Sat.Apr 06, 2024 - Fri.Apr 12, 2024

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Gen X is already looking for housing appropriate for aging in place

Housing Wire

Baby boomers are exhibiting an overwhelming desire to age in place in their own homes, but their children β€” largely members of Generation X β€” are also making their desires felt by seeking out homes that can accommodate their needs as they get older, according to a recent report from the New York Times. Citing 2021 data from the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies that showed 88% of adults 65 and older are aging in place, many members of the following generation β€” primarily born b

Buyers 491
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Jason Perkins: Why Now is the Time to Spring Into Digital Marketing

Appraisal Buzz

Mortgage lenders have been relying on CRM software to maintain their customer relationships and grow their businesses for decades. But it’s when the housing market stagnates and originations dry up that the software really pays off. With CRM software, mortgage lenders are able to use what they know about their borrowers to sell more products and win more business.

Marketing 397
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Wait, so rates aren’t going down now?

Sacramento Appraisal Blog

It’s been a pretty normal spring season so far, but if mortgage rates keep ticking up, that’s an x-factor in changing the feel of the market. Today, I have a big market update. This post is designed to skim by topic or digest slowly. UPCOMING SPEAKING GIGS: 4/11/24 Lindsay Carlisle Event (private) 4/25/24 HomeSmart iCare […] The post Wait, so rates aren’t going down now?

Design 329
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How are agents paid? Don’t ask buyers

Real Estate News

More than a quarter of consumers surveyed by Redfin don’t know how much their agent was paid, while nearly 20% weren’t sure who provided the compensation.

Agents 321
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NAR alternative now has 3,800 membersΒ 

Housing Wire

R New York , a brokerage boasting approximately 800 agents, has joined the American Real Estate Association , an alternative to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), according to The Real Deal. The American Real Estate Association’s membership increased by nearly 30% after the absorption of R New York members, bringing the total to roughly 3,800 members.

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Fannie Mae: Consumers are β€˜Adjusting Their Expectations for the Housing Market’

Appraisal Buzz

The percentage of U.S. consumers who say it is a good time to buy a home increased to 21% in March, up from 19% in February, indicating that they may be β€œadjusting their expectations for the housing market,” according to Fannie Mae’s most recent Home Purchase Sentiment Index report. There is, however, growing pessimism toward mortgage rates: Thirty-four percent of consumers believe mortgage rates will go up over the next 12 months, up from 32% in February, while only 29% of say they believe rate

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Investors feeling optimistic, buying record share of homes

Real Estate News

A pair of new reports look at the role investors played in the housing market last year and offer insights into their current outlook and pain points.

Investors 293
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Opinion: Agencies are key to fixing housing affordability

Housing Wire

It’s an election year, and housing affordability appears to be a big concern for voters. So, it’s not surprising to see the administration and members of Congress announcing big-ticket legislative initiatives to boost homeownership β€” like a first-time homebuyer tax credit and the Neighborhood Investment Act to fix up older homes. The Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA) applauds these initiatives.

Sellers 431
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Fannie Mae Selling Pools of Deeply Delinquent Loans

Appraisal Buzz

Fannie Mae is selling a pool of approximately 1,205 deeply delinquent mortgages totaling $221.9 million in unpaid principal balance (UPB) and a community impact pool (CIP) totaling approximately 52 deeply delinquent loans totaling $14.5 million in UPB. The CIP consists of loans geographically located in the New York area. CIPs are typically smaller pools of loans that are geographically focused and marketed to encourage participation by non-profit organizations, minority- and women-owned busines

Investors 363
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Inflation Stays Hot as Housing Cost Growth Persists

Eyes on Housing

Consumer prices continued to rise in March, with shelter and gasoline prices driving over half of the total increase. This marks the third consecutive strong reading. Despite a slowdown in the year-over-year increase, shelter costs continue to put upward pressure on inflation, accounting for over 60% of the total increase in all items excluding food.

