October, 2024

article thumbnail

Housing inventory fell last week. Have sellers called it quits?

Housing Wire

Since mid-2022 when mortgage rates headed higher , two facts have been apparent: new listings data has been trending at the lowest levels ever recorded in history and inventory has been able to grow from record low levels thanks to mortgage rates staying elevated. We’ve seen some growth in new listings this year compared to 2023 levels, which is good for housing.

Mortgages 523
article thumbnail

Real estate’s moment of opportunity

Real Estate News

From agent pay to association changes, a new report identifies 20 ways the industry can improve itself — and help homebuyers and sellers in the process.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Proposed NAR settlement ‘worst of all possible worlds’: Law professor

Inman

Tanya Monestier says the settlement "reinforces the existing system of seller-paid inflated compensation while pretending to eliminate it" as attorneys walk away with $333 million in cash.

MLS 195
article thumbnail

New objection to NAR settlement targets business practice changes, plaintiffs’ attorneys fees

Housing Wire

After previously taking issue with some of the forms generated as a result of the terms of the National Association of Realtors ’ (NAR) nationwide commission lawsuit settlement agreement , University of Buffalo law professor Tanya Monestier is now objecting to NAR’s settlement. In a document filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Kansas City — less than a month before the NAR settlement is slated for its final approval hearing — Monestier took issue with the business practice changes, sayi

article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, let’s spread awareness about real estate wire fraud

Housing Wire

Over the last decade, real estate transactions have increasingly become a prime target for cybercrime. Far from slowing down, the scams are becoming more prevalent, sophisticated, and difficult to recognize as fraudulent. With October being Cybersecurity Awareness Month, it is important that the real estate industry and consumers speak up and spread the word about how to prevent these real estate cybercrimes.

Title 475
article thumbnail

Florida has built 77,000 new homes in high-risk flood areas

Housing Wire

Since 2019, the state of Florida has built more than 77,000 new properties in areas with a high risk of flooding. This is the most among all states, according to an analysis by climate-modeling firm First Street Foundation on behalf of the The Wall Street Journal. The construction activity is likely to place the housing industry and its financing partners on a “collision course” with insurers, the outlet said.

More Trending

article thumbnail

Case-Shiller home-price index slows, but rising mortgage rates could speed it up again

Housing Wire

Is home-price growth finally cooling? That’s a question raised by the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index for August, which showed deceleration on a year-over-year basis and a slight dip relative to July. On a non-seasonally adjusted basis, the national home price index posted a 4.2% gain year over year, less than the 4.8% gain from July. The monthly index fell by 0.1%.

Mortgages 486
article thumbnail

Opinion: How real estate will come back stronger

Housing Wire

The latest tumult in real estate feels like our world has been turned upside down yet again. But underneath all the frenzy, I see a genuine opportunity for us to turn this into a positive and come back even stronger than before. I often think of the term “Anti-fragile” from the book of the same name by Nassim Taleb. The principle is that people and organizations can build their success around being able to come back even stronger after a wallop, instead of just withstanding the impact.

article thumbnail

FCC says new rules for robocall and text opt-outs will take effect in April 2025

Housing Wire

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) — the regulatory body that oversees communications across a wide variety of media including radio, telephone and the internet — announced that new rules related to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) will go into effect in April 2025. The new guidelines are designed to make it easier for consumers to revoke consent for unwanted robocalls and texts.

Mortgages 482
article thumbnail

Fairway, accused of redlining in Alabama, agrees to settle for $1.9M

Housing Wire

Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. has agreed to settle with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the U.S Department of Justice (DOJ) over the regulators’ allegations of mortgage lending discrimination in majority-Black neighborhoods of the Birmingham, Alabama , metro area. The agreement, which was submitted for court approval, requires the Madison, Wisconsin-based mortgage lender to pay a $1.9 million civil penalty.

Lending 468
article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

One mortgage lender abandons the Florida condo market

Housing Wire

California-based Provident Funding Associates LLC is getting out of the Florida condo lending business , it told broker partners on Friday. In an email sent Friday morning, Provident said that it would “no longer be accepting new applications for condominiums ” effective that day. Provident told broker partners that all loans in the pipeline must be locked by 11:59 p.m.

