Fri.Apr 05, 2024

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The labor report gives the Fed a clear pathway to land the plane

Housing Wire

Today’s jobs report beat estimates , but the internals show the labor market is softening, as the Federal Reserve wants. The data shows that wage growth is cooling down and the job opening quits rate is below pre-COVID-19 levels. This bodes well for those hoping to see a soft landing, and for those hoping for lower mortgage rates. The 10-year yield has had a wild ride today, but now is an excellent time to look at my macro take on the labor market and explain what the Fed is looking for wi

Land 497
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DOJ can reopen its investigation into NAR, appeals court rules

Real Estate News

Ruling could lead to further changes in industry practices by allowing the Department of Justice to revisit an antitrust case originally settled in 2020.

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Ginnie Mae warns issuer partners about faster prepayments

Housing Wire

Ginnie Mae this week issued a public notice to its issuer partners warning of an observation of higher prepayments in some of its mortgage-backed securities (MBS) programs, reminding issuers that a violation of its requirements could result in punitive action. In a prior All Participants Memorandum (APM) issued in December 2017 , Ginnie Mae described how it monitors prepayments in its MBS programs.

Mortgages 491
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Top 5 Reasons To Hire an Agent When Buying a Home [INFOGRAPHIC]

Keeping Current Matters

Hiring an agent when buying a home helps you understand the buying process and the local market.

Agents 339
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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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The Bay Area is the country’s 4th-hottest housing market

Housing Wire

As of March 29, the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metropolitan area was the fourth-hottest housing market in the country. The Bay Area metro had a 90-day average Market Action Index score of 61.19, according to data from Altos Research. In comparison, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue , the top-ranked metro area, had a score of 64.53. Altos considers anything above a Market Action Index of 30 to be a seller’s market.

Marketing 455
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eXp Realty promotes Leo Pareja to CEO

Real Estate News

The brokerage giant announced that its chief strategy officer will assume the CEO role, taking over from founder and eXp World Holdings CEO Glenn Sanford.

Brokerage 258

More Trending

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DOJ can reopen its investigation into NAR, appeals court rules

Inman

In another loss for the National Association of Realtors, the court ruled the U.S. Department of Justice can reopen its investigation into rules around commission sharing.

Agents 202
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Fairway’s Sciandra joins NRMLA board

Housing Wire

The National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) announced this week that Peter Sciandra, EVP of reverse lending and secondary marketing at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation , has joined its board of directors for the remainder of the 2023-2024 term. Reverse mortgage division leaders at Fairway announced in February that in addition to a reshuffling of the division’s leadership team, the company had elected to rejoin NRMLA after splitting from the association in late 2021.

Lending 444
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The NAR settlement would bring ‘significant benefits’ to buyers: CFA

Inman

That includes benefits for first-time homebuyers, who might be better served by inexperienced agents. However, some benefits require changes from mortgage lenders, consumer watchdog says.

Agents 188
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HomeServices: It is too soon for a ruling in Sitzer/Burnett

Housing Wire

In a filing earlier this week, HomeServices of America asked Judge Stephen Bough, who is overseeing the Sitzer/Burnett commission lawsuit , to deny the plaintiffs motion for entry of judgement. In their mid-March filing, the Sitzer/Burnett plaintiffs asked the court to order HomeServices of America, the sole remaining defendant in the suit, to pay $4.7 billion in damages.

Brokerage 440
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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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Play the long game when it comes to luxury real estate

Inman

Luxury agent and new Inman contributor Beckie Nielsen offers insight on making client service more personal, more meaningful and, ultimately, more effective.

Agents 186
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Face-to-face reverse mortgage counseling is back in Massachusetts (for now)

Housing Wire

Reverse mortgage professionals in Massachusetts will be reliant on their borrowers’ ability to complete their required counseling sessions under the state’s face-to-face mandate following the expiration of a provision temporarily relaxing the standard that expired on April 1. This is according to prior legislative documents reviewed by RMD and an announcement this week by the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA).

Mortgages 436
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Leo Pareja tapped as eXp Realty’s new CEO, relieving Glenn Sanford

Inman

Pareja, who joined eXp Realty in 2022, previously served as its chief strategy officer. Founder Glenn Sanford will remain with the firm as CEO of parent company eXp World Holdings.

Brokerage 172
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Opinion: To redress racial bias in mortgage underwriting, scrap the credit score

Housing Wire

To paraphrase Mark Twain, history may not repeat itself, but it does rhyme. The U.S. mortgage industry recently had to remind itself of this fact when a CNN analysis found that the nation’s largest credit union, Navy Federal, has the widest disparity in mortgage approval rates between white and black borrowers of any major lender. The report, released back in December, noted that Navy Federal Credit Union approved more than 75% of white borrowers who applied for a new conventional home pur

Mortgages 422
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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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Beverly Hills agent and TV veteran remembered as ‘a force’

Real Estate News

Jennifer Berman most recently served as COO of Direct Offer and was a cast member on the CNBC series “Listing Impossible.