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Real Brokerage makes $9.25 million deal to settle commissions suit

Real Estate News

The company reached the agreement in the Umpa case, the only major class action involving agent pay to name Real as a defendant.

Brokerage 294
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Insurance companies rely on aerial images to ditch risky propertiesΒ 

Housing Wire

Insurance companies are leveraging aerial images of homes to drop properties deemed too risky, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. Consumer advocates are concerned that customers are not always able to challenge images that could be out of date or inaccurate. The increased use of aerial images also comes at a time when many home insurance carriers nationwide try to offload some risk from their property portfolios, sometimes leaving states altogether to recover from big underwritin

Insurance 426
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Mortgage Applications Basically Flat as Average Rate for 30-Year Rises Back to 7 Percent

Appraisal Buzz

Mortgage application volume inched up 0.1% on an adjusted basis during the week ended April 5, as the average rate for a 30-year mortgage increased to 7.01%, up from 6.91% the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Applications Survey. Applications for refinances increased 10% compared with the previous week – which included the Easter holiday – and were up 4% compared with the same week one year ago.

Mortgage 352
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30 listing lead generation ideas for a post-NAR settlement market

Inman

If you want to build the listing side of your business in the wake of the NAR settlement, Jimmy Burgess has 30 practical, actionable, doable strategies tailor-made for this moment.

Marketing 179
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Buyers are adjusting to a higher-rate environment

Real Estate News

While consumers are feeling less enthusiastic about the direction of mortgage rates, they β€œappear to be moving past the hurdle of last year’s sharp jump.

Buyers 244
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Housing inventory fell last week, but it won’t derail the spring bump

Housing Wire

Weekly housing inventory data β€” both active inventory and new listings β€” are prone to one-week moves that deviate from a trend, especially if people are going Easter egg hunting. So, the fact that active inventory and new listings data fell last week isn’t a big deal. Although I expect some of the weekly data to rebound next week as a result, growth in active and new listings is still trending slower than I thought would happen in 2024.

Inventory 431
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Optimal Blue: Average Homebuyer Credit Score Hit 737 in March

Appraisal Buzz

The average homebuyer credit score reached 737 in March, according to Optimal Blue’s Originations Market Monitor report. That’s an all-time high for the report, which was launched in 2018. The average credit score increase indicates that homebuyers are working harder on their credit scores in response to higher mortgage rates, tighter credit availability and stricter lending standards.

Lending 354
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Hey, that’s who we are! NAR in new trademark dispute over β€˜R’ logo

Inman

NAR told the US Patent and Trademark Office on Monday that an NYC-based investment firm that operates fintech marketplace Republic has stepped over the line with its logo. What do you think?

Investing 172
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Consumer group predicts 20-30% drop in commissions

Real Estate News

The NAR settlement will lead to better service and lower costs for homebuyers, new research from the Consumer Federation of America suggests.

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257
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Lamacchia Realty acquires family brokerage of NAR President Kevin Sears

Housing Wire

Lamacchia Realty is expanding its presence in the Pioneer Valley region of Massachusetts. On Monday, the independent brokerage announced that it had acquired Springfield, Massachusetts-based Sears Real Estate. Founded in 1971 by Paul Sears, Sears Real Estate is owned and operated by the family of current National Association of Realtors president Kevin Sears.

Realty 414
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FHFA Names Tracy Stephan Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer

Appraisal Buzz

Tracy Stephan has been named chief artificial intelligence officer (CAIO) of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). Stephan will continue in her role leading the FHFA Office of Financial Technology. Stephan is a 25-year veteran in mortgage technology. Stephan came to FHFA from Fannie Mae where she served in a variety of positions overseeing enterprise innovation, data, software engineering, and product management.

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Forget the NAR settlement. New development transactions still pay

Inman

As brokerages pivot to specialized training meant to empower buyer agents, new-home sales still provide plenty of opportunities for intrepid Realtors, development specialist Hana Cha writes.

