Mon.Jan 06, 2025

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Did home sales momentum fizzle in December?

Housing Wire

The New Years week was expected to be slow, so it’s no surprise that new listings and sales are down. Those will start rebounding in next weeks data. The Christmas and New Year’s holidays fell on Wednesdays this year, which messes up two full weeks in terms of getting home sales done and tracking the numbers. At the same time, mortgage rates jumped back over 7%.

Inventory 380
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Where Are the Nation’s Most Spacious Rental Homes Located?

Appraisal Buzz

In build-to-rent communities across the U.S., single-family homes are redefining rental living. These homes, ranging from just under 1,000- to some over 2,000-square feet, combine space with perks like on-site maintenance, pools, fitness centers, and playgrounds. While spacious rentals are often associated with states like Colorado or Texas, the East Coast is rewriting the rules.

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Report suggests capital gains tax is discouraging older homeowners from downsizing

Housing Wire

While recent housing market reports and trends have shown that older homeowners are unwilling to sell their homes for a variety of reasons, one of them may be the expected requirement to pay capital gains taxes stemming from the post-pandemic explosion of home-price appreciation, according to a report from Business Insider. While some homeowners are looking to cash in on the equity they’ve built up since the pandemic, these same increases in property values are driving up the number of hom

Sellers 342
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Housing Affordability Stabilizes

Appraisal Buzz

According to a new study from Redfin , a household making a median U.S. income of $83,782 in 2024 wouldve had to spend 41.8% of their earnings on monthly housing costs if they bought a $429,734 median-priced U.S. home. Thats a slight improvement from 42.2% in 2023, but is considerably less affordable than the typical share of 30% or lower recorded throughout the 2010s.

Inventory 321
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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 With construction projects becoming more complex, outdated processes are no longer sustainable.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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Sherry Chris named special adviser to NAR CEO Nykia Wright

Housing Wire

Sherry Chris may have retired from her role as president and CEO of Anywhere Expansion Brands including the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate (BHGRE) and ERA Real Estate brands but that doesnt mean she hasnt been keeping busy. On Monday, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced Chris appointment as an independent consultant and special adviser to CEO Nykia Wright.

More Trending

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CFPB sues Vanderbilt, a Berkshire Hathaway lender, over risky home loans

Housing Wire

Vanderbilt Mortgage & Finance , part of Warren Buffetts conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway , has been accused by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) of manipulating underwriting standards and setting borrowers up to fail in manufactured home loans. The consumer watchdog on Monday filed a lawsuit in a U.S. district court in Tennessee against Vanderbilt for purported violations of the Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z.

Finance 308
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HUD Grants Millions to Help End Homelessness, Prevent Evictions

Appraisal Buzz

As the New Year settles in, unfortunately, homeownership and financial stability are still a worry for millions of hard-working Americans. Through the Eviction Protection Grant Program (EPGP), a first-of-its-kind federal program created to increase the availability of legal services to tenants at risk of or subject to eviction, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) granted $40 million in funding to 21 recipients to support housing stability and prevent evictions and homeless

Tenants 195
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Batton plaintiff appeals NAR settlement approval

Housing Wire

James Mullis, a plaintiff in the Batton homebuyer commission lawsuit , is joining the growing list of parties that have appealed the final approval of the settlement agreements reached by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and HomeServices of America. Mullis filed his appeal on Dec. 24 in the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to filing the appeal, Mullis had filed an objection to the settlement before its approval.

Sellers 319
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CFPB Sues Vanderbilt Mortgage & Finance for Setting Borrowers Up to Fail

Appraisal Buzz

Vanderbilt Mortgage & Finance , which originates loans for manufactured homes, is being sued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for putting borrowers into loans they could not afford. The CFPB alleges that Vanderbilt failed to make reasonable, good-faith determinations of borrowers ability to repay loans and manipulated lending standards when borrowers did not make sufficient income.

