December, 2024

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The homebuilders’ 2025 supply and demand problem

Housing Wire

New home sales grew over last month in the latest Census report , but homebuilders are now facing a supply issue their inventory is building up. This is the reason why housing starts are at recession levels today. Monthly new home sales have been stagnant for the past two years. When mortgage rates decline, sales improve, but it becomes more challenging for builders and buyers when rates rise.

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Where Are the Best Places to Retire in 2025?

Appraisal Buzz

Where is the best place to spend your golden years? According to U.S. News & World Report’s new study, 2025’s Best Places to Retire in the U.S. , Naples, Florida takes the top spot. Florida’s Paradise Coast beat out 149 other top U.S. cities, with Virginia Beach, New York City, Sarasota, and Boise rounding out the top five best retirement locales.

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Condos are having a moment

Sacramento Appraisal Blog

Condos are struggling, and they’re really having a moment in today’s housing market. Let’s talk about what’s going on with volume, supply, and prices. Be sure to read my closing thoughts about housing doom and hot pockets too. UPCOMING SPEAKING GIGS: 12/5/24 Made 4 More Team (Exporting Data from MLS) 12/11/24 Gateway: Think Like an […] The post Condos are having a moment first appeared on Sacramento Appraisal Blog.

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NAR moves to revoke Phoenix Realtors charter

Real Estate News

In an email to leaders, the association said PARs refusal to stop offering its MLS Choice option leaves NAR no choice but to defend its trademark and model.

Realtors 329
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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 With construction projects becoming more complex, outdated processes are no longer sustainable.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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The two big housing market trends to watch in 2025

Housing Wire

All the housing market data for 2024 is in, and its fair to say that the housing market surprised us again! However, there are two big trends that stand out as we launch into 2025 affordability and sellers in the market. The elephant in the room is affordability. Home prices finished 2024 up a few percent nationally and mortgage rates are at their highest level in seven months back over 7% as we head into January.

More Trending

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Rising inventory is the most positive housing market story in 2024

Housing Wire

The most positive development in the housing market over 2024 has been the increase in active housing inventory , which is approaching the levels seen in 2019. Although those 2019 levels represent a five-decade low before COVID-19, the market was still functioning better than it did from 2020 to 2023. During the first few years of COVID-19 recovery, there was an unhealthy imbalance, with too many buyers competing for too few homes.

Inventory 510
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The Federal Reserve’s housing recession dilemma

Housing Wire

They say housing leads the economy in and out of a recession. Currently, housing starts are back at the levels seen during the COVID-19 recession in 2020. Interestingly, employment for residential construction workers typically one of the first areas to experience declines before a recession has not yet seen its usual downturn. Several factors have been keeping labor steady, such as working through a backlog of orders and long turnaround times to complete projects.

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Housing inventory is down everywhere except in pandemic hotspots. Here’s why.

Housing Wire

The COVID-19 pandemic turned previously sleepy cities into boomtowns.Expanded or permanent work-from-home policies gave people more flexibility in where to live, and those in uber-expensive markets like San Francisco and Manhattan took advantage by moving to areas where they could get more space for less money. This created incredibly competitive housing markets in smaller cities that pushed sales and prices sky high.

Inventory 463
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Real estate Instagram accounts: 21 agents & influencers to follow right now

Housing Wire

Vetted by HousingWire | Our editors independently review the products we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Are you looking to add a dose of inspiration, humor and expertise to your Instagram feed? From luxury property tours to laugh-out-loud real estate memes, these 21 agents and influencers bring the best of the industry right to your phone.

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The 25 Best Books for Real Estate Agents in 2025

Housing Wire

As you plan your 2025, its important to be intentional about including self-development activities. After all, our business will only grow as much as we do as business owners. With hundreds of books to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know which one will truly have a positive impact on your life and your business. To help, we reached out to real estate agents nationwide to compile our list of the best books for real estate agents.

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Housing inventory is up, but so are unsold listings. Are renters to blame?

Housing Wire

Rising housing inventory levels in 2024 may not be the positive sign of market health that they appear to be. High inventory levels contribute to another problem as active listings are remaining unsold for longer periods. Although higher home prices , rising mortgage rates and other expenses are obvious factors, there may be more to the story. Rising supply is one of the housing market highlights of 2024, according to HousingWire Lead Analyst Logan Mohtashami , who said that housing inventory is

Inventory 438
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Property Managers Helping Renters Improve Their Financial Positioning

Appraisal Buzz

Of the property managers aware of the practice, almost half (48%) report rent payments to credit agencies, says a new report from TransUnions Tenant and Employment group a 33% jump from last year, and last year was a 36% jump from the year before. That means more than half (52%) of property managers who report rent payments began doing so in the past two years.

