Wed.Jan 22, 2025

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Single-family rentals are more expensive than apartments — and the gap is growing

Housing Wire

Single-family rental ( SFR ) homes are now priced 20% higher than the typical apartment, according to Zillow s rental market report for December 2024. This is the largest difference ever recorded by the real estate portal as the pricing gap has grown considerably from pre-pandemic levels. Zillow analyzed the 50 largest U.S. metro areas and found that the typical asking rent for a single-family home reached $2,174 per month in December.

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Dolly Lenz tells agents to ‘stay in your clients’ pants’

Inman

Lenz's point not to be taken literally was to be in constant contact with clients and aware of what they do on a day-to-day basis and what they need, all of which impacts how they buy and sell real estate.

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Housing Rights Initiative files massive discrimination case in Illinois

Housing Wire

The Housing Rights Initiative (HRI) is taking aim at 165 real estate agents, brokerage firms and landlords in its latest series of lawsuits filed in Chicago. The group claims that this is the largest housing discrimination case in Illinois history. The lawsuits, filed on Monday, are the result of an undercover investigation conducted by HRI. In total, the housing watchdog group filed 176 complaints against 165 defendants with the Illinois Department of Human Rights.

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American Real Estate Association absorbs NYC trade group

Inman

The integration with the New York Residential Agent Continuum paves the way for the organization's first local chapter while turning up the heat on its rivalry with the National Association of Realtors.

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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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Appraiser at center of Rocket Mortgage lawsuit has license revoked

Housing Wire

The Colorado Board of Real Estate Appraisers executed a Stipulation and Final Agency Order for public censure, fines, and revocation of the license for Maksym Mykhailyna, according to an announcement in early January. Mykhailyna, who is based in Denver, had previously held both a Colorado certified residential appraiser license and a controlling appraiser license.

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Evernest acquires Poplar Homes and $15M in tech-focused funding

Housing Wire

Property management company Evernest announced on Wednesday its largest acquisition to date. The company will acquire tech-enabled property management platform Poplar Homes alongside $15 million in growth-centered funding. The acquisition follows more than 30 made by Evernest since the company arrived on-scene in 2008. Adding Poplar Homes establishes Evernest as the second-largest tech-enabled property management platform for rental property owners.

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Ignore the fluff when using artificial intelligence, technologists advise

Inman

Marc-Antoine Juaneda of CoreLogic and Boris Geheniauof Fundament All Media shared insights on how real estate professionals can best leverage AI during Inman Connect New York on Wednesday.

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Struggling homeowners often don’t understand escrow

Housing Wire

Mortgage escrow accounts are an important, yet widely misunderstood asset in the housing market. Although 80% of mortgage holders have escrow accounts, only 60% fully understand them, up from 52% in early 2024. And those who don’t understand are paying dearly. That finding comes from a survey released Tuesday by tax and flood services provider LERETA.

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If Your House’s Price Is Not Compelling, It’s Not Selling

Keeping Current Matters

There’s one big mistake you need to avoid when you sell your house this year: setting your price too high.

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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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Mark Willis steps down as Keller Williams CEO, takes CLO role

Housing Wire

Mark Willis time as the CEO and president of Keller Williams has come to an end. In an internal email obtained by HousingWire, sent by Gary Keller to all Keller Williams Realty International employees and the brands field leaders across the Keller Williams ecosystem on Wednesday, Keller wrote that Willis is transitioning from CEO and president to the new role of chief leadership officer.

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KW's Mark Willis trades CEO role for new leadership position

Real Estate News

After 14 months at the helm, Willis is moving into a new C-level role focused on teaching and developing leaders within the company.

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Distressed homeowners have a new path to avoid foreclosure

Housing Wire

Online real estate marketplace Auction.com announced Wednesday that it is launching SmartSale, a technology-powered option to foreclosure that lets distressed homeowners list and sell their property. SmartSale allows homeowners to sell their homes through direct offers from buyers or an auction process. For those who are struggling to repay their mortgages, the process aims to help them avoid foreclosure and retain their home equity.

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Want to add value? Go deep, tap your network, invest in real estate

Inman

An array of industry experts gathered at Inman Connect New York to discuss ways to build new paths of business and add value to the consumer experience.

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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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Finding qualified contractors is the biggest obstacle to reno projects

Housing Wire

Home renovation projects could bring a variety of safety and efficiency improvements to older construction, but anxiety is a key element keeping many homeowners from exploring renovation projects. This is according to a report conducted by Renewal by Andersen , a home improvement company. The study surveyed 2,500 homeowners across four generations: Gen Z , millennials , Gen X and baby boomers , all equally represented in the results.

