Housing Wire

JUNE 13, 2024

With each year, technology helps us to work smarter in some ways but not so smart in other ways. One critical area as generative AI becomes increasingly our personal assistant is to not outsource the upholding of fair housing laws. Why? If you did not know, generative AI already has instances of contributing to and exacerbating unfairness like here and here.

Real Estate 442

Real Estate Law Tools Legal 442

Housing Wire

JUNE 13, 2024

Online retail giant Amazon announced this week that it is committing an additional $1.4 billion to its Housing Equity Fund that will go toward the creation and preservation of roughly 14,000 affordable housing units across three major metropolitan areas in which it maintains a corporate presence. The funds — to be invested in the metro areas of Seattle , Nashville and Arlington, Virginia — will bring the total investment fund to $3.6 billion and 35,000 housing units since its inception in 2021,

Investing 420

Investing Retail Housing Market Finance 420

Housing Wire

JUNE 13, 2024

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told reporters on Wednesday that the U.S. housing situation is a “complicated one” and that “bringing inflation down” is the best thing officials can do to help. Cooling inflation will eventually allow the Fed to cut rates and alleviate the current lock-in effect , but this process will take longer than previously estimated. “The housing situation is complicated.

Inventory 441

Inventory Mortgage Sellers Housing Market 441

Housing Wire

JUNE 13, 2024

With the number of instances of wire fraud continuing to rise , many victims are turning to court to seek damages after a large portion of their life savings or business liquidity was stolen by scammers. According to a report published Thursday by wire fraud prevention firm CertifID , real estate agents , brokers and title companies are increasingly being held accountable if a consumer loses money.

Real Estate 431

Real Estate Insurance Legal Training 431

Housing Wire

JUNE 13, 2024

Opendoor has partnered with nationwide multiple listing service My State MLS to equip more than 60,000 agents in each of the 50-plus markets Opendoor serves with access to the iBuyer’s cash-offer solution. My State MLS is a nationwide multiple listing service that allows members to list and search properties anywhere in the U.S. According to a news release, through the partnership, My State MLS agent members will be able to receive estimated cash offers on qualifying properties within minutes to

Sellers 466

Sellers Agents Realty Clients 466

Housing Wire

MAY 23, 2024

A reverse mortgage has potential utility for a homeowner in the right situation, but loan terms must be observed closely to remain in good standing and avoid the possibility of foreclosure. This is according to a look at the reverse mortgage product category published by Newsweek. As part of its recently launched “ Newsweek Vault ” subsite, which vets financial products and provides analysis from sources judged to be financial experts, the publication assembled a series of pros and cons about re

Mortgage 389

Mortgage Law Insurance Tools 389

Housing Wire

MAY 23, 2024

In the first quarter of 2024, 38% of a typical household’s income was needed to make a mortgage payment on a median-priced, new single-family home in the U.S. That’s according to the Cost of Housing Index (CHI) unveiled Thursday by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and Wells Fargo. For low-income families, or those earning up to 50% of the area median income, the burden is even heavier, with 77% of their earnings needed for the same home.

Supply Chain 444

Supply Chain Insurance Training Construction 444

Housing Wire

MAY 23, 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered real estate assistant Sidekick unveiled a partnership with South Florida ’s BeachesMLS on Thursday. The collaboration will allow 43,000 agents that serve Broward, Palm Beaches and St. Lucie counties to leverage Sidekick’s integrated datasets and workflows. The collaboration comes on the heels of Sidekick partnerships with the MIAMI Association of Realtors and the San Francisco Association of Realtors earlier in May.

Real Estate 425

Real Estate Realtors Valuation Tools 425

Housing Wire

MAY 23, 2024

Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler sat down with Christos Bettios, chief information officer at NFM Lending , to talk about the company’s private, proprietary GPT that is making his whole team more efficient. Bettios has been at NFM Lending for seven years and previously worked at US Bank Home Mortgages and First American Mortgage Solutions. He started his career as a developer and spent 10 years as a senior product manager at Fannie Mae.