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Senate Passes Trigger Leads Measure

Appraisal Buzz

The U.S. Senate has announced the passage of the bipartisan Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act (S. 3502) , a measure that will ban trigger leads except in limited circumstances. When a consumer applies for a mortgage, credit bureaus are notified that the consumer is interested in financing, which is referred to as a trigger lead. That information is then sold by the credit bureaus to data brokers (including other lenders) without the consumers knowledge or approval.

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Housing demand still showing double-digit growth

Housing Wire

Last week, we witnessed a Santa Claus rally in mortgage rates alongside improved housing demand. The economy continues to create jobs, with wages growing at an annual rate of 4%. We also see growth in our pending contract data compared to 2022 and 2023. Additionally, the purchase application data delivered another pleasant surprise with positive results.

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Housing market data positive despite Powell’s Grinch act

Housing Wire

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell played the Grinch last week for the housing market, sending mortgage rates higher after his remarks at the Fed presser on Wednesday. Despite this, we had positive data on existing home sales , purchase applications, and our weekly pending contract figures. Total active listings are experiencing their traditional seasonal decline, but with less than two weeks left in the year, its evident that there are ready homebuyers in America.

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Existing-Home Sales Experience Seasonal Climb

Appraisal Buzz

The National Association of Realtors reports that existing-home sales increased in November. Three major U.S. regions saw growth in sales, but the West saw no change. All four regions saw an increase in sales year over year. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of existing-home sales, which includes completed transactions of single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, and cooperatives, increased 4.8% from October to 4.15 million in November.

Inventory 382
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Boomers Passing the Equity Torch to Younger Generations

Appraisal Buzz

Freddie Mac s most recent survey of baby boomer housing opinions, preferences, and plans indicates that roughlythree quarters of homeowners born before 1964 are likely to pass a large portion of their $17 trillion in home equity to their offspring. The majority of boomers who own a home are certain they will enjoy a pleasant retirement, according to Freddie Macs recent, extensive study of respondents aged 60 and over.

Finance 430
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Investor purchases are sinking with the housing market at large

Housing Wire

Home sales in 2024 have been well below historic norms. Higher prices, higher mortgage rates and limited inventory are making for a slow market among buyers and sellers alike. Real estate investors tend to be more insulated from these dynamics, particularly from mortgage rates, as they are more likely to buy properties with cash. But even investors have purchased fewer homes this year.

Investors 407
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Growing Supply of Rental Units Pushes Rent Prices Downward

Appraisal Buzz

Nationwide, the average rent price fell by -0.8% to $1,720 in October, marking their 15th consecutive month of year-over-year declines and falling the most for smaller-sized units, according to Realtor.com’s October Rental Report. Realtor.com notes that new rental properties coming onto the market are expected to put continued downward pressure on rents next year.

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Ranking the Top States and Cities for Homebuyers 

Appraisal Buzz

For prospective homebuyers seeking locations with a promising return on investment, the ConsumerAffairs research team analyzed data across 477 U.S. metropolitan areas and all states. Using factors like market stability, long-term growth, affordability, and market fluidity, this guide highlights housing markets expected to perform well in 2024. The Best States for Homebuyers in 2024 ConsumerAffairs analysis ranks states with strong market resilience, potential for value appreciation, and affordab

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The 2025 housing market for first-time homebuyers

Housing Wire

The American dream is synonymous with two ideas. One is the idea that anyone in this country can find a path to economic success regardless of their circumstances at birth. The second idea is the symbolic encapsulation of the first idea: homeownership. Owning a home is the signifier of economic success, but over the last few years, that milestone has gotten farther out of reach for first-time homebuyers.

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Existing-home sales take a sleigh ride to the sky with highest jump since 2021

Housing Wire

The housing industry is getting an early Christmas gift. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that existing-home sales in November rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.15 million, a 4.8% increase over the revised October number and a 6.1% increase year over year. The annualized rate is the highest seen since the tally of 4.22 million in March 2024 , and its the highest year-over-year increase since a 23% gain in June 2021.

Inventory 405
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How Have Recent Immigration Increases Impacted U.S. Housing Costs?

