Housing Wire

OCTOBER 30, 2020

The National Fair Housing Alliance and nine other housing organizations filed a lawsuit against Redfin on Wednesday, accusing the online brokerage of racial discrimination and favoritism toward predominately white neighborhoods. “Redfin redlines communities of color in this digital age by setting minimum home listing prices in each housing market on its website under which it will not offer any real estate brokerage services to buyers or sellers,” the lawsuit states.

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Realtor

OCTOBER 29, 2020

When you’re a first-time home buyer approaching the finish line in the journey to your new home, you want nothing to go wrong, right? That’s why we’ve put together a home closing checklist, which outlines your action points in those few days leading up to settlement. Keep this closing process list handy to know you’ve done what you need to in order to close the deal. 1.

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DW Slater Company

OCTOBER 24, 2020

We wrote about barndominiums last year, as we have been seeing more and more of them in North Texas. These are a new concept to many. Enjoy this guest post from Don Lowe , creator of Barndominium Life , a barndo enthusiast who aims to educate, inform, and inspire you to take action and Build Your Dream Barndominium. So check out these 8 reasons why barndominiums are becoming popular in North Texas. 8 Reasons the Barndominium Is Gaining Popularity in North Texas.

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Midtown Appraisal Group

OCTOBER 29, 2020

When an estate involves real estate, proper valuation can be crucial It’s a common situation: An elderly parent dies, leaving behind a spouse, adult children and young grandchildren. The family home is owned outright, or has a small mortgage, and everyone assumes that the home will be sold and the proceeds divided. Simple, right?

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Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

This year’s housing market has been plagued with low inventory, rising home prices, and endless bidding wars, making it hard for some would-be homeowners to get their foot in the door. Will 2021 be any different? Or, will it be a good time to buy a home? If you’ve been eyeing a home purchase but have sat out due to 2020’s competitive market (not to mention the other challenges the year has come with), you might be wondering just that.

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Real Estate Agent Construction Housing Market Real Estate 545

McKissock

OCTOBER 28, 2020

Are real estate sales slow during the chillier months? It doesn’t mean your real estate business can hibernate, too. Slow periods can provide you with significant opportunities to improve your marketability, expand your client base, and grow as a real estate salesperson. Not to mention, pursuing these opportunities will prepare you for when the real estate market bounces back in the spring and summer.

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Real Estate Real Estate Agent Development Agents 84

Real Quantum

OCTOBER 28, 2020

Improving Your Commercial Appraisal Advertising. N o matter how niche your business is, advertising is key to growing your operations and ensuring that sales are constantly coming in. In particular, commercial appraisers who invest in advertising can end up landing more business projects. This Forbes article points out that word of mouth marketing is only the first step, and needs to be met with a strong business presence in order to be truly effective.

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Housing Wire

OCTOBER 26, 2020

The one economic sector that has blown away my estimates this year has been the new home sales market. I predicted peak year-to-date growth of 4.7% but this was before COVID-19, which temporarily crushed bond yields and mortgage rates. This sector is very sensitive to yields in both a positive and negative direction. When mortgage rates got to 4.75% -5% in 2018, demand fell and inventory for new homes went up.

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Construction Inventory Mortgage Technology 545

McKissock

OCTOBER 26, 2020

Second homes, or at least the idea of owning one, seem to have become more popular this year as the coronavirus remains a concern. Some families have elected to make their second home their headquarters, since it will usually be located in a less densely populated area than their primary home, and working remotely has become much easier in recent years.

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Buyers Sellers Agents Real Estate Agent 61

REX Real Estate

OCTOBER 27, 2020

With social distancing rules and other cautionary practices in place, the COVID-19 pandemic has…

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Real Quantum

OCTOBER 28, 2020

Realquantum Real Estate Tech Award. OCTOBER 29, 2020 – KANSAS CITY. Realquantum is pleased to announce they have been awarded an Honorable Mention in CREtech’s Real Estate Tech Awards (RETAS) for 2020. Realquantum was recognized in the Capital Markets category. This is the 7th annual RETAS. Each year, CREtech selects and awards the most innovative companies who are cutting edge and working hard to advance technology in the real estate industry.

