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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Monday, May 11, 2026
Top Stories
April home sales disappoint as higher mortgage rates weigh on buyers
DIANA OLICK, CNBC
Sales of previously owned homes in April were essentially flat compared with March, rising just 0.2% to 4.02 million units on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis, according to the National Association of Realtors. Housing analysts were expecting a gain of more than 3%.
Consumers increasingly wary of AI’s role in homebuying
SYDNEY JACKSON, Real Estate News
Three in four consumers expect artificial intelligence to play a role in some part of the homebuying process — but their trust in the technology has declined, according to a recent study from Cotality. While most respondents believe AI is embedded in real estate, especially within property websites, they still want a "human in the loop," with 44% willing to pay someone to verify AI decisions.
National News
Commercial Property Lending Rebounds 52 Percent in U.S.
MICHAEL GERRITY, World Property Journal
Commercial and multifamily mortgage lending surged in early 2026, with originations rising sharply from a year earlier as banks stepped back into the market to refinance maturing debt, according to new data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Positive housing demand leads to inventory almost going negative YOY
LOGAN MOHTASHAMI, HousingWire (Subscription)
Housing data once again remained resilient last week even as mortgage rates are closer to yearly highs than lows, with demand hitting multiyear highs in our weekly pending home sales data. Housing isn’t booming by any means, but it’s holding up well considering all the drama we have had in 2026.
California News
After losing state housing mandate lawsuit, Huntington Beach could face fines of up to $50,000 a month
CLAIRE WANG, Orange County Register (Subscription)
After losing a long-running court battle to plan for more housing, Huntington Beach could face fines of up to $50,000 a month, dating back to January 2025. San Diego Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal heard arguments Friday, May 8, from both the city and state regarding the appropriate penalty amount for violating state housing laws, as well as the effective start date for those fines.
Bay Area housing prices aren’t going to crash. This is what will happen instead
JESSICA ROY, San Francisco Chronicle (Subscription)
Housing prices in the Bay Area have never been higher. The stock market keeps climbing to new records — mainly because of a single tech sector. Major companies have gone through multiple rounds of layoffs. The cost of living, from mortgage rates to a gallon of gas or milk, keeps going up. There’s a war in the Middle East. But do all the parallels indicate that we’re in another bubble — and that the housing market could again be poised to crash? Not necessarily, said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist for real estate site Redfin.
Industry News
Needle-mover or not? Industry insiders react to eXp's acquisition of NextHome
NICK PIPITONE, Inman (Subscription)
EXp World Holdings’ acquisition of NextHome is drawing a variety of reactions from real estate industry observers, who see the deal as a strategic-but-incremental move that reflects broader consolidation trends without dramatically reshaping either company’s competitive position.
NMLS address policy change and pain points with changes
COLIN MCNAMARA, National Mortgage News
As part of the changes, all individuals, including mortgage loan originators, who file the MU4 or MU2 forms as part of the licensing process are required to update their form in NMLS by completing the revised disclosure questions. The changes include clearer and revamped questions, more response options to ensure accuracy and updated requirements for criminal, regulatory and financial disclosures.
Real Estate Technology
How AI accelerates construction draws and cuts review times
TYLER WILLIAMS, HousingWire (Subscription)
In residential construction, construction draw timelines typically run about seven business days. However, this process is gradually becoming much faster as companies leverage artificial intelligence to automate much of the end-to-end build-cycle data.
Property News
House of the Week: A 100-Year-Old Home in the Los Angeles Suburbs
LIBERTINA BRANDT, Wall Street Journal (Subscription)
Brad and Vicki Schwartz had long wanted to host a large birthday bash—but not for a relative, friend, or even themselves. They wanted to celebrate their Spanish Colonial Revival, which turned 100 this year. When they announced the centennial party, locals wanted in. The guest list included former mayors, the current mayor, and former and current city council members.
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