Appraisal Buzz

The recent surge in immigration to the United States has ignited discussions about its potential effects on the housing market, particularly concerning housing costs. This conversation is especially pertinent amid an ongoing affordability crisis, where approximately half of renters are cost-burdened, and many individuals are being priced out of homeownership.

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Thinking of joining a real estate team? Here’s everything you should know

Housing Wire

If youre reading this article, youre not alone. Youve likely heard about real estate teams and how they can impact your career but what exactly are they, and why are so many agents joining or building teams? Its a big decision to make whether youre just starting or want to take your career to the next level. Its important to understand how real estate teams work for you to decide whether its the right career move for you.

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What rising inventory means for the 2025 housing market

Housing Wire

As the year draws to a close, available unsold inventory of homes on the market is nearly 27% greater than a year ago. Almost every market in the country has more homes available now than at the end of 2023. Ten states have more inventory unsold than in 2019, which was the last sort of normal year before the pandemic. A few states have more homes on the market now than any time in the last eight to 10 years.

Inventory 413
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Asking Rents Fall to 32-Month Low

Appraisal Buzz

According to Redfin , the median U.S. asking rent fell 0.7% year-over-year in November to $1,595, the lowest level since March 2022. Rents were down 1.1% on a month-over-month basis. The median rent is now 6.2% lower than when it hit an all-time high of $1,700 in August 2022. Highlighting improved rental affordability, November marked the 19th consecutive month where the median asking rent price per square foot (PPSF) fell year-over-year, down 2.2% to $1.79.

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Consumer Confidence Drives Housing Sentiment Up YoY

Appraisal Buzz

The latest Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) increased 0.4 points in November to 75.0, continuing its sharp upward trend over the past year, as consumers appear to be acclimating to higher mortgage rates in todays home price environment. In November, a new record-high share of consumers indicated that they expect mortgage rates to decline over the next 12 months, while fewer respondents said they expect home prices to rise.

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Taking Foreclosures Beyond Judicial and Non-Judicial Actions

Appraisal Buzz

The Five Star Institutes Legal League has announced the launch of its latest White Paper, Non-Uniform Foreclosures. Legal League is a professional association of financial services law firms spread out across the U.S. The Legal League is uniquely positioned to drive progress in the mortgage servicing industry. Legal League members provide a clear view of the legal landscape and the expertise to navigate it, committed to supporting its membership through education, communication, relationship dev

Legal 428
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Manufactured Homes Appreciating at Rates Comparable to Site-Built Homes

Appraisal Buzz

A recent analysis of Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) data by the Urban Institute dispels the myth that manufactured homes do not appreciate as much as site-built homes. The report , which includes government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) mortgage data for manufactured homes, reveals that between 2000 and 2024, manufactured homes appreciated at nearly identical rates to site-built homes, growing approximately 5% annually.

Law 397
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New Forecast Pinpoints 2025’s Top Housing Markets

Appraisal Buzz

Realtor.com has revealed its Top Housing Markets for 2025 , highlighting the areas ready for growth in the year ahead. This years list highlights markets characterized by moderately affordable homes, strong inventorymainly boosted by new constructionand a sizable base of younger families, many with military and international connections. According to Realtor.com, the top 10 markets for 2025 are concentrated in the South and West: 1) Colorado Springs, Colorado 2) Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Bea

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Will 2025 finally be a “normal” housing market?

Housing Wire

Weve now been in the post-pandemic housing market recession market as long as we were in the pandemic boom. Two and a half years. As we look into 2025, the question everyone is asking is: Do we have a new era starting? Does the housing market start to get back to normal? What can the data today tell us about signals for growth or weakness after the new year?

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JPAR’s Tiffani Marroquin urges real estate firms to view AI as a collaborative partner, not a threat

Housing Wire

In this weeks episode of the RealTrending podcast , host Tracey Velt sits down with Tiffani Marroquin, head of growth and innovation for JPAR Real Estate. They discuss the utility of artificial intelligence (AI) for the real estate industry, as well as JPARs solutions designed to enhance agent and brokerage performance. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

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The U.S. Real Estate Boom: Top Cities Leading 50 Years of Development

Appraisal Buzz

Over the past five decades, real estate development in the U.S. has surged, with Southern and Southwestern cities seeing the most growth, according to a recent study from StorageCafe. Residential, industrial, and self-storage industries have all expanded significantly, driven by urbanization and population growth. One key finding is that self-storage has seen a 91% increase in inventory since the 1980s.