Thu.Mar 28, 2024

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As insurance costs rise, Florida homeowners are given a new option

Housing Wire

Florida is reckoning with a severe homeowners insurance crisis. The recent surge in both the frequency and intensity of hurricanes that have battered the state has prompted numerous insurers and reinsurers to exit the market , leaving Florida homeowners grappling with skyrocketing premiums and limited coverage options. According to the Insurance Information Institute , this exodus has resulted in Florida homeowners paying an average of nearly $4,000 a year in insurance , which is nearly three ti

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Industry seeking clarity — and change — in FHA and VA lending

Real Estate News

NAR this week sent letters asking government lending agencies to allow buyers to finance agent compensation. Thursday, it started getting answers.

Lending 354
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Opinion: More can be done to shorten the average time to close

Housing Wire

Seemingly forever, the average time between reaching a sales agreement and closing on that property has hovered around 45 days — a month and a half. It’s not something consumers think about much when they set out to buy a first home or plan to “upsize” to accommodate life changes. Instead, they think about finding a home in a great neighborhood or perhaps in a good school district.

Closing 488
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Is It Easier To Find a Home To Buy Now?

Keeping Current Matters

One of the biggest hurdles buyers have faced over the past few years has been a lack of homes available for sale.

Sales 334
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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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Opinion: How to win the coming mortgage refi race

Housing Wire

One of the most critical moments in any race is the very beginning. A mistake at the start can snatch away a win before the race is even underway. Any coach will tell you that springing into action the moment the shot is fired is a critical success factor for any athlete. A race is a useful analog for the mortgage business, especially as it relates to the refinance business.

Mortgages 488
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T3 Sixty suspends release of real estate brokerage ranking

Real Estate News

The company made the move after hearing from “numerous” privately owned companies involved in high-stakes lawsuits over commissions.

Brokerage 290

More Trending

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Pacaso adds third-party listings, DIY co-ownership option

Real Estate News

The fractional ownership platform, co-founded by former Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff, said its latest move “opens up thousands of new listings nationwide.

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How to empower your team to spot cybersecurity risks

Housing Wire

When it comes to reducing cybersecurity risks, your team plays a crucial role. To ensure the safety of your digital assets and sensitive information, it’s important to make sure all users are well-informed about cybersecurity and receive periodic training. To reduce risks , we’ll explore why empowering your team through education and training is essential to mitigate risks and keep your business secure.

Title 482
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Mortgage rates creep down, but not enough to tempt buyers

Real Estate News

Mortgage apps dropped this week even as rates fell, but pending sales began to show signs of life.

Mortgages 264
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NAR, MBA ask for clarification on underwriting rules

Housing Wire

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) are asking federal housing officials to confirm their treatment of interested party contributions (IPCs) to home purchase transactions. In a letter addressed to Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) director Sandra Thompson , Fannie Mae CEO Priscilla Almodovar, Freddie Mac CEO Michael DeVito, and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) commissioner Julia Gordon on Wednesday, the NAR and MBA wrote that it was impor

VA loan 476
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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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Arguments against consolidation dominate hearing

Real Estate News

Judges heard from both defendants and plaintiffs on Thursday who spoke about the “burdensome” nature of consolidation and the local nature of the cases.

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Opinion: Reformed FHA program will offer lenders new business opportunities

Housing Wire

Modern manufactured homes are an unusual feature of today’s housing market, the rare homeownership opportunity that is both lower-cost and high-quality. Thanks to the efficiencies baked into the construction processes of manufactured homes, these factory-built houses are both faster and less expensive to build than site-built homes, saving buyers between $50,000 to $100,000 per unit.

Title 476
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Moehrl trial shifts to early 2025 as HomeServices keeps skin in game

Inman

The plaintiffs and defendants in the antitrust commission case indicated they would be available for a 3- to 4-week trial beginning Jan. 21, 2025, according to court filings earlier this week.

MLS 200
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NEXA Mortgage co-founders are splitting

Housing Wire

Mike Kortas and Mat Grella, the longtime owners and co-founders of America’s largest mortgage brokerage, NEXA Mortgage , are in negotiations to end their partnership. In the meantime, Kortas announced during a weekly Town Hall on Tuesday that company president Grella had been terminated, which means he will not be involved in the company’s daily operations or strategic decisions for the growth of the business.

Mortgages 468
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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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‘Apologize’ and 17 other common-sense ways to begin reforming NAR

Inman

Even before the courts resolve how agents are compensated, the National Association of Realtors has an opportunity to set a course for victory, Inman founder Brad Inman writes.

Agents 197
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5 activities real estate agents should do every morning

Housing Wire

The past year and a half, with its rising mortgage rates , low inventory, and economic uncertainty, has been a challenge for real estate pros, not to mention the buyers and sellers they serve. Times like this often result in a sense of fear and hesitancy; after all, if you don’t know what’s next, how are you supposed to take decisive action? In life, we sometimes find ourselves plunging headfirst in t o the unknown.

