Nearly a quarter of U.S. properties with mortgages are equity rich, according to a recent report from ATTOM Data Solutions. The Western region led the charge with the highest percentage of equity-rich properties, as four out of the top five metros with the highest percentages were in California.

First-time homebuyers may be facing rising affordability issues, but they are still outpacing the share of repeat buyers in the housing market. This is nothing new, as first-time homebuyers have dominated the mortgage market for the past 10 years, but the latest data from the Urban Institute shows that gap actually continues to grow.

Angel Oak Companies, an investment management firm that focuses on mortgage credit and made its name providing residential mortgages that don’t fit into the Qualified Mortgage box, has grown its business significantly over the last few months. And now, the company is about to grow again.

Home improvement retailer The Home Depot reported a surge in its sales during the second quarter of 2018 as more homeowners choose to age in place and renovate their homes rather than move into a newer home.

Executive Conversations is a HousingWire web series that profiles powerful people in the financial industry, highlighting the operations and the people that make this sector tick. In the latest installment, we sit down with Patrick Burns, CEO of Spruce, to talk about how they’ve reinvented what it means to be a title company.