July, 2023

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Housing Market Tracker: Inventory is negative YOY

Housing Wire

Housing inventory finally broke under 2022 levels last week. To give you an idea how different this year is from last year, last week in 2022, active listings grew 30,940 while this year they only grew 5,848. Mortgage rates rose last week after the better-than-anticipated jobless claims data but even with higher rates, we also had a third week of positive purchase application data.

Inventory 480
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Change Careers or Change Your Practice?

George Dell

Change. It’s clear that appraisal, as a vocation, has changed. Many appraisers are considering new careers. Others are preparing to meet new demands. Yet others are doing. nothing. Which mind are you? Escape. Retool. Or be in denial. I have taught with Valuemetrics.info for over 17 years now. And was on the […] The post Change Careers or Change Your Practice?

Appraisal 369
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The value of a pool in real estate

Sacramento Appraisal Blog

The weather has been scorching in so many areas across the country. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been thinking about water, lakes, and air conditioning quite a bit this week. Anyway, today I have some pool stats that I’m excited to share. I also want to show you the DIY “pool” I built […] The post The value of a pool in real estate first appeared on Sacramento Appraisal Blog | Real Estate Appraiser.

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Steve Baird: Brokerage owners ‘need to focus on what we can control’

Real Estate News

The Baird & Warner CEO shares how his family business has thrived in a cyclical, sometimes “regressive” industry, and discusses the future of buyer agency.

Brokerage 258
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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 With construction projects becoming more complex, outdated processes are no longer sustainable.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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Prioritizing Your Clients

The Appraiser Coach

When the pandemic hit us full force in 2020, business skyrocketed. We had never been busier! If I had tried to do everything the same way I did before, hiring someone just to turn down offers wouldn’t be a joke. It used to be that I would never dream of turning down an offer. But then, we had to do it regularly. But how can you mitigate your workload without losing your good clients?

Clients 195

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With low inventory, house hunters are in full safari mode

Housing Wire

The nation’s housing industry has entered a new normal in which the dynamics of the market appear perplexing — marked by high mortgage rates and high home prices, along with shrinking mortgage originations. The perplexing part: Why are home prices not declining in this environment? It boils down to two factors, according to housing-industry experts: a lack of housing inventory , or supply; and high demand for that limited housing stock — which also is fueling a jump in new-home sales.

Inventory 478
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Does USPAP Enable Bias?

George Dell

Is USPAP biased? (Appraisal Foundation, Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice) Is this possible? It can’t be! This part 8 of a multipart look at issues in valuation standards. Editor’s Note: This is Standards, part 3.8 of George Dell’s series on How Do I Move to EBV? Links to the earlier posts are here. Let’s […] The post Does USPAP Enable Bias?

Valuation 195
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It’s either a bidding war or crickets

Sacramento Appraisal Blog

It’s either hot or cold. A bidding war or crickets. That’s what I’ve been hearing from real estate agents about their listings. Today I want to talk briefly about the word on the street, hot pockets, and I have some really cool stats to share. Skim quickly or digest slowly by topic. UPCOMING (PUBLIC) SPEAKING […] The post It’s either a bidding war or crickets first appeared on Sacramento Appraisal Blog | Real Estate Appraiser.

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Buyers will pay a premium for walkable communities

Real Estate News

Younger generations are especially motivated by walkability, even if it means paying more, giving up yard space or living in a multifamily dwelling.

Buyers 258
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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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Prioritizing Your Clients

The Appraiser Coach

When the pandemic hit us full force in 2020, business skyrocketed. We had never been busier! If I had tried to do everything the same way I.

Clients 195
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Share of Two or More Stories New Homes Maintains Lead in 2022

Eyes on Housing

Data obtained from the US Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC) and tabulated by NAHB, show that the rising trend of two or more stories homes continued in 2022. Although the overall share remained virtually unchanged, the share of two or more stories homes started construction was greater than one story homes in 2022. Nationwide, the share of new homes.

