Tue.Jan 30, 2024

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Homebuyer assistance programs rose to nearly 2,300 in 2023

Housing Wire

The U.S. housing market has reached its least affordable point in decades and housing agencies have increasingly rolled out homebuyer assistance programs to tackle this issue. A total of 135 new homebuyer assistance programs were introduced in 2023, a 6% increase over the previous year. This brought the nationwide tally up to 2,294, according to Down Payment Resource’s fourth-quarter Homeownership Program Index (HPI) report.

Landlords 512
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Are sellers finally starting to thaw out?

Sacramento Appraisal Blog

Frozen. Stuck in place. Not moving. That pretty much describes sellers. But in 2024 there’s a flicker of hope as sellers have thawed out just a bit. I’ll explain what I mean below, and I suspect many markets around the country are experiencing a similar trend. Any thoughts? UPCOMING (PUBLIC) SPEAKING GIGS: 01/31/24 Joel Wright […] The post Are sellers finally starting to thaw out?

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Three in four baby boomers don’t use homebuyer resources

Housing Wire

Nearly three in four baby boomers aren’t using resources that would help them achieve or maintain homeownership status, according to survey data released Tuesday by nonprofit group NeighborWorks America. About 10,000 Americans turn 65 each day and all boomers will reach that milestone by 2030, according to census data. But a significant portion of this generation remain renters and are utilizing homeownership tools less frequently than younger age groups.

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When Getting a Letter From the Sheriff is a Good Thing

The Appraiser Coach

After a trip to Washington, D.C. and Chicago for some Mastermind classes, and a visit with my daughter at Michigan State, I went to work at my office in Idaho Falls to find that I had an “Official Mail” slip attached to my door. I thought that was a little strange, because the address of my office isn’t widely publicized. My first thought was that it was a package, but the slip specifically said it was a letter that I had to sign for.

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Aging in place through home-based care is a leading outcome for seniors

Housing Wire

While individual needs and health issues will primarily dictate how a person spends their final years, a new study shows that home-based care is a leading outcome for older Americans. This conclusion comes from a new study by researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Hospice News first reported the findings. “The aim of this study was to determine the trajectories for place of care in each quarter during the last three years of life among Medicare beneficiaries and the factors associated

Mortgage 450
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Home prices continued to rise in November

Real Estate News

Prices improved 5.1% annually, the latest Case-Shiller report indicates, but a small dip between October and November ended a streak of monthly gains.

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People on the Move: Longtime HAR CEO Bob Hale to retire in 2026

Real Estate News

Hale announces his retirement after more than 50 years with the organization. Plus, Corcoran hires Scott Mitchelson as global growth leader.

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Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions taps into HELOCs

Housing Wire

Atlanta-based nonqualified mortgage (non-QM) lender Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions is tapping into the home equity line of credit (HELOC) market amid elevated equity levels. Unlike traditional HELOCs that require a homeowner to have at least 20% equity in their home, Angel Oak’s HELOC qualifies borrowers based on trailing 12- or 24-month bank statements and provides a line of credit with no usage restrictions, the lender said.

Mortgage 441
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State of New York takes an interest in eXp assault, harassment cases

Real Estate News

Allegations of sexual misconduct tied to eXp "raised a huge red flag" for the NY comptroller's office, which has a financial stake in the company.

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Home prices surged in November despite elevated mortgage rates

Housing Wire

Home prices maintained considerable momentum in late 2023. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index posted a 5.1% annual gain in November, up from a 4.7% gain in October, according to the latest report. Meanwhile, the U.S. National Index and the 10-City Composite posted month-over-month increases of 0.2%, and the 20-City Composite posted a month-over-month increase of 0.1%, after seasonal adjustment.

Mortgage 432
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Homeownership Rate Dips to 65.7% Amid Housing Affordability Woes

Eyes on Housing

The Census Bureau’s Housing Vacancy Survey (CPS/HVS) reported the U.S. homeownership rate declined to 65.7% in the last quarter of 2023, amid persistently tight housing supply and elevated mortgage interest rates. This is 0.3 percentage points lower from the third quarter reading (66%). Compared to the peak of 69.2% in 2004, the homeownership rate is 3.5 percentage points lower and.

Mortgage 189
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Freddie Mac: Seller/servicers must keep up with cybersecurity threats

Housing Wire

Government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) Freddie Mac this week released an industry letter encouraging seller/servicers to take the accelerating pace of cybersecurity threats seriously, and to ensure that processes and tools are maintained to limit exposure to potential security risks. “A record number of cybersecurity incidents against Seller/Servicers occurred in 2023,” the letter said.

Sellers 432
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Prioritizing the needs of young renters in multifamily housing

Inman

Millennials began reshaping multifamily housing in compelling ways, writes Michael Zaransky, and Gen Z promises to accelerate that change. Property managers must be ready.

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Corcoran hires new SVP of global development

Housing Wire

Scott Mitchelson is joining The Corcoran Group as senior vice president of global development, the company announced on Tuesday. In his new role, Mitchelson will lead the expansion of the Corcoran brand both domestically and internationally while working closely with the Corcoran affiliate network’s existing sales team. Mitchelson will report directly to Stephanie Anton, president of Corcoran affiliates.

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Shares in Mr. Cooper at all-time high as servicing portfolio hits $1T

Inman

Moody's upgrades credit rating of "powerhouse in mortgage servicing" as it restructures the debt it uses to fund growth by issuing $1 billion in unsecured notes at 7.125 percent.

