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Freddie Mac’s Rate Jumps to 7.28%, NextHome’s President Says Stand Up to Bullies & HomeServices Buys 1000WATT
THURSDAY · OCTOBER 1, 2026
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CURATED pulled together what matters in real estate today and broke it down into one read.
👋 Agents. Freddie Mac’s 30-year rate made its biggest weekly jump since October 2022.
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The rate climbed 25 basis points to 7.28 percent, its highest level in nearly three years. NextHome’s president told a room of industry leaders it is time to stand up to bullies. HomeServices of America bought 1000WATT and put its founders in the C-suite. Purchase applications are down 14 percent from a year ago, and contract cancellations hit 13 percent. HouseCanary signed a national agreement with Google while in Chapter 11. Let’s get into all of it.
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Enjoy, — CURATED.
1st Take
Freddie Mac’s 30-Year Rate Hit 7.28% on Its Biggest Weekly Jump Since October 2022
The Quick Take
Freddie Mac’s 30-year fixed rate climbed 25 basis points to 7.28 percent this week, its highest level in nearly three years. Realtor.com says the jump is the largest weekly increase since October 2022. The 10-year Treasury yield hit its highest level in roughly 20 years as markets weighed oil prices, incoming economic data, and broader uncertainty.  Read more →
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Why It’s Hitting
The 30-year rate has risen nearly a full percentage point over the past year. That has added more than 200 dollars to the monthly principal and interest payment on a median-priced home. In September, 20.8 percent of listings had a price cut, the highest share in four years.
📊 The Takes
Locking before another jump is the common advice, some would rather see Friday’s jobs report first, and a few steer buyers toward price cuts instead.
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🔒 Locks It Now — ‘I am telling buyers to lock. A quarter point in a week can happen again.’
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⏳ Waits for Friday — ‘One jobs report could change this. I am not rushing anyone before Friday.’
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🏷 Negotiates the Price — ‘Sellers are cutting prices. My buyers negotiate the price instead of waiting on the rate.’
2nd Take
NextHome’s President Says It Is Time to Stand Up to Bullies
The Quick Take
NextHome President James Dwiggins said on a panel at RISMedia’s CEO & Leadership Exchange that the industry is competing with itself. He said one individual wants to tear down a system built over 40, 50 years. RISMedia reported he was taking aim at Compass CEO Robert Reffkin’s campaign for his firm’s marketing strategy and never said Reffkin’s name. He said it is time to stand up to bullies, to cheers and applause.  Read more →
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Why It’s Heated
His remarks came a day after CRMLS rejected pressure from Compass to change its listing rules. A Compass spokesperson said the brokerage would take the dispute to court. Dwiggins said that if the value proposition is listing data, everyone already fails.
📊 The Takes
The cheering room sets the tone, with most agents behind the shared MLS, a minority wanting the rules changed, and some unmoved by any CEO panel.
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🛡 Backs the MLS — ‘It took decades to build one shared system. I am not trading that away.’
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🔑 Wants the Rules Changed — ‘An MLS rule should not set how a listing gets marketed. Change the rule.’
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🥱 Tunes Out the Speeches — ‘Applause at a CEO panel does not change one MLS rule. Wake me when a court rules.’
3rd Take
HomeServices Bought 1000WATT and Put Its Founders in the C-Suite
The Quick Take
HomeServices of America has purchased 1000WATT, the real estate marketing agency Brian Boero and Marc Davison founded in 2007. Boero will become chief marketing and strategy officer, and Davison will become chief creative officer. The agency’s full team will join HomeServices. Financial terms were not immediately disclosed.  Read more →
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The Bigger Picture
HomeServices says the deal supports its evolution from a quiet industry juggernaut to a leading voice for consumers and real estate professionals. The agency helped lead OnePoint, the platform HomeServices debuted in April. The founders wrote that the company had been quiet by design, arguably too quiet.
📊 The Takes
Most hope the deal sharpens HomeServices marketing, others shrug at new executive titles, and a few miss 1000WATT as an independent shop.
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📣 Wants Better Marketing — ‘If the parent company finally markets itself, my listing appointments get easier.’
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🤷 Shrugs at the C-Suite — ‘A new executive title does not win me a listing. Show me what changes.’
