Thu.May 09, 2024

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A homeowners insurance perfect storm: Providers’ costs rise, users’ coverage shrinks

Housing Wire

Despite the necessary requirement for a homeowner to maintain insurance on their property for protection against human- and naturally-occurring disasters, the impacts of climate change are creating “natural” scenarios that are increasingly not covered by insurance. Such instances are accelerating in different parts of the country, leading insurers to drastically increase their prices, or, in some cases, pull out of areas they deem problematic.

Insurance 418
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NAR: Home Prices ‘Astonishingly’ Increased 3.4 Percent in Q1 Despite Higher Mortgage Rates

Appraisal Buzz

Despite higher mortgage rates, more than 90% of U.S. metros posted home price gains in the first quarter, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). “Astonishingly, greater than 90% of the country’s metro areas experienced home price growth despite facing the highest mortgage rates in two decades,” says Lawrence Yun, chief economist for NAR, in a statement.

Mortgage 392
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Reverse mortgage volume and HMBS issuance improve in April

Housing Wire

Despite a challenging operating environment and broader concerns among industry professionals about connecting with new borrowers, the reverse mortgage industry’s key performance indicators showed improvements last month. Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) endorsements increased by 2.3% to 2,105, while HECM case numbers also trended higher, continuing a streak of consecutive monthly increases.

Mortgage 417
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Mortgage Rates Fall for First Time in Five Weeks

Appraisal Buzz

The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 7.09% this week, down from 7.22% the previous week, according to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. It was the first time in five weeks that mortgage rates decreased. “After a five-week climb, mortgage rates ticked down following a weaker than expected jobs report,” says Sam Khater, chief economist for Freddie Mac, in a statement.

Mortgage 365
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Leverage Trellis Court Data To Identify More Investment Opportunities

Finance teams find Trellis to be particularly effective in conducting comprehensive due diligence on both individuals and businesses. With our court data solution, financial experts can access critical litigation insights, making it an invaluable resource for informed decision-making in the financial sector.

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Judge approves brokerage commission lawsuit settlement agreements

Housing Wire

After months of uncertainty, the real estate industry has a reason to celebrate, at least a little bit. Judge Stephen Bough has granted final approval to the commission lawsuit settlement agreements reached by Anywhere , RE/MAX and Keller Williams on Thursday. As part of their settlement agreements, Anywhere, RE/MAX and Keller Williams have agreed to pay $83.5 million , $55 million and $70 million , respectively.

Brokerage 397

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Top indie firm Portside acquires another brokerage in Central Maine

Housing Wire

Portside Real Estate Group , led by Dava Davin, has acquired Lakepoint Real Estate , led by industry veteran Dan McCarron, the company announced on Wednesday. It is the second company that Portside has acquired. In 2018, the brokerage onboarded RE/MAX Heritage in Yarmouth, Maine , led by Mike Lepage. As a result, Davin’s brokerage boasts 165 agents all over Maine and on the seacoast of New Hampshire.

Brokerage 397
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Mortgage rates ease, but buyers still aren't getting a break

Real Estate News

After five weeks of increases, rates pulled back slightly, but rising home prices and record-high mortgage payments continue to hamper affordability.

Buyers 293
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Rocket bets big on AI for bespoke customer experiences

Housing Wire

Rocket Companies , the parent company of Rocket Mortgage , hired its first chief technology officer this week, bringing former Thomson Reuters and Intel executive Shawn Malhotra into the fold. The hire is Rocket’s latest move to bolster its already robust investment in artificial intelligence. Varun Krishna, Rocket Companies CEO, sat down with HousingWire CEO Clayton Collins at The Gathering event several weeks ago to talk about the company’s AI strategy and their new AI tool, Synopsis.

Clients 396
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Judge approves commissions settlements for Anywhere, RE/MAX, KW

Real Estate News

Despite a last-minute motion to delay the hearing, the proceedings went on as scheduled, ending buyer agent commissions litigation for the three brokerages.

Brokerage 284
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The Constructor's Digital Transformation Playbook: Reducing Risk With Technology

Speaker: Dylan Secrest

Construction projects are high-stakes operations where even minor inefficiencies can lead to costly delays, safety concerns, and budget overruns. Managing risk in construction has always been a challenge, but as projects grow in complexity, traditional methods no longer cut it. Enter Digital Transformation - a game changer approach that replaces inefficiency with AI-powered analytics, real-time monitoring, and automated workflows to proactively manage risk.

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Guild posts origination gains in Q1, declares a dividend

Housing Wire

Guild Holdings Company , parent company of Guild Mortgage , recorded a 6% increase in mortgage originations and much higher revenue levels in the first quarter of 2024 than in 2023. Net income saw substantial improvements as the company continues to pursue an active acquisition strategy, according to an earnings report for Q1 released on Thursday. “I am pleased to report that our first-quarter results demonstrate the continued success and disciplined execution of our strategy with growth in orig

Inventory 395
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Sean Faries: How Lenders Can Navigate Construction Lending Technology Options

Appraisal Buzz

PERSON OF THE WEEK: At a time of lower-profit margins, a growing number of mortgage lenders are looking to lift their balance sheets by offering construction-to-per loans. This has led to the current boom in construction loan administration software designed to manage and simplify these complex products. But when it comes to construction lending technology, the options are as vast as they are unique.

