October, 2024

article thumbnail

Housing inventory fell last week. Have sellers called it quits?

Housing Wire

Since mid-2022 when mortgage rates headed higher , two facts have been apparent: new listings data has been trending at the lowest levels ever recorded in history and inventory has been able to grow from record low levels thanks to mortgage rates staying elevated. We’ve seen some growth in new listings this year compared to 2023 levels, which is good for housing.

Inventory 522
article thumbnail

Pending Home Sales Climb to Highest Level Since March

Appraisal Buzz

The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) reports that pending home sales increased in September. Transactions increased month over month in all four major regions. While sales in the Midwest and South stayed stable, the Northeast and West saw gains year-over-year. September saw a 7.4% increase in the Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), a measure of future home sales based on contract signings, to 75.8, the highest level since March (78.3).

Contracts 419
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Real estate’s moment of opportunity

Real Estate News

From agent pay to association changes, a new report identifies 20 ways the industry can improve itself — and help homebuyers and sellers in the process.

Sellers 333
article thumbnail

Proposed NAR settlement ‘worst of all possible worlds’: Law professor

Inman

Tanya Monestier says the settlement "reinforces the existing system of seller-paid inflated compensation while pretending to eliminate it" as attorneys walk away with $333 million in cash.

Law 195
article thumbnail

Housing Cost Burdens Across Congressional Districts

Eyes on Housing

While the lack of affordable housing dominates the headlines across the nation, congressional districts with higher shares of renter households are disproportionately affected by the current affordability crisis. Geographically, the districts with the largest housing cost burdens are heavily concentrated in California, Florida, and the coastal Northeast.

article thumbnail

Proposition 33 Ignites Fierce Debate Over California Rent Control Laws

BiggerPockets

Proposition 33—a measure on this year’s California election ballot that would increase rent control laws by limiting the amount landlords can charge for rent, regardless of an apartment’s rental history, […]

Law 92

More Trending

article thumbnail

Where Are the Most Expensive Zip Codes in the U.S.?

Appraisal Buzz

It’s been a year of cautious growth for luxury real estate, so it’s the perfect time for PropertyShark to come up with a list of the 100 most expensive zip codes in America. And the winner is … Atherton, California (again). Located just north of Menlo Park in northern California, Atherton takes the crown for the most expensive zip code in the nation for the eighth consecutive year, with a 2024 median sale price of $7,900,000.

article thumbnail

NAR settlement doesn’t pass the ‘real world’ test

Real Estate News

A law professor filed a lengthy objection calling it “the worst of all possible worlds,” raising concerns about “chaos and frustration” as well as legal fees.

article thumbnail

Commissions held steady after Aug. 17, Redfin study shows

Inman

Commissions have been slowly declining over the last decade, but since the NAR settlement terms went into effect this summer, buyer's agent commissions have seen little impact.

Buyers 183
article thumbnail

Single-Family Starts Trend Higher in September

Eyes on Housing

With the Federal Reserve beginning an easing of monetary policy and builder sentiment improving, single-family starts posted a modest gain in September while multifamily construction continued to weaken because of tight financing and an ongoing rise in completed apartments. Overall housing starts decreased 0.5% in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.35 million.

article thumbnail

Six Reasons Why REITs Are Safer Than Rentals

BiggerPockets

Recently, we shared “8 Reasons Why REITs Are More Rewarding Than Rentals.” In short, studies show that REITs earn 2% to 4% higher annual returns than private real estate.

article thumbnail

DOJ sues Rocket, appraisal companies over alleged discrimination

Housing Wire

Another regulator has sued Rocket Mortgage for allegedly discriminating against a Black homeowner by undervaluing her home during an appraisal in Colorado three years ago. And the Detroit-based lender believes it’s a “massive overreach.” On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice —following a move made by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in July—filed a lawsuit against the lender, appraiser Maksym Mykhailyna and his company, Maverick Appraisal Group ,

Appraisal 511
article thumbnail

Tango Financial expands into Ontario in 'game changer' for mortgage brokers

Mortgagebroker News

The multibillion-dollar brokerage's expansion will offer brokers a huge opportunity to grow their business under a stellar brand, leaders say

article thumbnail

NAR tells sellers they don’t have to list on the MLS

Real Estate News

In its latest consumer guide, the association offers general education about MLSs while alluding to the ongoing debate over its Clear Cooperation Policy.

Sellers 308
article thumbnail

Judge grants final approval to 9 commission lawsuit settlements

Inman

Judge Stephen Bough granted approval for settlements involving Compass, Douglas Elliman, @properties and other companies. Collectively, the companies will pay $110 million to resolve the litigation.

Brokerage 184
article thumbnail

Community Associations on the Rise in 2023

Eyes on Housing

In 2023, 64.8% of all new single-family homes started were built within a community or homeowner’s association. This share increased from the 62.6% recorded in 2022, according to data tabulated from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC). This marks the third highest share since the beginning of the series in 2009, after the high.

article thumbnail

The Slippery Slope of BRRRR—Is It Still the Best Way to Run Your Landlording Business?

BiggerPockets

The BRRRR strategy (buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat) is based on finding discounted properties, fixing them up, renting them out, refinancing, and socking away the cash flow with a long-term tenant, and repeating the process until you have amassed a sizable monthly cash flow. In 2024, I largely believe that it's unrealistic.

article thumbnail

Mortgage rates could reach 5.7% next year, but will sellers give up their 3% rates?

Housing Wire

The U.S. economy appears to be on firmer footing than previously thought, mortgage rates are forecast to end 2024 at 6% and home-price growth is also on the move. These are conclusions drawn by economists at Fannie Mae ‘s Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group. They’re now projecting gross domestic product (GDP) growth to fall from 3.2% in 2023 to 2.3% in 2024 and 2% in 2025.

