Real estate analytics and valuation firm Clear Capital has formed a partnership with CAPE Analytics, offering a new automated property condition tool for home equity lenders.

The collaboration introduces an Automated Property Condition Report (aPCR) and an inspection cascade designed to speed up loan processing and ensure compliance with investor requirements.

The aPCR uses high-resolution geospatial imagery and machine learning from CAPE Analytics to assess property conditions.

According to the companies, the product covers 98% of U.S. residential properties and serves as an alternative to traditional inspections.

“This collaboration with CAPE Analytics is about enabling lenders to close home equity loans in days rather than weeks,” said Dan McAlister, vice president of product at Clear Capital. “In addition, Clear Capital is plugged into the lending technology ecosystem, which allows us to increase accessibility to aPCRs without lenders needing to integrate with additional systems.”

If an aPCR is not available, Clear Capital’s inspection cascade shifts to a property condition inspection.

Both services are offered under a single price, which the company said is designed to avoid reissuing borrower disclosures and eliminate borrower-driven inspection delays.

“CAPE Analytics selected Clear Capital for its deep relationships with the lending industry and its ability to deliver comprehensive property condition solutions nationwide,” said Sean Begley, director of business development at CAPE Analytics.

“By integrating Clear Capital’s inspection platform with CAPE’s imagery-derived property intelligence, the collaboration offers an end-to-end solution that lenders, secondary market investors, and ratings agencies can leverage.”

The companies said lenders can also combine the aPCR with Clear Capital’s automated valuation model, ClearAVM, to create a fully automated workflow that meets federal appraisal and evaluation guidelines.

The Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC) has appointed Valerie White to lead its national housing team — expanding her role beyond her current position as senior executive director of LISC New York.

White will oversee the organization’s national housing investments — which total $30.4 billion to date — with a focus on expanding access to affordable housing in communities facing financial and market barriers.

She will also continue directing LISC’s work across New York state, where the group has invested $4.6 billion.

“Housing has always been at the core of LISC’s work, and it has always been a product of deep local engagement and community innovation,” White said in a statement.

“Our goal is to deliver more expertise and resources to those local efforts, scale up successful programs to reach more people, build efficiencies in the deployment of capital and services across our organization, and — alongside local stakeholders — drive greater impact and economic growth.”

LISC said White will guide strategies that include preservation programs for heirs’ properties, support for faith-based groups pursuing development projects, and expanded developer training initiatives designed to boost affordable housing production and workforce opportunities.

White joined LISC in 2020 after serving as executive vice president at Empire State Development Corp. in New York.

Her prior roles include leadership positions at Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp., Standard & Poor’s and the New York City Housing Authority.

She has also advised the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa on municipal finance strategies.

“Housing stability influences nearly every aspect of community wellness,” said Michael Pugh, LISC’s president and CEO. “That’s why it has long been the largest part of LISC’s community development portfolio, and it’s why Valerie’s energy and experience are so valuable in expanding it.

“She has spent nearly 40 years connecting with community organizations, investors, and policymakers to fuel economic opportunity and growth. She understands how to weave together the many threads of community investment to build lasting quality-of-life gains.”

As winter winds down, Aussies are looking to transform their backyards into vibrant retreats ready for spring.  

Recent data from realestate.com.au shows an evolving shift: more people are prioritising lifestyle, community and entertaining from home. 

With entertaining at home on the rise, demand is growing for clever, budget-friendly outdoor styling hacks.  

From compact bistro settings to colourful planters and space-saving storage benches, even the smallest yards can be styled to feel bigger and more welcoming. 

The new social hub 

As lifestyles have changed, Australians have increasingly gravitated towards their backyards. 

Recent research from realestate.com.au, which surveyed potential Australian buyers of new homes, showed a growing trend of “host hoods” – community-centric homes designed to make hosting easier. 

The data suggested that within five years, more Australians will aspire to a home-based lifestyle, with 46% of respondents saying they expect to spend more time at home. 

For many buyers, this means prioritising properties with versatile spaces that make hosting friends, family and neighbours effortless. 

When it comes to styling, this means maximising space. This is good news, as it also means less spent on elaborate landscaping. Keep the greenery to the edges and focus on having usable space that can accommodate a crowd. 