Agents 177
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What another strong jobs report means for the mortgage industry

Housing Wire

The U.S. economy added another 303,000 jobs in March, exceeding economists’ expectations, and well above the average monthly gain of 231,000 jobs over the prior 12 months. Jobs increased in March, up from a revised rate of 270,000 in February , according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday. The national unemployment rate changed little at 3.8%, down from 3.9% in February, and still below the full employment rate of 4%.

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‘Force of nature’: Friends and agents celebrate Jennifer Berman

Inman

The LA luxury powerhouse passed away peacefully in her home on Tuesday. Industry professionals shared with Inman the many ways in which Berman touched their lives.

Agents 180
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Home Insurance Premiums Are Set to Hit a Record This Year—When Will Prices Fall?

Bigger Pockets

Insurance premiums are skyrocketing across the U.S., with no end in sight to annual increases that may just make you rethink investing in real estate in several parts of the country.

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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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UWM CEO Mat Ishbia claims Rocket Mortgage behind attacks

Inman

Hunterbrook Media founder dismisses Ishbia's take as "baseless conspiracy theory", while Rocket says it and founder Dan Gilbert have no financial interests or relationship to Hunterbrook.

Mortgages 173
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BREAKING: Appeals Court Rules DOJ Can Reopen Investigation Into NAR

RIS Media

In a split decision, a panel of judges for the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals today overruled a district judge who had previously prevented the Department of Justice (DOJ) from reopening its investigation into the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), potentially allowing regulators to pursue further changes to policy and rules in the industry. In… The post BREAKING: Appeals Court Rules DOJ Can Reopen Investigation Into NAR appeared first on RISMedia.

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The art of communicating value: Key strategies from top agents

Inman

Dive into a discussion with industry leaders as they share valuable tactics for effectively communicating the value you bring to transactions.

Agents 187
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Student Housing Is Very Profitable—And There’s a Dire Shortage

Bigger Pockets

Depending on the college, students nationwide looking to live at school have recently found themselves staying in luxury hotels, trailers, on friends’ couches, or Zooming in to class from their […]

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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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Why agents should talk about HELOCs this spring

Inman

Broker Julie Busby shares tips for making messages around HELOCs and real estate investing a centerpiece of your springtime content marketing efforts.

Agents 178
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Immigration and Household Formation

Calculated Risk Real Estate

A short note: Back in February, Eric Finnegan, VP, Building Products Research & Demographics, at John Burns Research and Consulting wrote: US population grew +3.8M in 2023 - the largest one-year increase in US history. (We think a recent Census estimate of +1.6M growth underestimated immigration flows.) The surge is likely short-lived as its almost all from immigration, which is conditional on policy, legislation, regulations, etc.

As-is 121
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This is the best city for first-time buyers, according to Zillow

Inman

First-time homebuyers made up half of all homebuyers in St. Louis in 2023, according to Zillow. That's the highest share the city has seen since at least 2017.

Marketing 172
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New Jobs Report Shows Stronger-Than-Expected Results

RIS Media

The March jobs report, released Friday from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, defied odds predicted by analysts—indicating a slightly positive upward trend in employment from February, which will likely keep interest rates high in the coming months. The data showed an addition of 303,000 jobs in March compared to 270,000 in February, an increase… The post New Jobs Report Shows Stronger-Than-Expected Results appeared first on RISMedia.

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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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William Raveis reflects on 50 years of selling real estate

Inman

Inman sat down with Raveis following his firm's 50-year anniversary to discuss what it takes to lead a brokerage for half a century.

Brokerage 182
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Surge Pricing: How You Can Reap the Benefits of High Short-Term Rental Demand

Bigger Pockets

During much of the year, this short-term, two-bedroom rental in Indio, California, a lovely, quiet, desert town about 35 minutes past Palm Springs, hovers around $172 a night.

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Colleen’s voice AI rent collector knows where you live

Inman

Property management software company Colleen has added voice-based interaction to its artificial intelligence rent collection solution, five months after its initial launch.

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Property Taxes on Single-Family Homes Up 7% in 2023

RIS Media

In 2023, $363.3 billion in property taxes were levied on single-family homes, which is an increase of 6.9% from $339.8 billion in 2022—nearly double the 3.6% growth rate—according to ATTOM’s 2023 Property Tax Analysis Report. Data provided in the report also indicates that the average tax on single-family homes rose to $4,062 last year, up… The post Property Taxes on Single-Family Homes Up 7% in 2023 appeared first on RISMedia.

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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.