Sellers 511
article thumbnail

Can Canadians really breathe a ‘sigh of relief’ on mortgage rates?

Mortgagebroker News

Tiff Macklem hailed Bank's latest move last week – but one financial advisor isn't so sure

article thumbnail

NAR appeals to Supreme Court in DOJ battle

Real Estate News

The trade organization filed an official request with the high court today, asking for a review of an antitrust case that was ostensibly closed in 2021.

295
295
article thumbnail

Meet the stubborn homeseller dead set on making his FSBO work

Inman

Robert Kramer listed his home for sale without using an agent three years ago. The price is $200,000 above some estimates. He raises it $3,600 every month and is still waiting for the right buyer.

Agents 187
article thumbnail

Property Taxes by State – 2023

Eyes on Housing

Nationally, across the 86 million owner-occupied homes in the U.S., the average annual real estate taxes paid in 2023 was $4,112, according to NAHB analysis of the 2023 American Community Survey. Homeowners in New Jersey continued to pay the highest real estate taxes, paying an average of $9,572, 30.6% higher than the second highest, New.

article thumbnail

11 Last-Minute Tax Hacks Every Investor Needs Before the Year Ends

BiggerPockets

For real estate investors, the end of the year isn’t just about closing deals—it’s about making smart moves that could save you thousands on your tax bill.

article thumbnail

Prices for FICO scores are predicted to rise — again — in 2025

Housing Wire

Wall Street investors and analysts forecast that mortgage credit-score costs will rise in 2025 as lower interest rates may drive an increase in home loan applications. Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO), the company that retains the rights to the market’s widely adopted consumer credit-risk assessment methodology, is expected to raise the price for mortgage credit scores from $3.50 to at least $5, according to the estimates.

Investors 528
article thumbnail

Canadians blame short-term rentals for housing affordability crisis, survey shows

Mortgagebroker News

Canadians support stricter regulations to curb the impact of short-term rentals on rent prices and availability

83
article thumbnail

Florida has built 77,000 new homes in high-risk flood areas

Housing Wire

Since 2019, the state of Florida has built more than 77,000 new properties in areas with a high risk of flooding. This is the most among all states, according to an analysis by climate-modeling firm First Street Foundation on behalf of the The Wall Street Journal. The construction activity is likely to place the housing industry and its financing partners on a “collision course” with insurers, the outlet said.

Insurance 492
article thumbnail

The great contradictions of the real estate market moving into 2025

Housing Wire

As 2025 approaches, the U.S. real estate market is marked by contradictions that are leaving many confused. Mortgage rates, rental patterns, homeownership dreams, and housing trends across the country are all seemingly colliding in ways that create both opportunities and uncertainties. It’s a complex landscape where the tension between renting and owning is more pronounced than ever, and regional differences in housing demand highlight the uneven nature of the market.

article thumbnail

CubiCasa launches AI tool that creates virtual home tours in minutes

Housing Wire

Interior property data company CubiCasa announced the launch of an interactive touring product for listing agents. The new CubiCasa Tour product will create interactive, virtual property tours within minutes. The new product uses similar software to CubiCasa’s Floor Plans, another virtual listing tool that builds floor plans in five minutes or less.

Tools 475
article thumbnail

New-home sales beat estimates but need a dose of reality

Housing Wire

With new-home sales growing since 2022, why are housing starts at recessionary levels? Well, it’s a complicated story if you don’t know how the homebuilders operate, and not all homebuilders are the same. The big publicly traded builders have money to pay down mortgage rates and manage their pipelines better than smaller homebuilders. However, even with that reality, when mortgage rates were at 7.50% earlier in the year, housing starts and permits were heading lower, single-family permits were h

article thumbnail

Pending home sales jumped in September behind lower mortgage rates

Housing Wire

Lower mortgage rates in September had a measurable impact on home sales. According to data released Wednesday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), pending home sales in September jumped 7.4% compared to August and 2.6% year over year. NAR’s index reading of 75.8 is the highest number since March. An index reading of 100 equates to sales activity in 2001.

Mortgage 475
article thumbnail

Demand for distressed homes is dropping. What that means for the housing market

Housing Wire

Online real estate marketplace Auction.com released data this week showing that demand for distressed homes — including bank-owned properties and foreclosures — shrank for a second straight quarter. The company’s Auction Market Dispatch for third-quarter 2024 included a survey conducted in late September of more than 140 active buyers on the platform.

article thumbnail

One mortgage lender abandons the Florida condo market

Housing Wire

California-based Provident Funding Associates LLC is getting out of the Florida condo lending business , it told broker partners on Friday. In an email sent Friday morning, Provident said that it would “no longer be accepting new applications for condominiums ” effective that day. Provident told broker partners that all loans in the pipeline must be locked by 11:59 p.m.

Marketing 521
article thumbnail

The great stay: Why homeowners are staying put

Housing Wire

About a year ago, I started noticing a parallel between the housing market and the labor market. Unemployment in the country is very low. Everyone has a job. The conventional wisdom for almost three years has been that job market must weaken, unemployment must be rising. But for three years, unemployment has stayed low. Normally when unemployment is this low, people are confident that they’ll find a new job and they are much more likely to quit a current gig that isn’t right for them.

Inventory 504
article thumbnail

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, let’s spread awareness about real estate wire fraud

Housing Wire

Over the last decade, real estate transactions have increasingly become a prime target for cybercrime. Far from slowing down, the scams are becoming more prevalent, sophisticated, and difficult to recognize as fraudulent. With October being Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it is important that the real estate industry and consumers speak up and spread the word about how to prevent these real estate cybercrimes.