Hacks for maximising your spring backyard 

When styling a backyard – particularly a smaller one – it helps to start with a clear plan. Think about how you will use the space most often. Will it be for dining, lounging or entertaining?  

Decide on a focal area, then layer in functional pieces and decorative touches that suit that use. 

Here are some hacks to try when styling your backyard.  

Choose furniture wisely 

In smaller outdoor areas, furniture that serves more than one purpose is key. 

Compact bistro sets – available at stores such as Bunnings – are ideal for smaller patios or even apartment balconies. 

Outdoor storage benches can be another smart investment, offering a place to tuck away cushions and throws while providing extra seating. You can find options at IKEA, Bunnings and Fantastic Furniture in various styles. 

When choosing outdoor furniture, prioritise materials designed to withstand the harsh summer sun and any unpredictable weather.  

Layer greenery for instant impact 

You don’t need major landscaping to create a lush and inviting backyard. Strategic plant placement can add colour, texture and depth to a small space. 

Consider ceramic pots from stores such as Kmart or Target for a pop of colour or a decorative touch. 

You can also arrange your plants in layers with tall plants in corners, shrubs along fences or walls and hanging plants on high ledges or shelves.  

This approach maximises greenery without taking up too much floor space. 

Play with light and shadow 

Lighting can transform your backyard from daytime retreat to evening entertainer. 

Solar string lights – widely available from home and hardware stores – draped across fences, pergolas or tree branches create a warm, inviting glow. 

For added dimension, you can opt for solar lanterns or candles to highlight certain plants or areas of the backyard. This not only sets a mood but also extends the hours you can enjoy your outdoor space. 

A lifestyle investment 

A thoughtfully styled outdoor space can extend your home’s living area and encourage more time spent connecting with friends, family and neighbours. 

With spring’s longer days and warmer weather, it’s an ideal time to experiment. By combining budget-friendly choices with a clear vision, even the smallest backyard can deliver a significant lifestyle return. 

The post Small backyard, big impact: Budget-friendly styling hacks for spring 2025  appeared first on realestate.com.au.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) said Tuesday it has allowed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to approve Rocket Companies’ planned acquisition of Mr. Cooper Group, noting the combined company should not exceed a 20% counterparty risk limit set for the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs).

Detroit-based Rocket announced in March that it would acquire Mr. Cooper — the nation’s largest mortgage servicer — in an all-stock deal valued at $9.4 billion. At the same time, Rocket was also pursuing a $1.75 billion acquisition of real estate brokerage and home search platform Redfin.

FHFA staff reviewed the merger of “two of the Enterprises’ largest individual seller-servicer counterparties” and recommended that Fannie and Freddie each maintain strict 20% concentration caps, along with other financial and operational safeguards to protect the GSEs and the broader housing market.

“No market participant should have greater than 20% of Fannie or Freddie’s servicing market in order to ensure the safety and soundness of the mortgage market and the overall economy,” the statement reads. 

The deal would give Rocket a $2.1 trillion servicing portfolio across nearly 10 million customers — roughly one in six U.S. mortgages. As of the second quarter of 2025, Mr. Cooper’s $1.5 trillion servicing book represented 10.4% of the top 25 largest servicers, while Rocket’s $616.7 billion portfolio accounted for 4.25%, according to Inside Mortgage Finance. 

Rocket is also the nation’s third-largest mortgage lender, with $46.8 billion in originations in the first half of 2025 (5.5% market share). Mr. Cooper ranked 10th with $17.7 billion in volume and a 2.1% share.

Financially, Rocket swung to a $34 million profit in Q2, compared with a $212 million loss in the prior quarter. Executives reiterated on an earnings call that the company expects to close the Mr. Cooper deal in Q4 2025, highlighting the expanded servicing portfolio as key to Rocket’s customer recapture strategy.

Brian Brown, Rocket’s chief financial officer, told analysts that Rocket remains “active,” particularly for assets with “high recapture potential.”

These old factories have been reimagined into chic living spaces, using their rusty past to breathe new life into urban hubs

Their vast spaces might have once hummed to the sound of machines, but these relics of Australia’s industrial past are being reinvented as coveted contemporary homes.

