Sat.May 11, 2024 - Fri.May 17, 2024

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Mortgage rates continue to trend down ahead of inflation report 

Housing Wire

As the U.S. reaches its peak homebuying season, mortgage rates continue to ease week over week. HousingWire ’s Mortgage Rates Center showed the average 30-year fixed rate for conforming loans at 7.45% on Tuesday, below the rate of 7.51% one week ago. At the same time one year ago, the average rate was 6.54%.The 15-year conforming fixed rate averaged 6.75% on Tuesday, down from 6.77% one week earlier.

Mortgage 532
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Geographic “Data” Competency?

Appraisal Buzz

I recall receiving MLS books once a month and being thrilled that a whole new population of sales were available to be considered within the pages of each book. By the time I got the new book, the sales were already a bit dated, and since they were only closed sales – they had actually sold a few weeks to months prior. Each month there was a new book, but every 6 months, there was a combined book with the last 6 months of sales in one bound and printed book.

Appraisal 347
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Has the housing market peaked for the spring?

Sacramento Appraisal Blog

Has the spring market peaked? There is a good chance it has. Let’s talk about that today. This post is designed to skim by topic or digest slowly. UPCOMING SPEAKING GIGS: 5/15/24 KW Roseville Event (open to real estate pros) 6/5/24 Marketing Mastermind (register here) 6/6/24 Golden 1 Credit Union (details TBA) 6/11/24 Elk Grove […] The post Has the housing market peaked for the spring?

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Planning for a Home Renovation: A Guide

Cleveland Appraisal Blog

Hello, dear readers! Thank you for being here! Many homeowners have decided not to sell their homes but to renovate them instead. If you find yourself in this situation, this article will provide you with a guide that may be helpful to you. This week, I invite back a guest blogger, Tina Martin. I hope you enjoy her article! Planning for a Home Renovation: A Guide When it comes time to renovate your home, there are a few things you should know.

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Why jobs data is more important than inflation for lower mortgage rates

Housing Wire

Mortgage rates have been slowly dropping recently, which has caught some people off guard. With inflation data that is still higher than the Federal Reserve ‘s target, the recent decrease has left many intrigued. Was it the recent inflation reports or the last batch of labor data that played a significant role in this shift? The Fed’s recent hawkish stance, refraining from rate cuts and advocating for extended higher rate language, adds to the mystery.

Mortgage 102
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Housing Market Decoded: The mortgage rate 'lock-in' effect

Real Estate News

Rates have gone up considerably in the past few years, but is the fear of losing a low-rate mortgage really keeping homeowners from selling?

More Trending

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A Strong Quarter for Townhouse Construction

Eyes on Housing

Year-over-year gains for townhouse construction continued at the start of 2024 as demand for medium-density housing continues to be strong. According to NAHB analysis of the most recent Census data of Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, during the first quarter of 2024, single-family attached starts totaled 42,000, which is 45% higher than the first quarter.

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Peak homebuying season is clouded by mixed signals

Housing Wire

As the U.S. hits peak homebuying season, the signals across the country are mixed at best as some markets are accelerating while others are slowing quickly. Inventory continues to build at the national level, something that’s happening most rapidly in the South. Home sales continue to run just a little ahead of last year’s pace, but with mortgage rates in the 7s, there are a ton of potential homebuyers sitting on the sidelines.

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Keller Williams cancels plan to cut profit share for ex-agents

Real Estate News

President and CEO Mark Willis called the move “unprecedented," and said the vote by the company’s agent-led IALC passed by an “overwhelming majority.

Agents 306
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Asurity Technologies Taps Brad Vasto as SVP, Sales

Appraisal Buzz

Brad Vasto has joined Asurity Technologies, which offers consumer lending compliance software and advisory services, as senior vice president – sales. Vasto has more than 30 years of experience in meeting the needs of the mortgage, banking, and financial services industries. Prior to joining Asurity, he spent 19 years at Black Knight and its predecessor companies as managing director of business development.

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Get Critical?

