Housing Wire

APRIL 8, 2024

The lack of affordable housing in the United States is well-documented in the nation’s urban markets, where it is contributing to the swelling ranks of the homeless. That same dire need for affordable housing for the least prosperous among us, however, also is a serious problem in rural America — home to nearly 70 million Americans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers one of the main programs providing housing for low-income households in the rural stretches of this country — w

Tenants 511

Tenants Finance Construction Government 511

Appraisal Buzz

APRIL 8, 2024

The Dawn of a New Appraisal Era In the ever-evolving realm of technology, few innovations have garnered as much attention and promise as blockchain. Originally conceived as the underlying foundation for cryptocurrencies, blockchain’s potential extends far beyond digital currencies. One of its most intriguing applications lies in the domain of appraisals.

Technology 418

Technology Appraisal Valuation Supply Chain 418

Housing Wire

APRIL 8, 2024

With the Easter holiday last week, data for housing inventory , new listings and the pace of new contracts started all took a breather from their growth pace. Each of those notched down from a week ago and compared to a year ago. This is a holiday effect and it should all be reversed back onto the year’s growth trend by next Monday’s report. Here’s how 2024 is shaping up: There are now more listings, more active inventory and more sales than a year ago.

Inventory 493

Inventory Contracts New Listings Sellers 493

Appraisal Buzz

APRIL 8, 2024

The percentage of U.S. consumers who say it is a good time to buy a home increased to 21% in March, up from 19% in February, indicating that they may be “adjusting their expectations for the housing market,” according to Fannie Mae’s most recent Home Purchase Sentiment Index report. There is, however, growing pessimism toward mortgage rates: Thirty-four percent of consumers believe mortgage rates will go up over the next 12 months, up from 32% in February, while only 29% of say they believe rate

Housing Market 390

Housing Market Marketing Mortgage Appraisal 390

Housing Wire

APRIL 8, 2024

Insurance companies are leveraging aerial images of homes to drop properties deemed too risky, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Consumer advocates are concerned that customers are not always able to challenge images that could be out of date or inaccurate. The increased use of aerial images also comes at a time when many home insurance carriers nationwide try to offload some risk from their property portfolios, sometimes leaving states altogether to recover from big underwritin

Insurance 488

Insurance Housing Market Marketing 488

Appraisal Buzz

APRIL 8, 2024

The average homebuyer credit score reached 737 in March, according to Optimal Blue’s Originations Market Monitor report. That’s an all-time high for the report, which was launched in 2018. The average credit score increase indicates that homebuyers are working harder on their credit scores in response to higher mortgage rates, tighter credit availability and stricter lending standards.

Lending 354

Lending Appraisal Mortgage Marketing 354

Real Estate News

APRIL 8, 2024

The company reached the agreement in the Umpa case, the only major class action involving agent pay to name Real as a defendant.

Brokerage 306

Brokerage Agents 306

Housing Wire

APRIL 8, 2024

After a few months of downward data in its performance metrics, the reverse mortgage industry saw a slightly different story play out in March that should come as welcome news. Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsements increased 8.3% to 2,058 loans in March, an increase helped by new case numbers and slightly telegraphed by recent industry sentiments, according to data compiled by Reverse Market Insight (RMI).

Mortgage 458

Mortgage Marketing Investors Sellers 458

Real Estate News

APRIL 8, 2024

The NAR settlement will lead to better service and lower costs for homebuyers, new research from the Consumer Federation of America suggests.

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Housing Wire

APRIL 8, 2024

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s policy advocacy group, the Mortgage Action Alliance (MAA), is urging its members in the state of Massachusetts to support the continued use of remote telephone and video counseling for reverse mortgages in the state following the lapse of an exemption allowing for remote counseling. “The provision in state law which permitted these forms of consumer counseling on reverse mortgage loans expired on March 31st via sunset,” the call explained.

Mortgage 426

Mortgage Law Business 426

Real Estate News

APRIL 8, 2024

At least seven complaints have been filed by former Keller Williams agents over reductions set to take effect on July 1.

Agents 299

Agents 299

Housing Wire

APRIL 8, 2024

United Wholesale Mortgage ’s (UWM) revenue margins “don’t stand out like” one would expect if the company was overcharging borrowers, analysts at BTIG said on Monday. The comments follow a Hunterbrook Media report from last week stating that UWM pressures brokers to send loans its way, resulting in higher costs to customers. “We think the premise of the thesis is misplaced,” Eric Hagen and Jake Katsikas wrote in the company’s weekly mortgage finance roundup.

Loan Officers 422

Loan Officers Business Mortgage Brokerage 422

Inman

APRIL 8, 2024

These markets offer significant price appreciation and access to outstanding amenities, presenting a potential goldmine for agents. These include metro-adjacent homes and new front-running vacation destinations.

Agents 197

Agents Marketing 197

Housing Wire

APRIL 8, 2024

Fast-growing, publicly traded The Real Brokerage announced Monday that it had reached a settlement agreement with the plaintiffs in the Umpa commission lawsuit. The Umpa suit is the only commission lawsuit in which Real has been named as a defendant. The brokerage will pay $9.25 million into a qualified settlement fund, as part of the agreement. In a press release , the brokerage noted that the settlement “does not constitute an admission of liability by Real, nor does it concede or validate any

Brokerage 397

Brokerage Real Estate Agent Real Estate Clients 397

Inman

APRIL 8, 2024

A slower market and a crowded brokerage landscape have shifted efforts from quantity to quality, new reporting and Intel survey results reveal. For agents, it's now an unavoidable aspect of the job.

