Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Freddie Mac will offer a $2,500 credit for very low-income purchase borrowers to help with down payment and closing costs amid elevated interest rates and low housing supply. Effective March 1, the credit will be available for homebuyers earning 50% of area median income (AMI) or less through Freddie Mac’s Home Possible and Housing Finance Agency (HFA) Advantage mortgage products.

Mortgage 497

Mortgage Finance Insurance Government 497

Real Estate News

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Stellar MLS CEO Merri Jo Cowen reflects on 40 years in the industry, what consumers don’t know about MLSs, and the need for a thoughtful approach to AI.

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Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate surpassed the 7% mark on Monday on the heels of strong economic data and the Federal Reserve signaling that it will move carefully with any future cuts to interest rates. The 30-year conforming fixed mortgage rate was at 7.04% on Mortgage News Daily and 6.91% on HousingWire’s Mortgage Rate Center. It’s the first time since December that the average 30-year fixed rate has eclipsed 7%.

Mortgage 473

Mortgage Investors Marketing 473

Real Estate News

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

This marks the third straight month with a drop, but the association’s chief economist said membership is “holding on much better than market dynamics suggest.

Marketing 258

Marketing 258

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Recent market trends — including an improvement in mortgage rates, housing affordability and potential refinance opportunities — suggest positive signs for the real estate market this year, according to February’s Mortgage Monitor report from Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). Mortgage rates held at 6.71% as of Jan. 24, down more than a full percentage point since their peak in October, the report noted.

Housing Market 461

Housing Market Marketing Mortgage Lending 461

Real Estate News

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

The remaining brokerage defendant asserts that Sitzer/Burnett should have gone to arbitration rather than trial.

Brokerage 249

Brokerage 249

Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

The company is appealing a recent ruling that rejected its request for a new trial. REX has been feuding with Zillow for years now.

Realtors 183

Realtors Real Estate Technology Brokerage 183

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Last year was largely a good one for the nation’s homebuilders, which were able to offer rate buydowns to attract more clients while maintaining double-digit profit margins. Additionally, the competition from existing home sellers was somewhat absent. An estimated 668,000 new homes were sold in 2023, 4.2% more than the figure of 641,000 in 2022, according to the U.S.

Construction 412

Construction Housing Market Buyers Sellers 412

Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

In the ongoing tug-of-war for top agents, Corcoran Group has wrestled back eight boomerang agents from Compass and recruited an additional eight agents from Compass to the New York City-based brand.

Agents 181

Agents Realty Brokerage 181

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Commission lawsuit defendant HomeServices of America is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its argument that the Eight Circuit wrongly rejected arbitration agreements with unnamed class members in the Sitzer/Burnett commission lawsuit. In late October 2023, a Missouri jury found HomeServices of America, as well as Keller Williams and the National Association of Realtors , liable for colluding to artificially inflate real estate agent commissions.

Contracts 397

Contracts Brokerage Law Real Estate Agent 397

Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

The franchisor filed a petition to the Supreme Court on Friday requesting the review of an earlier appeals court ruling barring it from enforcing arbitration agreements signed by seller clients.

Sellers 180

Sellers Clients Brokerage Agents 180

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Veteran mortgage executive James Seely has sued Guild Mortgage for allegedly failing to pay $750,000 in compensation after terminating his employment for cause by “manufacturing out of whole cloth spurious claims of Mr. Seely not working full time,” according to a recently filed lawsuit. “While we do not comment on pending litigation, Guild’s long-standing reputation for doing what’s right is built from our core values of integrity and respect, and we are committed to those values with every emp

Retail 390

Retail Contracts Loan Officers Mortgage 390

Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Investor sales in Manhattan had their worst year in the past decade during 2023, if 2020 is excluded, according to a report from Ariel Property Advisors.

Investing 175

Investing Investors Agents Marketing 175

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Proptech company RealReports , formerly known as BHR , has successfully secured $2 million in seed funding. TTV Capital , Moderne Ventures , Erez Capital and other venture capital firms led the round of investment. With this capital infusion, the company aims to accelerate its product development, grow its team and pursue market penetration with real estate brokerages, MLS associations and other proptech companies nationwide.

Real Estate Agent 382

Real Estate Agent Real Estate Valuation Modernization 382

Eyes on Housing

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

According to the data released by Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), private fixed investment in student dormitories inched up 1.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $3.96 billion in the last quarter of 2023, after a 5.5% increase in the third quarter. Private fixed investment in dorms was 10.2% higher than a year ago, but still slightly below.

Construction 172

Construction Investing 172

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Dallas-based OneTrust Home Loans brought on James Hecht as its CEO to spearhead the company’s various mortgage lending divisions. As a result, co-founders Josh Erskine and Shane Erskine will be pivoting to the roles of CEO and president at Warp Speed Holdings , respectively. In a statement, Hecht expressed his enthusiasm about joining OneTrust Home Loans.

Lending 376

Lending Retail Construction Tools 376

Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

In his latest Snapshot profile, Brandon Doyle talks to the Revive Real Estate CEO about how his path was influenced by his medical background, bringing a unique analytical perspective to his business approach.

