Mon.Nov 04, 2024

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A homebuyer’s personal story from the post-Sitzer, post-settlement world

Housing Wire

Editor’s note: This is the fifth 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. What does a real estate reporter do to mark the one-year anniversary of the Sitzer/Burnett jury verdict ?

Agents 434
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Who Is the Typical U.S. Homebuyer?

Appraisal Buzz

According to the National Association of Realtors ‘ (NAR) 2024 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, the market share of first-time homebuyers fell to a historic low of 24% (down from 32% last year), while the average age of home buyers reached all-time highs of 56 years (compared to 49 last year), 38 years for first-time buyers (compared to 35 last year), and 61 years for repeat buyers (compared to 58 last year).

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Real’s roster grows ever larger with addition of 400-agent Amerivest Realty

Housing Wire

The Real Brokerage ‘s expansion trend has continued with another major acquisition. The digital brokerage platform announced on Monday the addition of Amerivest Realty , a Florida-based brokerage, adding 400 agents across Florida , Colorado , Minnesota and Wisconsin to Real’s platform. The move broadens Real’s service capabilities and aligns the brokerage with industry consolidation trends.

Realty 391
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Where Are Credit Limits Dropping the Most?

Appraisal Buzz

A recent WalletHub report identifies Montana, Washington, and Minnesota as the nation’s top states experiencing the steepest decreases in credit limits over the past year. The study, covering Q2 2023 to Q2 2024, highlights the economic factors driving these reductions, including inflation and credit card delinquency, which have impacted credit access for consumers nationwide.

Appraisal 286
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In a sluggish market, Rocket Mortgage courts brokers with pricing incentive

Housing Wire

With mortgage rates back into the 7% range and several consecutive weeks of reduced demand , Rocket Mortgage is making what appears to be a volume play. The third party origination (TPO) division of Rocket Mortgage on Monday announced the rollout of its latest product, 24 Takeoff, which allows mortgage broker partners to receive a 24 basis point credit on all eligible loans until Nov. 17.

Mortgage 354
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Boosting Mortgage Operations Through Outsourcing

Appraisal Buzz

The next installment of the Five Star Institute Webinar Series will take place Monday, November 18 at 1:00 p.m. Central, when the Five Star Institute , in partnership with Global Strategic , present “ Partnering for Performance: Mortgage Operations Outsourcing.” The Five Star Institute Webinar Series aims to broaden the horizons of the mortgage industry.

Mortgage 221

More Trending

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MP Access Show: Interest Rates, Legacy, and Seeing Around Corners – Conversation with Stanley C. Middleman

Appraisal Buzz

Interest Rates, Legacy, and Seeing Around Corners – A Conversation with Stanley C. Middleman In this special episode of the MP Access Show , recorded live from the Five Star Conference 2024, host Robert Wilson, VP of Experience at Five Star, sits down with Stanley C. Middleman, Founder, President, and CEO of Freedom Mortgage. Middleman, one of the most respected figures in the mortgage industry, shares his insights on the current state of the housing market, his latest book Seeing Around Corners

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Don’t be surprised if a 61-year-old white woman buys your house

Housing Wire

Elevated mortgage rates, sky-high home prices, tight credit and stagnant wages have all contributed to homebuyers getting older. Newly released data from the annual profile of home buyers and sellers by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows just how dramatically this trend has manifested since the financial crisis of 2008. The median age of homebuyers has hit a new all-time high, with first-time buyers at 38 years old and repeat buyers at a whopping 61 years old.

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A&D Mortgage Announces $390.6 Million Securitization of Non-QM Loans

Appraisal Buzz

Non-QM lender A&D Mortgage has issued its latest securitization, valued at $390.6 million. The securitization is backed by a pool of 1,171 mostly newly originated non-prime residential mortgages. The transaction closed on October 31. All loans in the deal were originated by A&D Mortgage or its qualified correspondents. The average borrower credit score was 735 and the weighted average loan-to-value (LTV) was 67.4%.

Mortgage 195
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As the lock-in effect eases, the market for new homes is shrinking

Housing Wire

As high mortgage rates reshape the housing market, existing homes are making up a larger percentage of for-sale inventory, and homebuyers are taking notice. In the third quarter of 2024, newly built single-family homes made up just 28% of homes for sale, according to a recent Redfin report based on data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the U.S.

