Tue.Jul 16, 2024

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Biden unveils housing proposal that includes nationwide cap on rent increases

Housing Wire

President Joe Biden released a legislative proposal on Tuesday that’s rankling the real estate industry — nationwide rent control. Biden’s new plan would cap annual rent hikes at 5% for two years for landlords who manage 50 or more rental units, which the administration said would cover 20 million units, or roughly half of all rental units in the country.

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Will a fall rate cut kick-start home sales?

Real Estate News

The Fed is expected to cut rates in September, which may spur buyer activity — but after Canada’s central bank cut rates for the first time in June, sales fell.

Sales 274
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United Real Estate settles the commission lawsuits

Housing Wire

Dallas-based United Real Estate has joined the cohort of brokerage defendants who have settled the commission lawsuits. On Tuesday, United Real Estate announced that it had reached a nationwide settlement in the Gibson commission lawsuit. As part of the settlement, United will pay $3.7 million into a settlement fund. The brokerage said it has also agreed to adhere to certain business practice changes, which are not being disclosed at this time.

Brokerage 416
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How To Determine if You’re Ready To Buy a Home

Keeping Current Matters

If you’re trying to decide if you’re ready to buy a home, there’s probably a lot on your mind.

Agents 303
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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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Staten Island Board of Realtors enters strategic partnership with VestaPlus

Housing Wire

VestaPlus , a software development firm known for its MLS solutions geared toward agents, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Staten Island Board of Realtors. The partnership includes the licensing of VestaPlus’ Checkmate Listing Violation Detection software to Staten Island MLS (SIMLS). SIMLS, which has more than 2,300 members, said the use of Checkmate will improve its compliance processes.

MLS 406
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Consumer watchdog shares its recipe for buyer agreements

Real Estate News

After criticizing many agreements as “unfair,” The Consumer Federation of America has compiled a list of best practices for the industry.

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Elevated mortgage rates drive homebuilder confidence downward

Inman

Homebuilders exhibited little optimism as the housing market showed little improvement month-to-month, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today.

Mortgages 187
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HousingWire Demo Day: Portfolio Intelligence and Monitoring by CoreLogic

Housing Wire

Portfolio Intelligence and Monitoring Servicing a mortgage portfolio is a daunting challenge with hidden risks, requiring a holistic view and strong understanding of your portfolio. Portfolio Intelligence and Monitoring provides the business intelligence you need to make informed decisions. All transaction and property data are sourced automatically in the platform through an enhanced dashboard.

Equity 403
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Mortgage ‘knowledge gaps’ may be thwarting would-be homebuyers

Inman

3 in 4 Americans are planning to buy the next time they move, but many are overestimating minimum down payment, credit score underwriting requirements, according to a new Fannie Mae study.

Mortgages 180
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Opinion: Is this the best evidence of a housing crisis?

Housing Wire

Do we really have a housing crisis? After all, the “homeownership rate” is in the mid 60s — in the middle of the pack of other rich countries, and little different than it’s been for 50 years. But the way we typically measure the homeownership rate — as the number of home-owning households divided by the total number of households — hides the severity of the problem.

Staging 400
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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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Consumer watchdog develops new standard to assess buyer contracts

Inman

After brokerages and MLSs reached out, the Consumer Federation of America created criteria focused on whether agreements are readable, understandable, and fair to buyers.

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HousingWire Demo Day: VIU by HUB International

Housing Wire

VIU by HUB VIU by HUB is a digitally-enabled personal lines brokerage platform that seamlessly integrates into the home-buying experience. Clients can quickly shop, purchase, and manage their insurance in a complex market, thus a timely value-add for customers. For partners, VIU provides new ancillary revenue to off-set rising interest rates and inflation.

Brokerage 391
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Zavvie’s power buyer suite for mortgage lenders is catching on

Inman

More than 7,500 loan officers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., have access to cash offers that can be approved in as little as an hour, with NEO Home Loans and American Financial Network among the biggest partners.

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Homebuilder confidence falls for the third consecutive month

Housing Wire

Homebuilder confidence fell for the third consecutive month in July as builders navigate a high consumer mortgage rate environment while also contending with elevated rates for construction and development loans. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) fell one point month over month to a reading of 42 in July.

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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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RealScout inks enterprise deal with Sotheby’s International Realty

Inman

Nine months after signing an enterprise deal with Anywhere, California-based proptech leader RealScout has extended its reach to include Sotheby's International Realty's company-owned locations. Agents at SIR's company-owned locations will have full access to the RealScout platform, which includes a branded home search portal, interactive side-by-side listing comparisons, social media tools, lead management and distribution, and several other agent and broker-focused support features.

Branding 176
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Radian to lay off employees in Pennsylvania 

Housing Wire

Mortgage insurer Radian Group plans to lay off 70 employees in Pennsylvania in September, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) sent to the state’s Department of Labor and Industry. The jobs cut will affect Radian’s corporate headquarters in Delaware County, with the separations expected to happen on Sept. 13.

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North Carolina MLS subscribers soar by 6K with Georgia expansion

Inman

North Carolina Regional MLS's subscriber count is now more than 19,000 after adding Savannah MLS, Classic MLS and Realtors of Greater Augusta as owners, executives told Inman.

