April, 2024

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DOJ charges one of America’s top LOs in alleged mortgage fraud scheme

Housing Wire

Two former New Jersey -based mortgage loan originators have been charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey according to an announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger. Christopher Gallo has been noted as a top-producing loan originator, at one point being Scotsman Guide ‘s fourth-ranked LO in the country.

Mortgage 543
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From Forms to Reports: A Look at the UAD Overhaul

Appraisal Buzz

By now, most appraisers are aware that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (GSEs) have embarked on a complete overhaul of the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD). UAD originated in 2010 and since then we appraisers are accustomed to using codes like “C4,” “N;Res,” and “1200sf0sfin” in our mortgage appraisal reports to communicate the results of our analysis. These codes, or language, make sense to appraisers but confuse uninitiated readers of our reports.

Appraisal 397
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Why is housing supply so low? Blame local zoning

Real Estate News

Two U.S. senators are pushing for policy changes that would reduce “exclusionary” zoning regulations and promote local development.

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Most Home Buyers Want One, Medium-Sized Home Office

Eyes on Housing

According to the latest What Home Buyers Really Want Study*, the vast majority of home buyers are looking for a home with at least one home office (or space dedicated to work/study). More specifically, 66% would prefer to buy a home with exactly one home office, 13% want at least two offices, and 20% want.

Buyers 217
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6 ways AI and blockchain will bring more deals to real estate agents

Inman

As the real estate industry continues to evolve, embracing the transformative potential of AI and blockchain technology to gain a competitive edge.

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Should You Invest for Cash Flow or Appreciation? Let’s Reevaluate in an Era of High Interest Rates

BiggerPockets

For real estate investors, the question of cash flow versus appreciation is as old as time. However, in an era of high interest rates, buying properties for cash flow isn’t easy.

More Trending

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Too Much Time

Appraisal Buzz

The post Too Much Time appeared first on Appraisal Buzz.

Appraisal 397
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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 327
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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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DOJ can reopen its investigation into NAR, appeals court rules

Inman

In another loss for the National Association of Realtors, the court ruled the U.S. Department of Justice can reopen its investigation into rules around commission sharing.

Realtors 196
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Could Rehab Loans Replace Hard Money Loans for Investors?

BiggerPockets

As most house flippers or BRRRR landlords will tell you, paying for hard money—with high interest rates and points tacked on top—can take huge chunks of profit out of a project.

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Spring housing market gets more inventory

Housing Wire

Active weekly housing inventory growth slowed slightly last week, but it’s still running at a healthier clip than in 2023. I have a simple model with mortgage rates being above 7.25%: weekly inventory data should grow between 11,000-17,000 per week. Last year, we never hit that target. We have now seen it for two weeks as inventory grew by 13,247. Weekly housing inventory data We’ve now had back-to-back weeks of healthy housing inventory growth and spring 2024 is much healthier than spring 2023

Inventory 509
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Emerson REALTORS of Auburn Joins Forces with Lamacchia Realty

Lamacchia Realty

We are pleased to announce that Emerson Realtors out of Auburn, Massachusetts have joined forces with Lamacchia Realty. Emerson Realtors was co-founded by Kevin Maher, a fifth generation REALTOR® whose career spanned an impressive 45 years. Lamacchia Realty has been serving Auburn and the surrounding areas for over a decade, and the Lamacchia Worcester office was the top real estate office in Worcester County in 2023 by transaction.

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Zillow offering 7-day ‘touring agreement’ for agents

Real Estate News

The NAR settlement does not address home search portals, but Zillow wants to make it easier for buyers to try out an agent in a way that aligns with new rules.

Agents 315
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Highest Paid Occupations in Construction in 2023

Eyes on Housing

Half of payroll workers in construction earn more than $58,500 and the top 25% make at least $79,450, according to the latest May 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and analysis by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). In comparison, the U.S. median wage is $48,060, while the top.

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HomeServices of America agrees to pay $250M to settle lawsuits

Inman

HomeServices was potentially on the hook for the remaining $4.7 billion in damages from an Oct. 31 jury verdict in Sitzer | Burnett, which awarded plaintiffs $5.3 billion.