Marketing 331
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Appraisal Map Launches AVM Optimizer

Appraisal Buzz

Appraisal Map Inc. has launched AVM Optimizer , a tool that bridges the gap between automated home valuations and true property worth. The new tool enhances automated home valuations by factoring in property condition, updates, and renovations, addressing a key gap in other automated models. AVM Optimizer improves home value estimates by up to 30%, the company claims, providing more precise valuations for both consumers and professionals in the real estate industry.

Appraisal 195
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Key reverse mortgage metrics saw an uptick in October even as business remains lukewarm

Housing Wire

Reverse mortgage industry performance metrics have been trading gains and losses for several months now, but a more favorable interest rate environment and optimism about the possible trajectory of business in 2025 have arrived alongside some generally positive news for October. Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsements increased by 11.1% from September to October, with 2,392 loans endorsed last month, according to data compiled by Reverse Market Insight (RMI).

Business 328
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Fannie Mae Closes Sale of 8,678 Re-Performing Loans With $1.42B in UPB

Appraisal Buzz

Fannie Mae recently auctioned 8,678 re-performing mortgage loans with about $1.42 billion in unpaid principal balance (UPB), offered in three pools. The winning bidder for Pool 1 and Pool 2 was Pacific Investment Management Co. while the winning bidder for Pool 3 was JP Morgan Mortgage Acquisitions Corp. This was Fannie Mae’s 33rd re-performing loan sale to date.

Investing 195
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FOA’s ‘good’ reverse originator ranking reaffirmed by Morningstar DBRS

Housing Wire

Global credit rating agency Morningstar DBRS last week assigned a “good” rating to reverse mortgage industry leader Finance of America (FOA), confirming the ranking the company was assigned this past summer ahead of its earnings call this week. The rating is officially classified as “MOR RVO2” by Morningstar. The agency once more noted the recent business history of FOA — including the abandonment of its forward mortgage business and its acquisition of American Advisors Group (AAG).

Finance 319
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NAR: First-Time Homebuyer Share Drops to New Low

Appraisal Buzz

First-time buyers represented only 24% of all home buyers during the 12 months ended in June, down from 32% in the previous 12-month period, as the average age of a home buyer increased to 56, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). In addition, a record 26% of buyers paid cash for their homes. According to NAR’s data, the average age of a first-time home buyer increased to 38 (up from 35 last year).

Buyers 195
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Home sales are up over last year

Housing Wire

The hardest position to take in analyzing the housing market is one that is contrarian and bullish. When everyone knows that the housing market is sluggish and weak, but the data shows surprising strength. That’s where we are right now. Home sales are significantly better than they were last year at this time. No one else is reporting it yet, because the traditional data takes so long to reach the headlines.

Inventory 282
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Judge largely dismissive of objections to settlements

Real Estate News

In a lengthy filing, Judge Bough outlined his reasons for approving nine brokerage settlements last week, which he said got plaintiffs “the best deal possible.

Brokerage 221
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How will first-time buyers fare if sellers can’t offer buyer agent compensation?

Housing Wire

As real estate practitioners adjust to the practice changes that took effect in August, and the industry waits for final approval of the NAR settlement from the court in November, questions continue about seller offers of compensation. The arrangement known as cooperative compensation allows sellers to choose to offset the cost of buyers’ agents. By making an offer of compensation, sellers communicate to buyers, as a marketing tactic, that their transaction costs may be reduced.

Buyers 304
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Today’s buyers look vastly different from a generation ago

Real Estate News

NAR’s annual profile of homebuyers, which includes several new records, illustrates just how hard of a market it’s been for would-be homeowners.

Buyers 208
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loanDepot eyes purchase business in the South with new mortgage JV

Housing Wire

loanDepot has signed a new joint venture agreement with Smith Douglas Homes , a top-50 homebuilder with a solid book of business in the Southern states. Known as Ridgeland Mortgage , the joint venture will expand loanDepot’s footprint in a region where new-home sales account for roughly one-third to one-half of all transactions, depending on the market.

Business 255
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Fathom Holdings acquires major brokerage player in Arizona

Real Estate News

The quickly growing company said the acquisition of My Home Group will help bolster brokerage transactions as well as mortgage and title services.

