Tue.Sep 03, 2024

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Lower mortgage rates are bringing more borrowers out of the woodwork

Housing Wire

With the calendar shifting to September and the next meeting of Federal Reserve policymakers only two weeks out, mortgage rates continue to recede and evidence suggests that borrowers are reacting to more favorable housing market conditions. At HousingWire ‘s Mortgage Rates Center on Tuesday, the 30-year rate for conforming loans averaged 6.60%, down from 6.64% one week ago.

Mortgage 501
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Study Highlights the Benefits of Mortgage BrokersĀ 

Appraisal Buzz

A recent study has brought to light the financial advantages of working with Independent Mortgage Brokers, underscoring the significant savings and inclusive support they offer to a diverse range of homebuyers. The study, conducted by Polygon Research and backed by Willow Canyon Advisors and United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) , analyzed 2023 data, and found that consumers who choose Mortgage Brokers over nonbank retail lenders can save an average of $10,662 over the life of their loan.

Retail 397
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Leveling up together: Brokerages offer industrywide agent education opportunities

Housing Wire

For many in the real estate industry, Aug. 17, 2024 ā€” the date that the business practice changes outlined in the National Association of Realtorsā€™ (NAR) commission lawsuit settlement agreement went into effect ā€” served as a reckoning of sorts. ā€œI am in awe of how many folks decided on Thursday that something was changing on Saturday,ā€ Linda Oā€™Koniewski, the broker-owner of Leading Edge Real Estate , said the week after the business practice changes went into effect.

Brokerage 468
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More Realtors expect an uptick in buyers this fall

Real Estate News

NARā€™s latest confidence survey also suggests that buyers gained some leverage this summer, but overall sales were down.

Buyers 306
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How reverse mortgage lenders are planning for potentially lower rates

Housing Wire

With elevated mortgage rates having persisted over the past two years, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated recently that a cut to the federal funds rate at this monthā€™s meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) is on the table, which would likely have the effect of driving mortgage rates lower. Elevated interest rates have been part of the reality for the forward and reverse mortgage channels since the waning days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mortgage 468
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Florida brokerage the latest to settle in commissions case

Real Estate News

The Keyes Company has reached an agreement in the Gibson lawsuit as the settlement fund nears $1 billion.

Brokerage 297

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What comes next for NARā€™s Clear Cooperation policy?

Real Estate News

The policy, which was designed to discourage the sharing of listings via private networks outside the MLS, is being called into question.

Design 290
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ā€˜Real Estate Insidersā€™ talk post-NAR settlement changes for major industry players

Housing Wire

In a new episode of the “Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered” podcast, John Campbell ā€” managing director at Stephens Inc. and an equity research analyst ā€” joins hosts James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson to chat about last month’s major changes for the real estate industry. The trio discuss the major companies that are thriving in the post-Aug. 17 market and those that still face challenges.

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MLSs want to stop rule violations before they happen

Real Estate News

With new industry practice changes now in effect, agents can face real consequences for breaking the rules. MLSs ā€” and brokerages ā€” are trying to help.

Brokerage 287
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Mr. Cooper, ACI to settle lawsuit over unauthorized mortgage payments

Housing Wire

Mortgage servicer Nationstar , doing business as Mr. Cooper , is expected to settle a lawsuit with electronic payment processing vendor ACI Payments that is related to alleged damages from unauthorized mortgage payments imposed on Mr. Cooper’s customers three years ago. The settlement notice was filed Aug. 30 in a U.S. district court in Texas.

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Compass recruits Douglas Elliman agent, industry vet to Palm Beach

Inman

At Compass, Thor Brown will serve as director of luxury sales, while Sam Fingold will take on the role of luxury real estate advisor, according to South Florida Agent Magazine. Both will operate out of Compassā€™ Palm Beach Island office at 150 Worth Avenue.

Agents 200
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CMGā€™s reverse division adds Kari Van Kleef as ops manager

Housing Wire

CMG Home Loans , the retail lending division of CMG Financial , announced on Tuesday the appointment of Kari Van Kleef to the position of reverse mortgage operations manager. She is one of ā€œseveral industry veterans who will be directing the dedicated reverse mortgage department at CMG,ā€ the company said. Van Kleef, who previously worked for the reverse mortgage divisions at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. and Movement Mortgage , has been in the broader mortgage business for about 26 years an

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Lamacchia: Knock off the threats to hardworking real estate agents

Inman

Anthony Lamacchia said threats of severe penalties for commission violations leveled by plaintiffs lawyer Michael Ketchmark and Consumer Advocates in American Real Estate are "unnecessary.

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Florida-based The Keyes Co. settles the commission lawsuits

Housing Wire

Florida-based independent brokerage The Keyes Co./Illustrated Properties has joined the growing list of brokerages that have settled the commission lawsuits. The firm notified the court of its settlement agreement on Tuesday in the consolidated Gibson and Umpa suits suits via a motion to stay the case. No details of the conditions of the settlement were immediate available.

Brokerage 441
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Figure Technology Solutions Taps Ron Chillemi as Chief Legal Officer

Appraisal Buzz

Ron Chillemi has joined non-bank HELOC provider Figure Technology Solutions as its first chief legal officer and corporate secretary, where he will oversee the companyā€™s legal and compliance functions. Chillemi has more than 25 years of regulatory affairs, government relations, and compliance experience in fintech, at top law firms, and as a federal and state prosecutor.

Legal 195
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Fannie Maeā€™s chief economist forecasts his own retirement

Housing Wire

The chief economist of Fannie Mae expects to hang up the cleats this year. Doug Duncan , who’s been the chief economist at the government-sponsored enterprise since 2008, will be retiring effective Sept. 22, according to Rob Chrisman, who first reported the news on his blog Tuesday morning. Mark Palim, the company’s deputy chief economist, will succeed Duncan as chief economist.

