Housing Wire

JANUARY 8, 2025

As wildfires tear through Southern California and firefighters battle winds up to 100 mph, tens of thousands of residents have evacuated. The looming impacts on real estate and insurance are also at the forefront of Californians minds. According to Anthony Marrone, the fire chief for Los Angeles County , the wildfires have torched more than 1,000 structures, killing at least two people and injuring several more.

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Banks As-is Development Closing 418

Inman

JANUARY 8, 2025

LA-area agents on Wednesday told Inman that they were checking in on clients and keeping an eye on evacuation orders while lamenting the "catastrophic" toll the wildfires were taking on the community and real estate market.

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Agents Marketing Brokerage 167

Housing Wire

JANUARY 8, 2025

The Real Brokerage is a already a top 10 company in terms of transaction volume and sides and it continued its growth this week in two of the nation’s most populous states. Miami -based Real on Tuesday announced the addition of Harvest Realty , an independent brokerage in Southern California with 550 agents. Led by the husband-and-wife team of John Zhang and Christine Li, Harvest specializes in serving the Chinese community in SoCal.

Brokerage 397

Brokerage Technology Agents Branding 397

Inman

JANUARY 8, 2025

Dangerous and discriminatory misconceptions about the purpose of home loans from the Veterans Administration may be keeping hard-working and well-prepared military veterans from the American dream of homeownership, veteran and team leader Cheryl Arroyo writes.

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Loans VA loan Mortgages Agents 158

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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

JANUARY 8, 2025

Higher-for-longer mortgage rates have claimed their first victim of 2025. Ally Financial announced Wednesday that it would exit the mortgage origination business as part of a broader strategy to pursue higher returns on investments. The company also plans to explore strategic alternatives for its credit card business in the first quarter of 2025. These changes are expected to result in a workforce reduction of less than 5% of Ally’s approximately 11,000 employees.

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Closing Mortgages Loan Officer Development 418

Housing Wire

JANUARY 8, 2025

Miami became one of the hottest destinations in the country after the COVID-19 pandemic began, and homeowners have reaped the benefit in the form of ballooning home equity. But homeowners in the area are also facing a serious unintended consequence of that skyrocketing property taxes. According to a new report from CoreLogic, median property tax payments in Miami-Dade County have risen 56.8% since 2019, and theyve jumped 56.8% in neighboring Broward County.

Equity 397

Equity Mortgages Marketing 397

Inman

JANUARY 8, 2025

Bayview Asset Management and affiliates settle allegations that security was deficient and state regulators were stymied in investigation of 2021 incident affecting 5.8 million customers.

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Loans Mortgages 157

Housing Wire

JANUARY 8, 2025

As mortgage rates continue to climb past the 7% mark, applications continued to take a step back following the New Year’s Day holiday. Demand decreased by 3.7% from the week prior, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported in its weekly mortgage applications survey for the week ending Jan. 3. While mortgage application volume decreased on a seasonally adjusted basis, the MBA’s index jump 47% from the previous week on an unadjusted basis.

Mortgages 448

Mortgages Fixed-rate mortgage Loans Sales 448

Inman

JANUARY 8, 2025

The three-person team, led by real estate professional Shane Burgman, brings a wealth of experience to Real. Over the course of his 10-year career, Burgman has sold an average of 50 homes per year, totaling over $200 million in sales.

Sales 158

Sales Brokerage Technology 158

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

JANUARY 8, 2025

Bayview Asset Management and three subsidiaries have agreed to pay a $20 million fine and implement a corrective plan following a 2021 data breach that affected 5.8 million customers. The settlement, announced Wednesday by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors , involves 53 state financial regulatory agencies. It includes Bayview and three of its affiliates, Lakeview Loan Servicing , Community Loan Servicing and Pingora Holdings.

Staging 418

Staging Loans Mortgages Banks 418

Inman

JANUARY 8, 2025

Rick Guerrero delves into Freedmans inspiring story and how her journey can guide aspiring agents in navigating our ever-evolving industry.

Industrial 148

Industrial Agents Mortgages Marketing 148

Housing Wire

JANUARY 8, 2025

Forty-five percent of retirement-age survey respondents are concerned that they will outlive their savings while 25% spend nearly one-third of their monthly income on housing costs. This is according to new data released by Clever Real Estate. The survey results show stark declines in overall financial sentiment based on responses from 1,000 retired Americans at least 62 years old, with a median age of 70.