Loan Officers 416

Loan Officers Lending Technology Development 416

Housing Wire

MAY 23, 2024

A study commissioned by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) in 2022 aimed to assess the state of the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program over a 20-year period. The study, released late last year, examined three core elements of HECM program effectiveness between 2000 and 2020.

Home Value 428

Home Value Development Property Appraisal Mortgage 428

Housing Wire

MAY 23, 2024

The median U.S. home sale price reached a record $387,600 in the four weeks ending May 19, marking a 4% year-over-year increase, according to data released Thursday by Redfin. The pricing surge comes despite a marginal dip in weekly average mortgage rates , which fell from a five-month high of 7.22% to 7.02% at the beginning of May, according to Freddie Mac.

Inventory 465

Inventory Sellers New Listings Buyers 465

Housing Wire

MAY 23, 2024

The New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) announced on Thursday the publication of a policy recommendation that encourages property insurers to offer free loss-mitigation options for policyholders that would ultimately reduce premium costs. NYDFS Superintendent Adrienne Harris cited the acceleration of climate-related disasters and property damage that has stressed the property insurance industry and marketplace, pushing some insurers out of areas they deem to carry too much risk and

Insurance 433

Insurance Tools Marketing Real Estate 433

Housing Wire

MAY 23, 2024

After nearly a year of searching, iBuyer Offerpad has a new chief financial officer. The firm announced Thursday that it has pegged Peter Knag for the role, effective June 5. “I am excited to join at such a dynamic time for the company,” Knag said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the talented team to continue to grow and diversify Offerpad’s platform offerings and drive efficiency, scale and profitability in the business.” Knag has an extensive resume, having served in sever

Finance 409

Finance Business Technology Housing Market 409

Housing Wire

MAY 23, 2024

Independent mortgage banks (IMBs) and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks reported a pretax net loss of $645 on each loan they originated in the first quarter of 2024 — a decrease from the average loss of $2,109 per loan in Q4 2023, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association ’s (MBA) newest quarterly performance report. “While the first quarter of 2024 marks the eighth consecutive quarter of net production losses, these losses were less severe than the previous two quarters,” Marina Wals

Retail 447

Retail Mortgage Valuation Inventory 447

Housing Wire

MAY 23, 2024

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on Thursday published Mortgagee Letter (ML) 2024-10 , outlining reporting requirements that lenders must follow if they detect a cybersecurity intrusion. Effective immediately and applicable to all FHA-insured mortgage programs, the letter states that all lenders “that experience a potential or actual cyber incident must notify HUD via the FHA Resource Center at answers@hud.gov and HUD’s Security Operations Center at cirt@hud.gov within 12 hours of detect

Law 485

Law Insurance Design Tools 485

Housing Wire

MAY 23, 2024

Under the leadership of acting secretary Adrianne Todman since March, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is focusing on launching initiatives to increase home supply, review existing rules in and ensure the agency is “getting the money out the door.“ “In Economics 101, the increase in interest rates should have been coexisting with a decrease in demand,“ Todman said in an interview with HousingWire this week during the Mortgage Bankers Association ’s (MBA) Secondary and C

Renovations 401

Renovations Investors Housing Market Law 401

Housing Wire

MAY 22, 2024

Online real estate auction marketplace Xome is launching a DIY sales platform for investors. Platform users will not need to use a real estate agent to complete their transaction, according to an announcement from the firm on Wednesday. Xome is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Mr. Cooper Group that provides mortgage servicers with end-to-end asset marketing and disposition strategies, recapture solutions, and real estate and data services.

Agents 466

Agents Real Estate Agent Investors Real Estate 466

Housing Wire

MAY 6, 2024

The Asian Real Estate Association of America , along with the National Fair Housing Alliance , the Housing Opportunities Project for Excellence, Inc., and the Fair Housing Center of the Greater Palm Beaches , have filed a lawsuit that contends Florida Housing Law Senate Bill 264 violates the federal Fair Housing Act. The suit was filed on Monday in U.S.

