VA Loans
VA Loan Volume Grows 8% Amid Tight Conventional Lending
VA-backed mortgage originations rose 8% year-over-year in the first quarter, a bright spot in an otherwise challenging lending environment.
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FHA
FHA Loan Limits Increase to $524,225 for 2026 Baseline
The Federal Housing Administration raised the baseline FHA loan limit to $524,225 for 2026, an increase of 4.5% from the prior year.
Short-Term Rentals
Short-Term Rental Regulations Tighten in Five Major Cities
New York, Boston, Denver, Portland, and Honolulu have all enacted tighter short-term rental regulations effective in the first half of 2026.
Austin
Austin Housing Market Stabilizes After Two-Year Correction
Austin home prices ticked up 0.4% year-over-year in March after two years of declines, suggesting the metro's correction may be nearing its end.
BRRRR
BRRRR Strategy Returns Narrow as Rehab Loans Hit 10%
Rising private rehab loan rates are compressing returns for investors using the buy-rehab-rent-refinance-repeat strategy, per BiggerPockets data.
California
California ADU Legislation Drives Backyard Building Surge
California issued more than 28,000 permits for accessory dwelling units in 2025, a record driven by state laws limiting local restrictions.
Sun Belt
Sun Belt Cities Lead Price Growth in 2026 Q1
Sun Belt metros dominated first-quarter 2026 price-growth rankings, with Raleigh, Tampa, and Charlotte posting year-over-year gains above 6%.
Insurance
Florida Property Insurance Premiums Average $4,500 as Market Contracts
The average homeowners insurance premium in Florida reached $4,500 annually, triple the national average.
Home Prices
Case-Shiller Index Shows Cooling in West Coast Metros
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index rose 4.6% year-over-year in February, with West Coast metros posting sharper deceleration.
Construction
New Home Construction Permits Rise 4.2% in Latest Data
Building permits for new privately-owned housing rose 4.2% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.47 million units.
Existing Home Sales
Existing Home Sales Hit 12-Month High as Inventory Returns
Existing home sales rose 9.5% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.38 million units, the highest level in a year.
Refinance
10-Year Treasury Yield Pushes Refinance Applications to 2025 Low
Refinance application volume fell to its lowest level since January 2025 as the 10-year Treasury yield climbed back above 4.3%.