Housing Wire

AUGUST 7, 2020

After two consecutive months of advances , Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index, a composite index designed to track consumers’ housing-related attitudes, intentions and perceptions, fell 2.3 points in July to 74.2. Year over year, the HPSI is down 19.5 points but still sits above April’s near-record low. According to the report, 53% of Americans now believe it is a good time to buy a home – an 8% decrease from June’s 61%.

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Marketing Design Inventory Sellers 545

McKissock

AUGUST 5, 2020

What ethical considerations are involved in working with FSBOs ? FSBO ethics are not included in the National Associaton of REALTORs® (NAR) Code of Ethics. However, NAR’s Field Guide to Working with FSBOs contains numerous links to help members work with FSBOs. In addition, there are many sources cited in this post that will assist you with how to ethically deal with FSBOs.

Advertising 95

Advertising Realtors Real Estate Agents 95

JMV Lending

AUGUST 5, 2020

We once had clients who spent dozens (if not hundreds) of hours removing the popcorn ceilings from their $950,000 home. Because they put so much “sweat” into their equity, they were convinced that their home would appraise for substantially more when they were done. But because their neighborhood market had recently softened a bit, their […]. The post Why Appraisers Often Come In So Much Lower Than Homeowner Estimates appeared first on JVM Lending.

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Appraisal Lending Clients Marketing 78

National Association of Realtors

AUGUST 6, 2020

This year’s summit was precipitated by recent research suggesting home valuation processes could be influencing the wealth gap between White and Black households in America.

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Appraisal Valuation 45

Housing Wire

AUGUST 7, 2020

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has extended the state’s eviction moratorium again, as many fear being kicked out of their homes after the federal eviction moratorium and unemployment benefits ended late last month. In March , the State of New York Unified Court System put in place the first eviction moratorium, effective through June. In May , this was extended but expired on August 5.

Tenants 533

Tenants Government Mortgage Real Estate 533

McKissock

AUGUST 7, 2020

Residential appraisers will often—if not just about always—have their work reviewed by another appraiser. Usually, this is a routine procedure that the original appraiser barely notices. Sometimes, the review appraiser will come back with requests for extra information, or doubts, that the original appraiser might find annoying. To be sure, the reviewer’s questions might sometimes seem nit-picky, and answering them can distract from other work.

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Appraisal Real Estate Property Management Training 94

Boston Appraisal

AUGUST 4, 2020

Receiving a copy of a residential real estate appraisal report can be a little intimidating. It may seem like a lot of money for such a such a short report. But that is hardly the case. That appraisal report you are holding tells you so much more than a simple property value. We’re going to examine, in detail, the standard form appraisal report that is most commonly used for residential appraisals.

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Appraisal Real Estate Valuation Market Value 148

Housing Wire

AUGUST 6, 2020

Ellie Mae announced Thursday it entered a definitive agreement to be acquired by Intercontinental Exchange for approximately $11 billion. The move comes 15 months after Thoma Bravo , a private equity investment firm, announced it would acquire Ellie Mae in an all-cash transaction of $3.7 billion. “We are excited to be joining the Intercontinental Exchange family and having the opportunity to work closely with Simplifile and MERS in helping our industry to realize the true digital mortgage,

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Supply Chain Mortgage Technology Valuation 531

McKissock

AUGUST 4, 2020

What types of clients do property appraisers serve? Do most of their assignments come from lenders vs. non-lenders? To help answer these questions, we recently asked our real estate appraisal community, “What type of appraisal client makes up the majority of your client base?” While most appraisers said that the majority of their work comes from lenders (most often through AMCs), some said the bulk of their client base is made up of other types of appraisal clients, such as attorneys or private

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Clients Appraisal Government Property Appraisal 87

REX Real Estate

AUGUST 3, 2020

The city you live in increasingly determines how much square footage you get for…

Real Estate 41

Real Estate 41

Boston Appraisal

AUGUST 4, 2020

Receiving a copy of a residential real estate appraisal report can be a little intimidating. It may seem like a lot of money for such a such a short report. But that is hardly the case. That appraisal report you are holding tells you so much more than a simple property value. We’re going to examine, in detail, the standard form appraisal report that is most commonly used for residential appraisals.

Appraisal 78

Appraisal Real Estate Valuation Market Value 78

Housing Wire

AUGUST 5, 2020

Last week, we published a story about United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) offering 15-year fixed mortgage rates as low as 1.875% for purchases and refinances. The article drew mixed reactions, with some calling the announcement a “nice PR move” that doesn’t factor in the broker’s compensation and other issues. Others just wanted more details. For the sake of transparency, we wanted to report that UWM is not the only lender offering rates below 2%.