Law 384

Law Real Estate Real Property Contracts 384

Housing Wire

MAY 6, 2024

Redfin has joined the growing list of real estate brokerages that have settled the commission lawsuits. In a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday, the brokerage announced that it had reached a nationwide settlement agreement on Friday with the plaintiffs in the consolidated Gibson and Umpa commission lawsuits. As part of the settlement agreement, Redfin has agreed to pay $9.25 million into a qualified settlement fund within 30 days of the court’s preliminary

Brokerage 471

Brokerage Realty Real Estate Agents 471

Housing Wire

MAY 6, 2024

Title agents historically have felt like they played second fiddle to other players in the buying and selling of real estate. Largely hidden from view and misperceived by some to be on the lower end of the hierarchy of service providers, the position seemingly lacked the luster of the real estate agent or the panache of the loan officer. During the housing crisis of 2008, the title industry suddenly emerged from obscurity into full view.

Real Estate Agent 389

Real Estate Agent Real Estate Project Management Agents 389

Housing Wire

MAY 6, 2024

Utah-based Capital Community Bank (CCBank) has struck a deal to acquire Security Home Mortgage (SHM), which will become an independent subsidiary division of the bank, the parties announced on Friday. The financials of the deal were not disclosed. According to the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS), SHM provides home mortgage solutions in six states through a network of four branches and 62 licensed loan officers.

Mortgage 429

Mortgage Retail Loan Officers Construction 429

Housing Wire

MAY 6, 2024

Finance of America Companies (FOA) announced on Monday that its reverse mortgage brands — Finance of America Reverse (FAR) and American Advisors Group (AAG) — will be consolidated under the singular Finance of America brand going forward. Scheduled to take place starting in the third quarter of 2024, the change remains subject to certain regulatory considerations.

Finance 439

Finance Advertising Modernization Mortgage 439

Housing Wire

MARCH 27, 2024

It’s no secret that forging new connections at in-person events can help to grow your business. Nothing sets you up for success like learning the habits and best practices of more experienced agents, brokers and other housing professionals. While your online presence is crucial to your success, each real estate event or conference on our list can help you stay current with the latest market, tech and industry trends, build your skills and expertise, and expand your referral network.

Real Estate 412

Real Estate Realtors Agents Real Estate Agent 412

Housing Wire

MARCH 27, 2024

As first-time homebuyers contemplate their housing options, the financial calculus between renting and owning is essential. Against the backdrop of elevated mortgage rates and soaring home prices , discerning the evolving financial dynamics between renter-friendly and buyer-friendly markets is also paramount. A report released Tuesday by Realtor.com highlights a significant disparity in costs between buying and renting a starter home across the country’s 50 largest metropolitan areas.

Marketing 473

Marketing Buyers Mortgage Housing Market 473

Housing Wire

MARCH 27, 2024

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) urged the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to revise its policies that ban veterans from paying broker commissions, an issue that is gaining attention following the NAR’s landmark $418 million settlement. Earlier this month, the NAR announced the settlement of various lawsuits filed by home sellers, which allege that the real estate industry colluded to keep agent commissions artificially high at 5% to 6% of a home’s sale price.

Buyers 450

Buyers Real Estate Agent Inventory Real Estate 450

Housing Wire

MARCH 27, 2024

New York-based multichannel lender US Mortgage Corporation is expanding its efforts in the reverse mortgage space, illustrating its focus on growth. The company recently hired reverse mortgage industry veteran Ken Krajewski to serve as its managing director and head of reverse mortgage lending. US Mortgage recently surpassed 30 years in business. The expansion of its dedicated reverse lending division, which has been active for more than a decade, follows on other recent trends that have seen mo

Business 430

Business Mortgage Loan Officers Training 430

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 26, 2024

Upon examining the financial performance across various gross revenue categories, 2023 reveals a distinctive pattern in net operating percentages as they relate to increasing revenue levels, according to the Streamlined Quarterly Team Benchmarking Report , which looked at the financial performance of more than 200 teams across the nation. This report covers the Q4 2023 and the year at a glance.