George Dell

It is easy to be critical. Harder to be “right.” In order to be really right, it is important to know how to be very critical! Critical thinking is a professional must. Rule #1: Remember that imposing your belief comes first. Rule #2: How you got to your starting position doesn’t really matter. Rule #3: […] The post Get Critical? appeared first on George Dell, SRA, MAI, ASA, CRE.

Appraisal 195
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Freddie Mac’s controversial gambit into home equity: Is more liquidity a bad thing?

Housing Wire

Government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) Freddie Mac has put its finger on the scale of an emerging loan market that has been the domain of the private-label securities market, which has nurtured its reemergence in recent years. Last month, Freddie Mac announced a plan to begin purchasing single-family closed-end second (CES) mortgages from lenders, a proposal now subject to a public comment review period before adoption.

Investors 491
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Down payments have doubled in the past 4 years

Real Estate News

The latest data points to some easing, but payments could hit a new peak later in the year. Regionally, payments are down in areas with rising inventory.

Inventory 306
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Mortgage Advisory Firms STRATMOR Group and Teraverde Have Merged 

Appraisal Buzz

STRATMOR Group and Teraverde have merged to create a powerhouse mortgage advisory firm poised to serve clients across entire mortgage banking spectrum. Both firms will operate under the STRATMOR brand in the near future. The new firm combines each company’s respective programs, technology, and subject-matter expertise to deliver superior advisory solutions to now serve the entire mortgage banking spectrum.

Mortgage 195
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Last call: Nominations for the Innovator Awards close Friday

Inman

Don't miss your opportunity to celebrate success and innovation. Submit nominations in 13 categories by Friday before winners are announced this August.

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Inflation eases for the first time in three months

Housing Wire

The most anticipated economic report of the month showed that inflation cooled down a little in April, bringing relief to investors and housing industry professionals. Consumer prices in April were up 3.4% from a year earlier, down from 3.5% in March , according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday. The reading, which came on the heels of the past three stronger-than-expected CPI releases, aligned with economists’ forecasts.

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‘More wiggle room’ for buyers as rates, supply show promise

Real Estate News

Squint and you can see a bright side as housing starts bounce back and mortgage rates drop a bit (but stubbornly stay above 7%).

Buyers 299
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Redfin: New and Active Listings Increased in April as Home Prices Continued to Rise

Appraisal Buzz

The median U.S. home sale price increased 6.2% year over year in April to $433,558 — the highest level on record, according to Redfin. Today’s housing market is much slower than it was during the pandemic home buying boom, but prices continue climbing due to low inventory. New listings increased 1.7% month over month in April and were up 10.8% year over year.

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Mortgage rates headed under 7% on encouraging inflation data

Inman

Homebuyers have yet to respond in force to drop in rates, which have been in retreat from 2024 highs for three consecutive weeks following Fed easing and soft jobs and CPI reports.

Mortgage 193
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Majority of recent homebuyers have regrets: survey

Housing Wire

A report released this week by St. Louis-based Clever Real Estate found that recent homebuyers, as well as people who are considering a home purchase in the next year, are experiencing a laundry list of difficulties. Last month, Clever surveyed a total of 920 Americans about their views of the home purchase process and real estate agents. The respondents included 420 people who bought a home in 2023 or 2024, and another 500 who plan to do so in 2024 or 2025.

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Builder confidence takes a hit as rates, costs remain high

Real Estate News

Sentiment drops for the first time since November, with persistent inflation and concerns about new federal rules dampening builders’ outlook.

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LoanCare Hires David Vida as EVP, Chief Revenue Officer 

Appraisal Buzz

Mortgage industry veteran David Vida has joined subservicer LoanCare as executive vice president, chief revenue officer. Vida is a seasoned leader with a robust background in residential mortgage servicing and originations-related services. He has over 30 years of experience and most recently served as chief operating officer at Weston Portfolio Group.

Clients 195
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What should I tell clients? Question leads to free-for-all at NAR midyear

Inman

May 6 remarks from Anthony Lamacchia spurred at least one NAR midyear attendee to leave the MLS Forum in protest, others to hurl steering accusations, and NAR's senior counsel to intervene.