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Housing Market Tracker: Inventory shocks lower

Housing Wire

The slow zombie crawl of housing inventory went lower last week as inventory was negative week to week. In addition, mortgage rates rose to a yearly high as labor data stayed firm and purchase apps had their first negative week after three straight weeks of positive growth. Weekly Active listings fell by 866 homes Mortgage rates rose to a year-to-date high of 7.22% Purchase apps were down 5% week to week Weekly housing inventory We had a hat trick in housing last week: weekly active listings wer

Inventory 476
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Workfile or Integration? Move to EBV: Pt 3.7

George Dell

Workfile is required, (or not?). This part 7 of a multipart look at issues in valuation standards. Editor’s Note: This is Standards, part 3.7 of George Dell’s series on How Do I Move to EBV? Links to the earlier posts are here. USPAP WORKFILE The “workfile” concept works well as an effort at documenting an […] The post Workfile or Integration?

Valuation 195
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Did the housing market peak for the year?

Sacramento Appraisal Blog

The housing market has likely peaked for the year. Today I’d like to show some ways I’m seeing this in the stats. I’m focused on Sacramento, but this is likely showing up in many markets. Skim by topic or digest slowly. UPCOMING (PUBLIC) SPEAKING GIGS: 7/20/23 SAR Market Update (in-person & livestream) 7/26/23 Fair Mortgage (details TBD) […] The post Did the housing market peak for the year?

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Brokers in Focus: Choosing to merge and retire a brand

Real Estate News

Facing a contraction of his brokerage business, J. Philip Faranda made a previously "unthinkable" decision. Now he wishes he had done it sooner.

Contracts 254
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You Are Important, Too!

The Appraiser Coach

We all have our hobbies. I’ve talked to people who enjoy everything from quilting to drag racing to bird watching, and everything in between. Hobbies are an important part of our lives, but so often these days we don’t make time to do them. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, with the to-do list looming bigger and bigger, the problems constantly mounting, and your hair becoming awash with gray as you try to keep up.

Business 195
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DataDigest: Inventory and the purported ‘Airbnb crash’

Housing Wire

There was a viral tweet going around from YouTube housing influencer Nick Gerli. You’ve probably seen it. Gerli cites data from a company called AllTheRooms to make the case that the Airbnb /short-term rental market is “crashing” and it will have a big impact on inventory. Indeed, the chart he shared is alarming. A nearly 50% drop in revenue in some markets!

Inventory 413
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Will labor data send mortgage rates to 8%?

Housing Wire

The 10-year yield and mortgage rates have been rising close to the 2023 high as some labor data shows that the honey badger labor market is still growing. To make things even more complicated, the spreads between the 30-year mortgage rate and the 10-year yield keep getting wider. The question is: will the labor data push mortgage rates to 8%? In my 2023 forecast , I wrote that if the economy stays firm, the 10-year yield range should be between 3.21% and 4.25% , equating to mortgage rates betwee

Mortgage 411
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Only in Austin, Texas are home prices sinking

Housing Wire

As the spring homebuying season comes to an end, there are distinct signs of the housing market reheating from a home price perspective. The lack of inventory drove home prices up, challenging potential buyers, Black Knight pointed out in its monthly mortgage monitor report. The reheating is widespread with more than half of the 50 largest U.S. markets seeing prices at or above 2022 peaks.

Inventory 398
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Mortgage rates reach their 2023 peak

Housing Wire

Mortgage rates jumped this week as investors grapple with persistent positive economic data and a hawkish Fed. The Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey, which focuses on conventional and conforming loans with a 20% down payment, shows the 30-year fixed rate averaged 6.81% as of July 6, up significantly from last week ’s 6.71%. By contrast, the 30-year was at 5.30% a year ago at this time.

Mortgage 390
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UWM expands DSCR offerings to real estate investors

Housing Wire

United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), the country’s largest wholesale lender, expanded its debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) loan options to four after launching its first product in March. Dubbed “Investors Flex,” the non-QM product for real estate investors, offered purchase and refinance loans up to $2 million that could be used to finance up to 20 properties by using each property’s monthly rental income to qualify.

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If mortgage rates fall to 5%, the housing market could get interesting

Housing Wire

Homeowners with a mortgage rate above 5% are nearly twice as likely to say that they plan to sell their home than those paying a rate below 5%, according to Zillow’s quarterly survey report. Additionally, the survey found that about 80% of mortgage holders reported having a rate of less than 5%, while 90% reported having a rate of less than 6%.

