Written by Chase Majerus
Welcome to This Week Today—the newsletter that delivers mortgage, real estate, and finance news faster than Nicolas Cage steals the Declaration of Independence. We break down the biggest headlines, market shifts, and money moves so you stay ahead of the game—without needing a decoder ring. Let’s get into it.
A home equity line of credit, or HELOC, lets you borrow against your home’s available equity. Applying for a HELOC with Synergy One Lending is fast and easy. Our application is fast, easy, and all online. If pre-approved, you’ll be instantly presented with your offer options.
The last week and a half have every news outlet in complete mania. Part of that mania is in the homebuying market, where Americans who are in the “thinking about buying a home” phase are and have been grappling with the big affordability issue for quite some time. And with new government intervention, things are about to get even more complicated.
I mean, what a headlock, right?
High mortgage rates, record home prices, and a soft lack of inventory (and what inventory out there is getting stale like week-old sourdough bread) are bad enough but now there’s a new bad boy on the block. Tariffs on essential building materials are cranking up the pressure. A 25% tariff on softwood lumber from Canada and gypsum from Mexico (plus a fresh 10% hit on Chinese goods) means higher construction costs, making homes even less affordable. Builders are already begging for exemptions, and already some of these tariffs have been delayed by a month. But smaller developers with tight margins will get hit hardest, further strangling new home supply.
Meanwhile, the labor shortage—made worse by mass deportations—is leaving fewer workers to build the homes we can afford. If these tariffs stick, the cost of materials could spike by $3-4 billion, forcing builders to pass that pain onto buyers. And if inflation jumps as a result, the Fed could scrap any dreams of rate cuts, crushing affordability even more.
If there was ever a home built specifically for Major Mansion status, it’s the HGTV Dream Home 2025 in Bluffton, SC.
This place isn’t just a house—it’s a golf lover’s paradise wrapped in luxury, comfort, and Lowcountry charm. Sitting right on a stunning golf course, it brings all the perks: private pool, outdoor fireplaces, high-end finishes, and multiple seating areas perfect for unwinding after a round. And let’s be real—who wouldn’t want to wake up, sip coffee on the back patio, and watch the sun rise over the fairways?
With country club-level amenities and resort-style outdoor living, this place is so sick it might as well come with a lifetime supply of Titleists. And the best part? HGTV is literally giving it away—along with a brand-new Mercedes and $100K in cash. If you love golf, good design, and free stuff, this one’s a no-brainer.
Read more here about how to enter! Or check out the Instagram photos here!
Look, we’re just referencing all the things that CBSnews.com had to say, but they could be onto something. Right now, home equity loans are looking like a solid move—especially with rates dipping to their lowest point in over a year.
The average homeowner has around $320,000 in equity, and with today’s fixed home equity loan rates, you get both predictability and security in your monthly payments.
But the key takeaway? Waiting isn’t a strategy. Interest rates are unpredictable, inflation could keep cuts off the table, and locking in a low rate now means you’re in control. If rates fall later, you can always refinance.
That said, before you even think about tapping into home equity, your financial fitness needs to be dialed in. Managing debt, understanding your credit, and making smart borrowing decisions are all part of the game. If you want to see where you stand, talk to a Synergy One Lending loan officer or download our S1 FinFit app to get your financial house in order—because the best way to win with home equity is making sure you’re actually ready for it.
S1 FinFit is a FREE app that provides a roadmap to help you reach your financial and lifestyle goals, no matter how big or small! Free credit monitoring with alerts, set financial goals, create budgets, and keep track of your spending to see where your money is going.
Download the app on the appropriate app store with the links below!
While most of the stock market is getting bodied by trade war fears, real estate stocks are having a moment.
As hedge funds dumped equities across the board last week—just before Trump’s tariffs sent global markets tumbling—there was one sector they kept buying: real estate. According to Goldman Sachs, real estate stocks saw their fourth straight week of inflows, with funds snapping them up at the fastest pace in two months.
Why? Because real estate tends to thrive when inflation heats up, and tariffs driving up import costs could fuel exactly that. Higher prices = higher property values and rising rents, making real estate an attractive hedge against eroding purchasing power.
And hedge funds aren’t the only ones on this train—several economists have been sounding the alarm on real estate stocks for weeks, and they’re still at it. The hot take? Commercial real estate, despite its pandemic-era doom narrative, is making a comeback. So if you’re playing the market and looking for a sector with momentum, real estate might just be so back.
CFPB HALT
To be fair, financial regulators were already in full-blown identity crisis. And now, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)—the so-called watchdog for American consumers—just got muzzled.
Scott Bessent, a hedge fund heavyweight and newly minted Treasury Secretary, is now also the acting CFPB director after Rohit Chopra was abruptly fired. His first move? Putting the agency on ice. An internal memo ordered staff to stop issuing rules, freeze enforcement actions, and halt all public communications. That means ongoing lawsuits against big players like Capital One, Walmart, and Zelle are on pause.
Bessent says he’s here to “lower costs for the American people,” but pausing consumer protections that would’ve cracked down on overdraft fees, credit card late fees, and medical debt reporting seems like a weird way to do that. Banks and business groups are cheering, while consumer advocates are sounding the alarms, calling this the beginning of the end for basic financial protections. And if these enforcement shutdowns stick, working-class Americans might be the ones paying the price—literally.
House hunting is exciting—you’re scrolling listings, imagining life in your dream home, and picturing the backyard barbecues. But if you’re doing all that without a mortgage pre-approval, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.
Think of it like shopping without your wallet. You wouldn’t fill up your cart with groceries only to realize at checkout that you don’t have a way to pay. Yet, that’s exactly what many homebuyers do when they start touring homes without a pre-approval in hand.
So what Is mortgage pre-approval?
A mortgage pre-approval is a lender’s conditional commitment to lend you a specific amount for a home purchase. It’s based on your income, credit score, debt-to-income ratio, and other financial factors. Unlike pre-qualification, which is a rough estimate, pre-approval requires documentation and gives you a more concrete budget to work with.
Before you start swooning over kitchens with marble countertops and spacious backyards, here’s why getting pre-approved is non-negotiable:
If you’re even thinking about buying a home in the next few months, now is the time to get pre-approved. A pre-approval typically lasts 60-90 days, giving you plenty of time to house hunt with confidence.
The good news? Getting pre-approved is easier than you think. At Synergy One Lending, our loan officers are ready to guide you through the process, ensuring you know your options and can shop with confidence. Not quite ready to talk to a loan officer? Download our S1 FinFit app to check your financial fitness and see what steps you need to take before securing a mortgage.
Bottom line: Don’t house hunt without a plan. Get pre-approved first, then start shopping smart!
Thank you for reading! We hope you have a wonderful day! See you next week!
Sign up to receive the “This Week Today” newsletter every week.
Lorem ipsum
Lorem ipsum 1
Lorem ipsum
Lorem ipsum
Lorem ipsum 3
Lorem ipsum
Social Space
Our Top Social Links of the week
Read:
The Biggest Trade In NBA History Gets Funnier Once You Find Out This Fact – Read here!
Read:
Is This Fact Real? Can Someone Confirm This? – Read here!
Video:
The Duality Of Real Estate – Watch here!
Video:
5 Years In Stocks VS Real Estate: Which Made Me More Money? – Watch here!