Mortgages 524
article thumbnail

DOJ sues Rocket, appraisal companies over alleged discrimination

Housing Wire

Another regulator has sued Rocket Mortgage for allegedly discriminating against a Black homeowner by undervaluing her home during an appraisal in Colorado three years ago. And the Detroit-based lender believes it’s a “massive overreach.” On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice —following a move made by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in July—filed a lawsuit against the lender, appraiser Maksym Mykhailyna and his company, Maverick Appraisal Group ,

Mortgages 511
article thumbnail

22 U.S. metros where buying a home is cheaper than renting

Housing Wire

Many renters think they’re saving money by renting, but long term, that might not be true. In some of the U.S.’s largest metros, a monthly mortgage payment is less expensive than the average rent. But there are many factors surrounding affordability—how do city dwellers make this decision? A new report from Zillow Home Loans outlines some key trends and factors for renters to consider when evaluating a home purchase.

article thumbnail

6 ways title companies can harness AI

Housing Wire

Feeling overwhelmed by all the AI talk? It’s understandable. Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a hot topic across every facet of life, including the real estate and title industries. Many title professionals are asking how AI can be used safely and effectively to improve daily operations. In this article, we’ll explore practical ways title companies can leverage AI to stay competitive in a fast-changing landscape, offering actionable tips to help you integrate these emerging tools respons

Title 448
article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

Year of change: Real estate pros reflects on anniversary of Sitzer/Burnett verdict

Housing Wire

It’s been one year since the Sitzer/Burnett verdict was rendered in Missouri. What has changed for real estate brokerages since then? (Image generated by AI in Midjourney) Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a series of articles that will explore the effects of the landmark Sitzer/Burnett case, which was decided on Oct. 31, 2023, and has since reshaped the business practices for real estate brokerages and agents across the country.

Brokerage 447
article thumbnail

ClearValue teams with Restb.ai to bring computer vision to appraisal process

Housing Wire

The real estate industry is racing to find ways that artificial intelligence (AI) can improve business practices. ClearValue Consulting thinks it’s found a way. The firm has partnered with Restb.ai to bring computer vision to its valuation review platform called Certainty. The companies hope Restb.ai’s technology can help ClearValue’s appraisal review clients improve efficiency and quality control while also reducing costs.

article thumbnail

Portrait of a pre-foreclosure peacemaker

Housing Wire

anely Sandoval’s calling to be a pre-foreclosure peacemaker started when she was in high school. “My mom and stepdad went into pre-foreclosure,” said Sandoval, a real estate agent and investor who specializes in working in low-income, often Latino neighborhoods in Southern California. “I knew things were going down, but I didn’t know how bad it was until people started knocking on our door.

article thumbnail

Demand for distressed homes is dropping. What that means for the housing market

Housing Wire

Online real estate marketplace Auction.com released data this week showing that demand for distressed homes — including bank-owned properties and foreclosures — shrank for a second straight quarter. The company’s Auction Market Dispatch for third-quarter 2024 included a survey conducted in late September of more than 140 active buyers on the platform.

Marketing 482
article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

Pending home sales jumped in September behind lower mortgage rates

Housing Wire

Lower mortgage rates in September had a measurable impact on home sales. According to data released Wednesday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), pending home sales in September jumped 7.4% compared to August and 2.6% year over year. NAR’s index reading of 75.8 is the highest number since March. An index reading of 100 equates to sales activity in 2001.

Sales 476
article thumbnail

First-time homebuyers are being insulated by slower market conditions. Will it last?

Housing Wire

Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of articles that will explore the effects of the landmark Sitzer/Burnett case, which was decided on Oct. 31, 2023, and has since reshaped the business practices for real estate brokerages and agents across the country. It is no secret that many first-time homebuyers are struggling. Stubbornly high interest rates, low levels of inventory and elevated home prices are putting a strain on the often-limited budgets of first-time buyers.

