Crandall, Texas named the No. 2 hottest ZIP code in America

☕ ¡Buenos días! Welcome to the first Thursday of the rest of your life.

Today's newsletter is 515 words — a 2.5-minute read.

1. Judge blocks real estate anti-money laundering rule

Just weeks after taking effect, a federal court in Texas struck down FinCEN’s Anti-Money Laundering Regulations for Residential Real Estate Transfers, ruling that FinCEN exceeded its statutory authority.

The rule, which went into effect on March 1, 2026, had required real estate professionals handling closings and settlements to submit a “Real Estate Report” for non-financed residential real estate transfers involving entities or trusts.

The court’s decision eliminates reporting requirements for these non-financed transactions, easing compliance burdens for title companies and restoring previous practices.

2. 14% of home-sale agreements fell through in February

According to a report from Redfin, more than 42,000 home-sale agreements fell through in February, accounting for 13.7% of homes that went under contract that month. That’s up from 12.8% a year earlier and marks the highest February share since records began in 2017.

In Texas, San Antonio had the highest rate of cancellations, with 17.9% of home-purchase agreements falling through. Fort Worth followed closely, with 17.3% of contracts canceled.

3. Catch up quick

🚀 24 more firms join Zillow Preview coming soon program. (Zillow)

🏠 Country singer Miranda Lambert's childhood Texas home listed for $1.6M. (MySA)

🥈 Crandall, Texas named the No. 2 hottest ZIP code in America. (MovingPlace)

😨 3 in 5 Americans fear AI could replace jobs, making it harder to afford homes. (Redfin)

🤖 Zillow goes 'AI mode' with new home search assistant. (Zillow)

⏳ Mapped: Years to save for a home by state. (VisualCapitalist)

4. Rocket offers voluntary employee buyouts

Rocket is offering voluntary separation packages to some employees as part of its consolidation following last year’s acquisitions of Mr. Cooper Group and Redfin.

The company has not disclosed which teams are affected or how many employees received offers, but the packages include tenure-based severance, up to 12 months of health benefits, transition assistance, and job search support.

This move follows a July 2025 layoff that reduced staff by roughly 2%, just weeks after the Redfin deal closed. The acquisitions increased Rocket’s headcount from 14,263 to 23,500 by the end of 2025. LINK

5. Texas sees the biggest net gain of Gen Z movers

According to a study by MovingPlace, Texas saw the largest net gain of Gen Z residents in 2025, with 5,081 young people moving to the state and 3,555 leaving. Despite this churn, Texas continues to attract more new Gen Z residents than any other state.

The Texas cities with the largest Gen Z gains are:

• Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington: 484 net moves

• Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands: 247

• Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos: 230

The study suggests these moves are driven by tech job hubs and affordable housing in major metros, with many movers leaving states like California, New Jersey, and Minnesota.

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