Fri.Oct 25, 2024

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22 U.S. metros where buying a home is cheaper than renting

Housing Wire

Many renters think they’re saving money by renting, but long term, that might not be true. In some of the U.S.’s largest metros, a monthly mortgage payment is less expensive than the average rent. But there are many factors surrounding affordability—how do city dwellers make this decision? A new report from Zillow Home Loans outlines some key trends and factors for renters to consider when evaluating a home purchase.

Inventory 465
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Home Prices Dip in Top U.S. Cities 

Appraisal Buzz

The U.S. housing market is showing signs of relief for buyers, as home prices drop in more than half of the largest metropolitan areas. According to the Realtor.com® September Housing Market Report , prices in some regions have declined by over 12%, marking a shift from the record highs of 2023. “The median price of homes for sale this September dropped by 1% year-over-year, settling at $425,000,” reports Realtor.com economist Joel Berner.

Buyers 368
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Tom Davis shares non-QM opportunities to capitalize heading into 2025

Housing Wire

In this HousingWire Executive Conversation, Tom Davis, Chief Sales Officer at Deephaven , discusses the opportunities in the non-QM investor loan space as we head into the new year. He emphasizes the importance of a diverse product portfolio including DSCR and business-purpose loans, to better serve clients. Davis also highlights Deephaven’s edge in products like their Ground-Up Construction and Fix-and-Flip products, offering originators essential tools and training.

Investors 412
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How Many U.S. Homeowners Remain Equity-Rich? 

Appraisal Buzz

According to Q3 2024 U.S. Home Equity & Underwater Report released by ATTOM , some 48.3% of mortgaged residential properties in the US were deemed equity-rich in Q3, which means that the total estimated amount of loan balances secured by those properties was no more than half of their estimated market values. From a recent peak of 49.2% in Q2 of 2024, that level was lower.

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Unlock The Blueprint: How To Construct A Better Payment Workflow

Speaker: Timothy Allsopp

Payment challenges often lead to delayed projects, financial bottlenecks, and strained relationships. With construction projects becoming more complex, outdated processes are no longer sustainable. By refining financial workflow, companies can improve cash flow, reduce error, and foster trust between stakeholders. Discover practical strategies for redesigning payment systems to overcome workflow challenges while creating a smoother, more reliable process for contractors and subcontractors alike.

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Now that interest rates are going down, here’s what to expect for the rest of the year

Housing Wire

The strongest market agitator in the first half (H1) of 2025 is not likely to be either U.S. unemployment or inflation caused by monetary or fiscal policy. Based on the latest readings, inflation is consistently decreasing, reacting as expected to the Federal Reserve ’s interest rate hike campaign that sent mortgage rates higher than they have been since the start of the millennia.

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Unison argues in court that its equity sharing agreement is not a reverse mortgage

Housing Wire

In prior conversations with HousingWire ’s Reverse Mortgage Daily (RMD), leaders of equity sharing companies contend that their products are different from reverse mortgages largely because they are not debt-based instruments. But a court case playing out in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit features plaintiffs who argue that they are — at least under Washington state law.

Mortgage 419
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America’s New ‘Ghost Towns’

Appraisal Buzz

Americana has long held a fascination for Old West ghost towns, symbols of a bygone day. Now Joybird has redefined that term for the modern age. In their new study , “ghost towns” are modern metro areas on the edge of decline due to decreasing population and increasing home and retail vacancies. What Defines a Ghost Town? To create their list of America’s modern-day ghost towns, Joybird analyzed data from the U.S.

Retail 355
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Could the NAR settlement be a blessing in disguise for VA buyers?

Housing Wire

Editor’s note: This is the second in a series of articles that will explore the effects of the landmark Sitzer/Burnett case, which was decided on Oct. 31, 2023, and has since reshaped the business practices for real estate brokerages and agents across the country. As the real estate industry grappled with the fallout of the Sitzer/Burnett jury verdict and eventual settlement from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), a top concern was how changes to the agent commission structure would imp

Buyers 388
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Real Brokerage bolsters agent financial tools, AI-powered tech

Real Estate News

The company announced a number of product updates this week, including the release of its much-anticipated Real Wallet and enhancements to its Leo AI assistant.

