Fri.Apr 18, 2025

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WFG’s Patrick Stone has stamped his mark on real estate

Housing Wire

Patrick Stone, the founder and chairman of Williston Financial Group (WFG), is celebrating 50 years in the real estate industry a milestone that coincides with the 15th anniversary of WFG, which he launched in the wake of the Great Recession. Its surreal, Stone said. I started in April of 1975. I never thought Id still be at it five decades later, but I love this business the people, the challenge, the evolution of it all.

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Migrants in City Shelters Make Tough Decisions as Feds Warn: ‘It Is Time for You to Leave’

Brownstoner

by Gwynne Hogan This article was originally published on April 17 at 2:02 p.m. EDT by THE CITY A Colombian mother of a ninth grader had planned to move her family out of their Brooklyn migrant shelter at the end of the school year. That was before she got a menacing email… Read More > The post Migrants in City Shelters Make Tough Decisions as Feds Warn: It Is Time for You to Leave appeared first on Brownstoner.

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FundingShield: Wire, title fraud risk hits record high

Housing Wire

Nearly half of real estate transactions reviewed in the first quarter of 2025 showed signs of potential wire and title fraud, according to a report from FundingShield. The company analyzed a portfolio of residential , commercial and business-purpose loans totaling approximately $80 billion. It found that 46.8% of these transactions contained issues that could lead to fraud, with each problematic loan averaging 2.5 errors the highest number on record.

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If the Asking Price Isn’t Compelling, It’s Not Selling

Keeping Current Matters

Unfortunately, a lot of sellers today are setting their asking price too high. Thats leading to an uptick in price cuts.

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The 2025 Real Estate Roadmap to Success

Don’t just react to changes, plan for them, so you can approach the new year with confidence, direction, and a competitive edge for your business. Having a well-defined business plan helps you chart a clear course, navigate challenges, and set a foundation for growth. This workbook gives you the key steps to outline what matters and will ensure you’re moving ahead.

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New First American tool aims to flag title issues early

Housing Wire

First American Data & Analytics has launched a new product designed to help lenders identify title issues earlier in the mortgage and home equity loan process, with the goal of cutting delays and reducing closing times. The product, called VeriTitle, provides lenders with early title status insight by analyzing property and ownership data at the start of a loan application.

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Beyond the deal: Marc Trachtenberg on the true value of title insurance

Housing Wire

Marc Trachtenberg chairman and CEO of Silk Title Company has spent a career in mortgage and title insurance companies finding ways to break from the status quo, creating innovative, forward-thinking solutions along the way. He doesnt plan to stop any time soon. He actively searches for new and groundbreaking ways to improve his companies and inject innovation and creativity into the industry.

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Daily Links: Brokers Charging Newly Illegal Fees Could Face Fines of $750 and Up

Brownstoner

In the News Students Plant Beach Grass to Fortify Coney Island Creek [BP] Brooklynites Attend Canarsie Social Security Town Hall [BK Reader] Burgs Acclaimed Cafe Camellia Permanently Closes [Greenpointers] Crown Heights Man in Wheelchair Recounts Attack [News12] Sheepshead Bay Store Owner With Putin Display Assaulted [News12] Inside New York Liberty's Auditions for Over-40 Dance Squad [Gothamist] Child… Read More > The post Daily Links: Brokers Charging Newly Illegal Fees Could Face Fi

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The 11 do’s and don’ts of buying a new build

Housing Wire

Navigating the home buying process often begins with deciding between a new build or an existing homeand while new construction offers exciting possibilities, it also comes with unique challenges. With years of experience guiding clients through the process, weve seen firsthand the most common mistakes, misconceptions and pitfalls that can turn an exciting journey into a stressful one.

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Zillow Downgrades U.S. Home Price Forecast

BAM Media

BAM Fest 2025 is happening on April 23rd with top real estate speakers, live DJ entertainment, and a surprise guest whose insights have changed millions of lives. Spots are limited save yours now before it’s full! BAM Key Details: Zillow’s March 2025 housing market report shows home prices rose just 0.2% month over month, with inventory up 19% year over year to 1.15 million homes.

