Deborah Kearns

Deborah Kearns is a freelance editor and writer with more than 15 years of experience covering real estate, mortgages and personal finance topics. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Forbes Advisor, The Associated Press, MarketWatch, USA Today, MSN and HuffPost, among others. Deborah previously held editorial leadership and writing roles at NerdWallet, Bankrate, LendingTree and RE/MAX World Headquarters.

Posts by Deborah Kearns

Interview: Andy Florance on Restoring Transparency and Putting Agents ‘Back in Front of America’

Above, a screenshot from one of Homes.com’s new ads featuring Dan Levy of “Schitt’s Creek” fame and SNL’s Heidi Gardner.  During one of America’s most enduring traditions, Super Bowl Sunday, Homes.com plans to make history, regardless of who takes home the championship trophy.  Through four commercials reaching some 113 million viewers, the rapidly ascending real…

ICE: First-time Homebuyers Made Up 55% of Agency Purchase Loans in 2023 Despite Market Slowdown

The housing market in 2023 was brutal. Mortgage approvals and home sales hit a 30-year low as mortgage rates soared and housing inventory dwindled. But according to new data from ICE Mortgage Technology, a record number of first-time homebuyers took out conventional loans last year despite the slowdown. In all, just 4.3 million mortgages were…

Top Mortgage Lenders Reveal Their Game Plans, Rebound Hopes for the Year Ahead

Ask anyone in the housing industry and they’ll agree that 2023 was one of the most brutal years in the industry since the Great Recession. While some of the same headwinds—high mortgage rates, low housing inventory and lower mortgage demand—that stifled business growth last year have carried into this year, there’s reason for optimism. Executives…

ICE: First-Time Homebuyers Account for Record 47% of GSE Purchase Loans in 2023

First-time homebuyers have long faced a trifecta of high mortgage rates, low housing inventory and climbing home prices throughout much of the country, making homeownership a difficult journey. Despite these challenges, first-time homebuyers still made up the largest share (55%) of all agency mortgage purchase securities issuance in a decade and a record 47% of…

Fed Chair Powell Affirms Rate Cuts Are Coming This Year as U.S. Moves Closer to 2% Inflation Goal

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday signaled that rate cuts are coming this year, sticking to the Fed’s cautious script about slashing rates too quickly before it has a sustained handle on inflation. “In our pursuit of our dual mandate, the Federal Reserve remains steadfast in promoting maximum employment and stable prices for the…

Class-Action Lawsuit Alleges Loan Factory’s Misuse of Personal Information for Business Gain

California-based Loan Factory and its CEO Thuan Nguyen are in hot water over allegedly using competitors’ names, photos and likenesses who had no affiliation with the company to attract business, according to a new class-action lawsuit filed Thursday in a California court. This news was first reported by National Mortgage Professional. Loan Factory is accused…

ICE First Look: January Mortgage Delinquencies Drop to Lowest Level Since October

Good news for homeowners: Mortgage delinquencies are on the decline, dropping to their lowest point since October 2023, according to Intercontinental Exchange’s (ICE) First Look at January 2024’s mortgage performance data. The national mortgage delinquency rate dipped to 3.38% in January, marking a welcome fall from the holiday-driven bump seen in December 2023 but flat…

Fed Minutes Hint at Policy Pivot Toward Rate Cuts, but Inflation Vigilance Remains

The Federal Reserve acknowledged in its last meeting that rates have likely hit their peak, but they’re continuing to keep a watchful eye on key economic indicators and inflation, balancing a sense of optimism with some caution, according to meeting minutes released Wednesday. The minutes from the Jan. 30-31 meeting of the Federal Open Market…

New-Home Mortgage Applications Soar In January as Housing Starts Stumble

The rally in new-home demand isn’t letting up as homebuyers facing inventory challenges on the resale market turned to new construction to realize their homeownership dreams. Mortgage applications for new-home purchases jumped 19.1% in January compared to a year ago and rose 38% month over month, according to the January Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Builder…