Finance 195
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Berkshire Hathaway Energy seeks arbitration in Gibson commission lawsuit

Housing Wire

Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE), the parent company of real estate brokerage firm HomeServices of America , has asked Judge Stephen R. Bough to reconsider a previous ruling and for an order to compel arbitration in the Gibson copycat commission lawsuit. In a document filed last week, BHE asked Bough to reconsider his order denying BHEs motion to strike the class-action allegations and to dismiss for failure to state a claim.

Contracts 317
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How Mortgage Servicers Can Mitigate Cybersecurity Risks

Appraisal Buzz

With AI-powered cybersecurity incidents including advanced malware and ransomware attacks becoming more prevalent, many mortgage companies will be looking to update their network and data security in 2025. One of the biggest challenges mortgage servicers will face is ensuring that the third parties they work with are also meeting or better yet exceeding industry security standards.

Mortgage 195
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You’ll never guess which state has the highest percentage of inbound movers

Housing Wire

The COVID-19 pandemic set off a wave of migration that temporarily depressed coastal housing markets and caused others to explode. But almost five years after the pandemic began, new trends are emerging that may surprise you. Thats according to an annual study from United Van Lines that surveys movers on where theyre coming from, where theyre going and why.

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MBA Promotes Jamie Woodwell to SVP of Commercial and Multifamily Policy

Appraisal Buzz

Jamie Woodwell has been promoted to senior vice president of commercial/multifamily policy and strategic industry engagement at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Woodwell, who has been with the MBA for 20 years, most recently served as vice president and head of commercial real estate research, where he oversees the associations economic research and analysis covering commercial and multifamily real estate finance markets.

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LPT Realty’s Michael Valdes on expansion plans and agent choice models

Housing Wire

In this weeks episode of the RealTrending podcast , host Tracey Velt is joined by Michael Valdes, CEO of LPT Realty. They discuss LPTs recent expansion milestones, its Agent Choice model and the influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on real estate workflows. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity purposes. To start, Valdes shares background on LPT and his involvement with the company.

Agents 297
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No, you don’t need more leads. Here’s what to do instead

Inman

Stop blaming the leads, the market or your CRM. The problem — and the solution — rests squarely on your shoulders, consultant Chris Pollinger writes.

Marketing 170
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GVC Mortgage hires Jen Peachman as VP of strategic lending

Housing Wire

GVC Mortgage announced the hiring of Jen Peachman as vice president of strategic lending, a move that Peachman confirmed on LinkedIn. Per the Chrisman Commentary, a daily mortgage newsletter produced by Rob Chrisman , GVC said that Peachman “will play an integral role in expanding our retail branch network across the GVC Lending footprint.” With more than 20 years of experience in mortgage and financial services, Peachman formerly served as national director of origination sales for

Lending 333
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How the country's largest MLS is pitching its value

Real Estate News

Are MLSs still relevant in real estates new era? Absolutely, says California Regional MLS, whose new campaign focuses on adaptation and member empowerment.

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NAR faces new lawsuit over membership structure in Louisiana

Housing Wire

It may be a new year, but the National Association of Realtors (NAR) is continuing to face legal challenges over its membership structure. The newest suit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana by Carla DeYoung, Tammy Jo Williams, Darlene Currie and Carlos Alvarez. Each of the plaintiffs hold real estate licenses in Louisiana as either agents and/or appraisers.

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Sherry Chris moves to NAR, will serve as executive advisor

Real Estate News

Just two weeks after leaving Anywhere, the industry veteran has taken on a new role supporting National Association of Realtors CEO Nykia Wright.

Realtors 160
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MBA promotes Jamie Woodwell to lead its commercial, multifamily public policy efforts

Housing Wire

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) on Monday appointed Jamie Woodwell as its senior vice president of commercial/multifamily policy and strategic industry engagement. Woodwell brings 20 years of experience at MBA to the new role. He transitions from a previous position as vice president of research and economics. The executive’s work has focused on key policy issues such tax, climate and potential changes with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

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5 ways to embrace minimalism to save money and your sanity in 2025

Inman

Forget "spend money to make money." Start cutting back, saving and making do so you can prioritize financial wellness and peace of mind, consultant Rachael Hite writes.

