Little pink houses for you and me

There are 40% fewer homes on the market than last year, creating a frenzied atmosphere with dozens of buyers competing for the same house.

Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Sign up here. Good afternoon —   Last week we ran an insightful article by Ralph McLaughlin on ways the government could incentivize sellers to free up housing inventory. These included both carrot and stick-based approaches, from capital gains exemptions to nationwide rent control.   Black Knight's latest report shows that there are 40% fewer homes on the market than last year, which has created a frenzied atmosphere with dozens of buyers having to compete for the same house in many areas. Clearly, we need more houses, but is incentivizing supply the government's job?   Lead Analyst Logan Mohtashami takes on that topic in his latest article, exploring how the market has responded to various release valves in the past. One of the ideas Mohtashami supports is putting a "countdown clock" on forbearance.   "These plans shouldn't be a 'get out of mortgage payments forever' plan. If the government wants to wait until the employment picture is back to pre-COVID levels, that's fine with me. We have made good progress in many jobs that supply the incomes of homeowners. I genuinely believe that we should get all the jobs back by September 2022 or earlier."   I received lots of great feedback about the solutions suggested in the first article and would love to hear what you think about Logan's take, or even completely different suggestions on solving the inventory crisis. You can contact me about any subject at swheeler@housingwire.com.   Until tomorrow —   Sarah Wheeler HousingWire Editor in Chief VA borrowers face obstacles in today's housing market    In this episode, HousingWire Managing Editor James Kleimann discusses some of the challenges VA borrowers face when purchasing a home in a competitive housing market. Listen now Should government help create housing market supply?    "The fact is that the economic ecosystem is much like a biological ecosystem. It's hard to inject new things without impacting others," said HousingWire Lead Analyst Logan Mohtashami. HW+ Premium Content Digital mortgage platform Maxwell announces $16.3M Series B Maxwell will use the funding to accelerate value to community lenders. Today, the company helps 250+ lenders offer top borrower experience and close loans 50% faster than the national average. To learn about Maxwell's ambitious plans, click here. Sponsored by Maxwell The growing support for female mortgage executives    After speaking with several other executives in celebration of International Women's Day, Laura Brandao, president of American Financial Resources, highlights a few women leaders who are making waves. How servicers can stay ahead of Biden's potential regulatory changes   Among the unknowns servicers face in 2021 are changes that could affect lender-placed insurance (LPI). Servicers must have the flexibilities in place to keep up with the latest changes to remain compliant and efficient while still providing an optimal borrower experience. Presented by Proctor Loan Protector HousingWire, 433 East Las Colinas Blvd., Suite 830, Irving, TX 75039, (469) 893-1480 Unsubscribe Manage preferences