Sat.Mar 08, 2025 - Fri.Mar 14, 2025

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Mortgage applications climb as rates continue to decline

Housing Wire

Mortgage applications increased 11.2% on a seasonally adjusted basis from last week, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Associations (MBA) weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending March 7, 2025. On an unadjusted basis, the index increased 12% compared to last week. The refinance index saw a 16% uptick from the previous week and was 90% higher than the same week one year ago, largely driven by a dip in the 30-year fixed rate observed by the MBA.

Mortgage 412
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Summertime Sales Fare Better for Homebuyers & Sellers 

Appraisal Buzz

Last year, spring home sellers who put their house up for sale in the second half of May were able to get the most money for it. Homes listed in the final two weeks of May sold for 1.6% more, or $5,600 more than the average U.S. home, according to a recent Zillow report. As buyers become serious about property looking before their summer vacation and the start of the new school year in the fall, search traffic usually peaks before Memorial Day.

Sellers 393
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A tame housing market & condo issues

Sacramento Appraisal Blog

Tame. That’s a good way to describe the spring season so far. We are definitely seeing signs of seasonality, but the market isn’t blazing hot either. Historically, the housing market really picks up in March, so let’s talk about that (and touch base on condos). This post is designed to skim quickly or digest slowly. […] The post A tame housing market & condo issues first appeared on Sacramento Appraisal Blog.

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Rocket Companies to purchase Redfin in $1.75B all-stock deal

Inman

Rocket Companies announced Monday its plans to acquire Redfin in an all-stock transaction valued at $1.75 billion in equity. This acquisition will integrate Redfin's home search platform, which features over 1 million listings and a network of 2,200 agents, with Rocket Companies' mortgage origination and servicing capabilities.

Agents 188
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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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Rocket Companies announces deal to acquire Redfin for $1.75 billion

Housing Wire

Today, Rocket Companies announced it has entered into an agreement to purchase digital real estate brokerage Redfin in an all-stock transaction valued at $1.75 billion in equity. The deal, which has been approved by the boards of directors of both Rocket Companies and Redfin, is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2025. Rocket’s press release stated that Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman will continue to lead the Redfin business, reporting to Rocket Companies CEO Varun Krishna.

Brokerage 482

More Trending

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Statistical Time? Pt 16

George Dell

Statistical is the second method mentioned in the Fannie Mae Guideline for time adjustments. Editors Note:Read the entire series (so far) here. What does that mean? Is it an actual acceptable method? It says so. It must be! Lets look. The Fannie Mae Guidelines do not explain the word, nor the process. We must look […] The post Statistical Time?

Appraisal 195
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How to keep your sellers in the loop when their house isn’t moving

Inman

Keeping sellers in the loop isnt just about providing updates, coach Darryl Davis writes. Its about reinforcing confidence and, more importantly, earning their trust.

Sellers 175
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Rocket’s Varun Krishna thinks Redfin deal can expand opportunities for broker network

Housing Wire

Monday’s breaking news that Rocket Companies is set to acquire online real estate brokerage Redfin shed light on the changing landscape of the homebuying marketplace. In an exclusive interview with HousingWire , Rocket CEO Varun Krishna said that having a hand in the entire real estate funnel gives Rocket’s broker network “a bigger piece of the pie.” “We think about it more like opportunity. … So when you look at Rocket’s strength in mortgage with Redfin

Brokerage 414
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Single Women Defying Housing Market Trends

Appraisal Buzz

As housing affordability reached its lowest point since 2006, one group stood out in defying market trendssingle women. In 2024, the homeownership rate among single women rose slightly to 51.9%, up from 51.8% in 2023. This modest increase continues a recovery from its 2016 low of 49.3% and contrasts sharply with the overall homeownership rate, which declined due to affordability challenges.

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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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Compass reportedly near a deal to acquire HomeServices

Real Estate News

The brokerage giant "is in advanced talks" to buy HomeServices of America, the real estate arm of Warren Buffet's empire, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Brokerage 317
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The top 1% could buy nearly all homes in the US with their wealth

Inman

The value of America's nearly 100 million homes hit $49.7 trillion at the end of 2024, as the combined net worth of the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans hit a record $49.2 trillion, according to a Redfin analysis.

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Finance of America reports Q4 loss, full-year profit for 2024

Housing Wire

Reverse mortgage leader Finance of America (FOA) recorded a quarter-over-quarter loss in the fourth quarter of 2024, but still notched a full-year profit. In a Wednesday earnings call, company leaders outlined their assessment of the reverse mortgage market moving forward, describing 2024 as a year of momentum for the company owing to the achievement of strategic objectives.

Finance 366
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The End of the Fixer-Upper?

Appraisal Buzz

Sorry, Home Depot, we have entered the age of move-in ready. Buyers are willing to pay nearly 4% more than expected for a home that is already remodeled (3.7%)an additional $13,194 on a typical U.S. home. Thats the highest sale price premium of all 359 listing keywords in a new study by Zillow , which looked at more than two million homes listed for sale on their site in 2024.

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HomeServices of America is not for sale, CEO says

Real Estate News

Gino Blefari denied a Wall Street Journal report of acquisition talks with Compass, saying there are no discussions, negotiations or agreements taking place.

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What will Stone Point do with its investment in Keller Williams?

Inman

Private equity firm Stone Point Capital is seeking to grow Keller Williams and ultimately cash out, analysts told Inman. That expansion could come from new tech, an IPO, or something else entirely.