Mortgages 370

Mortgages As-is Marketing 370

Real Estate News

JANUARY 8, 2025

Robert Reffkin has been outspoken and growth-focused, landing at No. 1 on the 2025 SP 200. At No. 2? Another disruptor-turned-dominator, eXps Glenn Sanford.

Land 313

Land 313

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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

JANUARY 8, 2025

California -based direct lender AmeriTrust Mortgage announced a new addition to its leadership team. The company welcomed veteran mortgage executive Jett Farrington this week as its new chief operating officer. Farrington joins a C-suite leadership team consisting of CEO Chad Schoep and chief financial officer Tapan Patel. The Arizona State University graduate announced his new role via a LinkedIn post on Monday.

Mortgages 397

Mortgages Loans Industrial Banks 397

Inman

JANUARY 8, 2025

Lower will integrate Neat Labs' technology into its own cloud-based originations platform and onboard co-founder Steve Herschleb as chief technology officer, executives announced Tuesday.

Technology 158

Technology Mortgages Banks Loans 158

Housing Wire

JANUARY 8, 2025

Mortgage and title clients are undergoing a significant transformation with the shift from Encompass Software Development Kit (SDK) to Encompass Partner Connect (EPC). This change driven by ICE Mortgage Technologys updated standards promises enhanced efficiency, cost savings, and future-proof workflows. However, for many lenders and title agents, the path to compliance can be a bit too much to handle while running a business and dodging compliance risks.

Technology 369

Technology Title Lending Development 369

Real Estate News

JANUARY 8, 2025

Over a third of existing homeowners and 43% of those over 60 say they dont plan to ever sell their home, a Redfin survey found.

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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

JANUARY 8, 2025

Less than a year after taking the helm, Amy Lessinger has announced her resignation as the president of RE/MAX. The brokerage franchisor publicized Lessingers resignation through a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday. Lessinger informed the company of her resignation, which is effective Jan. 17, on Friday. No reason was listed for Lessingers departure.

Brokerage 397

Brokerage Technology Agents Industrial 397

Keeping Current Matters

JANUARY 8, 2025

Let’s face it – life can throw some curveballs.

Mortgages 295

Mortgages Agents 295

Brownstoner

JANUARY 8, 2025

An affordable housing lottery has opened for 68 apartments in a 100 percent affordable development that spans a block along Atlantic Avenue in East New York. The one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments at 265 Logan Street, dubbed The Logan Fountain, are aimed at households earning between 40 percent and 70… Read More > The post East New York Affordable Housing Lottery Opens With $994 Units appeared first on Brownstoner.

Development 119

Development 119

Calculated Risk Real Estate

JANUARY 8, 2025

NOTE: The tables for active listings, new listings and closed sales all include a comparison to December 2019 for each local market (some 2019 data is not available). This is the first look at several early reporting local markets in December. I’m tracking over 40 local housing markets in the US. Some of the 40 markets are states, and some are metropolitan areas.

Marketing 104

Marketing Sales Closing Mortgages 104

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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

RIS Media

JANUARY 8, 2025

Consumers outlook on housing shows a slight decrease month-over-month, but is substantially more positive than this time last year, primarily due to mortgage-rate optimism. This is according to the latest Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) released Tuesday, which shows a plurality of consumers continue to expect mortgage rates to decline over the next… The post Housing Sentiment Finishes 2024 Higher Despite December Dip: Fannie Mae appeared first on RISMedia.

Mortgages 119

Mortgages Industrial 119

Real Estate News

JANUARY 8, 2025

Amy Lessinger announced her resignation after nearly three decades with RE/MAX, a brand she had vowed to never leave.

Branding 274

Branding 274

RIS Media

JANUARY 8, 2025

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed an amended complaint in its civil antitrust lawsuit against real estate software company RealPage, adding six apartment landlords as defendants and two more state Attorneys General as co-plaintiffs, as well as revealing an agreement with another defendant who has agreed to cooperate in the investigation. The suit, originally… The post DOJ Amends Complaint in RealPage Lawsuit, Reveals Cooperating Defendant appeared first on RISMedia.

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Property Management MLS Industrial Agents 111

The Close

JANUARY 8, 2025

Whether expanding your portfolio or adding a second home, vacation rental insurance should be part of your investment strategy. Your new vacation property needs financial protection if a storm damages the property or a guest gets hurt. Insurance protects you, your guests, and your propertywin, win, win. Lets go through the ins and outs of vacation rental insurance, including costs, types, and mistakes to avoid.

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Investor Commercial Property Management Loans 98

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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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