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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Thursday, July 30, 2026
Top Stories
Homebuying Demand Slows As Mortgage Rates Hit Highest Level in a Year
DANA ANDERSON, Redfin News
U.S. pending home sales fell to their lowest level since early April during the four weeks ending July 26, dropping 1.7% in the last week alone. Tours of home listings are up 15% since the start of the year, compared with a 31% increase at this time last year, according to data from ShowingTime.
U.S. home sellers lower prices as market realities set in
MARY DIDUCH, The Real Deal (Subscription)
In June, U.S. home sale prices hit a record high — even as sellers continued to drop listing prices for the eighth month in a row. The median list price last month was $430,000, a 2.5 percent year-over-year decline and the largest annual drop since at least 2017, according to data from Realtor.com. “Sellers are adjusting to market realities,” said Hannah Jones, senior economist at the firm.
National News
Fannie Mae Purchase Volume Jumps 33% In Second Quarter
CZARINNA ANDRES, National Mortgage Professional
Fannie Mae’s purchase mortgage business accelerated in the second quarter, offering a measure of momentum in a housing market still constrained by elevated rates and affordability pressures. The government-sponsored enterprise acquired $72.8 billion in single-family purchase loans during the quarter, up 32.6% from $54.9 billion in the first quarter and 13.2% from $64.3 billion one year earlier, according to financial results released Wednesday.
Broker ‘junk fees’ can top $1K, consumer watchdog group says
AJ LATRACE, Inman (Subscription)
So-called “junk fees” charged to homebuyers and sellers can top $1,000 and may cost consumers nearly $2 billion a year, according to a new Consumer Policy Center report examining administrative and transaction fees in real estate.
The report found that the additional charges typically range from $400 to $600, though industry professionals cited in the research described fees from below $200 to more than $2,000. They can appear under a variety of labels, including processing, technology, document-storage and regulatory-compliance fees.
Ohio Supreme Court says foreclosure appeals survive after the sale closes
REGIELYN SANTIAGO, Mortgage Professional America
Ohio's top court just told mortgage lenders that a finished foreclosure sale doesn't end the fight - the borrower's appeal can still proceed. On July 15, 2026, the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled that a borrower whose home has been sold, and whose sale proceeds have already been paid out, can still pursue an appeal of the foreclosure. For lenders and servicers, it closes off a familiar assumption: that a completed sale ends the matter.
California News
SF 2-bedroom rent tops $6,000 for the first time
KASIA PAWLOWSKA, SFGate
San Francisco continues to break its own rental records. As of July, the median price of a one-bedroom is $4,180 — up 22.9% year over year, according to Zumper, a digital real estate marketplace. The median price of a two-bedroom has risen even more, up 25.9% year over year to $6,020. It’s the first time two-bedrooms in the city have crossed the $6,000 threshold, according to the platform.
Consumer group launches State Farm complaint form for LA wildfire claims
PAT MAIO, Orange County Register (Subscription)
Consumer Watchdog unveiled a website this week where homeowners affected by last year’s Los Angeles County wildfires can file claims complaints against State Farm, the biggest home insurer in California. The complaints will be shared with State Farm to help speed up resolution.
Industry News
Compass joins the American Real Estate Association
MARIAN MCPHERSON, Inman (Subscription)
Compass International Holdings has joined the American Real Estate Association, Inman learned exclusively on Tuesday.
Agents on the company-owned side of Compass International Holdings’ nine brands — @properties, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, Century 21, Christie’s International Real Estate, Coldwell Banker, Compass, Corcoran, ERA and Sotheby’s International Realty — will receive complimentary membership for the remainder of 2026 and all of 2027.
Real Estate Technology
New AI Platform Targets Homebuyers Before They Apply For A Mortgage
National Mortgage Professional
Real estate technology company Lofty has introduced an artificial intelligence platform designed to nurture prospective homebuyers before they apply for financing, potentially giving mortgage professionals access to consumers who have already begun addressing credit, savings, and affordability hurdles. The consumer-facing platform creates personalized plans intended to help users understand their buying power and become financially prepared for homeownership.
Property News
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