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🎙 Misses the Outside Voice — ‘I liked 1000WATT as an independent shop. Now its whole team works for one company.’
4th Take
Purchase Applications Are Down 14% and Contract Cancellations Hit 13%
The Quick Take
Mortgage applications dropped 6 percent from the week before in the week ending September 25, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Purchase applications were down 14 percent year over year, and refinancing applications have fallen 56 percent. Compass Chief Economist Mike Simonsen said pending sales in the past week were down 6.1 percent from a year ago. He said cancellations hit 13 percent, the highest level since 2022.  Read more →
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Why You’ll Feel It
Simonsen said a lack of equity gains makes it harder for homeowners to sell, which puts a lid on inventory growth. The daily rate index hit 7.6 percent on September 30, then dropped slightly to 7.54 percent on October 1. It is measured differently from Freddie Mac’s weekly average.
📊 The Takes
Buyer agents mostly press their new leverage, others check in on every pending deal, and a few dismiss one week of applications as noise.
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🤝 Presses the Advantage — ‘My buyers have room to ask for things again. I am asking.’
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👀 Watches Every Contract — ‘An accepted offer is not a closing right now. I check in on every deal.’
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📊 Waits for a Trend — ‘One week of applications is noise. I want a month of it before I change my pitch.’
5th Take
HouseCanary Signed a National Google Listings Agreement While in Chapter 11
The Quick Take
HouseCanary has signed a national agreement with Google that will expand its home listing program nationwide, CEO Chris Rediger said. It builds on a program the two companies announced in June. The program brings listings from participating MLSs into Google’s mobile search results. HouseCanary has said eligible listings can appear without an advertising spend by the listing broker or agent. It also says listing agents receive attribution and a click-to-contact option.  Read more →
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The Real Story
HouseCanary and five affiliates filed for Chapter 11 in New Jersey last month. Court filings show it defaulted on a 30 million dollar loan that came due in January. Which listings appear still depends on MLS participation.
📊 The Takes
Free Google placement is the draw for most, many first want to know if their own MLS signs on, and a few will wait until Chapter 11 ends.
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🔎 Wants the Google Placement — ‘If my listing shows on Google with my name on it, I want in.’
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📞 Asks Their MLS First — ‘None of this matters unless my MLS participates. I am calling them this week.’
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⚖ Waits Out the Bankruptcy — ‘I will get excited when the company is out of Chapter 11.’
6th Take
United’s CEO Gave NAR an F on Three Reform Requests
The Quick Take
United Real Estate CEO Dan Duffy opened RISMedia’s CEO & Leadership Exchange by grading NAR on three of five asks from a working group of real estate leaders he helps lead. He gave NAR an F on all three. The asks were a detailed restructuring plan with transparent financials, governance changes to enhance the board’s independence, and a balance sheet without a nine-figure rainy day fund.  Read more →
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Why People Are Mad
An NAR spokesperson said Duffy’s comments have not changed over the past few years, while NAR has completely transformed how it operates. Duffy called NAR’s annual report a promotional document lacking concrete numbers.
📊 The Takes
Dues-payers want NAR’s books opened, some have heard Duffy’s speech before, and a smaller group says NAR has already changed.
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🧾 Wants the Books Open — ‘I pay dues every year. Show me where the money goes.’
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🔁 Has Heard This Speech — ‘He said this last year too. I have listings to work.’
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🏛 Sides With NAR — ‘NAR has already changed how it operates. One brokerage CEO’s report card does not move me.’
7th Take
Just 48% of Surveyed Agents Are Optimistic About the Next 12 Months
The Quick Take
ResiClub and Zoodealio, a cash-offer platform for agents, surveyed 208 agents and brokers between August 17 and September 29. Forty-eight percent described their business outlook for the next 12 months as optimistic, down from 60 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025. Sixty-three percent report lower buyer demand than 12 months ago, and 74 percent say leverage is shifting toward buyers.  Read more →
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What This Means
Fifty-nine percent of the agents surveyed view NAR unfavorably, and only 9 percent view it favorably. Seventy-eight percent say clients have used AI tools at least occasionally over the past 12 months. Twenty-three percent say clients have used AI to challenge their pricing or valuation.