Business 415

Business Real Estate Clients Agents 415

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 26, 2024

Mortgage originators who seek success in 2024 need to move with confidence and adaptability. To reach strategic goals for the year ahead — and avoid being left behind — here are four strategies for originators to consider. 1. Identify potential market impact The mortgage market is feast or famine, with origination volumes varying between high and low extremes.

Mortgage 422

Mortgage Clients Real Estate Agent Real Estate 422

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

At a recent congressional hearing, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said that U.S. regulators are monitoring risks stemming from nonbank mortgage lenders, cautioning that a failure of one of them is possible due to market strains and a lack of access to deposits. The Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA), which represents small and mid-sized nonbank independent mortgage banks (IMBs), appreciates the concerns regulators have about the so-called “shadow banking system” – nonbanks carrying out tr

Mortgage 411

Mortgage Business Finance Real Estate 411

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

The Broker Action Coalition (BAC) — a grassroots network operated by the Association of Independent Mortgage Experts (AIME) that initiates communications between mortgage brokers and their legislators — formed its first board of directors and leadership council as it kickstarts its work as an independent nonprofit organization. The newly formed board has 10 voting member seats consisting of four lenders, four brokers, BAC chief advocacy officer and co-founder Brendan McKay , and CEO and co-found

Lending 410

Lending Finance Retail Mortgage 410

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

Mortgage demand continued its downward trajectory last week as interest rates moved back above 7%. Mortgage applications decreased by 10.6% on a seasonally adjusted basis during the week ending Feb. 16, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association ’s (MBA) weekly mortgage applications survey. A stronger-than-expected inflation reading sent mortgage rates back north of 7% and also lowered the possibility of a near-term rate cut by the Federal Reserve, according to Mike Fratantoni, MBA’s senior v

Mortgage 441

Mortgage Retail Home Value Marketing 441

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced on Wednesday the addition of a home repair estimate app to its package of NAR Realtor Benefits for members. Curbio , a provider of pre-sale home improvement services that requires payment at closing, will provide its “Build Your Own Estimate” mobile app to NAR members, which offers free repair estimates for home inspections upon the upload of a PDF document.

Home Improvement 410

Home Improvement Realtors Real Estate Agent Inspection 410

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

California Regional MLS (CRMLS), the largest MLS in the country, has teamed up with technology provider Immobel to roll out two new products, MLS Match and Xomio, the company announced on Wednesday. MLS Match is an agent referral network program, while Xomio is internet data exchange (IDX) software that helps agents create websites in 19 different languages.

Agents 405

Agents Legal Tools Technology 405

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is asking the real estate industry to consider a world without the practice of cooperative compensation. In its statement of interest relating to MLS Property Information Network ’s (MLS PIN) settlement agreement with the Nosalek commission lawsuit plaintiffs, filed Thursday evening, the DOJ recommended that Judge Patti D.

Sellers 432

Sellers Buyers Real Estate Contracts 432

Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 16, 2024

For most of its history, New American Funding (NAF) has focused on organic growth, but earlier this month, the company acquired Draper and Kramer Mortgage Corp. to enhance its presence in the Midwest and along the East Coast. HousingWire Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler sat down with New American Funding CEO and Co-founder Rick Arvielo to talk about the acquisition, the company’s strategy for the rest of 2024, and what differentiates NAF in this market.

Loan Officers 421

Loan Officers Retail Clients Real Estate Agent 421

Housing Wire

JANUARY 9, 2024

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Tuesday announced that it is making $40.25 million available to support housing counseling services for homeowners, homebuyers and renters. Such funding will also directly support the work of housing counseling offering required Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) sessions. The new funding “Through the 2023 Office of Housing Counseling Comprehensive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), HUD plans to award grants to more than 150 ho

Design 433

Design Mortgage Home Improvement Training 433

Housing Wire

JANUARY 9, 2024

Three top agents from Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty moved to The Agency ’s outpost in Seattle, Seattle Agent Magazine reported on Friday. Sandra Hines and Blake Waggoner from The Hines Group will join as senior broker and broker, respectively, and Dave Janssens will join as managing broker at the California -based brokerage led by Mauricio Umansky.

Realty 416

Realty Brokerage Agents Real Estate 416