Mon.May 06, 2024

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Warren Buffett: Real estate agent commission structure “has worked out very well”

Housing Wire

Legendary investor Warren Buffett and Greg Abel, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Energy , addressed the commission lawsuits and HomeServices of America’s recently announced settlement of the suits, during Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting on Saturday. “There is no question that the industry will go through some transitions because of the settlements — ours and every other major player in the industry settled, the National Association of Realtors settled for more than $400 million ,”

Agents 505
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Warren Buffett: Real estate is ‘fundamental’

Real Estate News

The Berkshire Hathaway CEO, along with Vice Chair Greg Abel, spoke about the HomeServices settlement and more during the company's annual shareholder meeting.

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U.S. mortgage holders post record levels of home equity: ICE

Housing Wire

U.S. home prices continued to climb in March as a persistent shortage of homes for sale helped to buoy the housing market, according to the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) Home Price Index. And while prospective homebuyers cope with the challenges of rising housing unaffordability, existing homeowners are reaping the benefits of historically strong price gains.

Equity 497
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Agents Decoded: Want to prove your value? Bone up on assumable mortgages

Real Estate News

Mortgage assumptions aren’t new, but they’re about to get a lot more popular because the math works for both sides of the closing table.

Mortgages 250
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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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Redfin settles commission lawsuits for $9.25 million

Housing Wire

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 483
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Redfin to pay $9.25 million to settle commissions cases

Real Estate News

The company is the 10th brokerage to agree to pay into a settlement fund, which is approaching $1 billion.

Brokerage 254

More Trending

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Florida law puts agents at risk, housing groups say

Real Estate News

Fair housing advocates and AREAA filed a suit claiming a law prohibiting property sales to certain non-U.S. citizens puts agents in an untenable position.

Agents 203
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FAR, AAG to unify under Finance of America brand

Housing Wire

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.

Branding 455
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What's Motivating Your Move?

Keeping Current Matters

Thinking about selling your house?

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314
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NRMLA, MBA provide comments on HECM application, origination documents

Housing Wire

Following an announcement that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Office of Policy Development and Research is seeking public comment related to application and origination documents for the Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-backed Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program, the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) and the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) have submitted a joint letter with their feedback.

VA loan 443
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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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NAR President fields questions at midyear: ‘Everything’s on the table’

Inman

At the Realtors Legislative Meetings on Sunday in Washington, D.C., the National Association of Realtors President spontaneously fielded tough questions about the trade group's proposed antitrust settlement.

MLS 169
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CCBank acquires Security Home Mortgage 

Housing Wire

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.

Mortgages 447
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Leaders in luxury: Kim Bedwell

Inman

In 1930, the state of Texas adopted “friendship” as its motto. And while the perpetually congenial Kim Bedwell — Global Real Estate Advisor at Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas — embodies this welcoming spirit, it shouldn’t be conflated with an absence of dogged ambition.

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After exiting wholesale, Fairway hires origination teams across the nation

Housing Wire

After exiting the wholesale channel in February, top U.S. mortgage lender Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. has decided to grow its retail footprint organically by hiring origination teams from various competitors. The company announced last week that, in April, it welcomed production teams that collectively originated more than $500 million in mortgage volume in 2023.

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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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Top 4 ways elite teams transformed post-NAR settlement

Inman

As an agent for more than 15 years, owner of The Young Team and CEO of Fello, Ryan Young feels deeply passionate about helping agents scale their business through listings.

Agents 168
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San Francisco Realtors partner with AI startup Sidekick

Housing Wire

AI -powered real estate assistant Sidekick unveiled a partnership with the San Francisco Association of Realtors (SFAR) on Monday. The collaboration will allow the region’s 4,000 agents to leverage Sidekick’s integrated datasets and workflows, making SFAR the first association to offer a generative AI assistant to its members. Launched in November 2023, Sidekick features many functionalities, including real-time market and property data retrieval abilities, valuation analyses and a suite of prod

Brokerage 445
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3 ways to reap the rewards of this spring’s hot homeselling season

Inman

These three market trend predictions will assist real estate agents in capitalizing on the abundant home selling opportunities available this spring.