Brokerage 189
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Seven Reasons Why the Housing Market STILL Hasn’t Recovered From the Pandemic

BiggerPockets

The pandemic swept through the U.S. housing market like a tsunami. Radical price hikes and all-time low inventory accompanied massive migration away from pricey big cities.

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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 — largely members of Generation X — 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 — primarily born b

Buyers 506
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Lynn Walsh, Top Producing REALTOR® Joins Lamacchia Realty

Lamacchia Realty

April 19, 2024 – Lamacchia Realty is pleased to announce that Lynn Walsh has joined Lamacchia Realty’s Leominster office. With Lynn comes local expertise of her hometown in Lunenburg where she has been the number one REALTOR since 2019, and all surrounding areas in north central Massachusetts. Along with being extremely motivated, Lynn is energetic, warm, and straight forward with her clients and never misses a detail.

Realty 74
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DOJ can reopen its investigation into NAR, appeals court rules

Real Estate News

Ruling could lead to further changes in industry practices by allowing the Department of Justice to revisit an antitrust case originally settled in 2020.

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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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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 191
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BiggerPockets Investigates: Did Western Wealth Capital Cost Investors Thousands of Dollars?

BiggerPockets

How did this syndicator, with all of its promise and potential, fall from grace after several investors claimed they were burned? BiggerPockets set out to find out what went wrong, how it went wrong, and what it means to other investors.

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Why are existing home prices rising when sales are still so low?

Housing Wire

Existing home sales fell in today’s report , which isn’t surprising, but one headline that shocked some people was that home prices are still up year over year, even with higher inventory and higher mortgage rates. From NAR : The median existing home price for all housing types in March was $393,500, an increase of 4.8% from the previous year ($375,300).

Inventory 498
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A Guide to Mid-Term Rentals for Hosts and Investors

Mashvisor

Much like the rise of hybrid work, the travel and housing industry has seen a rise in the need for mid-term rentals.

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What agents and brokers can — and can’t — do under new MLS rules

Real Estate News

Bright MLS legal counsel Brian Schneider explained the ins and outs of the NAR settlement rule changes. Here’s what real estate professionals need to know.

Legal 299
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All-Cash Sales Dropped to Lowest in 3 Years

Eyes on Housing

NAHB analysis of the most recent Quarterly Sales by Price and Financing report reveals that the share of new home sales backed by VA loans climbed substantially in the first quarter of 2024, while all-cash sales share fell by nearly 30%. However, the median purchase price of homes bought with cash continued to increase in.

Finance 175
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Sign a buyer brokerage agreement to see a property? No way!

Inman

Buyers and sellers are confused about the new rules of the road. Trainer Bernice Ross and Jeff Lobb discuss how agents can change up the conversation and add clarity and confidence.

Buyers 186
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Don’t Overlook This When Buying an Investment Property—Learn From My Mistake

BiggerPockets

Let’s get one thing straight: Real estate investing isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. If you think you can just waltz in and start raking in cash without a solid game plan, you're setting yourself up for a financial face-plant.

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California Association of Realtors CEO resigns

Housing Wire

California Association of Realtors CEO John Sebree has departed the trade organization. In an announcement on Saturday, CAR said that Sebree was resigning to “pursue other opportunities. “On behalf of CAR’s leadership team and the Board of Directors, I’d like to thank John for his contributions and service as CEO and State Secretary for our organization.

Realtors 488
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Trudeau teases potential mortgage rule changes before April budget

Mortgagebroker News

Could the government extend amortization limits as part of housing plan?

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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 303
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Green Building: Resiliency Practices

Eyes on Housing

Green homes go beyond lessening their environmental impact; they also actively mitigate the effects of the environment upon them. All homes can face damage from environmental hazards, prompting builders to implement resiliency practices to reduce such risks. This post will detail the prevalence of resiliency building, specific practices by hazard, as well as resiliency certification.

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CoStar to acquire 3D scanning company Matterport for $1.6B

Inman

Matterport's board of directors unanimously approved the deal, which will be finalized later this year. CoStar purchased its outstanding stock for $5.50 per share, reflecting a value of $1.6 billion.

Brokerage 186