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Real Estate Technology Appraisal Marketing 53

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index of home prices in 19* U.S. cities rose 5.7% in August from a year ago, the greatest year-over-year gain since 2018, driven unsurprisingly by tightened supply amid record-low interest rates. The August increase was larger than the 4.8% advance the month prior, and the largest annual gain since July 2018, when rates sat closer to 4.52%.

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Technology Housing Market Investing Mortgage 531

McKissock

OCTOBER 27, 2020

According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s (EBRI) 2020 Retirement Confidence Survey , 31% of American workers are not confident that they will have enough money to retire comfortably. And 61% say that preparing for retirement makes them feel stressed. Do you have a retirement strategy in place? Here are six reasons why you should start planning for retirement right now.

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Training Government Appraisal 60

REX Real Estate

OCTOBER 26, 2020

Whether you’re coming for the live music, seriously good food, or your tech job,…

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Dart Appraisal

OCTOBER 27, 2020

Inside Sales Associate – Troy, MI. Dart is looking for an experienced and motivated Inside Sales Associate to provide exceptional care to our current clients and have the drive and determination to establish and manage a pipeline of their own. Our Inside Sales Associates are responsible for prospecting for new clients, qualifying leads, and managing client relationships.

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Client Relationships Clients Appraisal Development 28

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 26, 2020

This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: The post Protected: A home shopper’s guide to navigating a competitive market appeared first on HousingWire.

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Marketing Mortgage 528

McKissock

OCTOBER 30, 2020

McKissock’s Unlimited Learning Members enjoy 24/7 access to a wide variety of online appraisal classes, webinars, videos, podcasts, checklists, job aids, and other resources. Plus, we’re adding to our library each month so that you get the most current and relevant information to grow your real estate appraisal career. Do you already have an Unlimited Learning Membership ?

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Appraisal Insurance Clients Real Estate 54

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 28, 2020

After two weeks of slight declines , mortgage applications regained their footing last week, rising 1.7% from the week prior, according to a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association. The refinance index led the rebound after it gained 3% from the previous week, however, according to Joel Kan, MBA’s associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting, refinance activity has been somewhat volatile over the past few months.

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Mortgage Contracts Government Inventory 523

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

As news of rising home prices spreads, more and more homeowners consider selling their properties. . After all, higher home prices mean bigger profits, right? Unfortunately, home prices aren’t the only thing you’ll want to think about before listing your home—especially amid a pandemic. If you’re considering selling your home in the current environment, here’s what you’ll want to factor in: Buyer demand: Do people want to buy your home?

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Real Estate Agent Inventory Sellers Buyers 514

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

Gen Zers are finally starting to break into the housing market. According to TransUnion, Gen Z mortgage originations jumped 84% at the end of last year, and if recent survey data from Freddie Mac rings true, those numbers should grow substantially over the coming years. . The GSE’s Generation Z Study shows that of Gen Zers — the cohort ranging in age from 8 to 23 — a whopping 89% plan to buy a home by age 30. .

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Housing Market Mortgage Marketing Real Estate 497

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 26, 2020

The U.S. forbearance rate measuring the share of mortgages with suspended payments fell slightly to 5.9% last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Though the rate fell 2 basis points, the decline has begun to slow after two weeks of what MBA’s chief economist Mike Fratantoni called “a flurry of borrowers” exiting as they reached the six-month mark.

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Mortgage Lending Finance Technology 497

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

Credit plays a huge role in the home-buying process. It also affects the interest rate you receive on your loan, as well as the long-term costs of borrowing the money. . So if you have a low credit score or no credit at all? That can definitely hold back your home-buying dreams — or at least make it more expensive. Fortunately, credit is an ever-evolving thing, and if yours isn’t perfect — or even just OK — there are plenty of ways you can improve it.

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Real Estate 482

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

Asteroom, a smartphone-based provider of mobile 3D home tours for real estate professionals, has announced a partnership with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox & Roach which gives agents access to Asteroom ’s 3D tour technology, image enhancement and 3D virtual staging capabilities. Asteroom’s technology lets agents use their smartphone camera to film 3D home tours.

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Real Estate Realtors Agents Technology 482

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

Mortgage rates have never been lower — literally. In the past few months, interest rates on 30-year mortgages have hit all-time lows on multiple occasions. As of Sept. 21, the average rate is clocking in at just 2.87%. That’s down from an average 3.94% rate in 2019 and 4.54% in 2018. A decade before that? Rates were over 6%. For homebuyers, those drops can translate to serious benefits and financial savings.