Mortgage 525

Mortgage Loan Officers Lending Advertising 525

McKissock

AUGUST 3, 2020

Having your own website is a must for today’s professionals no matter what industry you work in. As a real estate agent or broker, this is even more important as it is a key way to differentiate yourself from the competition, generate quality leads, increase your lead conversion, and much more. However, many people shy away from having their own website because they worry they will have to be very technically-savvy in order to make one and it will take a lot of time to upkeep.

Real Estate 52

Real Estate Real Estate Agent Tools Agents 52

REX Real Estate

AUGUST 5, 2020

In difficult and trying times, innovation and hard work are the foundation for success.

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Housing Wire

AUGUST 6, 2020

Average U.S. mortgage rates for a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to an all-time low of 2.88% this week, the eighth time in 2020 the weekly rate has set a record in a Freddie Mac series that goes back almost five decades. It fell from 2.99% last week , Freddie Mac said in a report on Thursday. The average 15-year rate fell to 2.44%, the lowest in almost 30 years of data, according to the mortgage financier.

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Mortgage Inventory Buyers Housing Market 512

Housing Wire

AUGUST 5, 2020

The Federal Reserve is considering abandoning its longtime strategy of using its benchmark rate to pre-emptively prevent inflation from rising above its 2% target. That could be the death knell for rock-bottom mortgage rates. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said at a news conference last week that the central bank was close to wrapping up a review of its policy-making strategy that began in 2019.

Mortgage 508

Mortgage Investors Government 508

Housing Wire

AUGUST 7, 2020

The Department of Housing and Urban Development said it was resuming in-person inspections of public housing units, though families concerned about the spread of COVID-19 can decline to have a HUD worker in their home. The so-called REAC inspections, which stands for Real Estate Assessment Center, are aimed at ensuring HUD properties like rental housing for low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities “meet federal standards of health, safety, and accessibility,” HUD said.

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Inspection Tenants Development Real Estate 488

Housing Wire

AUGUST 6, 2020

After announcing in its second-quarter earnings that it plans to expand, eXp World Holdings is officially launching in five new countries. By the end of 2020, the company said it plans to expand its real estate operations in France, India, Mexico, Portugal and South Africa. Already, eXp has agents in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Real Estate 487

Real Estate Realty Technology Agents 487

Housing Wire

AUGUST 6, 2020

After an unpredictable spring, Zillow Group said it has beat its outlook in the second quarter. The group’s total consolidated revenue grew 28% year over year in Q2, to $768 million, with a total net loss of $84 million. “Zillow’s second quarter results are even better than we had hoped, and firm up our belief that powerful tailwinds in both real estate and technology are rapidly converging, with Zillow at the nexus,” Zillow Group Cofounder and CEO Rich Barton said in a statement.

Real Estate 441

Real Estate Technology Agents Inventory 441

Housing Wire

AUGUST 6, 2020

Initial jobless claims fell to 1.2 million last week, down from 1.4 million in the prior period , declining to a pandemic low that was almost twice as high as the worst measure during the financial crisis a decade ago. Continuing claims, a tally of the number of Americans receiving unemployment benefits , dropped to 16.1 million in the week ended July 25, the lowest since mid-April, the Labor Department said in a Thursday report.

Contracts 448

Contracts Mortgage Marketing 448

Housing Wire

AUGUST 5, 2020

eXp World Holdings , the parent company of eXp Realty , said its profit soared to a record in the second quarter as the dollar-volume of transactions rose 26% from a year earlier to $13 billion. The company reported net income of $8.3 million in the three months ended in June, compared with a loss of $2.2 million in the year-earlier quarter, according to a statement on Wednesday.

Realty 440

Realty Agents Brokerage Real Estate 440

Housing Wire

AUGUST 6, 2020

We sat down with Nancy Alley, vice president of strategic planning at Simplifile and one of HousingWire’s 2020 Women of Influence, to talk about the rapid changes in the closing process as a result of the pandemic. Will this end up being a watershed moment for the industry? HousingWire: You’ve been focused on helping the mortgage industry get to an end-to-end digital process for many years.

Mortgage 431

Mortgage Agents Investing Training 431

Housing Wire

AUGUST 6, 2020

This article was written for FinLedger, HW Media’s new fintech-focused news brand designed specifically for financial services professionals in banking, insurance and real estate. Stay tuned for updates. Migrating to the cloud is an increasingly common practice for financial institutions. But with that migration comes increased risk. If not done properly, the process could leave sensitive information vulnerable and potentially lead to breaches.

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Design Insurance Real Estate Technology 431

Housing Wire

AUGUST 7, 2020

Since the iBuying industry launched in 2014, billions of dollars have poured into companies created to disrupt the real estate industry and transform the way consumers buy and sell houses. These companies promise homeowners a hassle-free experience – one that’s simple, convenient and avoids the uncertainties often inherent in real estate transactions.

