First up: mortgage rates just spiked. After dipping below 6% last week for the first time in 3+ years, rates jumped back to 6.12% today after the Iran strikes sent oil prices surging. If you've been watching rates waiting for the right time to buy, this is exactly why timing the market is so tough.

Second: Pennsylvania is going after those "home equity investment" deals — you know, the ones marketed as "free money" where you get cash now but give up a share of your home's future value. A new bill would regulate them like mortgages, which the industry says would basically kill them in the state. Other states are doing the same.

Third: Manhattan's luxury market is ON FIRE. February saw about $1.38 billion in sales volume at the $4M+ level — up 45% from last year. One new building on Madison Avenue sold 18 of its 26 units averaging $5,400 per square foot. The wealthy are not sitting on the sidelines.

Which of these 3 stories do you think matters most?