Agents 466
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Broker Spotlight: Wyatt Poindexter, The Agency

Inman

Find out how this Oklahoma City broker's mindset helps him raise the bar on the service he provides and his own level of professional performance.

Brokerage 195
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Better narrows loss in 2023, aims to reach profitability soon

Housing Wire

Better Home & Finance Holding Co. , the parent of digital lender Better.com , narrowed its net loss between the third and fourth quarters of 2023 by more than 80%, driven by expense cuts to its platform and marketing efforts. Going forward, Better is focused on driving market share and reaching profitability in the medium term. The digital lender made changes in its commercial operating model to achieve this goal and will continue to invest in Tinman, its proprietary technology platform.

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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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Better hiring real estate agents to originate mortgages in 26 states

Inman

As Better reports $543 million 2023 loss, CEO Vishal Garg says the company has made fundamental changes to its business model that will help it pivot to providing purchase loans to homebuyers.

Agents 195
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Indiana senator explains his inquiries into reverse mortgages

Housing Wire

Late last week, Indiana Sen. Mike Braun (R) submitted a letter to Ginnie Mae president Alanna McCargo asking about what he identified as recent bouts of instability in both the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) and HECM-backed Securities (HMBS) programs, which stemmed from the collapse of a major lender and challenges that Ginnie Mae has described in maintaining a large portfolio of reverse mortgages.

Mortgages 458
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RE/MAX President: ‘It’s time to take back our No. 1 market share’

Inman

In her first keynote as RE/MAX president, Amy Lessinger addressed market headwinds, buyer-broker commissions, homebuyer agreements and plans to revive the franchisor's U.S. operations.

Marketing 192
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DOL accuses PrimeLending of violating whistleblower provisions

Housing Wire

Investigators at the U.S. Department of Labor announced on Wednesday that they found that PrimeLending , a Texas-based retail mortgage bank, violated whistleblower provisions in a case involving two employees who raised consumer fraud concerns. According to the DOL, the company terminated two California-based employees after they reported to a regional manager and the vice president of Human Resources that a branch manager pressured them to pass on fees to loan applicants caused by internal proc

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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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Pending home sales tally modest uptick amid rise in jobs, inventory

Inman

Fueled by positive job growth and an increase in available housing, the National Association of Realtors' Pending Home Sales Index rose 1.6 percent in February, according to data released Thursday.

Sales 187
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HUD’s green retrofitting program issues $173M in grants and loans

Housing Wire

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Thursday announced $173.8 million in new grant and loan awards under the Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP), which brings the level of total funding awarded under it to $544 million, now comprising more than 50% of the full allocation. Speaking in Chicago on Thursday, Acting HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman announced the new funding alongside the city’s mayor, Brandon Johnson, at a community that was a awarded an $11.76 million

Loans 458
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Pennsylvania’s No. 1 team leaves eXp Realty for Real Brokerage

Inman

The Jon Campbell Team, previously the Don Wenner Team, closed 2,250 home sales across $585 million in sales volume in 2023. Technology and culture helped draw the team to Real.

Brokerage 183
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Moehrl trial not likely until January 2025

Housing Wire

Plaintiffs and defendants in the Moehrl commission lawsuit have waited more than five years for their day in court. Based on the parties’ latest status report, it looks like they will be waiting a bit longer. In a status report filed on Monday, the plaintiffs and the sole remaining defendant in the suit, HomeServices of America , each indicated they would be available for a three- to four-week trial starting Jan. 21, 2025.

MLS 456
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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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Landing acquires flexible rental platform Barsala for $30M

Inman

The new deal will allow Landing, a flexible living platform, to add 1,000 new units across its Autopilot program, which provides furnished, flexible living spaces for multifamily buildings.

Land 179
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Northwest MLS takes aim at the DOJ’s commission views

Housing Wire

Kirkland, Washington-based Northwest MLS (NWMLS) is looking to have its voice heard in a lawsuit all the way on the other side of the country. On Wednesday, NWMLS filed a motion asking Boston-based U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris, who is overseeing the Nosalek commission lawsuit , if it could file an amicus curiae brief in response to the Department of Justice’s statement of interest.

MLS 454
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How I Paid Off $150K in Debt and the 5 Factors That Boost Your Credit Score

Bigger Pockets

Want to know how to get out of debt for good? It’s not as easy as it sounds!

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Guaranteed Rate appoints new branch manager in Atlanta

Housing Wire

Guaranteed Rate appointed Carlos Mata as its Atlanta branch manager, the company announced on Thursday. Mata was recognized as one of the top 250 Latino mortgage originators in 2024, according to the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP). “I have deep roots in Atlanta , strengthened by an active role with the NAHREP and my dream job, being a trusted provider of homebuyer advice, resources and solutions,” Mata said in a statement.

Loans 435
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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.