Real Estate 171

Real Estate Business Technology Brokerage 171

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

By 2034, an estimated one in five residents of the state of California will be age 65 or older. While this won’t lead to a “silver tsunami” when it comes to a flood of housing inventory, the impacts of an aging population are difficult to ignore. These shifting dynamics are causing the California state government to work to ensure that certain issues that can stem from such a demographic development — particularly for health care, housing and social services — are addressed in a comprehensive st

Government 367

Government Development Design Inventory 367

Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Listings remain the name of the game, and agents who have the systems and skills in place to list properties and create client relationships will win, author and coach Darryl Davis writes.

Client Relationships 165

Client Relationships Clients Agents Open Houses 165

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

In my previous article , we discussed the importance of re-evaluating reverse mortgage marketing to “seniors” by dividing the current demographic into two groups: members of the post-World War II generation and baby boomers. This understanding informs our approach to marketing and sales, ensuring that we see and hear our customers fully. In turn, this allows us to forge stronger, more meaningful connections and provide solutions that truly resonate with their needs.

Mortgage 348

Mortgage Real Estate Agent Business Marketing 348

Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

From Chisum Realty Group in New Mexico to Denovo Realty in Florida, the invitation-only business network added 14 U.S. companies to its roster in addition to nearly two dozen from across the globe.

Real Estate 162

Real Estate Realty Business Technology 162

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

One of the passions that has spanned my career in its entirety is creating exceptional experiences — for agents and their clients, our brokerage staff and anyone who interacts with our brand. At The Agency , where I serve as president, one of our core values is ensuring quality at every touchpoint — in our marketing , technology, services, events and beyond.

Real Estate 275

Real Estate Real Estate Agent Agents Clients 275

Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

In January, the real estate market saw a 17.5 percent decline in net new listings and a 2 percent decrease in contract signings, driven by mortgage rate fluctuations, according to HouseCanary. Despite a rise in total inventory compared to 2022 and 2023, the market is still behind historical inventory averages as sellers avoid entering a higher rate environment.

New Listings 159

New Listings Contracts Inventory Real Estate 159

Appraiserblogs

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Being beaten up about a fee increase request, new higher technology fees, or losing out to an order in a ridiculous bidding war and learning the AMC made more money than the appraiser on an order, or even having an order cancelled because someone else offered to take less compensation, are only a few of the issues the appraisal industry is facing. After reflecting on 2023, from the position as an appraiser, experiencing the changes in volume of orders, the compensation being offered to the appr

Appraisal 120

Appraisal Technology Mortgage Valuation 120

Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

In the history of Park City real estate — a market known as a premier recreation and mountain resort destination — half of the highest-priced luxury home sales have been closed by a single team.

Real Estate 157

Real Estate Marketing 157

BiggerPockets

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

The U.S. as a whole only grew by about 1% last year, but other markets saw huge gains and massive losses. From New York City to Jackson, Mississippi, we analyzed the 100 largest metros in the nation and measured their home price growth from 2022 to 2023.

Marketing 92

Marketing 92

Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

As we start a new year, brokers are thinking through how to adapt, adjust and grow their teams. And more important than growth for the sake of growth is making sure that every new real estate professional is adding the greatest value to your business – and this goes beyond commission numbers.

Real Estate 155

Real Estate Business 155

BiggerPockets

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

The so-called Oracle of Omaha said that diversification is protection against ignorance, but isn't this strategy a necessary part of intelligent investing? Here's why diversification, especially in real estate, is so essential.

Investors 92

Investors Real Estate Investing 92

Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Winter is always slow, but new listings have been trending toward normal levels in recent months, according to a new Intel analysis of US homes for sale. Lower rates may only speed up the process.

New Listings 148

New Listings Inventory Brokerage Agents 148

BiggerPockets

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

After 500 BiggerPockets Money episodes, we’ve learned a thing or two about financial independence.

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Inman

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Troy Palmquist of eXp talks with bi-coastal broker and Inman contributor Cara Ameer about the lessons she's learned and what she'd share with agents now.

Agents 126

Agents Brokerage 126

BiggerPockets

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

With high home prices and higher interest rates, investors have been wondering if now is the right time to buy. While it depends on the market and, even more so, the deal itself, with a long-term mindset, you can make it work by "marrying the property and dating the rate." Here's how to calculate if now is the right time to buy a property.

Investors 91

Investors Marketing 91

GoForrmz

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Understand all you can do with your digital forms in the GoFormz Properties Panel We're diving deep into the heart of form customization by focusing on the Properties Panel. Understanding the Properties Panel is crucial for optimizing your forms and ensuring they meet the specific needs of your business processes. First, it’s important to know there are two distinct different field types within the panel: Field and Display Properties.

Business 78

Business 78

BiggerPockets

FEBRUARY 5, 2024

Got just enough savings to buy a rental property? Before you pull the trigger, you’ll want to hear today’s episode because you could be making a big mistake.

Real Estate 91

Real Estate 91