Redfin extends AI-powered home search into ChatGPT

Plus: Nearly 45% of U.S. homeowners are equity-rich

February 09, 2026

♻️ Here's Monday. Thanks for kicking your week off with us. Today's newsletter is 710 words — a 2.5-minute read.

Disclaimer: Average mortgage rates as of February 06, 2026. © MND Daily Rate Index.

1. Redfin extends AI-powered home search into ChatGPT

Redfin has integrated its home search platform into ChatGPT, allowing users to browse property listings and market data through conversational queries on the AI platform.

The feature, available this week for web and iOS users, lets homebuyers ask natural-language questions about properties, neighborhoods, commute times and local pricing trends without repeatedly entering search criteria. Users can refine searches through follow-up questions in the same conversation.

“This launch of a Redfin app in ChatGPT is our way of making home search easier and better as more people use AI platforms to get important information,” said Dos Santos, VP Product, Growth @ Redfin.

2. Senate democrats push back on CFPB plan to end disparate impact enforcement

Eight Senate Democrats are urging the CFPB to withdraw a proposed rule eliminating disparate impact enforcement under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, warning the change would enable discrimination and worsen housing affordability.

In a February 4 letter led by Sens. Raphael Warnock and Elizabeth Warren, the lawmakers said removing the 50-year-old standard would undermine civil rights protections in mortgage, credit card and auto lending.

The disparate impact framework allows regulators to challenge practices that disproportionately harm protected groups without proving intentional discrimination—a standard repeatedly upheld by the Supreme Court.

🚨 Book Launch

Rethink Everything You 'Know' About Buying a Home: Strategies and Hacks

Honored to be part of the Book Rethink Everything You “know” about Buying a Home! You have to checkout the two Chapters I wrote Ch 19 and 21!

Thank you to the two main Authors: Meghan Handy and Jemma Pachiano. Also see other chapters by my good friends in the Mortgage Biz: Travis Newton, Steve Kik, Danielle Anderson, Landy Liu, Brad Cardwell, Kristen Genovese and Brian Vieaux

AUTHORS

3. More Nuggets

📊 The best markets for first-time homebuyers in 2026. (Realtor’com)

⚖️ Judge rejects Compass bid to block 'Zillow ban' for online home listings. (Reuters)

📉 Consumer confidence improves as inflation worries ease. (CNBC)

🏚️ Estimates for insured losses from Winter Storm Fern top $4 billion. (HW)

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4. Nearly 45% of U.S. homeowners are equity-rich

As of Q4 last year, 44.6% of U.S. homeowners with a mortgage were considered equity-rich, meaning they owed no more than half of what their homes were worth.

That share has slipped a bit. According to ATTOM, the equity-rich population fell 1.5 percentage points from Q3 2025 and is down 4.5 points from its recent peak of 49.2% in Q2 2024.

On the other end of the spectrum, there was a small rise in seriously underwater homes. In Q4 2025, 3.0% of mortgaged properties fell into that category, up from 2.8% the prior quarter. These are homes where loan balances exceed market value by at least 25%.

5. Early signs point to a more active spring market

New listings are up 1.1% YoY, marking the third straight weekly increase after months of declines, and supply is nearing balanced-market territory with months of supply now at 5.4, according to Redfin.

Here are the other key takeaways from the market update.

  • Buyers have negotiating leverage, with sellers outnumbering buyers by a record 47.1%

  • Mortgage rates have eased to ~6.1%–6.2%, near a three-year low but still well above pandemic levels

  • Affordability is improving at the margin, as the median monthly mortgage payment fell nearly 5% YoY to $2,559 while wages rose about 4%

  • More sellers are giving up low-rate mortgages, while buyers are returning cautiously, negotiating aggressively, and prioritizing inspections

☀️ You’re all caught up. See you on Wednesday!

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