Tools 261
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Need Curated Pre-foreclosure Lists to Generate New Real Estate Leads? Trellis Has the Data!

Trellis is a state trial court research and analytics platform that provides Real Estate Professionals (Buyers, Foreclosure, Loan Modification, etc.) with LEADS on Pre-Foreclosures, Lis Pendes, Distressed Assets and more — to help uncover **new** opportunities and grow their business. The process is quick and easy — and all in real time. Trellis will supply you with a link to the relevant dockets, a Leads sheet and access to its UI where applicable.

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Zillow, Realtor.com join forces to share 3D home tours and interactive listings

Housing Wire

Zillow and Realtor.com have agreed to share 3D home tours, interactive floor plans and photo listings between both platforms, the real estate portals announced this week. The new partnership will let real estate agents share immersive listings with potential clients on both platforms, boosting visibility and simplifying the home search process for buyers.

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10 questions every agent should be able to answer

Real Estate News

NAR’s latest consumer guide tells buyers exactly what to ask a prospective agent. Agents should be prepared with compelling responses that play up their value.

Agents 246
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Startup Novaprime debuts AI-powered loan platform to massively cut processing time

Housing Wire

Mortgage technology startup Novaprime is making its public debut with the launch of an AI-powered loan platform that it claims allows lenders to sell loans to investors in just days, instead of weeks, all with a high degree of accuracy. The platform evaluates the loan purchase eligibility and data quality while also handling document management to help lenders operate effectively and efficiently, said Linus Petrén, Novaprime’s CEO.

Investors 356
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FormFree Adds Auto-Matching Capability to its Customer Acquisition Marketplace

Appraisal Buzz

FormFree has made several enhancements to its customer acquisition marketplace, including a new auto-matching capability that connects borrowers and lenders in seconds. FFX is the world’s first marketplace that obsesses about consumers and helps lenders and borrowers find the right match, the firm says in a release. By delivering a 1-to-1 connection and ensuring that consumers have complete control of their data, FFX is compliant with both TCPA and Rule 1033.

Lending 195
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Luminate Home Loans to close NEO division

Housing Wire

Minneapolis -based mortgage lender Luminate Home Loans has decided to shutter its NEO Home Loans division, which transitioned to the firm two years ago, the company announced on Friday. The expectation is that NEO will close by the end of February 2025. According to Luminate, the decision reflects, among other things, its “focus on integrating mortgage lending into its core banking services to better serve clients and build long-term financial relationships.

Lending 367
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6 Ways to Make Property Taxes Easier for Homeowners

Appraisal Buzz

Escalating home values have driven up property taxes, leading to homeowner distress, making it more important than ever to help them understand and plan for these increases. Meanwhile, as interest rates start to come back down and refis rise, opportunities for recapturing borrowers will emerge for servicers who invest in tools and technology to improve their customers’ experience.

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Open banking is on the verge of transforming mortgages. Most are unaware of it

Housing Wire

A future glimpse into how mortgages will be created in 2035 can be found in an woodsy office park in Athens, Georgia. FormFree , a mortgage fintech founded in the midst of the Global Financial Crisis by Brent Chandler, is putting the customer in control of their own data, a practice known as “open banking” that could transform lending. The company offers a product called Passport, which analyzes financial data provided by customers, such as banking history and recurring payments, to

Mortgage 396
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NotaryCam Speeds E-Closings With New ‘Done For You’ Program

Appraisal Buzz

NotaryCam , which offers remote online notarization technology for real estate and legal transactions, has launched its “Done For You” e-closing program, which provides lenders with a fast path to e-closings while requiring minimal effort, effectively addressing common hurdles that have traditionally impeded e-closing implementation. “Where I’ve had the most success from the lender’s seat is finding a title/settlement partner that could provide me with the e-close solution and process,” says Bri

Legal 195
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Jeff Bell of Uplift talks leadership coaching and tech to ready for the refi wave

Housing Wire

In the latest episode of the Power House podcast, HousingWire CEO Clayton Collins sits down for a conversation with Uplist President Jeff Bell to explore coaching, loan monitoring, recapture strategies and more. These questions and responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. Clayton Collins: Give us a glimpse into how you’ve developed as a leader in this industry.

