Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 476

Inventory Buyers Mortgage Tools 476

Appraisal Buzz

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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

Buyers Housing Market Construction Marketing 368

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 448

Investors Construction Training Realtors 448

Appraisal Buzz

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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.

Market Value 394

Market Value Housing Market Mortgage Marketing 394

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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.

Real Estate Agent 457

Real Estate Agent Real Estate Technology Property Management 457

Appraisal Buzz

OCTOBER 25, 2024

What motivates someone to rent a home? There aren’t many features and facilities that a tenant would forgo, from roomy homes and large backyards to lots of storage and excellent parking alternatives. Renters are increasingly choosing rental homes as their first choice because more of them are prepared and able to pay more to have the space and comfort they desire.

Tenants 370

Tenants Appraisal Marketing 370

Appraisal Buzz

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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

Retail Modernization Construction Realtors 355

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 448

Mortgage Law Legal Advertising 448

Real Estate News

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 290

Agents Buyers 290

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 448

Buyers Real Estate Realtors Agents 448

Real Estate News

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 264

Tools Brokerage Agents 264

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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.

Supply Chain 468

Supply Chain Investors Insurance Lending 468

Real Estate News

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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

Realty 245

Realty Brokerage 245

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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.

Loan Officers 443

Loan Officers Business Technology Tools 443

Appraisal Buzz

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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

Lending Real Estate Appraisal 195

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 434

Lending Finance Business Clients 434

Appraisal Buzz

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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.

Property Taxes 195

Property Taxes Tools Technology Investing 195

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 430

Design Agents Real Estate Brokerage 430

Appraisal Buzz

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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

Legal Tools Real Estate Technology 195

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 459

Mortgage Lending Government Finance 459

Appraisal Buzz

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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

Inventory Real Estate Development Business 195

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 368

Brokerage Finance Agents Real Estate 368

Inman

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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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Eyes on Housing

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 158

Mortgage Housing Market Marketing 158

Inman

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 183

Clients Agents Marketing 183

Appraisal Buzz

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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

Clients Mortgage Marketing Appraisal 150

Inman

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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 181

Mortgage Legal 181

BiggerPockets

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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

Investors 90

Investors 90

Inman

OCTOBER 25, 2024

Proptech columnist Craig Rowe reviews Giraffe360, a virtual tour creation and listing marketing solution for real estate agents.

Real Estate Agent 179

Real Estate Agent Real Estate Agents Marketing 179

BiggerPockets

OCTOBER 25, 2024

Not long after Hurricane Milton—the second-most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded—as well as Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction in Florida, construction resumed in flood-prone areas affected by the […]

Investors 89

Investors Construction Housing Market Marketing 89

Inman

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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.

Property Management 176

Property Management Real Estate Technology 176

Lamacchia Realty

OCTOBER 25, 2024

September 2024 SOUTH FLORIDA Housing Report SOUTH FLORIDA Home Sales Down, Average Price Up Home sales are down 16.5% year over year, with September 2024 at 5,170 compared to 6,190 last September. Sales are down across all categories. Single families: 3,052 (2023) | 2,669 (2024) Condos & Townhomes: 3,138 (2023) | 2,501 (2024) Average sale price increased 14.7% year-over-year, now at $817,700 compared to $712,748 in September 2023.

Real Estate 67

Real Estate Sellers Buyers Realty 67

Inman

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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.

Real Estate 173

Real Estate Sellers Buyers Agents 173

BiggerPockets

OCTOBER 25, 2024

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

Marketing 88

Marketing Buyers Mortgage Housing Market 88