Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

To get a sense for what the mood is among real estate agents right now, look no further than Portland , Oregon. Like the vast majority of the country, the city’s housing market has been stymied by high mortgage rates, low inventory and mismatched expectations between buyers and sellers. But now that the new rules related to the National Association of Realtors ‘ (NAR) settlement have taken effect, there’s added confusion, anxiety and uncertainty, leaving agents to wrestle with tensions at

Marketing 479

Marketing Mortgages Lending Agents 479

Keeping Current Matters

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Mortgage rates have hit their lowest point in over a year and a half.

Mortgages 358

Mortgages 358

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Federal Reserve policymakers are expected to lower the benchmark interest rate on Wednesday for the first time in more than four years. But it appears to be anyone’s guess as to how large the cut will be. Interest rate traders were giving shorter odds on Tuesday afternoon to a cut of 50 basis points (bps), which would trim the Fed’s target range to 4.75% to 5%.

Mortgages 459

Mortgages Loans Land Construction 459

Real Estate News

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

While a rate cut — which could further drive down mortgage rates — would help homebuyers, there are other headwinds at play in the final months of 2024.

Mortgages 284

Mortgages 284

Advertisement

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.

Development

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Home equity solutions provider Unison launched a new product on Tuesday that combines the features of traditional mortgage financing and emerging home equity investment (HEI) options. The San Francisco -based Unison calls its new offering the Equity Sharing Home Loan. The company explained that the product operates as a ”hybrid between debt and equity.

Equity 459

Equity Loans Debt-to-income ratio Renovation 459

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

The federal government is launching a campaign on Zillow to help provide housing counseling services to more Americans. The Department of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Tuesday also will publish a new final rule in the Federal Register to expand accepted communication methods for counseling clients. Zillow advertising partnership Zillow is estimated to reach more than 200 million users per month, and the partnership includes advertising for HUD’s “Let’s Make Home the G

Pre-approval 448

Pre-approval Principal Design Development 448

Inman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

The new commission rules are confusing. Compliance expert Summer Goralik unpacks whether it’s possible to confirm if a seller is willing to compensate buyer’s agents.

Agents 198

Agents Brokerage Marketing 198

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

For agents in New Hampshire , this week marks two months since PrimeMLS , the state’s multiple listing service , implemented the business practice changes outlined in the National Association of Realtors’ nationwide commission lawsuit settlement agreement. In these two months, one overwhelming trend has emerged — everyone is handling the changes a bit differently.

Purchase and sale agreement 448

Purchase and sale agreement Agents MLS Inspection 448

Inman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Mortgage rates have dropped to their lowest levels since 2023 in 22 of the 50 largest U.S. metros — even as rent prices continue to rise, according to a new analysis from Zillow released on Monday.

Mortgages 193

Mortgages Marketing 193

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.

Industrial

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

The government of Canada is moving to federally fund research from Ontario-based Brock University, which will seek to better understand how smart-home technology impacts the prospects for older people wanting to age in place in their homes. Technology companies, entrepreneurs and governments alike have been showing additional signs of interest in smart-home technology and the potential relief it could provide for seniors looking to remain in their homes.

Technology 445

Technology Staging Design Development 445

Inman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Law professor estimates the plaintiffs' law firms are asking for only 3 percent of the total value of the deals when 'historic' business practice changes are taken into account.

MLS 193

MLS Brokerage Agents 193

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Anthony Casa, President & CEO of UMortgage , isn’t mincing words when it comes to the lending practices that often victimize our veterans. “Our veterans deserve better. Unfortunately, it’s far too common for lenders to prioritize their own profits over the financial well-being of those who have served our country,” Casa shares. “These lenders take advantage of the profit margins on VA loans to charge veterans inflated fees and higher interest rates.

Lending 435

Lending VA loan Loans Mortgages 435

Inman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

The company denied wrongdoing and said it had agreed to settle with plaintiffs in an attempt to move on and continue growing the business.

Brokerage 192

Brokerage Agents 192

Advertisement

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.