📊 The Takes
Caution edges out optimism, much as the survey found, while a few agents fix on clients using AI to challenge their pricing.
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🧭 Not Optimistic — ‘I am planning my year around the market I have, not the one I want.’
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☀ Still Optimistic — ‘Buyers have leverage again. That gives me something to work with.’
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💬 Watches the AI Pushback — ‘Twenty-three percent say clients used AI to challenge their price. That is the number I am watching.’
8th Take
CertifID Bought Closinglock, Its Second Acquisition in Four Months
The Quick Take
CertifID has acquired Closinglock, joining two Austin, Texas-based companies focused on fraud prevention, secure payments, identity verification, and closing workflows. It is CertifID’s second acquisition in four months, after CloseSimple in June. CertifID CEO Tyler Adams will lead the combined company, and Closinglock CEO Andy White becomes chief strategy officer.  Read more →
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What’s Changing
The combined company will serve more than 3,000 title companies and expects to protect 2.5 million transactions this year. Both leaders say customers keep the products they use now. Adams says the deal lets threat intelligence be shared across a broader customer base.
📊 The Takes
Fewer fraud gaps at closing is the hope for most agents, some just want their title company’s tools left alone, and a few are wary of consolidation.
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🛡 Wants Fewer Gaps — ‘Wire fraud is the call I dread most. More shared fraud data across title companies helps me.’
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📲 Keeps the Same Tools — ‘My title company just needs its tools to keep working. No change on day one is the right promise.’
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🔎 Wary of Consolidation — ‘Every deal like this means fewer vendors. I want to see what happens to pricing.’
9th Take
Newsom Signed a Law Exempting Altadena From Two State Density Laws Until 2030
The Quick Take
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 1090 into law, shielding the Altadena area from SB 9 and 1123. Those state laws allow up to 10 units on single-family lots and make it easier to split or subdivide lots. State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez of neighboring Pasadena introduced it as the Keep Altadena Land in Altadena Hands Act.  Read more →
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Why It Matters
The exemptions go into effect Thursday and last until 2030. Matthew Lewis of California YIMBY called the law counterproductive, saying extra units could give fire victims rental income to fund a rebuild. About 40 percent of fully destroyed Altadena parcels have no rebuilding applications on file.
📊 The Takes
Keeping speculators out of Altadena wins most agents, a solid group sides with the case for extra rental units, and some just want rebuilding to start.
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🏡 Backs the Locals — ‘Altadena families should get to rebuild their own town before speculators move in.’
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🏗 Wants the Extra Units — ‘A duplex with rental income could be how a fire victim pays for the rebuild.’
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⏳ Wants Shovels Moving — ‘About 40 percent of destroyed lots have no rebuild application. That worries me more.’
10th Take
FHFA Cut Its Inspector General’s Budget 61.3%, and the Office Says Fraud Probes Will End
The Quick Take
The Federal Housing Finance Agency inspector general’s office told Congress that FHFA will give it 20 million dollars in fiscal 2027, a 61.3 percent cut from fiscal 2026. James Hodge, acting principal deputy inspector general, wrote that the cut would force staff reductions of 70 to 80 percent. He said it would end essentially all of the office’s criminal investigations.  Read more →
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What’s at Stake
FHFA says the allocation brings its inspector general in line with peer offices and that it fully supports the office’s independence. Congressional Democrats called the cut unlawful and urged Director Bill Pulte to resign. Both offices are funded through assessments on regulated entities, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
📊 The Takes
Agents who worry about mortgage fraud see a loss for honest buyers, others call it a budget matter far from their closings, and some want Congress involved.
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🚨 Worries About Fraud — ‘Fewer investigators chasing mortgage fraud means more of it gets through. Honest buyers pay for that.’
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💼 Far From My Closings — ‘An inspector general budget in Washington does not change a single deal I have this month.’
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🏛 Wants Congress Involved — ‘One director should not get to shrink his own watchdog. Congress needs to weigh in.’
👋 Until tomorrow, Agents.
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CURATED will be watching what Friday’s jobs report does to rates.
CURATED for Agents
CURATED for Agents — the day’s real estate stories, and how the industry is reading them.
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