Investing 142
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Coldwell Banker’s Kamini Lane blasts potential repeal of CCP

Housing Wire

With the National Association of Realtors ( NAR ) reportedly set to vote on the future of its Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP) in the not-too-distant future, the leader of Coldwell Banker Realty is not holding back her feelings about the controversial rule. In an op-ed published Wednesday by Newsweek, Coldwell Banker president and CEO Kamini Lane let loose about the potential repeal of CCP, which requires brokers to list a property on the MLS within 24 hours of publicly marketing it.

Sellers 313
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Consumers Delay Life Plans Amid Inflation Pressures

Appraisal Buzz

As inflation continues to shape consumer behavior, Americans are adjusting their financial habits, delaying major life plans, and seeking new ways to manage their money. According to the second annual Wells Fargo Money Study , 76% of Americans have cut back on spending, a notable increase from 67% in 2024. The impact is even more pronounced among younger generations, with 82% of Gen Z adults and 79% of Millennials reporting reduced spending.

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When will we have enough houses? It could take decades

Real Estate News

The nationwide inventory shortage 3.8 million homes is reaching a point of no return in some parts of the country though new construction is increasing.

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Reimagine common space, foster community in multifamily design

Inman

Thoughtfully designed common spaces in multifamily communities, Michael Zaransky writes, strengthen resident engagement, deepen the sense of belonging and, ultimately, enhance retention.

Design 143
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Have lower mortgage rates boosted housing demand yet?

Housing Wire

Mortgage rates are declining, and recent purchase application data shows a promising 9% week-to-week increase and a 2% rise compared to the previous year. Does this indicate that the housing market is beginning to wake up just in time for spring? While I wouldn’t say we’re experiencing a full revival just yet, the latest data suggests a stabilization.

Mortgage 385
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Rocket to Purchase Redfin for $1.75B

Appraisal Buzz

Rocket Companies has announced that it has entered into an agreement to purchase digital real estate brokerage Redfin in an all-stock transaction for a value $1.75 billion of equity value. Founded in 2004, Redfin operates a home search platform with more than one million for-sale and rental listings and a tech-powered brokerage of more than 2,200 agents.

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Rocket acquiring Redfin for $1.75B

Real Estate News

The nations largest mortgage lender called Redfin a "data powerhouse" and said the union of the two companies will improve the homebuying experience.

Mortgage 298
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Dolly Lenz: Seek like-minded agents to generate referrals

Inman

Lenz appeared with other panelists Tuesday at Inman on Tour Nashville to tout the benefits of working from referrals. But the panelists all agreed that referrals only work when done right.

Agents 156
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Could homebuyers find bargains this spring?

Housing Wire

The spring housing market is still trying to spring. Pending home sales inched up for the week with small gains but remained below numbers seen at this time last year. New listings volume is trying to grow with its biggest week since September. List prices inched up for the week, though sales prices did not advance. There are plenty of weak signals in the housing market, of course.

Inventory 361
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The Climate Crisis and Real Estate: How Natural Disasters Are Changing Property Values

Appraisal Buzz

Natural disasters are reshaping the housing marketso what does that mean for appraisers, lenders, and homeowners? In this episode, we dive into the growing risks posed by wildfires, hurricanes, and floods, and how these extreme events are impacting property values and insurability. Our guest, Toni Moss, is an expert in housing risk and has been tracking these market shifts closely.

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Is your market ‘a lion or lamb’? Building permits offer a clue

Real Estate News

New construction is influencing affordability in many areas, with the South seeing the biggest benefits.

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Inman announces 2025 class of Marketing All-Stars award winners

Inman

From chief marketing officers to communications professionals, Inmans 2025 Marketing All-Stars award celebrates 99 of the most creative and boundary-pushing marketers that drive success and impact across the real estate industry.

Marketing 158
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California Realtors discuss post-wildfire changes in Black neighborhoods

Housing Wire

The January wildfires in California may be the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history. And among all of the impacted areas, neighborhoods with large minority populations bore the brunt of the economic fallout. As the recovery continues, the California Association of Realtors (CAR) said that residents should accept change instead of fighting it.

Realtors 313
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Hanging on to House and Home

Appraisal Buzz

A new study by Redfin has found that the typical U.S. homeowner stays in their house for 11.8 years, but homeowners in Californiawhere Proposition 13 can lock owners into low property-tax ratesare staying put much longer. In Los Angeles, where homeowners hold onto their houses longer than any other U.S. metro, the median tenure was 19.4 years in 2024the longest span on record for the area.

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Is Rocket ‘one of the biggest threats’ to commissions?

Real Estate News

The Rocket-Redfin deal means more competition for portal giants like Zillow and CoStar, but also for smaller brokerages and boutique lenders.

Brokerage 234
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EXp taps Movoto for enterprise agent solution

Inman

EXp hired Movoto to install its Lever by Movoto enterprise product to help agents handle leads, transactions and other business-critical needs.

Agents 144
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FOA’s Kristen Sieffert talks about growing the business in 2025

Housing Wire

Despite a drop in overall profitability in the fourth quarter of 2024, FOA, one of the nations leading reverse mortgage lenders, remains optimistic about the total addressable market for home equity-based retirement products and will continue to develop its offerings in 2025. This was some of the perspective shared this week by Kristen Sieffert , president of Finance of America (FOA) when the company presented its earnings results for the fourth quarter and full year.

Business 304