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New Home Sales in September Jumped 4.1 Percent

Appraisal Buzz

New home sales in September were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 738,000, an increase of 4.1% compared with August and up 6.3% compared with September 2023, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The median sales price of a new home sold in September was $426,300. The average sales price was $501,000.

Inventory 195
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7 IDX websites to beat Zillow + capture more leads in 2024

Housing Wire

Vetted by HousingWire | Our editors independently review the products we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. With hundreds of other IDX websites online, why would a buyer choose yours? And no, “Because they clicked on my ad!” is not an acceptable answer. Not in 2024. Not when the average time buyers spend on real estate websites is less than two minutes.

Design 338
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Beetlejuice mansion opens for haunted tours on Airbnb

Inman

The three-hour “Haunt the Beetlejuice House” tours will be available from Nov. 16 to 27, with booking open until Nov. 4. Each tour accommodates up to six guests, who must be 18 or older, with any accompanying guests aged 13 and up.

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Facing heat, Douglas Elliman CEO Howard Lorber is retiring

Housing Wire

Long-time Douglas Elliman chairman and CEO Howard Lorber is retiring. The New York-based brokerage announced Lorber’s retirement on Tuesday. Lorber has served as Douglas Elliman board chairman since 2003. In a press release, the brokerage said that it “extends its deepest appreciation to Mr. Lorber for his strategic vision and years of dedication and hard work that have made Douglas Elliman the country’s premier real estate brokerage firm, setting new standards in luxury service and innovation.

Brokerage 287
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11 transaction-generating strategies primed for success

Inman

It's up to you to make your own luck and find opportunities where others won't look. Jimmy Burgess offers strategies both old and new that are poised to work now.

Clients 169
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People on the Move at Premier Sotheby's, Coldwell Banker

Real Estate News

Long & Foster exec named president of Florida's Premier Sotheby's International Realty; veteran brokerage leader now Atlanta regional VP for Coldwell Banker.

Realty 160
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7 new rules of the road for real estate transactions

Inman

In the post-Sitzer-Burnett era, Cara Ameer writes, we must be better informed, better prepared and have thorough consultations with the buyers and sellers that we interact with, to provide them with the best service and advice.

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MCT Adds Customized Spec Durations to MCTlive!

Appraisal Buzz

Mortgage Capital Trading says it has improved the functionality of its mortgage hedging software with customized spec durations. Mortgage lenders using MCT’s capital markets platform MCTlive! now have the ability to increase, review, and refine the granularity of their spec durations, leading to more precise hedging and reduced basis risk. The new specified loan durations functionality, customized to the given lender’s execution, puts the formerly back-end modeling directly in the hands of mortg

Clients 150
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35 binge-worthy shows to haunt your home this Halloween

Inman

These screamers have one thing in common — real estate.

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Mortgage-Free Homeowners by Congressional Districts

Eyes on Housing

As of 2023, nearly 40% of homeowners in the United States are mortgage-free, the highest level seen in the past 13 years. With elections approaching, it is valuable to analyze the share of mortgage-free homeowners across congressional districts, as these patterns often provide insights into the local housing market as well as demographic shifts. Both.

Mortgage 146
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AppFolio acquires LiveEasy for ‘next-gen’ renter experience

Inman

AppFolio, which states its has more than 20,000 property management customers, acquired home management and services concierge LiveEasy as part of its new approach to providing for renters.

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5 Things That Should Matter More to Investors Than Interest Rates

BiggerPockets

It feels as though we’ve been waiting with bated breath for interest rates to change.

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Redlining settlement wouldn’t resolve 1st Amendment questions

Inman

The CFPB claimed statements made by hosts of Townstone Financial's AM radio call-in show and podcasts discouraged Black Chicago residents from applying for a mortgage.

Mortgage 155
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The Latest Data Shows That Buyers Hold All the Power in These Markets

BiggerPockets

Zillow’s September market report has something much more interesting to say than what we already know.