Agents 180
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Trade groups express concerns on VA timeline for defaulted loan purchase program

Housing Wire

Representatives of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and the Housing Policy Council (HPC) are urging leaders at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to delay a mandatory compliance date with the agency’s Veteran Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program, which aims to prevent foreclosures against military personnel who experienced financial hardship due to the ongoing economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Loans 438
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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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Members of SFAR have a new AI productivity Sidekick

Inman

Sidekick was developed by San Francisco-based boutique brokerage Avenue 8. It primarily uses a text interface to send commands to retrieve data, execute tasks and in many ways, function as a common, “visual” interface would. It's now offered to members of SFAR.

Brokerage 162
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Rocket hires former Thomson Reuters, Intel executive as its first CTO

Housing Wire

Rocket Companies , the parent of Rocket Mortgage , announced on Monday that it has hired Shawn Malhotra, a former Thomson Reuters and Intel executive, as the first chief technology officer (CTO) in the company’s history. Malhotra will oversee, among other areas, the firm’s artificial intelligence (AI) development, data science, product engineering, technology operations and information security.

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Revamp your business plan and have your best summer ever

Inman

While we like to create goals and supportive strategies several months before the end of the year, coaches Emily Bossert and Melanie Klein write, there’s no time like the present to create and benefit from a comprehensive business plan.

Agents 155
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AnnieMac Home Mortgage welcomes a new face to its executive team

Housing Wire

AnnieMac Home Mortgage appointed Ian Aubourg to the role of senior vice president of retail sales, the Mount Laurel, New Jersey -based lender announced Monday. In his new position at AnnieMac, Aubourg will tap into his leadership skills to drive growth and improve the mortgage experience for clients. Aubourg has a track record of leading successful mortgage lending teams and divisions across the Northeast region, including at Mortgage Equity Partners and Movement Mortgage.

Mortgages 400
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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.

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Redfin to pay $9.25M to settle commission lawsuits

Inman

Compass, The Real Brokerage, Realty One Group, At World Properties and Douglas Elliman had each already reached settlement agreements in the case, and the court has preliminarily approved those settlements.

Brokerage 152
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Bridging the gaps in the home buying process

Housing Wire

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.

Title 389
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Offerpad posts a decline in annual revenue, but improves Q1 losses

Inman

The iBuyer lost $17.5 million between January and March, according to an earnings call Monday afternoon. However, that represents a 71 percent improvement compared to a year earlier.

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Asian real estate group, other advocates claim Florida law violates Fair Housing Act

Housing Wire

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.

Land 383
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Boldtrail Backoffice - Take The Quiz to See What Package Is Right For You

BoldTrail BackOffice provides a single, streamlined solution to manage agent onboarding and billing and commission tracking and disbursements, along with agent management, reporting, and accounting - so your brokerage can run smoothly & profitably. Our #1-rated back office solutions have exactly what your business needs to deliver a seamless experience for your clients and your team.

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Buyers need an income that starts with a 3 to live in this pricey city

Inman

Homebuyers need to earn an income of more than $150,000 to afford homes in 14 out of the 50 biggest metro areas as of April, according to Realtor.com. But in San Jose, buyers must earn at least $361,000.

Marketing 148
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Are Adjustable Rate Mortgages a Lifeline for Lower Rates? Or the Most Dangerous Thing You Could Do?

Bigger Pockets

If, like me, you check mortgage interest rates like an expectant parent checks their wife’s contractions, you doubtless will have analyzed every type of loan product in an attempt to inch the […]

Mortgages 131
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Rocket hires first group CTO to accelerate AI development

Inman

Qualcomm and Intel veteran Shawn Malhotra comes to Rocket from Thomson Reuters where, as head of engineering, he helped the global media giant develop a cloud-based, API-driven generative AI platform.

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Detroit Beat Its Post-Pandemic Downtown Doom Loop—Here’s How Investors Can Benefit

Bigger Pockets

A mayor in handcuffs, a bankrupt city mired in poverty, unemployment, and soaring crime: 10 years ago that was Detroit’s legacy. Today, it is a real estate success story.

Investor 126
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Maximizing Your Online Presence: Tips for Real Estate Agents on Social Media

Speaker: Sarah Santa Ana, Real Estate Coach, Move4Free Realty

Networking is one of the crucial elements in every real estate organization's success. Both agents and real estate companies need to maintain robust networking links. This is why social media is essential for any real estate professional! Social media enables you to stay in touch with your present clients, maintain connections with your past clients, and engage potential customers and investors.