COVERAGE INFORMATION:
California Department of Real Estate (DRE) NEWS CLIPS service coverage:
Monday through Friday (except state holidays) each week includes electronic format articles retrieved from newspapers or news services that report real estate related news in California and some national services. Coverage is for California newspapers that are available electronically via the Internet - and any significant related breaking news.
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Copyright © , California Department of Real Estate
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Friday, January 23, 2026
Top Stories
Homebuying and Selling Activity Show Signs of Life Amid Lower Mortgage Rates
DANA ANDERSON, Redfin News
U.S. pending home sales fell 2.9% year over year during the four weeks ending January 18, the smallest decline in over a month, as mortgage rates declined. Mortgage-purchase applications rose 5% week over week to their highest level in three years. New listings followed a similar pattern as pending sales: They dipped 1.6% year over year, the smallest decline since November.
HUD showdown over housing crisis spotlights affordability and investor crackdown
Mortgage Professional America
The Biden era’s fair housing architecture, the Trump administration’s deregulation push and a fresh crackdown on Wall Street homebuyers all collided this week as Housing and Urban Development secretary Scott Turner faced a heated House oversight hearing on his first year at HUD and the Federal Housing Administration.
National News
Average US long-term mortgage rate edges higher, but still near lowest point in more than 3 years
ALEX VIEGA, San Diego Union-Tribune (Subscription)
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week. That average rate inched up to 5.44%, up from 5.38% last week. A year ago, it was at 6.16%, Freddie Mac said.
California News
Too much? 17% of California homes are owned by investors
JONATHAN LANSNER, Orange County Register (Subscription)
Investors own roughly one in six of California’s single-family residences. Investors include everything from giant companies controlling thousands of houses to folks with a small collection of rentals to short-term rental operators to people with a second home.
Fires burn swiftly, but insurance battles linger: New bills propose consumer-friendly regulations
LEVI SUMAGAYSAY, CalMatters
As fire survivors continue to navigate life after disaster, California lawmakers roll out new bills attempting to further regulate insurance companies like State Farm.
State doesn't have enough money for affordable housing fund, lawmakers say
KATE WOLFFE, ANDREW GRAHAM, Sacramento Bee (Subscription)
State lawmakers halted a legislative proposal to pump funding into combatting homelessness and housing insecurity on Thursday, as the Assembly Appropriations Committee confronted a state budget deficit that may not let them address one of California’s most troubling issues with funding at the scale they would like.
Industry News
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Real Estate Technology
26 Tech Highlights That Matter for Real Estate Agents
BRANDON DOYLE, NAR Realtor News
CES is always a firehose of gadgets, but every year there are a handful of products that map directly to what we do as agents: Sell homes, market listings, help clients feel confident and look like the expert in the room. Here are 26 highlights from CES 2026 that stood out and why they matter in real estate.
Property News
If your Bay Area home has skyrocketed in value, here’s the tough decision ahead
JESSICA ROY, San Francisco Chronicle (Subscription)
Home prices in and around San Francisco have shot up astronomically in the last few decades. That means people who’ve owned a home here for a long time are likely sitting on substantial home equity. That’s a good thing, in theory.
In Case You Missed It
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Resources, Webinars, and Other Items of Interest
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