Agents 156
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Prosperity’s Justin Messer talks customer satisfaction and 2025 mortgage rate predictions

Housing Wire

In the newest episode of the Power House podcast, HousingWire President Diego Sanchez sits down for a conversation with Prosperity Home Mortgage CEO Justin Messer. The duo explore Prosperitys transition from refinances to purchase mortgage originations, the companys Realtor affiliate model, servicing partnerships and mortgage rate predictions for 2025.

Mortgage 317
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Corcoran Group veteran Julie Pham joins Compass

Inman

After 20 years with Corcoran, veteran broker Julie Pham has moved to Compass. Pham, alongside former Corcoran agent Angela Remigio, also started a namesake team focused on new development and international buyers.

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Rejoice! Housing affordability didn’t get worse in 2024

Housing Wire

Affordability issues have stymied the housing market for the better part of the past decade, but it didnt get worse in 2024. Thats the conclusion of a new report from Redfin , which said that housing affordability didnt deteriorate further last year, the first time thats happened in four years. Taking the median U.S. income of $83,782 and comparing it to the median home price of $429,734, a household in that situation would have spent 41.8% of their income on housing in 2024.

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Sherry Chris to join NAR as consultant following Anywhere exit

Inman

The industry veteran announced she was stepping down from an advisory role at Anywhere in December 2024 after officially retiring in April 2023. Now, she will help NAR build relationships and trust, and serve as special advisor to CEO Nykia Wright.

Realty 167
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Logan Finance promotes Sarah Gonzalez to chief innovation officer

Housing Wire

HousingWire Vanguard Sarah Gonzalez has taken on a new role at Logan Finance Corporation as chief innovation officer. Gonzalez formerly served as Logan’s chief operating officer, a position she started in February 2024. Before joining Logan, Gonzalez served as president and COO at Panorama Mortgage Group. Gonzalez has a 25-year background in operations and leadership roles, including serving as chief operating officer at First Guaranty Mortgage Corporation , senior vice president of strate

Finance 310
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CB Warburg’s Kevelyn Guzman: Being ‘really nice’ key to recruiting

Inman

Kevelyn Guzman took the reins as regional vice president of Coldwell Banker Warburg in January 2024 and spent the past 12 months organizing events to show off her company's strengths.

Brokerage 133
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In These 11 Counties You Can Still Buy Homes For $100k and Under

BiggerPockets

It doesnt matter how many doors you have or how much cash flow you generate; if your expenses outweigh your income, you will never be a successful investor.

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In closing days of 2024, a boost in buyers: Client Pipeline Tracker

Inman

A growing pool of buyers and an increasingly optimistic cohort of agents may signal a boost in the next batch of home-sale numbers, Intel Index survey results suggest.

Buyers 132
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The State of Real Estate Investing: What You Need to Know for 2025

BiggerPockets

The opportunity coming for real estate investing in 2025 is almost unimaginable.

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Robert Reffkin predicts the end of Clear Cooperation in 2025

Inman

The Compass CEO, long a critic of the polarizing NAR rule, believes that the real estate industry as a whole will finally come around to his view in the near future.

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Selling Your Houston Home?

Houston Properties

See how our proprietary 12-Step Home Sellers Program helps you sell your Houston home fast and for more money online. Start by getting a custom report of your propertys current value.

Sellers 69
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Pent-up demand, ‘she-elites,’ new hot spots may drive luxury in 2025

Inman

Luxury "is expected to remain the shining star of real estate," Coldwell Banker Global Luxury's Michael Altneu said in the brand's annual luxury trend report released on Monday, which highlighted areas to watch in 2025.