Chicago Housing Authority Commissioner Accused of Section 8 Voucher Fraud

by Phil Hall | Mar 25, 2026 | Current News & Events, Real Estate News, WRE News Exclusive

An internal investigation by the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) has determined Commissioner Debra Parker has committed housing voucher fraud. WBEZ reports Parker, who has served on the CHA board since 2018, has participated in the Housing Choice Voucher program (also...

Mortgage Application Activity Drops by 10.5%

by Phil Hall | Mar 25, 2026 | Current News & Events, Mortgage Information, Real Estate News, U.S. Housing Market, WRE News Exclusive

Mortgage application activity slowed during the week ending March 20, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association. The Market Composite Index, the MBA’s measure of mortgage loan application volume, dropped by 10.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one...

Illinois Home Prices Rise While Sales Decline

by Phil Hall | Mar 25, 2026 | Current News & Events, Real Estate News, U.S. Housing Market, WRE News Exclusive

A total of 7,356 homes were sold in Illinois during February, a 5.9% decline from the 7,820 sold one year earlier. According to data from Illinois Realtors, the 17,685 homes available for sale statewide last month were 5.6% less than the 18,731 homes available in...

TransUnion Debuts Platform for Property Ownership Confirmations

by Phil Hall | Mar 25, 2026 | Current News & Events, Real Estate Agent Tools, Real Estate News, U.S. Housing Market, WRE News Exclusive

TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) has rolled out TruLookup for Real Estate, a mobile platform designed to help real estate professionals confirm property ownership to prevent fraud and conduct personal safety checks. According to the company, the new platform can confirm legal...

HUD Probes Washington State Homeownership Program for Fair Housing Act Violations

by Phil Hall | Mar 25, 2026 | Current News & Events, Real Estate News, U.S. Housing Market, WRE News Exclusive

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has launched an investigation into Washington State’s Covenant Homeownership Program, which agency believes may be in violation of the Fair Housing Act. According to HUD, the Washington State Housing Finance...