Trending Articles

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Climate risk could take $1.5 trillion out of U.S. real estate

Housing Wire

Recent natural disasters such as the LA wildfires show that climate change risks can shift the real estate and mortgage industries on a dime. And these changes could be extremely costly. According to a new study, climate-induced shifts could significantly lower property values over time. But this could have a double-edged effect, depending on the market.

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LA Wildfires Cause Billions in Property Damage & Capital Losses

Appraisal Buzz

According to a recent UCLA Anderson Forecast analysis, the two biggest disasters that devastated Los Angeles County may have resulted in between $95 and $164 billion in total property and capital losses, with an estimated $75 billion in insured losses. Economists Zhiyun Li and William Yu wrote the research, which projects a 0.48% decline in county-level GDP in 2025, or around $4.6 billion.

Insurance 407
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More first-time buyers rely on mortgage rate buydowns to afford homes

Housing Wire

Higher mortgage rates are forcing many first-time homebuyers to adopt a “wait-and-see” approach to the market. According to HomeLight ‘s Top Agent Insights report released this week, real estate agents are feeling this and are being forced to switch up tactics to attract buyers. HomeLight is an Arizona -based real estate platform designed to connect agents with clients.

Buyers 475
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CFPB freezes activity after acting director takes helm

Real Estate News

U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent puts the brakes on rule-making and enforcement as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau faces defunding.

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Unlock The Blueprint: How To Construct A Better Payment Workflow

Speaker: Timothy Allsopp

Payment challenges often lead to delayed projects, financial bottlenecks, and strained relationships. With construction projects becoming more complex, outdated processes are no longer sustainable. By refining financial workflow, companies can improve cash flow, reduce error, and foster trust between stakeholders. Discover practical strategies for redesigning payment systems to overcome workflow challenges while creating a smoother, more reliable process for contractors and subcontractors alike.

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Climate change reshapes real estate, putting $1.5T in value at risk

Inman

Climate change has shaken up the U.S. real estate market, with buyers no longer simply seeking better quality of life or affordable housing but also considering climate risks before purchases.

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2025 Office-to-Apartment Conversions Hit Record Highs 

Appraisal Buzz

The number of office-to-apartment (O-to-A) conversions is on the rise, and by 2025, there will be about 71,000 units planned, breaking new records. This increase coincides with fierce competition among tenants and a widespread lack of rental flats. A new RentCafe report revealed the share of future projects, anticipated growth, and which metros are set to lead in O-to-A conversions.

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Compass launches client portal amid private listings push

Real Estate News

The brokerages leaders are betting on a future where Clear Cooperation is repealed, aligning tech and marketing strategies around exclusive listings.

Clients 258
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Texas-based mega MLS will no longer require Realtor membership

Inman

The Austin Board of Realtors' Unlock MLS will offer non-Realtor subscriptions starting on June 1.

Realtors 166
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Builders’ Top Challenges for 2025

Eyes on Housing

The most significant challenge builders faced in 2024 was high interest rates, as reported by 91% of builders in the latest NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index survey. A smaller, albeit still significant share of 78% expect interest rates to remain a problem in 2025. The next four most serious issues builders faced in 2024 were rising.

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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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Foreclosures are drying up — and it’s showing in sales data

Housing Wire

Foreclosure activity has declined significantly since the housing crisis of the late 2000s, and distressed home marketplace Auction.com reported this week that it expects the number of foreclosure-auction sales in 2025 to drop to the second-lowest total on record. California-based Auction.com published its 2025 Distressed Market Outlook report on Tuesday, which included three scenarios for this years expected tally of auction sales.

Retail 416
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There Goes the Neighborhood.

Appraisal Buzz

I vividly recall April 12, 1981, as if it were yesterday. As a junior in college, I found myself huddled around a small TV with friends, eagerly watching Columbias inaugural flight of the space shuttle program. It was an awe-inspiring display of forward-thinking technologya reusable spacecraft, the next generation of space exploration. Initially, NASA had envisioned the space shuttle program to have a 15-year operational lifespan.

Valuation 388
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Will ‘days on market’ become the industry’s next big debate?

Real Estate News

Defining days on market is not as simple as it may seem, and leaders have different views on how DOM ties into transparency, consumer interests or even fraud.

Marketing 248
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Former Vegas Realtors CEO sues organization after election mishap

Inman

Wendy DiVecchio points to disagreement with the board over LVR's ownership of its MLS as a potential reason she was suspended, investigated and subsequently fired last week.

Realtors 163
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Homeownership Rate for Younger Households Declines

Eyes on Housing

The homeownership rate for those under the age of 35 dropped to 36.3% in the last quarter of 2024, reaching the lowest level since the third quarter of 2019, according to the Censuss Housing Vacancy Survey (HVS). Amidst elevated mortgage interest rates and tight housing supply, housing affordability is at a multidecade low. The youngest.

Mortgage 134
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The state of US homeownership: Younger buyers hold the key

Housing Wire

Today, the Census Bureau reported the homeownership rate at 65.7%. Are we becoming a renter nation like many people are saying? Lets look at the data. Household formation Let’s first talk about household formation. I have a simple model (even more appropriate before Valentines Day). My American housing demographic model shows that Americans: Rent Date Mate Get married 3.5 years after marriage, we have kids and dual-income households buy bigger homes to live in.