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Mortgage Insurance Buyers Marketing 476

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 28, 2020

Tomo Networks , a Connecticut-based digital mortgage startup, just picked up $40 million in a seed round as it mobilizes to build a compelling product in an increasingly crowded market. . Founded by ex- Zillow executives Carey Armstrong and Greg Schwartz, Tomo says it will offer a platform to streamline home buying for both the consumer and their real estate agent. .

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Real Estate Agent Mortgage Real Estate Tools 472

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

The real estate market is hot right now, and bidding wars are the norm in many parts of the country. And for buyers, that means more competition — as well as less leverage in negotiations. The truth is, sellers can have their pick right now, and if your offer isn’t just what they want, they could choose another buyer. It’s just one of the many reasons to think long and hard about making a contingent offer.

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Marketing Sellers Buyers Inspection 468

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

In today’s hot market, buyers are doing all they can to stand out. Some are waiving inspection contingencies, while others are avoiding repair requests, opting to handle home repairs, fixes and upgrades as needed later on. While this approach could certainly help buyers win out in a bidding war, the strategy also comes with some serious risk — especially if the home inspection is skipped.

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Inspection Renovations Buyers Housing Market 459

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

Late last week, the Louisiana Department of Insurance issued an advisory letter on Louisiana Act No 310 , which mandates that title insurance companies have a physical location in the state in order to operate there, beginning on Jan. 1, 2021. The bill was introduced to the state legislature early this year, and after several debates and amendments, it was passed in the state’s House and Senate unanimously and signed by Gov.

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Insurance Real Estate Business Technology 459

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 29, 2020

HousingWire recently spoke with Brian Simon, president of Trelix Mortgage Fulfillment Services, about how Trelix helps its clients work more efficiently while still maintaining compliance and performing due diligence. HousingWire: What sets Trelix apart from other mortgage fulfillment services? Brian Simon: Trelix offers exceptional products and teams of professionals that help clients increase mortgage fulfillment performance, meet compliance and lower investment costs through tailored capacity

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Mortgage Clients Insurance Training 435

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 26, 2020

First American Financial Corp. announced Monday an agreement to acquire subservicer ServiceMac , which it anticipates closing at the end of 2021. First American Financial, which provides title insurance, settlement services and risk solutions for real estate transactions, has acquired a minority interest in ServiceMac’s parent company and that interest will convert into equity of ServiceMac at the acquisition’s closing, pending regulatory approvals.

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Technology Insurance Real Estate Investors 435

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

Your credit plays a huge part in your ability to get a mortgage. It influences what loans you’re eligible for, how much you can take out, and how much you’ll pay in interest over the life of your loan. Still, it’s not the end-all, be-all—and many borrowers believe they need picture-perfect credit to buy a home. Fortunately, that’s just not true. If you’re planning to buy a house, steer clear of these all-too-common credit myths that could hold you back: Myth 1: You need perfect credit.

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Loan Officers Technology Mortgage Buyers 434

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 29, 2020

Realogy Holdings Corp. released its third-quarter earnings report on Thursday, revealing revenue of $1.9 billion, an increase of 20% year over year, or $307 million. In Q2 the company reported a revenue of $1.2 billion for the three months ended June 30. The Madison, New Jersey-based company also reported a net income of $145 million from continuing operations and a net income of $98 million including discontinued operations in Q3.

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Brokerage Technology Housing Market Agents 429

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 29, 2020

The average U.S. mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed loan remained steady this week, gaining one basis point to 2.81%, Freddie Mac said in a report on Thursday. The average fixed rate for a 15-year mortgage was 2.32%, falling from last week’s 2.33%. After this week’s dip, there have now been 14 consecutive weeks when average mortgage rates have been below 3%.

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Mortgage Transportation Construction Sellers 418

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 27, 2020

HousingStack is a real estate technology landscape that provides a dynamic visual that reflects the rapid changes in the sector. The HousingStack is exclusively for HW+ members. To join the HW+ community, go here. If you’re a managing broker, you’re probably bombarded by sales pitches from vendors anxious to sell you their latest technology innovation.

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Technology Brokerage Real Estate Agents 418