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Avoiding Lease Accounting Pitfalls in 2025: Lessons Learned from Spreadsheet Errors

Speaker: Abdi Ali, Sr. Lease Accounting Consultant

Join this insightful webinar with industry expert Abdi Ali, who will discuss the challenges that can arise from managing lease accounting with spreadsheets! He will share real-world examples of errors, compliance issues, and risks that may be present within your spreadsheets. Learn how these tools, while useful, can sometimes lead to inefficiencies that affect your time, resources, and peace of mind.

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Place buys Remine for $1.5 million in cash at auction

Housing Wire

Real estate technology and agent services firm Place is continuing its acquisition spree. On Thursday, the firm announced that it had purchased real estate software firm Remine for $1.5 million in cash at auction. The $1.5 million sales price is less than 3% of what four MLSs paid for the company in October 2021. The deal, which is expected to close in the next two weeks, was first reported by Inman News.

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How mortgage brokers want to ‘shape the future’ of lending

Real Estate News

At a recent Advocacy in Action conference, brokers tackled issues including VA lending practices, trigger leads and hidden borrower costs.

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NRMLA announces 2025 western, annual meeting details

Housing Wire

Less than two weeks ahead of its first in-person meeting of the year, the premiere trade association for the reverse mortgage industry has announced preliminary details for both its upcoming regional meeting and its annual meeting and expo slated for later this year. The National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) announced in a member update this week that the 2025 edition of the annual event will take place in Minneapolis, Minn. from Oct. 7-9.

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MLS that quit enforcing Clear Cooperation gets back on board

Real Estate News

The Park City Board of Realtors says the delayed marketing option and more context from the DOJ eased its concerns about the controversial policy.

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Driving Profit: 4 Pillars for Growing Your Real Estate Brokerage

In the rapidly changing real estate landscape, achieving profitability requires a strategic approach beyond traditional methods. Our guide, "The 4 Pillars to Brokerage Profitability," outlines four essential pillars for scaling your real estate business: a seamless lead-to-close technology ecosystem, tailored integrated solutions for teams and agents, value-added success services and community support, and consumer-centric operations throughout the full homeownership lifecycle.

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March new home mortgage applications increased 5.5%

Housing Wire

The Mortgage Bankers Association ‘s (MBA) Builder Application Survey (BAS) data for March 2025 revealed that mortgage applications for new home purchases increased 5.5% compared to a year ago. Compared to last month, applications increased by 14%. By product type, conventional loans composed 49.0% of loan applications, FHA loans composed 37.0%, RHS/ USDA loans composed 0.9% and VA loans composed 13%.

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Today’s Mortgage Rates April 18, 2025: Rates Rise Sharply as Tariffs Fuel Uncertainty

Marco Santarelli

On April 18, 2025, mortgage rates remain relatively favorable compared to last year, despite experiencing weekly fluctuations. The average for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages is around 6.71% , and for 15-year fixed mortgages, its approximately 6.01%. Refinance rates are also in a similar range, with the 30-year refinance rate averaging 6.77%. If we look at the weekly averages, rates have gone up considerably.

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Global title insurance market set for steady growth

Housing Wire

The title insurance industry is on track for steady expansion over the next decade, driven by surging real estate activity, advancing technology and tightening regulatory frameworks. According to Market Research Future (MRF), the title insurance market is expected to grow from $4.15 billion in 2025 to $5.69 billion by 2034, equating to a compound annual growth rate of 3.56%.

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Today’s Mortgage Rates April 18, 2025: Rates Are Lower But Highly Volatile

Marco Santarelli

On April 18, 2025, mortgage rates remain relatively favorable compared to last year, despite experiencing weekly fluctuations. The average for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages is around 6.71% , and for 15-year fixed mortgages, its approximately 6.01%. Refinance rates are also in a similar range, with the 30-year refinance rate averaging 6.77%. While these figures are slightly higher than some of the historic lows in 2020 and 2021, they are significantly lower than rates from last April, making now a

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Tech-Forward Strategies for Scaling Agent Efficiency & Accelerating Growth

As the real estate market evolves, technology has become essential for success. According to NAR, only 26% of agents feel their brokerage provides the necessary tech tools and, as a result, agents seek teams and brokerages who prioritize technology investments! Whether you manage an established team or are forming a new one, this guide outlines key considerations and necessary applications to thrive.

