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.

Thursday, September 3, 2026

Top Stories

HUD nixes ‘substantial burdens’ on multifamily property owners 

MEGHAN ROOS, Real Estate News
On Sept. 1, HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced that his department has rescinded a policy interpretation embraced during the Obama administration that "contributed to the skyrocketing cost of building, buying, and renting a home." Previously, individuals were able to file complaints at any time over lacking accessibility features in multifamily buildings.

Mortgage applications inch up as rates hit a four-week high

LIEZEL ONCE, Mortgage Professional America
Rising global inflation fears are lifting Treasury yields and mortgage costs with them, nudging more US borrowers toward adjustable-rate products and pushing refinance demand well below year-ago levels. The modest headline gain masks a sharper story: with the 30-year fixed rate at its highest point in four weeks, the adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of total applications climbed to 8%, its strongest reading in five weeks.

National News 

U.S. Mortgage Delinquency Rate Stays Near Historic Lows

World Property Journal
U.S. mortgage performance remained broadly stable in June 2026, with the national delinquency rate still near historically low levels. Stress is showing up further down the pipeline. Early-stage missed payments declined, while serious delinquencies rose and, as of March, were increasing in more than 70% of metropolitan areas.
America has a housing shortage. These cities have homes sitting empty
MARY DIDUCH, The Real Deal (Subscription)
The U.S. is short millions of homes. But in some of its largest cities, a significant share of the housing that already exists is sitting empty. The reasons why homes sit empty vary by market. Some cities with high rates have endured decades of population loss, disinvestment and discriminatory housing policies. In others, a recent surge in construction has added housing faster than demand could absorb. 

California News

AI boom heats up Bay Area housing market as wealthy buyers drive demand for high-end homes across US

ALEX VIEGA, KCRA 3 Sacramento
High-income earners, many of them employees at AI companies, are snapping up multimillion-dollar houses in the San Francisco Bay Area, undaunted by the higher mortgage rates and rising home prices that have prevented many would-be buyers from affording a home.

Why does it take so long to build new homes? The problem isn’t just zoning — it’s cash, San Jose officials say.

RYAN MACASERO, San Jose Mercury News (Subscription)
As federal and state funds for housing have largely dried up, San Jose has been forced to rethink its approach to affordable housing, shifting its focus away from 100% affordable developments — which officials believe are a difficult sell to developers who wouldn’t make as much money from them as they would from market-rate units — toward mixed-income projects.

Industry News 

8th Circuit upholds $110.6M in Gibson commission settlements

AJ LATRACE, Inman (Subscription)
A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld $110.6 million in settlements reached by major real estate brokerages in the Gibson commission case, rejecting challenges from objectors who sought to undo the deals. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the settlements less than two weeks after the same court upheld the landmark Sitzer | Burnett settlement involving the National Association of Realtors and other defendants.

Real Estate Technology 

Lenders launch AI plugins as buyers become more trusting

COLIN MCNAMARA, National Mortgage News (Subscription)
More than 70% of Americans said they would use AI for at least one homebuying or selling task, while 37% said they would be willing to let it manage the home purchase from start to finish with minimal human involvement, according to a LendingTree survey of 2,000 consumers in the United States.

Property News 

California’s First Passive Solar House Lists Again at Nearly Half Its Previous Asking Price

ELZ ZAWADZKI, Dwell
The 1977 modernist Los Angeles address by architect Martin Gelber went up for sale a year ago at $6M. Designed in 1977 by award-winning architect Martin Gelber, FAIA (1937-2019), and completed the following year, the 3,707-square-foot home, located at 12268 Canna Road, served as Gelber’s own residence.

In Case You Missed It 

Real Estate Wire Fraud Is Evolving: Is Your Brokerage Ready?

DINA CHENEY, NAR Realtor News
AI-driven impersonation makes scams more sophisticated. Brokers need stronger verification practices to protect transactions, clients and their businesses. Brokers attending the National Association of REALTORS®’ latest Broker Power Hour got some practical tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of real estate wire fraud attempts, in which bad actors attempt to divert funds from a real estate transaction into their own accounts.

Resources, Webinars, and Other Items of Interest 

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