Agents 196

Agents Brokerage Marketing Realty 196

Eyes on Housing

APRIL 8, 2024

NAHB and the Dodge Construction Network published research on the prevalence of green building in The Building Sustainably: Green & Resilient Single- Family Homes 2024 SmartMarket Brief. The research found that the overall share of home builders classifying more than half their projects as green1 is at 34% for 2023 a one-percentage point increase from.

Construction 179

Construction 179

Inman

APRIL 8, 2024

As brokerages pivot to specialized training meant to empower buyer agents, new-home sales still provide plenty of opportunities for intrepid Realtors, development specialist Hana Cha writes.

Development 195

Development Training Brokerage Realtors 195

Appraisal Buzz

APRIL 8, 2024

Mortgage rate lock volume increased 15.36% during March, according to Mortgage Capital Trading (MCT), a provider of mortgage capital markets technology. The increase comes despite the headwinds of rising home prices, lack of inventory and higher mortgage rates. Although rates currently stand at around 7%, historically high compared to recent years, they are expected to decline, enticing buyers to make purchases now with the anticipation of refinancing when rates begin to drop, the firm says in i

Mortgage 170

Mortgage Inventory Technology Buyers 170

Inman

APRIL 8, 2024

Lauren Holleran, vice president at Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty, is drawn to her career in luxury real estate not only for the chance to showcase beautiful properties but also for the opportunity to help people at different stages of their lives.

Realty 179

Realty Real Estate 179

Eyes on Housing

APRIL 8, 2024

Residential building workers’ wage growth accelerated to 6.2% in February. After a 0.3% increase in June 2023, the year-over-year (YOY) growth rate for residential building worker wages have been trending up over the past eight months. The recent acceleration in wage growth was mainly due to the ongoing skilled labor shortage in the construction labor.

Construction 167

Construction 167

Inman

APRIL 8, 2024

The company specifically referenced a pending legal settlement that could lead to a number of changes in the way agents and brokerages make money, saying that the importance of communicating the profession’s value to consumers is paramount.

Legal 176

Legal Brokerage Agents Technology 176

Mortgagebroker News

APRIL 8, 2024

Could the government extend amortization limits as part of housing plan?

Government 96

Government Mortgage 96

Inman

APRIL 8, 2024

Routine cleaning and maintenance saves both time and money, RentRedi CEO Ryan Barone writes, can retain or increase property value and attracts qualified tenants.

Tenants 173

Tenants Investing Agents 173

BiggerPockets

APRIL 8, 2024

As most house flippers or BRRRR landlords will tell you, paying for hard money—with high interest rates and points tacked on top—can take huge chunks of profit out of a project.

Landlords 93

Landlords Investors Real Estate 93

Inman

APRIL 8, 2024

Find out what Rockette Realtor Jessie Crouch can teach you about standing up for yourself and your clients.

Realtors 155

Realtors Clients Real Estate Agents 155

BiggerPockets

APRIL 8, 2024

Real estate investors are usually most concerned about rental income and property taxes. They seldom discuss home insurance.

Insurance 92

Insurance Property Taxes Real Estate Investors 92

Inman

APRIL 8, 2024

Fading hopes that mortgage rates will come down in the next 12 months are primary drag on Fannie Mae's Home Purchase Sentiment Index, but job and income concerns were also up in March.

Mortgage 147

Mortgage Sellers Marketing 147

BiggerPockets

APRIL 8, 2024

Whether you know it or not, “shrinkflation” is costing you. You’re paying more for less, as manufacturers boast record profits.

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92

Inman

APRIL 8, 2024

The Real Brokerage agreed to change business operations as part of its proposed settlement agreement in Umpa v. NAR.

Brokerage 145

Brokerage Business Real Estate Agents 145

BiggerPockets

APRIL 8, 2024

Many investors assume that ownership is inherently safer than debt. I currently own equity in thousands of units and have invested six figures in real estate debts.

Real Estate 91

Real Estate Investing Investors 91

Inman

APRIL 8, 2024

Jamie Dimon thinks interest rates could rise to 8 percent or more. He also said in a new letter that a recession and stagflation could be in the offing.

Marketing 143

Marketing Mortgage 143

GoForrmz

APRIL 8, 2024

“ The biggest impact GoFormz has had on us is the ability to have offline capabilities. ” — Emily Turner, Systems Analyst, A-C Electric Company About A-C Electric Company Founded in 1945, A-C Electric Company is one of the largest electrical contractors in Central California. A-C Electric Company's comprehensive service offerings span from straightforward office additions to complex projects like hospitals, schools, and interstate freeways, as well as automation and systems integ

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Inman

APRIL 8, 2024

The acquisition of AIR Communities marks Blackstone's largest in the multifamily sector and shows a bullishness in rental housing, as well as a mentality that the commercial market may be bottoming out.

Marketing 133

Marketing 133

BiggerPockets

APRIL 8, 2024

How does a HELOC work? Can you use one to start investing in real estate when you’re low on cash?

Investing 59

Investing Real Estate 59