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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Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Top Stories
Who Decides When a Home Is Safe? A California Bill Says Science, Not Insurers.
RUKMINI CALLIMACHI, BLACKI MIGLIOZZI, New York Times (Subscription)
A California lawmaker is moving to set a statewide, science-based standard for how to determine whether a home is safe to inhabit following a wildfire. If passed, it would effectively take post-fire safety decisions out of the hands of insurance companies.
Mortgage demand drops 8.5%, as interest rates swell to the highest level in 3 weeks
DIANA OLICK, CNBC
After dropping sharply, mortgage interest rates rose last week for the first time in a month. That pushed total mortgage demand down 8.5% compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index.
National News
Homeowners Associations Continue to Grow in Prevalence, Price in 2025
JOEL BERNER, Realtor.com
The share of homes for sale in the US that are subject to a non-zero HOA fee reached 43.6%, up from 41.9% last year and 34.3% in 2019. The median HOA fee was $135, up from $125 last year and $108 in 2019.
America's Housing 'Silver Tsunami' Is Turning Into a Trickle
WORLD PROPERTY JOURNAL
According to new data from Cotality, the long-predicted flood of homes expected from America's aging population is arriving far more slowly than housing markets once anticipated.
California News
California lawmaker wants to make it easier for churches and colleges to build affordable housing
LINH TAT, San Jose Mercury News (Subscription)
Proposed legislation co-introduced by Rep. Nanette Barragán, D-San Pedro, would make it easier for religious institutions and institutions of higher education to build affordable housing on land that they own.
‘Finally, a renter’s market’: L.A. rent prices drop to four-year low
JACK FLEMMING, Los Angeles Times (Subscription)
Increased housing supply — 15,095 apartments completed in 2025 — combined with decreased demand is shifting power back toward renters for the first time in years.
California resi sales near two-decade low: Attom
CHRIS MALONE MENDEZ, The Real Deal (Subscription)
Across the state, 23,317 existing and newly built homes were sold in November, marking the second-lowest performance in the month in 21 years, the Orange County Register reported, citing Attom data. The sales were down 8 percent over a 12-month period and 30 percent below average.
Industry News
Texas couple sues JPMorgan Chase, Hometrust over hidden lender claims
TEZ ROMERO, Mortgage Professional America
A Texas couple claims JPMorgan Chase and Hometrust Mortgage hid the true lender's identity at closing, raising uncomfortable questions about correspondent lending transparency.
How real estate brokerages are reducing risk in buyer representation
JONATHAN DELOZIER, HousingWire (Subscription)
Brokerage executives and consumer advocates outline emerging best practices — from standardized agreements to workflow-based compliance — aimed at reducing confusion, disputes and risk.
Real Estate Technology
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Property News
House of the Year: A Storybook Cottage Gets a Fairy Tale Ending
JESSICA FLINT, Wall Street Journal (Subscription)
The property, built in 1925 and located in Carmel Highlands, is an example of early 20th-century Storybook architecture, characterized by features such as a curved roofline and stone chimney. The style is synonymous with the neighboring city of Carmel-by-the-Sea, which is known for its fairy tale aesthetic.
In Case You Missed It
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In Case You Missed It
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