MLS 172
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HousingWire Demo Day: Solex® by Docutech

Housing Wire

Solex ® Solex ® delivers an end-to-end digital mortgage closing solution, integrating eDelivery, eSign, eClose, eVault, and more, to streamline transactions, boost efficiency, ensure compliance, and enhance the experience for lenders, borrowers, and settlement agents. Combined with ConformX ® , our digital document generation engine, lenders gain a complete suite for their document solution needs.

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Need Curated Pre-foreclosure Lists to Generate New Real Estate Leads? Trellis Has the Data!

Trellis is a state trial court research and analytics platform that provides Real Estate Professionals (Buyers, Foreclosure, Loan Modification, etc.) with LEADS on Pre-Foreclosures, Lis Pendes, Distressed Assets and more — to help uncover **new** opportunities and grow their business. The process is quick and easy — and all in real time. Trellis will supply you with a link to the relevant dockets, a Leads sheet and access to its UI where applicable.

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HUD: Appraisal that erased $220K in home value was discriminatory

Inman

Appraisal management company Solidifi and lending giant Rocket Mortgage are also charged with violating the Fair Housing Act. Rocket says it expects to prevail.

Lending 172
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NAR partners with RentRedi for benefits program

Housing Wire

The National Association of Realtors is adding another partnership to its NAR Realtor Benefits Program. RentRedi will now offer NAR members a subscription to its property management platform at a rate of $1 for the first six months. The platform provides tools for both landlords and renters, which the company said is designed to automate and streamline the management process.

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What Microsoft’s Bing portal controversy says about MLS value

Inman

Real estate data is incredibly important to a variety of industries, and there's a cost to produce it, Sam DeBord writes. Those who do so should be properly compensated.

MLS 167
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Retirement plans need major changes: NY Times

Housing Wire

Even as a federal law designed to protect income for retirees turns 50 this year, the cry to reform retirement benefits seems to be growing louder than ever. This rising chorus includes The New York Times, which recently published an article titled, “ The $25 Trillion System of Retirement Savings Needs Fixing. ” It offers expert opinions on several ways to shore up fiscal protections for private retirement accounts and argues for an expansion of Social Security benefits.

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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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Engel & Völkers expands brand with new Portland, Oregon, office

Inman

Engel & Völkers has entered the Portland, Oregon, market with the opening of its new location, Engel & Völkers Portland Rose City, the firm announced today.

Branding 172
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Bank of America mortgage origination volume jumps 66% in Q2

Housing Wire

Mortgage production increased at Bank of America (BofA) in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the previous three months, but the bank’s home loan volumes were still lower than those delivered in the same period last year. Competitors Wells Fargo , JPMorgan Chase and Citi showed the same trend when opening the Q2 2024 earnings season for mortgage businesses on Friday.

Banks 361
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27 resources you’ll need to be ready for the Aug. 17 transition

Inman

Consider this a resource roundup to guide you through the changes you'll make, the client conversations and even the mindset shifts that are necessary right now.

MLS 167
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North Carolina Regional MLS expands into Georgia

Housing Wire

The North Carolina Regional MLS (NCRMLS) has expanded into Georgia. According to an announcement on Monday, the MLS has recently welcomed the strategic additions of Savannah MLS , Athens Area Association of Realtors and Classic MLS , and the Realtors of Greater Augusta into its fold. “Georgia’s partnership with NCRMLS marks a significant advancement for real estate professionals in our region,” a joint statement from the three Georgia associations read.

MLS 335
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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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From teen mom to luxury broker, Sharelle Rosado hustled to the top

Inman

Sharelle Rosado's grit and determination helped her rise up from humble beginnings to become one of Tampa's top agents. "If you dream something, no matter how big it is, go for it," the broker said.

Agents 166
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Fed Chair Powell: We Don’t Have to Wait for 2% Inflation to Drop Rates

RIS Media

In a surprising statement made during a speaking engagement at the Economic Club of Washington D.C. on July 15, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said that inflation would not necessarily have to hit 2% before interest rates are cut. This statement constitutes a major shift from previous public comments made by the Fed emphasizing the… The post Fed Chair Powell: We Don’t Have to Wait for 2% Inflation to Drop Rates appeared first on RISMedia.

Sales 130
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Commission Crunch: 5 tips to avoid scrutiny and remain in compliance

Inman

Clients are watching you now more than ever, compliance expert Summer Goralik writes. Find out how to implement best practices now, so you can avoid complaints during upcoming industry shifts.

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From World Series Champion to Thriving Luxury Real Estate Agent

RIS Media

Editor’s Note: Superstars in sports and celebrities in real estate is a new series highlighting either high-profile professionals who have made a career transition into real estate, or those agents who represent such high-level individuals in the sale or purchase of their luxury homes. We’ll bring you their stories, best practices, top tips and more.… The post From World Series Champion to Thriving Luxury Real Estate Agent appeared first on RISMedia.

Agents 123
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The 4 Most Impactful Actions to Take in Real Estate in 2024

Strategic real estate professionals know that the name of the game right now is to stay informed, adaptable, and ready to make confident decisions. In this free download, Inside Real Estate CEO, Joe Skousen, shares what he believes are the top 4 most impactful actions in real estate right now. We've been actively engaging with industry experts, analyzing data, and listening intently to the experiences of our agents on the ground.