Buyers 386
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Freddie Mac Recognizes Top-Performing Mortgage Servicers 

Appraisal Buzz

Freddie Mac has announced the nine winners of its 2024 Servicer Honors and Rewards Program (SHARP) , which recognizes mortgage loan servicers for quality servicing, risk management, and sustainable homeownership resulting in superior portfolio performance. The winners represent outstanding customer service and positive efforts to prevent and alleviate loan delinquencies.

Mortgage 415
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Brokerage Beat: News from eXp, RE/MAX, KW, @properties

Real Estate News

eXp adds top NJ team; 2 Colorado RE/MAX offices merge; Seattle team joins KW; Chicago agent brings team to @properties; Christie's Sereno adds NorCal duo; more.

Brokerage 247
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5 critical areas that agents cannot afford to skimp on in 2025

Inman

Sales stats may look like 1995, but this is not the time to go cheap on professionalism and fiduciary duties in our industry, Rachael Hite writes.

Agents 158
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Mortgage Applications Increase Marginally in January

Eyes on Housing

The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) weekly survey, increased by 3.1% month-over-month on a seasonally adjusted (SA) basis, primarily driven by purchasing activity. Compared to January last year, the index is higher by 3.4%. The Market Composite Index which includes the Purchase and Refinance.

Mortgage 109
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Milwaukee housing authority reportedly ‘misused’ millions in federal funds

Housing Wire

Officials with the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) are reportedly moving to aggressively cut costs, following a leadership change and audit of its financial situation. The agencys new chief financial officer reportedly identified as much as $2.8 million in misappropriated federal funds that he said were used inappropriately by his predecessors.

Tenants 398
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Taking Aim at 2025’s Rental Hotspots

Appraisal Buzz

RentCafe.com has reviewed the online engagement rates for the most dynamic cities of 2024, to see which urban areas were set to become hotspots for new residents and thriving businesses. After analyzing the most popular rental markets each month during the past year , theyve released a comprehensive view of the last 12 months and a sense of what lies ahead.

Marketing 344
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Commissions rebound following post-settlement decline

Real Estate News

Two recent studies found that real estate agent commission rates fell after industry practice changes took effect, but they have largely recovered.

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Homebuyers remain sidelined despite more listing options

Inman

Even with an uptick in new listings, homebuyers aren't rushing into the market. Instead, demand has dipped, leaving a growing supply of homes sitting as buyers remain hesitant about their next move, according to Redfin's latest data analysis. Over the four weeks ending Feb. 2, new listings across the U.S. have jumped 7.9 percent from last year to 76,194, the largest increase since late 2024, according to Redfin's analysis.

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Construction Labor Market Softens

Eyes on Housing

After a period of slowing associated with declines for some elements of the residential construction industry, the count of open construction sector jobs remained lower than a year ago, per the December Bureau of Labor StatisticsJob Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The number of open jobs for the overall economy decreased from 8.16 million.

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We just had the strongest refi week in months

Housing Wire

Mortgage applications increased 2.2% on a seasonally adjusted basis from last week, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association s (MBA) weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending January 31, 2025. On an unadjusted basis, the index measuring applications increased 19% compared with the previous week. The refinance index increased 12% from the previous week and was 17% higher compared to the same week one year ago.

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Single Americans Grapple With Housing Affordability

Appraisal Buzz

According to a recent Redfin research, slightly over half (52%) of married people find it difficult to make their regular rent or mortgage payments, while almost 70% of single, divorced, or separated people do the same. The respondents who are most likely to suffer with housing payments are those who live with their partner but are not married, as almost three-quarters (76%) of them do.

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Want to amend a buyer agreement? NAR lawyer explains how

Real Estate News

Signed agreements can be changed but only under certain circumstances. NARs general counsel provides scenarios and addresses other common questions.

Buyers 242
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How to navigate a buyer’s cold feet without derailing the deal

Inman

Buyers may cancel a purchase at the last minute due to anxiety about the market, trepidation about taking on financial obligations or a nagging feeling that a more perfect home might be out there, Luke Babich writes.

Buyers 150
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Student Housing Construction Investment Decreases in the Last Quarter of 2024

Eyes on Housing

Private fixed investment in student dormitories edged down by 1.3% in the fourth quarter of 2024, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $3.86 billion. This decline follows a 1.9% increase in the prior quarter. However, private fixed investment in dorms was 7.2% lower than a year ago, as the elevated interest rates place.

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State Farm seeks 22% rate hike in California after LA fires

Housing Wire

Homeowners in California with an insurance policy from State Farm could see a 22% rate hike. The insurer sent a letter to the California Department of Insurance on Monday that described its dire financial situation due to the wildfires in Los Angeles County and a request for an emergency insurance rate hike. In addition to the 22% rate hike for owners of single-family homes, State Farm is also requesting an emergency rate hike of 15% for condominium owners and a 38% rate hike for rental homes.

Insurance 442
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The Rise of Multigenerational Housing: Lending Trends and Opportunity

Appraisal Buzz

This article originally appeared in the February 2025 edition of MortgagePoint magazine, online now. Amid the whirlwind of economic forces impacting the housing market, one trend stands out. Multigenerational housing, once a rarity, is now becoming commonplace and reshaping not just how we live, but also how we lend and borrow. There are dozens of scenarios that could cause families to choose multigenerational housing.

Lending 321
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How Compass' new portal works for buyers, sellers and agents

Real Estate News

The brokerages latest tech offering, Compass One, is an end-to-end platform focused on consumers and private listings.

Sellers 226