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Judges rule against merging commissions copycats β€” for now

Real Estate News

The ruling leaves open the possibility of consolidation after settlements have concluded. But in the meantime, cases that had been on pause can move forward.

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Now unshackled, the DOJ casts a large shadow over the commission lawsuit settlement

Housing Wire

Many real estate executives and analysts believe that the Department of Justice , now with the green light to reopen its investigation into the National Association of Realtors , will shake up the civil commission lawsuit settlement agreement. But legal experts are not as certain. Now unshackled , the DOJ could file a statement on interest in the Sitzer/Burnett commission lawsuit and express concerns about the terms of NAR’s settlement agreement.

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First American: Housing Market Currently Being Driven by the β€˜Five Ds’

Appraisal Buzz

Existing-home sales in this current market are mostly being driven by the β€œFive Ds” – death, divorce, diplomas, downsizing, and diapers – according to a report from First American. The firm’s Existing-Home Sales Outlook Report β€œnowcasts” existing-home sales based on the historical relationship between sales, demographic trends, house-buying power, and the prevailing financial and economic conditions.

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Building Material Prices Continue to Rise in March

Eyes on Housing

Inputs to residential construction, goods less food and energy, increased for the fifth straight month, according to the most recent Producer Price Index (PPI) report published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The index for inputs to residential construction, goods less food and energy, represents building materials used in residential construction.

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Brokerage Beat: News from Real, The Agency, ERA, eXp

Real Estate News

More than a dozen new offices for Real; The Agency expands in Texas and The Hamptons; ERA adds family-owned Colorado affiliate; Briko and iList join eXp.

Brokerage 230
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Keller Williams named to yet another profit-sharing lawsuit

Housing Wire

Keller Williams was named to an eighth class-action lawsuit that takes issue with alterations made to the brokerage’s profit-sharing program. In the past few weeks, seven agents formerly affiliated with Keller Williams β€” Jerri Moulder, David Bueker, Robert Hill, Kevin Ortiz, Edward Fordyce, Paul Davis, and Penny Alper β€” took legal action against the real estate brokerage by filing seven separate class-action lawsuits.

Brokerage 406
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Average Rate for 30-Year Mortgage Re-Approaching 7 Percent

Appraisal Buzz

The average rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage jumped this week to 6.88%, up from 6.82% last week and up from 6.27% one year ago, according to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. β€œMortgage rates have been drifting higher for most of the year due to sustained inflation and the reevaluation of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy path,” says Sam Khater, chief economist for Freddie Mac, in a statement.

Mortgage 195
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These top vacation home markets offer opportunities for every agent

Inman

These markets offer significant price appreciation and access to outstanding amenities, presenting a potential goldmine for agents. These include metro-adjacent homes and new front-running vacation destinations.

Agents 172
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Lawsuits over KW profit-sharing changes continue to multiply

Real Estate News

At least seven complaints have been filed by former Keller Williams agents over reductions set to take effect on July 1.

Agents 246
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Inflation rose again in March. It’s another blow for the mortgage industry

Housing Wire

The most anticipated economic report of the month showed that inflation has not just stalled, but increased. The news almost certainly rules out a rate cut in June, and traders are increasingly skeptical there will be more than a couple cuts in 2024, if any at all. Consumer prices in March were up 3.5% from a year earlier, up from 3.2% in February, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday.

Mortgage 391
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ATTOM: Foreclosure Filings Increased 3 Percent in Q1Β 

Appraisal Buzz

There were 95,349 foreclosure filings on U.S. properties in the first quarter, an increase of 3% compared with the fourth quarter but down less than 1% compared with the first quarter of 2023, according to ATTOM. Looking just at March, there were 32,878 foreclosure filings during the month, down less than 1% compared with February and down 10% compared with March 2023.

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BoomTown is dealing with a service outage. Now agents want answers

Inman

Real estate professionals have been seeking answers since Wednesday, when many lost access to their personal websites, lead services and other tools provided by Boomtown, agents told Inman.

Agents 164