Real Estate 401

Real Estate Housing Market Marketing 401

Housing Wire

AUGUST 5, 2020

Despite historically low rates, mortgage applications fell 5.1% last week, according to a survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association. The refinance index fell 7% from one week earlier, however, remained 84% higher than the same week a year ago when rates were over 4%. Last week also marked 11 straight weeks of year-over-year gains for refinance activity.

Mortgage 417

Mortgage Contracts Government Marketing 417

Housing Wire

AUGUST 6, 2020

The Oakland County Health Division in Michigan sent an emergency order to Mat Ishbia, CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage and United Shore Financial Services , saying employees weren’t wearing masks at work, contributing to the spread of the coronavirus. The emergency order issued on Tuesday said over 50 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported among workers at United Shore’s headquarters in Pontiac, Michigan, an address it shares with UWM, the nation’s largest wholesale len

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Development Business Mortgage 391

Housing Wire

AUGUST 6, 2020

When the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released the 2019 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data there was one key shift that was evident from the start – independent mortgage banks clearly stepped up their game. Wells Fargo, which had long held the No. 1 spot for mortgage originators, had fallen. Not only did Quicken Loans surpass the mega bank in total originations, which it had been doing for some time already, but United Wholesale Mortgage also surpassed Wells, placing the bank in a solid t

Mortgage 405

Mortgage 405

Housing Wire

AUGUST 5, 2020

This article was written for FinLedger, HW Media’s new fintech-focused news brand designed specifically for financial services professionals in banking, insurance and real estate. Stay tuned for updates. Rocket Companies , parent company of Quicken Loans , is expected to price its initial public offering (IPO) at a significantly lower price than originally anticipated, according to multiple reports.

Investors 379

Investors Valuation Business Design 379

Housing Wire

AUGUST 7, 2020

Brokerage giants RE/MAX and Keller Williams announced second-quarter numbers Friday, reflecting a business environment that had its share of ups and downs as a result of COVID-19. RE/MAX, a public company, released earnings, while Keller Williams reported agent numbers and other stats. RE/MAX. RE/MAX reported total revenue in Q2 of $52.2 million, with net income attributable to RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. of $3.5 million and earnings per diluted share (GAAP EPS) of $0.19.

Brokerage 384

Brokerage Training Agents Technology 384

Housing Wire

AUGUST 7, 2020

As record-low interest rates drive a refinance boom and spikes in mortgage applications, many businesses are adjusting to the present market. “We’re really starting to see a shift from the idea of growing at all costs, to the idea of focusing on how to scale that growth upward,” said Katy Lyman, director of product management at Total Expert. In a HousingWire webinar , Lyman and Kelly Gill, VP of marketing and advertising for Motto Franchising, emphasized that lending operations need to shift th

Technology 380

Technology Tools Loan Officers Business 380

Housing Wire

AUGUST 7, 2020

In today’s low-rate environment, wholesale mortgage lending continues to grow, making up more than 20% market share. Three independent wholesale brokers discuss how they found success in the wholesale channel during a HousingWire webinar on Thursday titled: ”Taking the Mortgage Boom to the Next Level.”. Independent wholesale brokers on the webinar included Mike Kortas, CEO of NEXA Mortgage , Tacy Nichols, president of mortgage lending for Gapital Mortgage , and Christine Smallwood, director of o

Retail 370

Retail Mortgage Loan Officers Marketing 370

Housing Wire

AUGUST 5, 2020

The National Association of Mortgage Brokers has been advocating for mortgage brokers for almost 50 years. HousingWire spoke with NAMB President Rocke Andrews and Roy DeLoach, NAMB’s lobbyist in Washington, D.C., about the organization’s past and current legislative efforts. HousingWire: NAMB has been around since 1973. Can you tell us a bit about the history?

Development 370

Development Government Mortgage Lending 370

Housing Wire

AUGUST 6, 2020

Rocket Companies , parent company of Quicken Loans , underwhelmed in its public debut on Thursday. But executives remain optimistic with an eye toward the future, according to a HousingWire interview with COO Bob Walters. On Wednesday, we reported that Rocket Companies had drastically lowered its pricing and shares being offered in its initial public offering – from an originally projected selling of 150 million shares at $20 to $22 per share to 100 million at $18 per share.

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Transportation Technology Modernization Business 300

Housing Wire

AUGUST 5, 2020

According to an analysis by FundingShield , increases in CPL and agent validation errors with title insurers rose by 530% in the second quarter of 2020 compared to the first. Fraud and risk exposures in CPL errors and issues rose 50%, and there was a 135% increase in state licensing issues. Data inconsistencies and data mismatches are the first way many kinds of fraud manifests itself , said Adam Chaudhary, president of FundingShield.

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Insurance Agents Law Business 255