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Bright MLS to allow $0 buyer broker commissions

Housing Wire

The nation’s second largest multiple listing service , Bright MLS , will begin allowing listing agents to put in a blanket offer of compensation for buyer brokers of zero dollars or more, starting on August 9. This change appears to possibly diverge from a National Association of Realtors rule, which states that listing agents must make an offer of cooperative compensation to buyer brokers in order to list a property on the MLS.

Buyers 370
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US Bank imposes mortgage layoffs

Housing Wire

Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank , the fourth-largest U.S. mortgage lender, is laying off staffers in its mortgage division this week, a spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday. The announcement follows a decline in its mortgage originations in the first quarter of 2023 – the second-quarter earnings will be released on Wednesday morning. The current jobs cut also comes amid rumors that depositary lenders would see changes to their residential mortgage capital requirements under the Basel III regulations.

Mortgage 370
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Rocket offers third round of voluntary buyouts to employees

Housing Wire

Rocket Companies , the parent of Rocket Mortgage , offered another round of buyouts to its employees on Wednesday, a spokesperson confirmed to HousingWire. The buyout follows two rounds in 2022, in April and August, which resulted in a workforce reduction of about 30% last year. “Yesterday, we offered a voluntary career transition opportunity to several teams within the organization to better align resources with the needs of both our business and today’s mortgage market,” Mike

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DataDigest: There are too many real estate agents and LOs. It’s a problem

Housing Wire

You know what loan officers and real estate agents love almost as much as cashing a commission check? Complaining about other loan officers and real estate agents. And they have good reasons to do so. Talk to a top producer in either field and he or she will tell you: the biggest problem their respective industry faces is that there are far too many sloppy, inexperienced, yee-haw types who, I’m sorry, just shouldn’t be in this business!

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First-time buyers need to earn $64,500 to afford a typical starter home

Housing Wire

High mortgages and stubbornly elevated home prices are worsening the housing affordability crisis. A first-time homebuyer must earn roughly $64,500 per year to afford the typical U.S. “starter” home, up 13% from a year ago, according to a new report from Redfin. In June, the typical starter home sold for a record $243,000, up 2.1% from a year earlier and up more than 45% from before the pandemic.

Buyers 369
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Consumers may be coming to terms with elevated rates and high home prices: Fannie Mae

Housing Wire

Consumer confidence in housing may have plateaued, according to the latest home purchase sentiment index (HPSI) by Fannie Mae. The HPSI — which tracks the housing market and consumer confidence to sell or buy a home — rose a mere 0.4 points to 66 as difficult supply and affordability conditions continue to weigh on the housing market, according to Fannie Mae.

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Fed hikes rates amid general wave of optimism

Housing Wire

The Federal Reserve (Fed) raised the federal funds rate 25 basis points to the 5.25 to 5.5% range on Wednesday, its highest level in 22 years. While the markets have already “priced in” this rate hike, which was widely expected, most investors are already wondering what it would take for the central bank to lift rates again later this year. For the housing market, that likely means a few more months with mortgage rates above 6%.

Investors 368
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Productivity report: The data on real estate agents vs. teams

Housing Wire

When you think about a real estate team , you automatically think they must be more productive than individual agents, right? Not so fast. Clearly, over the last decade, teams have grown far faster than individual agents in terms of closed transactions. This is not unexpected, as teams have the ability to scale their business far easier and faster than an individual agent.

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Today’s real estate agents see the light at the end of the tunnel

Housing Wire

Outsiders to the real estate industry may assume that the tight market has real estate agents hanging up their hats. In reality, today’s agents are seizing the market and feeling confident. Real estate agents are still confident in the industry and the market. Even as the housing market comes down from its COVID-19 pandemic highs, there are houses to be sold and deals to be made.

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Seller impersonation fraud threatens American homeownership

Housing Wire

With real estate inventory at a near-record low, buyers seeking a place to call home are facing stiff competition as bidding wars continue to be commonplace. In such an environment, buyers may feel pressure to bypass steps in the transaction to make their bid more attractive to the seller, but they should be wary that taking shortcuts can expose them to fraud.

Sellers 367