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Assessing the reverse mortgage technology landscape

Housing Wire

Reverse mortgages have a minimum age requirement that serves as a key differentiator for the product. But it also leads to questions about how much or how little technology tools can or should interact with the business. But things seemed to take a step forward last week when one of the leading lenders in the space, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. , announced that it was implementing hybrid e-closings into its reverse mortgage processes.

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Tech Bytes: Remine sold to Place for $1.5 million at auction

Real Estate News

A quartet of MLSs paid over $50 million for the data and analytics platform in 2021. Place plans to invest in Remine, which will operate independently.

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The typical homeowner saw their property tax bill rise 2.7% last year

Housing Wire

Property tax collections on U.S. single-family homes fell slightly in 2024 despite continued growth in home values , according to an analysis released Thursday by ATTOM. The report, based on tax data from nearly 86 million homes nationwide, found that $357.5 billion in property taxes were levied in 2024 a 1.6% decrease from the previous year. But the average tax bill rose to $4,172, up 2.7% from 2023.

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Bridge Loans in NYC: How to Unlock Home Equity to Buy Before You Sell

HomeLight

Buying a new home while trying to sell your current one can feel impossible, especially in New York City, where inventory is tight, prices are steep, and timing matters. You might be curious if theres a way to access your homes equity for a down payment before it sells or if your only option is to move out and crash somewhere temporary while you house hunt.

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The Broker Action Plan for the Post-NAR Lawsuit Landscape

Now more than ever, brokers need to provide agents with the right tools, strategies, and training to effectively demonstrate their expertise, negotiate successfully, and foster strong client relationships. So – what should brokers do to ensure this? Invest in the right technology, continuous education, and innovative marketing strategies that empower agents to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

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Housing and Demographics

Calculated Risk Real Estate

One of the keys for housing demand is demographics. This month the Census Bureau released their estimates of the U.S. population by age for July 2024. The following graph is based on the release for 2024. Note that the largest age group is in their early-to-mid 30s. There are still a number of younger Boomers in their early-to-mid 60s. I’ll return to the above graph and discuss some of the implications for the next decade, but first, here is a similar graph for July 2010.

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The Social Media Broker’s Open Every Real Estate Agent Needs to Try

BAM Media

BAM Fest 2025 is happening on April 23rd with top real estate speakers, live DJ entertainment, and a surprise guest whose insights have changed millions of lives. Spots are limited save yours now before it’s full! We just wrapped up our very first social media-focused brokers openand let me tell you, it was a win across the board. If youre looking for a fresh way to get attention on a new listing , keep reading.

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How to Sell My House Fast in Plymouth: Cash Offer Options

HomeLight

Sometimes life moves faster than expected. Maybe youve landed a new job in another city, hit a rough financial patch, or inherited a home youre not prepared to manage. If youre asking yourself, How can I sell my house fast in Plymouth, Minnesota? youre not alone. Whether your move is planned or completely unexpected, there are reliable ways to speed up the selling process without adding extra stress.

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The Future of Real Estate Will Be Owned by 4-5 Portals 

BAM Media

BAM Fest 2025 is happening on April 23rd with top real estate speakers, live DJ entertainment, and a surprise guest whose insights have changed millions of lives. Spots are limited save yours now before it’s full! The future of real estate is heading toward consolidation. Not in the traditional sense of brokerages merging, but in the form of a handful of massive, all-in-one portals that will dominate the residential space.

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Accelerating Real Estate Sales Pipelines to Streamline Buyer Journeys

Navigated 360° tours, like YourVRTours, advance pipelines by engaging clients further along the sales funnel. These immersive experiences provide comprehensive property insights, increasing buyer intent and readiness. By embracing navigated tours, agents can optimize property exposure, better qualify leads, and streamline the sales process. Stay ahead in the ever-evolving real estate landscape with innovative technology that elevates buyer journeys and progresses pipelines more effectively.