Thu.Jun 27, 2024

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Pending home sales plummet to all-time low in May: NAR

Housing Wire

After rising in March , pending home sales continued to slide in May, with the Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) posting its second consecutive month of declines to reach a record low, according to data released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The PHSI fell 2.1% from April to a reading of 70.8 in May, which was down 6.6% on a yearly basis.

Inventory 473
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Share of Homes Selling Lower Than List Price Ticks Upwards

Appraisal Buzz

According to a new Redfin study , the average U.S. home that sold in the four weeks ending June 23 went for 0.3% less than what was asked for. Since the start of the epidemic in 2020, when the housing market all but collapsed, this is the first year that the average home has sold for less than list price during this time of year. A year ago, the average home sold for exactly what was listed, and two years ago, it sold for about 2% more than what was listed.

Sellers 391
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REcolorado warns Realtors of pitfalls of outside MLS ownership

Housing Wire

In a statement released Wednesday night, REcolorado warned Denver-area Realtors that outside ownership of the local MLS could bring added uncertainty during an already uncertain time and suggested that their data could be compromised. The company’s statement says it supports the effort to decouple the local MLS from the two local Realtor associations that own it — Denver Metro Association of Realtors (DMAR) and the South Metro Denver Realtor Association (SMDRA).

Realtors 370
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Mortgage Applications Up Slightly Last Week as Rates Edged Down

Appraisal Buzz

Mortgage application volume increased 0.8% during the week ended June 21, as the average rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage fell to 7.04%, down from 7.12% the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey. Applications for refinances were flat compared with the previous week and were up 26% compared with the same week one year ago.

Mortgage 385
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This sleepy Texas town is the best for buying waterfront property

Housing Wire

The great state of Texas may not be the first place that comes to mind when it comes to buying waterfront real estate, but a little town near Austin has been judged as the best one for it. That’s according to a new study from Virtual Staging AI , which named Lakeway, Texas, as the best location in the country for buying a waterfront home. Lakeway sits just west of Austin in the Hill Country and rests next to Lake Travis.

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NAR Forecasts 2024 Existing-Home Sales

Appraisal Buzz

May saw a 2.1% decline in pending home sales, according to the National Association of REALTORS. While the Northeast and West saw advances in transactions each month, the Midwest and South reported losses. Per the report, every U.S. region had decreases over the previous year. Indicator of prospective home sales based on contract signings, the Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) dropped to 70.8 in May.

Contracts 271

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Credit Bureau Reports Heightened Consumer Concerns on Inflation, Interest Rates

Appraisal Buzz

According to credit bureau TransUnion’s Q2 2024 Consumer Pulse study, consumer concerns about inflation and interest rates reached their highest levels in two years despite the fact that 55% of Americans remain optimistic about their household finances over the next year. This number has stayed the same year-over-year from 2022 and 57% in 2023. This optimism seems largely driven by confidence in a stable employment situation and continued wage increases.

Finance 222
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DBRS Morningstar reaffirms ‘good’ reverse originator rating for Longbridge

Housing Wire

Global credit rating agency DBRS Morningstar this week assigned a “good” rating to Longbridge Financial , reconfirming the ranking the company first achieved in 2021. The rating is officially classified as “MOR RVO2” by Morningstar. The agency noted that in 2023, Longbridge acquired or originated more than 6,500 reverse mortgages for more than $1.1 billion in volume.

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The housing market is 'stuck' — maybe for a while

Real Estate News

While interest rates continue to edge down, sales have not picked up heading into summer: “This will take many years to work itself out.

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Alexander brothers take leave of absence from Official after rape allegations emerge

Housing Wire

Tal and Oren Alexander have taken leaves of absence from Official Partners , the Side-brokered firm they co-founded, after the brothers were accused of sexual assault in separate lawsuits. The New York Times first reported Tal Alexander’s leave of absence from Official on Tuesday. This came two weeks after his younger brother, Oren, took his own leave of absence.

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Sale of leading MLS ‘may bring added uncertainty’

Real Estate News

A statement from REcolorado says its potential sale to a private equity firm is not the best way to separate MLSs from Realtor association ownership.

Realtors 237
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Mortgage affordability improved in May: MBA

Housing Wire

The median monthly payment for purchase mortgage applicants decreased to $2,219 in May, down 1.6% from the prior month , according to data released Thursday by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). ”Homebuyer affordability conditions improved in May as slightly lower mortgage rates and an uptick in housing inventory slightly eased the recent rise in application payment amounts,” Edward Seiler, MBA’s associate vice president of housing economics, said in a statement.

Mortgage 298
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Freddie Mac: Mortgage Rates Decreased for a Third Week

Appraisal Buzz

Mortgage rates continued to edge down for a third week, with the average rate for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage falling to 6.86%, down from 6.87% last week, according to Freddie Mac. A year ago at this time, the average rate for a 30-year was 6.71%. “The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage continues to trend down, hitting the lowest level in almost three months,” says Sam Khater, chief economist for Freddie Mac, in a statement.