Brokerage

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

The spread on mortgage-backed securities (MBS) trouble many industry professionals, and at a recent roundtable discussion, it spurred an interesting discussion on the degree of risk being absorbed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. At policy panels held by the Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA) on Monday in Washington, D.C., former Federal Housing Financing Agency (FHFA) director Mark Calabria made the argument that a larger credit box has caused the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) to

Debt-to-income ratio 434

Debt-to-income ratio Loans Lending Finance 434

Inman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

After 12 years on the market, Jordan’s Highland Park mansion is finally in contingency following price cuts totaling nearly $15 million. In the end, the final list price clocked in at $14.855 million.

Marketing 187

Marketing 187

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Curbio, a home renovation startup that specializes in pre-sale work, has agreed to settle fraud allegations made by the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. As part of the settlement, Curbio agreed to pay $7.5 million. The company denied wrongdoing and said in a statement that it agreed to the settlement because “the time and money we would spend over the next two years to clear our good name would be better spent doing what we do best.

Renovation 434

Renovation Equity Agents Sales 434

Inman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

A new solution to help brokers administer financial benefits to agents is now available from Tongo, a company that “builds financial products that cater to the needs of the commission economy.

Finance 183

Finance Agents Marketing Brokerage 183

Advertisement

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.

Agents

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Global investment firm Carlyle has agreed to purchase up to $300 million of equity sharing home loans from home equity solutions provider Unison. Carlyle also made a strategic investment into the San Francisco-based Unison, enabling it to launch its Equity Sharing Home Loan product. “We are excited to partner with Unison to provide an attractive solution for homeowners to access their appreciating home equity,” Akhil Bansal, Carlyle’s head of credit strategic solutions, said in a st

Equity 434

Equity Loans Finance Mortgages 434

Inman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Despite its problems, brokerage CEO Sean Frank writes, NAR membership is still the logical option for real estate professionals.

Brokerage 179

Brokerage Branding MLS Agents 179

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Higher mortgage rates and related affordability challenges are putting the squeeze on homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments, but foreclosure activity took a step back in August. According to the monthly foreclosure report from Attom , foreclosure filings fell 5.3% compared to July and completed foreclosures dropped by 12%. A total of 30,227 homes faced foreclosure filings, a far cry from the 300,000 per month seen during the 2008 financial crisis.

Marketing 434

Marketing Mortgages 434

Inman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

If you want to add to your safety and security toolbox, build value, protect your clients and stay safe in the field, check out these recommendations from Tracey “The Safety Lady” Hawkins.

Technology 179

Technology Agents 179

Advertisement

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.

Agents

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Industry-leading reverse mortgage lender Finance of America (FOA) on Tuesday announced updates and new details for a previously announced exchange offer , which would swap current investor bonds due in 2025 with new bonds due one to four years later. The current unsecured notes, due in 2025 with an interest rate of 7.875%, could be swapped for one of two new bond options — those with the same interest rate due in 2026 (with a company option to extend into 2027), or new bonds with a 10% interest

Commercial 432

Commercial Finance Branding Principal 432

Inman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Lenders have gotten into the habit of helping some homebuyers avoid jumbo loans by raising their limits before an official announcement by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's federal regulator.

Loans 179

Loans Mortgages 179

Housing Wire

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

The role of the buyer’s agent has been turned on its head and Lone Wolf Technologies wants to help. The real estate software company is launching a “Buyer’s Agent Club” that is designed to assist agents in navigating an uncertain time in the industry through resources, tools and training. “For decades, Lone Wolf has been a pillar in real estate technology, and for good reason,” Lone Wolf CEO Jimmy Kelly said in a statement. “We’ve always made it a priority to innova

Design 430

Design Agents Technology Development 430

Inman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2024

Whether it’s buyers trying to nickel and dime your sellers or sellers asking for a piece of your commission, trainer Bernice Ross writes, the key is to put your foot down and say no.

Agents 174

Agents 174

Advertisement

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.

Sales