Brokerage 181
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Realtor associations push back against antitrust allegations in Michigan

Housing Wire

The National Association of Realtors (NAR)is pushing back against the antitrust lawsuit filed against it and other Realtor associations in Michigan by three industry professionals. On Friday, the defendants in the suit filed a motion to dismiss the Hardy suit due to a failure to state a claim. The defendants include NAR, the Michigan Association of Realtors (MAR) , Grosse Pointe Board of Realtors (GPBOR), Greater Metropolitan Association of Realtors (GMAR), North Oakland County Board of Rea

Realtors 197
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The economy is humming along — leaving real estate in the dust: Intel

Inman

Brokerages have been plagued by falling sales and tapering price growth, rendering broker fees stagnant at a time when most sectors are enjoying robust gains, according to a new Intel analysis.

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HousingWire’s Tech100 Honorees: How they’re innovating the industry today

Housing Wire

The HousingWire award spotlight series highlights the individuals and organizations that have been recognized through our Editors’ Choice Awards. Nominations for HousingWire’s 2025 Tech100 Award are open now through December 16, 2024. Click here to nominate a tech organization. As technology continues to rapidly reshape nearly every aspect of real estate and mortgage, HousingWire’s Tech100 award has become an industry staple, spotlighting the companies driving this transformation each year.

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Brokerage that announced free childcare says, ‘We are just getting started’

Inman

Weekends are packed with potential buyers and sellers, from open houses to whole-family showings. Agents are expected to work weekends, and childcare on the weekends can be expensive.

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Is a Horde of Deadbeat Borrowers Again Walking Among Us?

Appraiserblogs

There are signs of a new horde of deadbeat borrowers, but the foreclosure filings are being delayed and masked by the government itself. Some of the current deadbeat borrowers will learn to expertly work the system… In 2022, a San Ramon, California, couple who hadn’t made a mortgage payment since 2009 was finally evicted. Anita and Mahesh Khurana had put on a masterclass in the use of the courts to keep foreclosure at bay.

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Real Brokerage adds 400 agents with Amerivest Realty partnership

Inman

Amerivest Realty owner Joe Ballarino has brought a slew of agents based out of Florida, Colorado, Minnesota and Wisconsin to the cloud-based brokerage, according to an announcement Monday.

Realty 155
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Residential Building Wages Grow at Unprecedented Rate

Eyes on Housing

Wages for residential building workers grew at a fast pace of 9.9% in September, following a 10.8% gain in August. These year-over-year growth rates in the past four months were unprecedented in the history of the data series since 1990. After a 0.3% increase in June 2023, the YOY growth rate for residential building worker.

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First-time homebuyers fell further behind this year, NAR says

Inman

The share of recently bought homes that went to first-time homebuyers fell to less than 1 in 4 between July 2023 and June 2024, according to a new report.

Brokerage 167
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4 Ways to Use GoFormz to Grow Your Business

GoForrmz

From simple automations to conditional, dynamic features, GoFormz is here to grow your business Imagine transforming your everyday paperwork into a powerful business growth tool — without changing a single form. With GoFormz, companies can quickly convert their existing paper forms into digital, mobile-friendly versions that look and function just like the originals.

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Zillow: No-commingling rule should be repealed, not Clear Cooperation

Inman

Zillow Chief Industry Development Officer Errol Samuelson discussed NAR's no-commingling rule and Clear Cooperation — and how the fight to save the latter is key to preserving consumer choice.

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13 Votes on Housing Proposals to Watch On Election Day

BiggerPockets

California isn’t the only state that will decide on important housing issues at the ballot box on Nov. 5, but it is one of the most prominent.

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What are verified renters, and why do you need them?

Inman

As rental fraud continues to rise, Rently has introduced a powerful solution with its Verified Renter service. This built-in lead verification service delivers high-intent prospects, helping to secure more signed leases, reduce fraudulent activities and save valuable staff time.

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Nicole Vermillion Qualifies for the 2024 Lamacchia Realty President’s Club ELITE

Lamacchia Realty

Nicole Vermillion Qualifies for the 2024 Lamacchia Realty President’s Club ELITE We are thrilled to announce that Nicole Vermillion has officially qualified for the Lamacchia Realty President’s Club 2024 ELITE, just four months after qualifying for Lamacchia Realty’s 2024 President’s Club ! Nicole is a consistent member of the President’s Club, having also qualified in 2023 and 2022.

Realty 60