This is the final issue of MBA NewsLink for 2025.
Category: News and Trends
LightBox: CRE Index Sees Mild Seasonal Dip, Positioned for 2026 Rebound
LightBox, Shelton, Conn., released its activity index for November, finding that it dipped from 106.2 to 99.4 on a monthly basis. However, that 6% decline is far milder than the usual 14% drop between October and November.
Why Mortgage Executives Can’t Afford to Ignore AI
Enact’s Mary Kay Scully writes that for mortgage leaders, the question is no longer whether AI will shape the industry but how quickly they will adapt to it.
Zillow: Home Searchers Focused on Lifestyle in 2025
Zillow, Seattle, released its annual Zillow Zeitgeist report, highlighting what sorts of search terms potential buyers were using for homes throughout the year.
AD Mortgage Finds Industry Optimism
Nearly 70% of mortgage professionals surveyed by AD Mortgage, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said 2025 was a better year for business than 2024.
Single-Family Rent Growth Remains Low, Cotality Finds
Cotality, Irvine, Calif., found single-family rent prices increased just 0.9% year-over-year in October.
First American: National House Price Growth Stabilizes in Low Single Digits
Annual house price appreciation remained below 1% for the fourth consecutive month during November, according to First American Data & Analytics, Santa Ana, Calif.
Dealmaker: Greystone Provides $98M for East Harlem Affordable Complex
Greystone, New York, provided a $97.6 million HUD-insured loan to refinance a multifamily property in East Harlem, N.Y.
Wilqo’s Tom Morelli on Where Technology Is Driving ROI–and Where It’s Not
As the industry changes, so does the cost of doing business. According to Freddie Mac’s 2024 Cost to Originate study, average origination costs have gone up 35% over the past three years, leaving origination costs incredibly high.
Matic: Premium Growth Slowing, but Insurance Affordability Challenges Remain
Matic, Columbus, Ohio, reported that after a few years of significant rate increases, home insurance premium growth began to slow in 2025.