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Navigating Homebuyer Emotions and Seller Strategies in a Competitive Market

RIS Media

Buying a home in todays market can be a rollercoaster of emotions. Over the past five years, home prices in many areas have skyrocketed, leaving buyers feeling both anxious and pressured. On one hand, they worry about missing out on further appreciation, leading to a sense of urgency. On the other hand, they fear overpaying,… The post Navigating Homebuyer Emotions and Seller Strategies in a Competitive Market appeared first on RISMedia.

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Rocket launches AI-powered website Rocket.com

Housing Wire

Rocket Companies today announced the launch of Rocket.com, officially putting Rocket Mortgage and Rocket Homes on the same platform. Per a release from the Detroit-based fintech, the Rocket.com website is an AI -driven, “intuitive” experience. The announcement comes shortly after Rocket unveiled the first stage of its rebrand and is a part of the company’s conscious effort to unify Rockets many companies under a single umbrella.

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Looking to Improve Home Value? Avoid These Projects With Terrible ROI

HomeLight

Celebrities who perform dramatic home makeovers on TV and the average homeowner on Main Street live in two very different worlds. One has the budget of a reality show to foot the bill for materials and labor, and the other has whatevers in their bank account and tight profit margins. To successfully improve home value, it’s essential to identify which projects are truly worth the effort and investment.

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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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Constellation Real Estate adds four new executives to lead product growth

Housing Wire

Real estate technology provider Constellation Real Estate Group announced on Wednesday that it is adding four new executives to its senior leadership team. Scott Petronis , Mark Mathis, Greg Beckman and Elisha Elliott will each take vice president roles at the company this year. These hires come after Constellation Real Estate Group unified all of its businesses under one brand Constellation1.

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Florida Housing Sets New Bar With $285M New Construction Listing

Marco Santarelli

The Florida housing market is undeniably hot right now, making headlines with a record-breaking $285 million new construction home hitting the market. But, is this ultra-luxury listing the whole story? Absolutely not! While the mega-mansions grab attention, the underlying trends and realities of the Florida real estate scene are far more complex and impact everyday buyers and sellers far more than these exceptional properties.

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Pennsylvania AG sues mortgage brokers for RESPA violations

Housing Wire

A civil complaint announced by Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry on Jan. 17 asserts that several Lehigh Valley-based mortgage brokers and their manager, Barry Newhart, took part in a kick-back scheme that violates the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act ( RESPA ). This complaint, which was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by Deputy Attorney General Pat Gavin, alleged that Newhart and the brokers offered real estate agents discounted

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Little Change in Mortgage Applications This Week

RIS Media

Mortgage applications barely increased this week amid lingering high mortgage rates, but the increase was enough to push home purchase applications up 2% over last year. Thats the latest analysis from the Mortgage Bankers Association, who reported a 0.1% increase in applications over last weeks notable 33% jump, per its latest Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey… The post Little Change in Mortgage Applications This Week appeared first on RISMedia.

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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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Redfin: Home prices rose 5.4% in 2024

Housing Wire

Redfin ‘s Home Price Index (HPI) for December 2024 revealed an 0.4% monthly increase in U.S. home prices , down from 0.5% in November. On a year-over-year basis, home prices were up 5.4% from 2023, and the brokerage said that similar growth is expected in 2025. The report measures the prices of homes that sold during a specific period. It also studies individual homes and compares how these prices have changed since the homes were previously sold.

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Tech Bytes: A new look (and board) for Lone Wolf; KW sues Inside RE

Real Estate News

Lone Wolf updates brand, debuts proptech advisory board; meanwhile, KW calls foul on Inside RE's BoldTrail brand, plus news from RealReports, Block Renovation.

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Longbridge lowers minimum home value for Platinum products

Housing Wire

Reverse mortgage lender and servicer Longbridge Financial , which offers both Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-backed Home Equity Conversion Mortgage ( HECM ) loans as well as proprietary reverse mortgage products, announced that it has lowered the minimum home value for its fixed-rate proprietary products. Previously, the proprietary product line which Longbridge calls Platinum had its minimum amount aligned with FHA lending limits, but it has instead shifted to allow for properties with

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Forward-Looking Economic Index Reads Flat, but ‘Fewer Headwinds’ in 2025

RIS Media

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index (LEI), which measures indicators of significant turning points in the business cycle and where the economy is headed in the near term, posted a 0.1% decline for the month of December, reversing course from a 0.4% rise in Novembercontinuing a long-term trend of downward movement. For the second half… The post Forward-Looking Economic Index Reads Flat, but Fewer Headwinds in 2025 appeared first on RISMedia.

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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.