HousingWire Daily Clayton Collins on the biggest stories of 2025
Dec 29, 2025
Clayton Collins, CEO of HousingWire and expert on mortgage and real estate markets, shares his insights on the biggest housing stories from 2025. He discusses the significant impact of mortgage rates and borrowing costs, as well as Fannie Mae's FICO changes that stirred industry interest. The conversation also explores Florida's property tax proposal, Texas housing affordability, and how climate risks are affecting buyer decisions. Looking ahead to 2026, Collins expresses cautious optimism about market stability and growth.
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Affordability Now Beyond Rates
- Rising property taxes and insurance added materially to homeowners' monthly costs in 2025, shifting affordability debates beyond mortgage rates.
- Clayton Collins highlights Florida as a flashpoint where tax proposals triggered national interest.
Property Tax Ban Sparks Tradeoff Debate
- Governor DeSantis' proposal to eliminate property taxes in Florida sparked broad debate because the state lacks an income tax to replace lost revenue.
- The proposal exposed tradeoffs between tax relief and funding for community services like education.
Texas Affordability Is Changing
- Clayton Collins described Texas' long-held reputation as the affordability state but acknowledged it's changed after post-COVID price runs.
- He noted affordability still exists outside core metros, but it's no longer universally cheap.