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DOJ moves to stop evidence gathering in Texas Capital Bank case

Housing Wire

Attorneys for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas that aims to temporarily halt the evidence-gathering process in a lawsuit brought by Texas Capital Bank (TCB) against Ginnie Mae. This is according to court documents reviewed by RMD. The suit, filed in October over loans TCB made to now-bankrupt lender Reverse Mortgage Funding (RMF), recently saw the presiding magistrate judge impose deadlines on all pretrial proc

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Stopping fraud in its tracks: A wake-up call for agents

Inman

Every agent and brokerage nationwide needs to strengthen their defenses against fraudulent transactions, new Inman contributor Michelle Dubé writes. Enhance the scrutiny in your processes, familiarize yourself with potential warning signs, and tap into available support.

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A repositioning of players in the MSR market is underway

Housing Wire

The mortgage-servicing rights (MSR) market remains robust as we turn the corner into 2024, and though it is expected to slightly underperform 2023, the market is still projected to notch healthy trading volumes in 2024 — hovering near the $1 trillion mark for the fourth year in a row, market observers forecast. But the MSR market also appears to be in the midst of a rebalancing act marked by the growth of third-party private capital and an overall consolidation of market players, according to so

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Sale-leaseback model is key to saving US homeownership: Study

Inman

Volatile interest rates have trapped over 9 million homeowners from accessing their home equity, with limited refinancing or loan options. The white paper proposes sale-leaseback, highlighting EasyKnock's Sell & Stay program as a flexible solution, while fintech leaders explore broader alternatives for equitable housing finance.

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First Financial Bank to invest $700M by 2028 in affordable mortgages

Housing Wire

Cincinnati-based First Financial Bank has agreed to direct $2.4 billion in the next five years for lending and investments to low- and moderate-income (LMI) clients and census tracts, with 30% of the total tied to mortgage lending. The initiative is part of a community benefits agreement with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) , the parties announced Tuesday.

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ICE signs Raymond James Bank to use Encompass mortgage platform

Inman

In announcing the second Encompass deal this month, ICE cites investments in mortgage technology and data that automate and accelerate the lending process from start to finish.

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Two Harbors to launch origination channel next quarter

Housing Wire

Two Harbors Investment Corp. , a New York-based real estate investment trust, announced Tuesday its plan to launch a mortgage origination unit in the second quarter of 2024, less than a year after the company debuted in the servicing business by acquiring RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing Corp. in October 2023. But don’t expect the firm to compete with big players or grow extensively in originations.

Investing 409
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Little Change for Number of Open Construction Jobs

Eyes on Housing

Due to tightened monetary policy, the count of total job openings for the entire economy has trended lower in recent months. This is consistent with a cooling economy that is a positive sign for future inflation readings. However, the December data showed an uptick due to stronger than expected GDP growth for the fourth quarter of 2023. In December, the.

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Mr. Cooper subsidiary to issue $1B in debt

Housing Wire

Mr. Cooper Group announced Tuesday that its subsidiary, Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc. , is issuing $1 billion in senior notes. The resources are expected to repay a portion of the current balance of its mortgage servicing rights (MSR) facilities. Other mortgage companies have raised debt over the past six months, including Freedom Mortgage , PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust and Pennymac Financial Services.

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Generation Jones is most likely to downsize next. Are you ready?

Inman

Senior clients are looking for the best service possible, writes Rachael Hite. The more personal and authentic you are, the more they will appreciate you.

Clients 180
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From Homeless at 17 to Solving the Affordable Housing Crisis for a Profit

BiggerPockets

The affordable housing crisis is an ongoing challenge here in the United States, but this developer has cracked the code in her own backyard—providing more opportunities for low and median-income […]

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Dave Umphress’ Flourish Real Estate Network leaves KW for Real

Inman

The $1 billion in career sales network, which Umphress first launched in 2012, operates in most major Colorado markets and Austin, but has goals of ultimately expanding nationwide. When Umphress first created the group, it was part of a Colorado Keller Williams franchise that he also owned.

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Getting Smart About Home Inspections

Will Springer Realtor

Imagine buying a car without taking it for a test drive before making a purchase. You wouldn’t do that, right? A home inspection is like a test drive for real estate. It allows the buyer to “drive” in and around the property, checking for any issues, quirks or potential maintenance needs. Just as you wouldn’t buy a car without knowing its condition, a home inspection ensures buyers are aware of the condition of the home they are considering purchasing.

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Pocket listing suit against NAR ‘paused’ for settlement talks

Inman

NAR was dismissed without paying any money or making any rule changes, but The PLS says it can re-open the case if they don't come to a deal.

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How did the broker industry fare as Canada's housing market cooled?

Mortgagebroker News

Operating revenue retreated significantly amid 2022 slowdown, report shows

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How Zvi Band is adding humanity to real estate technology

Inman

In his latest Snapshot profile, Brandon Doyle talks to Zvi Band about his startup journey and his latest CRM, Relatable.

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'A natural fit': nesto, M3 executives talk strategic alliance

Mortgagebroker News

Partnership sees broker channel given rate parity with direct-to-consumer offerings

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Home price growth accelerated in November alongside high rates

Inman

Home prices increased 5.1 percent between November 2022 and November 2023, despite falling 0.2 percent from October.

Marketing 176
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Appraisal modernization FAQs for lenders

Clear Capital

Adopting an appraisal modernization workflow can create cost and time savings for lenders and their borrowers. With the announcement of the new Uniform Property Dataset, it’s never been easier for lenders to adopt appraisal modernization programs. Read on to find answers to commonly asked questions about these programs and learn how you can get started modernizing appraisals at your company. 1.