February 2026

The conversation around credit reports in mortgage lending has taken a recent turn. Faced with spiraling mortgage origination costs and continued affordability challenges for homebuyers, policymakers and industry leaders understandably are searching for ways to reduce friction and cut costs in the mortgage process.  One proposal being advanced is the adoption of a single-bureau credit […]

WASHINGTON — Karen Petrou, co-founder and managing partner of Federal Financial Analytics and a luminary of financial policy, died Saturday afternoon of liver cancer after a brief illness. She was 73. Processing Content Petrou wielded an outsized presence in Washington economic and regulatory circles, cultivated over the course of decades in the industry and through

This coverage is coming out earlier than normal due to a more interesting headline than normal. The average top-tier 30yr fixed rate fell back to 5.99% today, matching the levels seen only briefly back on January 9th, 2026 when the Fannie/Freddie bond buying plans were announced. Much like the last time, there’s always a risk