Mortgage 195
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A tale of two buyer agreements, and why one triggered the DOJ

Real Estate News

The Consumer Federation of America blasted C.A.R.’s agreement but praised eXp’s contract. A CFA Fellow told Real Estate News he was “stunned” by the contrast.

Buyers 237
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Government Report Lays Out Q1 Mortgage Performance Data

Appraisal Buzz

According to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) report on the performance of first-lien mortgages held by the federal banking system during the first quarter of 2024 found that 97.4% of mortgages included in the report were performing and current, an increase of 0.2% from the previous quarter but a decrease of 97.6% from a year ago.

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Home sales tend to rise after big elections. Can it happen in 2025?

Inman

Keeping Current Matters' David Childers and Jimmy Burgess crunch the numbers and lay out the reasons real estate agents and brokers could see a post-presidential election sales surge in 2025.

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2023 New Single-Family Starts by Census Division

Eyes on Housing

New single-family starts have trended higher since 2012, reaching a post-pandemic peak of 1,133,145 units in 2021. During 2022 and 2023, elevated housing prices and persistently high mortgage rates have dampened housing market activity. According to NAHB analysis of the 2023 Survey of Construction (SOC), new single-family starts decreased in 2023 for the second consecutive.

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Sharran Srivatsaa says this is what agents should be doing with AI

Inman

President of The Real Brokerage says agents are living in a "small hinges swing big doors" world and that Inman Connect Las Vegas can help them learn a little skill that can move the needle a lot.

Agents 144
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What Buyers, Sellers Want From Their Agents

Empire Appraisal Group

What Buyers, Sellers Want From Their Agents By Melissa Dittman Tracey Find out the traits that consumers say they’re looking for in real estate professionals to help them navigate a transaction, like a guide and a coach. NEW YORK –The majority of home buyers and sellers rely on real estate agents—nearly 90% of them—but they’re looking for certain types of help, and what they need could differ depending on their age and experience in the market, finds a new study from the National Association of

Sellers 78
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Pending home sales fall by 2.1% in May as buyer demand softens

Inman

Elevated mortgage rates continued to curb homebuyer activity in May, NAR reported. As inventory increases in upcoming months, slower home price growth will follow, and likely more buyers hitting the market.

Buyers 141
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FSRA strips agent's license over $5.18m mortgage fraud scheme

Mortgagebroker News

Investigation uncovers altered bank statements and fake employment records

Agents 81
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7 things to know before the Aug. 17 settlement implementation

Inman

The clock is ticking on implementation of the NAR commission lawsuit settlement. Team leader Carl Medford outlines what buyer agents need to know to be successful under the new rules of the road.

Buyers 137
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Has the capital gains tax increase sparked a wave of Canada home sales?

Mortgagebroker News

Prospective sellers divided on keeping homes listed prior to June 25 deadline

Sellers 78
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Zillow, Redfin sent video user data to Meta, Alphabet, lawsuits charge

Inman

The complaints, filed by a San Diego resident, seek class-action status and accuse the real estate companies of violating state and federal privacy laws due to their use of third-party tracking pixels.

Law 135
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Rookie Reply: How to Pass Down Generational Wealth & Top Airbnb Amenities

BiggerPockets

You’re working hard to build generational wealth. But have you thought about a succession plan for your growing real estate portfolio?

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Weak demand drives up share of homesellers cutting prices

Inman

The typical home sold for 0.3 percent less than the original asking price in the past month, according to a new report from Redfin.

Agents 147
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Finance Friday: I’ve Got $150K Student Debt at 6.95%, Should I Invest?

BiggerPockets

Student loan debt can easily get in the way of financial independence, especially if there’s a high interest rate attached to your loans.

Finance 46
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MLS PIN forges ahead with rule changes over DOJ objections

Inman

Effective immediately, listing brokers and agents can submit for-sale listings to the MLS without offering any cooperating compensation to the buyer broker.

Agents 133
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Can Bank of Canada's early rate cut spur economic growth?

Mortgagebroker News

TD economist says it can close economic growth gap with US

66
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5 powerful strategies to harness publicity and build your business

Inman

Luxury advisor Chris Pollinger shares strategies built around PR, marketing and events so you can leverage the power of publicity and grow your real estate business.

Business 120
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BiggerNews: What Happens to The Housing Market if Mortgage Rates Stay High?

BiggerPockets

Mortgage rates were supposed to be going down by now, but what happened?

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Agents, brokers reveal a tale of 2 commission-split scenarios in 2025

Inman

Most real estate professionals expect commission splits at their brokerage to remain unchanged for a while longer. As for the rest, many have conflicting opinions on what kind of change is coming.

Brokerage 107
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BCFSA searches for a new CEO

Mortgagebroker News

Chief announces retirement

50
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Change is a constant. Here’s how to navigate it — no matter the market

Inman

Navigating change in the dynamic real estate market, Rainy Hake Austin writes, demands a blend of self-awareness, strategic planning and effective utilization of support systems.

Marketing 105