A slew of recent warehouse conversions to hit the market shows how abandoned factories are being cleverly reborn into sleek warehouses, helping reinvigorate city spaces with their blend of historic architecture and modern style.

In inner Sydney’s Chippendale, a large scale industrial warehouse known as the ‘Pigeon Shed’ has been masterfully transformed into a stunning home with expansive spaces to live, work, play and even garden.

“This is a very rare bird – that’s the best way I can describe it,” Shannan Whitney, of BresicWhitney, said.

The early century building is being offloaded by Beau Neilson, daughter of Australian businesswoman and philanthropist Judith Neilson via an expressions of interest campaign, with a price guide of $19 million.

“The family have been synonymous with this category of building in inner Sydney, and has probably single-handedly done some of the better conversions,” Mr Whitney added. “They’ve been amazing custodians for the inner city areas, restoring and celebrating buildings like this.”

MCK Architects stayed true to the industrial character of the building, which has had a range of uses over its life.

“The architects have done an incredible job,” Mr Whitney said.

“The building had a beautiful authenticity, and its industrial personality was still intact.

“It had an amazing presence as a beautiful, big, freestanding building of impressive proportions. The owner was lucky enough to get their hands on it 12 or 15 years ago.”

Split across three levels with an internal floor area of 735 sqm, the five-bedroom home includes a formal entertaining zone, studio, guest area, casual living area and expansive kitchen. There is also an internal lift and revolving bookcase.

The renovation took around four years, with the current sale generating interest from all ages and walks of life, Mr Whitney added.

While Sydney has its share of warehouse conversions, they rarely come up for sale. “Very few of this calibre have been built. The commercial reality and time required to deliver this level of quality for an asset like this is well above that price guide.”

Elsewhere in Sydney’s inner west, heritage architecture is also being revived with a former toy factory-turned-stylish warehouse conversion at 3 Foster Street Leichhardt.

Iconic toy manufacturer Albert Lindsay once made his famed cowboy costumes here and during the 1960s 80 people worked at the Foster Street factory.

The industrial bones of the factory remain true to its 1930s build, with 347sqm of internal space across two levels.

Honouring its storied past, the factory has been recast for modern living with the four-bedroom home boasting soaring ceilings, and beautiful industrial finishes including exposed steel trusses and reclaimed brickwork.

“A lot of warehouses don’t have triple parking, an 18-metre long grass lawn, and family-friendly amenities. But we’ve got four bedrooms plus four bathrooms, a media room, and home office, so it’s certainly unique. It actually caters to all markets which is unique for a warehouse conversion,” agent Santos Sulfaro of CobdenHayson said.

The Lindsay family returned to the old factory and “couldn’t believe their eyes that it was the same warehouse their family worked in for the last 70 years”, he said.

The property was snapped up ahead of its scheduled auction date for $5.01 million.

In North Melbourne it is a similar story, with the transformation of a late 19th century warehouse and adjoining caretaker’s cottage at 39-41 Provost Street. The building, which once served as a timber mill and livery stable, has gone from grit to glam.

Vaulted skylit ceilings flood the four-bedroom residence with natural light, with features including an expansive dining space, polished concrete floors and double-brick walls.

A trip up the spiral staircase also reveals a rooftop deck with city skyline views. The price guide is $3.75 million to $3.995 million.

Meanwhile in Melbourne’s inner south, modern life thrives at another factory of yesterday. The brick warehouse turned tri-level four-bedroom home at 27 Woodstock Street, Balaclava, exudes rustic charm, paying homage to its industrial roots with features like exposed brick walls, cathedral ceilings with timber beams and wooden floors.

The top floor also opens out to a decked terrace with sweeping neighbourhood views. The price guide is $3 million to $3.3 million.

And in Western Australia, the 1930s Weeties factory at 11/5 Harvest Road, North Freemantle has  undergone an award-winning revival. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home priced from $3.95 million offers a nod to its past, with its vaulted ceilings, large living spaces, brick interiors and reclaimed timber floor.

Touches of old include the original tall windows that let natural light flood in, while modern additions include a pool and lush terrace.

The post From factory to dream home: Warehouse conversions you have to see to believe appeared first on realestate.com.au.