the two programs is that SONYMA’s Low Interest program has higher household income limits.Program funds are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basisProperty cannot be used for agricultural workMust contribute 1% of own funds ...

Core Insights - High-rolling investors are taking a bearish position on Rocket Companies, indicating potential privileged information influencing their trading decisions [1] - The sentiment among major traders is mixed, with 37% bullish and 51% bearish positions observed [2] - Significant investors are targeting a price range of $16.2 to $35.0 for Rocket Companies over the past three months [3] Trading Activity - The mean open interest for Rocket Companies options trades is 11,317.47, with a total volume of 368,508.00 [4] - A detailed overview of options trading shows a notable split between bullish and bearish trades, with one put option valued at $45,500 and 36 call options totaling $8,896,991 [2] Company Overview - Rocket Companies, originally founded as Rock Financial in 1985, is based in Detroit and is best known for its Rocket Mortgage business, which has rapidly gained market share [9] - The company’s mortgage lending operations include direct-to-consumer lending and a partner network for mortgage brokers [9] Analyst Ratings - Recent analyst ratings indicate an average target price of $22.75 for Rocket Companies, with various analysts maintaining or adjusting their ratings [10][12] - Keefe, Bruyette & Woods maintains a Market Perform rating with a price target of $20, while JP Morgan downgraded to Neutral with a target of $24, and Jefferies downgraded to Buy with a target of $25 [12]

Today's mortgage rates are significantly lower than last January's rates. This time last year, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was over 7%, according to Freddie Mac. Now, the year-over-year 30-year rate has dropped 98 basis points to 6.06%. This is a good time to shop for the mortgage lender offering the best deal and lock in a rate. Current mortgage rates Here are the current mortgage rates, according to the latest Zillow data: 30-year fixed: 5.86% 20-year fixed: 5.82% 15-year fixed: 5.33% ...

Bitcoin is money and a store of value. While the USD serves this very role in times of turbulence, it is quicker to more BTC around without fearing censorship. Given its intrinsic properties, Bitcoin is now finding adoption. Besides institutions that have been pouring their billions buying BTC-backed spot Bitcoin ETFs, Bitcoin is finding support from banks. This week, Newrez, a major US mortgage lender, crossed a line many thought was years away. The lender announced it will allow borrowers to qualify fo ...

Housing, mortgages, interest rates, and the Federal Reserve are top of mind for Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea and President Donald Trump as well, with housing affordability garnering particular attention. To that end, Trump & Co. have made a number of pronouncements recently which have rattled and/or goosed markets and stocks such as UWM Holdings and Rocket Cos., now America's biggest mortgage companies—and fierce rivals. ...

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Jan. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via IBN – Beeline Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLNE), a digital mortgage lender offering conventional mortgage products and alternative mortgage solutions for borrowers who do not meet traditional underwriting standards, alongside home equity products leveraging blockchain-enabled technology, today announced that the Company’s CEO has published a letter to shareholders. The full text of the shareholder letter is below: Dear Fellow Shareholders: Beeline Holdings ...

President Trump demanded in a Truth Social post that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds, claiming that this move would push down mortgage interest rates. So, this raises the question: Will it actually lower mortgage rates? It already has. Here's what it all means. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and mortgage bonds explained First, some background. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that back the funding of mortgages issued by private lende ...