Accunet Mortgage & Realty Show 3-24-26

Brian Wickert breaks down what’s really happening with mortgage rates versus what some news outlets are reporting — including why a widely circulated Fannie Mae forecast is already outdated and misleading. He explains where rates actually stand today, what’s driving the recent uptick, and why sustained improvement back to late-February levels is unlikely in the near term. Brian also walks through the math on buying down your rate with points versus riding the market, and revisits the temporary buydown as a strategy worth considering in today’s environment.

From there, Brian digs into Wisconsin’s dominance on Realtor.com’s latest hottest housing markets list — with seven of the top 20 spots claimed by Wisconsin metros. He shares real-world strategies for competing in this spring’s tight market, from appraisal gap coverage to leveraging Fannie Mae’s automated valuation waivers to strengthen your offer.

Finally, Brian unpacks major new guidelines from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on homeowners insurance and condo lending — including a shift to actual cash value coverage for roofs, streamlined reviews for smaller condo projects, and a reserve requirement increase hitting in early 2027 that condo associations need to prepare for now.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​