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UWM returns to profitability in Q1 amid MSR sales, improved margins

Housing Wire

UWM Holdings Corp. , the parent of United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), returned to profitability in the first quarter of 2024 despite higher rates, a lack of inventory and a decline in the fair value of its mortgage servicing rights (MSRs). The quarter’s positive performance was supported by increased origination volumes at improved margins and servicing sales, which resulted in a non-GAAP net income of $141 million from January to March, compared to a $361 million loss in the previous quarte

Mortgage 273
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GenWay Home Mortgage Joins IndiSoft’s National Housing Advocacy Platform

Appraisal Buzz

GenWay Home Mortgage Inc., a GNMA Issuer headquartered in Richardson Texas, has joined the NHAP, a cloud-based technology solution seamlessly connecting key stakeholders in the residential mortgage banking industry on a unified, single-sign-on platform. Through the HomePrep module within the NHAP, HUD-approved counseling agencies (HCAs), connect to other NHAP participants like state housing finance agencies, Freddie Mac, independent mortgage bankers, state-chartered and national banks, private

Mortgage 195
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Need Curated Pre-foreclosure Lists to Generate New Real Estate Leads? Trellis Has the Data!

Trellis is a state trial court research and analytics platform that provides Real Estate Professionals (Buyers, Foreclosure, Loan Modification, etc.) with LEADS on Pre-Foreclosures, Lis Pendes, Distressed Assets and more — to help uncover **new** opportunities and grow their business. The process is quick and easy — and all in real time. Trellis will supply you with a link to the relevant dockets, a Leads sheet and access to its UI where applicable.

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Judge approves Keller Williams, Anywhere, RE/MAX settlements

Inman

The ruling by Judge Stephen R. Bough on Thursday resolves antitrust claims in the Sitzer | Burnett, Moehrl and Nosalek commission cases. However, it won't quash other existing suits from buyers.

Buyers 187
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Multifamily Developer Confidence Declines in First Quarter

Eyes on Housing

Confidence in the market for new multifamily housing declined year-over-year in the first quarter of 2024, according to results from the Multifamily Market Survey (MMS).

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How diversity can enhance your growth and enrich your business

Inman

Diversity is the way of the future, writes The Agency’s Mauricio Umansky. Here, he unpacks the advantages of intentionally building a diverse team for your clients, your agents and your business.

Business 183
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How brokers can stay ahead as banks gain ground

Mortgagebroker News

Recent figures show a decline in sentiment towards brokers. How can you avoid letting your business slide?

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10 tips for hosting standing-room-only office meetings

Inman

Want your agents to look forward to meetings? Broker Joseph Santini shares five tips for making your office meetings must-attend events (and five things to avoid at all costs).

Agents 167
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Revealing the top mortgage products of 2024

Mortgagebroker News

Find out the best products brokers are offering this year

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UWM hiring ‘hundreds’ as mortgage originations surge 24%

Inman

Q1 net earnings of $180.5 million were boosted by the sale of $70 billion in mortgage servicing rights (MSRs) and a $141 million markup in the value of the $230 billion in MSRs UWM retained.

Mortgage 167
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Retired at 49 on an Average Salary after Getting a “Late Start” to FIRE

BiggerPockets

Think it’s too late for early retirement? Do you feel like just because you’re in your late thirties, forties, or fifties, FIRE doesn’t make sense for you?

88
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More US mortgages are ‘seriously underwater’ as equity dwindles

Inman

The share of seriously underwater mortgages moved up slightly from 2.6 percent to 2.7 percent in the first quarter, according to a report from Attom released Thursday.

Mortgage 167
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BiggerNews: Why Low Mortgage Rates Can’t Solve Our Affordability Crisis

BiggerPockets

Housing prices won’t budge, but there could be some relief on the horizon for homebuyers.

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Fathom Realty has more agents, fewer Q1 sales than a year ago

Inman

CEO Marco Fregenal says the flat-fee brokerage is making progress toward achieving 2024 goals despite seasonality and broader industry challenges driving a $5.9 million Q1 net loss.

Realty 167
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Rookie Reply: The Rental Property Expenses You CAN’T Afford to Miss

BiggerPockets

How do you know if a rental property will make enough cash flow before you buy? Budgeting is KEY.

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Broker Spotlight: David Caskey, Caskey Real Estate Group

Inman

Learn how this Manhattan Beach broker brings client-first service and genuine care to his Southern California market.

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Affordability crisis leads to homebuying delays in Canada – CMHC

Mortgagebroker News

'Canadians are cash-strapped and are making do with much, much less'

87
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NAR board of directors votes to keep membership dues at $156

Inman

The trade group had earlier signaled plans to raise dues in 2025, but during a board of directors meeting Thursday at the Realtors Legislative Meetings voted 894-20 to keep them at $156.

Realtors 158
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Canadian homebuyers stay cautious despite more choices

Mortgagebroker News

Inventory rises in major markets, but high borrowing costs continue to dampen buyer activity

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Report reveals struggle LGBTQ+ buyers face after retirement

Inman

An LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance survey has revealed the challenges of retirement for LGBTQ homeowners, who worry about safety and acceptance more than their straight counterparts.

Buyers 158
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CAMLA to host second annual Ontario expo

Mortgagebroker News

Brampton's Pearson Convention Centre will play host

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