Clients 192
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Are mortgage rates about to fall?

Housing Wire

Mortgage rates and the bond market have fallen a bit recently and the spreads between the 10-year yield and 30-year mortgage rate have improved over last year’s levels. In the past two years, demand has always picked up whenever mortgage rates have moved lower with some duration. Even last week, purchase apps grew week to week. What should we expect this week and what should we focus on for the rest of the year?

Mortgage 482
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eXp CEO: ‘Treat your buyers like you treat your sellers’

Real Estate News

Company leaders hosted a livestream to discuss NAR settlement outcomes, including buyer agreements and how to talk to sellers about buy-side compensation.

Sellers 290
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Freddie Mac: Mortgage Rates Decrease for a Second Consecutive Week

Appraisal Buzz

The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 7.02% this week, according to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS). A year ago at this time, the average rate for a 30-year was 6.39%. “Mortgage rates decreased for the second consecutive week,” says Sam Khater, chief economist for Freddie Mac, in a release. “Given the news that inflation eased slightly, the 10-year Treasury yield dipped, leading to lower mortgage rates.

Mortgage 195
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10 answers to the questions confused sellers are asking now

Inman

The changing real estate landscape and media misinformation are creating confusion for homesellers. Mega-team leader Carl Medford lays out the facts so that you can educate your clients.

Sellers 192
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Chase Home Lending increases its closing guarantee

Housing Wire

Chase Home Lending , the consumer and commercial banking arm of JPMorgan Chase & Co. , has raised its closing guarantee from $5,000 to $20,000 until July 27, 2024, the bank announced on Thursday. The guarantee means that the bank promises an on-time closing on or before the contract closing date, or it will pay the homebuyer $20,000. This grant can be used to discount underwriting fees paid at closing, or to reduce the interest rate and down payment.

Lending 477
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Realtor.com CEO takes aim at ‘deceptive’ claims

Real Estate News

Damian Eales told Real Estate News that he loves competition but takes issue with Homes.com’s traffic claims and says they have “disparaged” buyer agents.

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Snapdocs’ eVault and SitusAMC’s ProMerit Now Integrated

Appraisal Buzz

Snapdocs eVault is now integrated with SitusAMC ’s ProMerit platform, allowing warehouse lenders to manage e-note transactions seamlessly and securely from within their warehouse lending system of record. “Today, e-note adoption by mortgage originators is just under 10 percent, and projections indicate it will reach nearly 30 percent of all new loan originations within a few years,” says Camelia Martin, vice president of e-mortgage strategy at Snapdocs, in a release.

Lending 195
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State Level Employment Situation: April 2024

Eyes on Housing

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 38 states and the District of Columbia in April compared to the previous month, while 11 states saw a decrease. Alaska reported no change during this time. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nationwide total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 175,000 in April, following a gain of 315,000 jobs.

Marketing 191
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Why is real estate tech a hot topic?

Housing Wire

At “ The Gathering ” this year, every room seemed to share a certain buzz. Conversations across panels, roundtables, announcements, and everywhere in between seemed to trend toward the same general topic: How do we make the most of a market that continues to offer as many challenges as it does chances? Expectations for real estate professionals are higher than ever—along with mortgage interest rates , the length of time that listings spend on the market, and the percentage of listings off-mark

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3 top takeaways from NAR’s legislative meetings

Real Estate News

Membership numbers defied expectations, while member dues and leadership announcements paint a picture of an association focused on stability.

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Clever: 43 Percent of Recent Homebuyers Have Struggled to Make Mortgage Payments on Time

Appraisal Buzz

Forty-four percent of recent home buyers have had to take on additional debt to maintain their lifestyle, and 43% have struggled to make mortgage payments on time, according to Clever Real Estate’s American Home Buyer Report. Further, 47% of recent home buyers say they feel in over their head financially since purchasing their home. About 85% of buyers compromised on their priorities when purchasing a home, according to the report.

Mortgage 195