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Sound off on Clear Cooperation ahead of NAR committee meeting

Inman

WAV Group is seeking feedback from agents on the fate of the policy in a new survey ahead of the National Association of Realtors' Emerging Issues Advisory Board committee meeting Sept. 12-13.

Realtors 194
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Dan Sogorka joins Rocket Pro TPO as general manager

Housing Wire

Rocket Pro TPO tapped Dan Sogorka as its general manager as the wholesale arm of Rocket Mortgage looks to equip broker partners with better technology. Dan Sogorka Sogorka will spend much of his time with broker partners to help them understand the technology needed on the Rocket Pro TPO platform, and how buyers and sellers interact with Rocket’s tools.

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A bicoastal agentā€™s life since the commission rules changed

Inman

Selling real estate under the new commission rules is like playing Red Light, Green Light on a tightrope, bicoastal agent Cara Ameer writes. Hereā€™s how her business has been since the change.

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Economies of Scale in Single-family Home Construction

Eyes on Housing

The cost per square foot of a single-family home declines systematically as the home becomes larger, according to NAHB analysis of two recent data sources. In microeconomics, unit costs that decline as a business operation increases in size are called economies of scale. In home building, economies of scale may exist in several forms. It.

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Dan Sogorka tapped to grow Rocketā€™s wholesale channel

Inman

In a newly created role at Rocket Pro TPO, the former Sagent CEO is tasked with winning more business from mortgage brokers by leveraging Rocket's data, technology and AI capabilities.

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Private Residential Construction Spending Inches Down in July

Eyes on Housing

Private residential construction spending fell 0.4% in July, according to the Census Construction Spending data. Nevertheless, spending remained 7.7% higher compared to a year ago. The monthly decline in total private construction spending for July was largely due to reduced spending on single-family construction. Spending on single-family construction plunged by 1.9% in July, following a.

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The art of real estate referrals: A roadmap for success at Connect

Inman

At the flagship Inman Connect New York in 2025 and Austin Connect this October, discover how building a robust referral network can revolutionize and future-proof your real estate business.

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HBGI Q2 2024: Single Family Growth vs. Multifamily Decline

Eyes on Housing

Despite high mortgage rates, the lack of resale homes and pent-up demand drove solid growth in single-family permits across nearly all regions in the second quarter. In contrast, multifamily construction permit activity experienced declines across all regions for the second quarter of 2024. These trends are tabulated from the recent release of the National Association.

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Rupert Murdochā€™s REA Group eyes UKā€™s biggest real estate portal

Inman

Murdoch's Australia-based News Corp subsidiary announced on Monday that it was considering a cash and stock offer for the UK's largest real estate portal.

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Why there's room for optimism for the mortgage market

Mortgagebroker News

Bank CEO talks market prospects looking ahead

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Top Florida indie The Keyes Company settles commission suits

Inman

The settlement was revealed in a new court filing, though the company has not said how much it might pay. The Keyes Company has more than 4,000 agents working across Florida.

Agents 178
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Canadian banks struggle with loss provisions and regulatory pressures in Q3

Mortgagebroker News

Issues cast [shadow over otherwise strong revenue growth

80
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Consumers empowered by Reviveā€™s free AI renovation analysis

Inman

Pre-sale renovation services company Revive has made its artificial intelligence-backed property valuation product, Revive Vision AI, free to all real estate consumers.

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[Video] Customer Story: The Conlan Company

GoForrmz

“ I have to tone the guys down because I hear them all the time saying, ā€˜Can we just get a form and QR code for this and that?ā€™ ” — Janeen Sheard, Director of Information Services, The Conlan Company About The Conlan Company The Conlan Company, a general contractor with corporate offices in Atlanta, Georgia, Jacksonville, Florida, and Dallas, Texas, specializes in constructing industrial facilities.

Tenants 78
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Anthony Lamacchia Announced as 2024 Vanguard by HousingWire

Lamacchia Realty

Anthony Lamacchia Announced as 2024 Vanguard by HousingWire September 3, 2024 – Today, HousingWire announced the winners of the annual Vanguards Award , marking the 10th year of recognizing executives in the housing economy for their outstanding leadership. This year, Anthony Lamacchia was honored among the 100 honorees selected for this prestigious award.

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Charting Mortgage Rates: Adding Context to a Key Metric

Will Springer Realtor

Unless youā€™re an economist, real estate geek or enjoy feasting on CNBC all day, you probably didnā€™t know that todayā€™s mortgage rates are below the average figure over the past half-century. Itā€™s true! Interest rates in the 6%-7% range ā€“ or higher ā€“ might seem daunting, especially if you’ve grown accustomed to the historically low borrowing costs of recent years.

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Home Pricing in Birmingham, AL: 5 Mistakes That Could Cost You Thousands

Birmingham Appraisal

These Appraiser Tips for Home Pricing in Birmingham, AL Could Save You Thousands Correctly pricing a home is one of the most critical factors in successfully selling real estate, particularly in a dynamic market like we currently have in many parts of the country. With over 30 years of experience as a residential real estate appraiser, I’ve witnessed firsthand how inaccurate home pricing in Birmingham, AL, can easily lead to mistakes that jeopardize a property’s appraisal value.

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Prioritizing Maintenance, Upkeep, and Remodeling Once You've Paid Off Your Mortgage

Eppraisal

Paying off your mortgage is a significant milestone, one that brings a sense of freedom and accomplishment. With this newfound financial flexibility, many homeowners wonder what to do next. While it's tempting to focus solely on enjoying the extra cash flow, it's important to remember that your home still requires attention and investment.