Marketing 448
article thumbnail

Reshaping appraisals: Jaro’s high-tech solutions innovate the appraisal process in an evolving real estate market

Housing Wire

As mortgage rates fluctuate based on decreasing housing inventory volume, the appraisal market is more volatile than ever in key areas such as urban and rural communities states like California and Texas. With higher rates, lower transaction volumes usually plague the industry, translating to fewer appraisals as homeowners hunker down with their lower rates.

article thumbnail

Fannie Mae expands voucher program for multifamily landlords

Housing Wire

Fannie Mae on Tuesday announced enhancements to its Expanded Housing Choice (EHC) initiative, opening it up to all jurisdictions without source-of-income protections. The government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) said the Housing Choice Voucher program, which launched in 2022, assists very low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities in being able to afford stable and quality housing in the private market.

article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

LoanSnap troubles continue as California revokes its lender license

Housing Wire

A California regulator has revoked the residential mortgage lending license of LoanSnap , the latest in a series of difficulties for the fintech lender. According to a filing from the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation dated Oct. 18, LoanSnap had its license revoked after it failed to renew its surety bond. That policy, which is designed to protect consumers from lender fraud and financial risk, expired in early August.

Lending 448
article thumbnail

What post-hurricane data in North Carolina could mean for Florida’s recovery

Housing Wire

What had previously been a surprisingly mild 2024 hurricane season closed with two devastating storms that hammered Florida and North Carolina. While assessing the full scale of the damage could still take months, the short-term effects on the two state’s housing markets were immediately visible — the markets came to a complete halt. In the days right before and after Hurricane Milton battered central Florida, two highly responsive metrics went into free fall.

Investor 459
article thumbnail

The unexpected strength of home prices this year

Housing Wire

We track inventory and home sales very closely, so the biggest surprise this year has been the resiliency of home prices. Given the unrelenting mortgage costs, generally weak homebuyer demand, and the year’s rising supply of unsold homes, I’ve been expecting home prices to recede a bit in the second half of this year. They have not. That’s an important lesson to learn from when looking into next year.

Mortgages 475
article thumbnail

New-home sales beat estimates but need a dose of reality

Housing Wire

With new-home sales growing since 2022, why are housing starts at recessionary levels? Well, it’s a complicated story if you don’t know how the homebuilders operate, and not all homebuilders are the same. The big publicly traded builders have money to pay down mortgage rates and manage their pipelines better than smaller homebuilders. However, even with that reality, when mortgage rates were at 7.50% earlier in the year, housing starts and permits were heading lower, single-family permits were h

Sales 488
article thumbnail

Rise of The Apps: Building Your Dream Tech Stack For Real Estate Success

Speaker: Trey Willard, Realtor/Team Leader at Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

In order to create continued success in today’s real estate market, realtors need to utilize an arsenal of technology that will increase their efficiency and presence on social media. Using technology to manage your prospects and tap into their needs through websites, social media, and other channels is critical for real estate success in 2022 and beyond.

article thumbnail

Higher mortgage rates keep the market subdued even as more sellers list their homes

Housing Wire

Mortgage rates continue to rise, serving as a bucket of cold water for lenders and consumers that were warming to lower borrowing costs just a few months ago. According to HousingWire ‘s Mortgage Rates Center , the average 30-year conforming rate was 6.61% on Tuesday. That was up 15 basis points (bps) from one week ago and 30 bps higher than on Sept. 18, when the Federal Reserve lowered benchmark rates by 50 bps.

Mortgages 468
article thumbnail

Mortgage rates could reach 5.7% next year, but will sellers give up their 3% rates?

Housing Wire

The U.S. economy appears to be on firmer footing than previously thought, mortgage rates are forecast to end 2024 at 6% and home-price growth is also on the move. These are conclusions drawn by economists at Fannie Mae ‘s Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group. They’re now projecting gross domestic product (GDP) growth to fall from 3.2% in 2023 to 2.3% in 2024 and 2% in 2025.

Mortgages 511
article thumbnail

Prices for FICO scores are predicted to rise — again — in 2025

Housing Wire

Wall Street investors and analysts forecast that mortgage credit-score costs will rise in 2025 as lower interest rates may drive an increase in home loan applications. Fair Isaac Corp. (FICO), the company that retains the rights to the market’s widely adopted consumer credit-risk assessment methodology, is expected to raise the price for mortgage credit scores from $3.50 to at least $5, according to the estimates.

Investor 531
article thumbnail

NAR faces new suit alleging antitrust violations, discrimination

Housing Wire

The legal woes continue for the National Association of Realtors (NAR). On Wednesday, Maurice Muhammad — the broker of Progressive Realty — filed a complaint in U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania claiming that NAR, the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors (PAR) and the Greater Lehigh Valley MLS (GLVMLS) have violated federal civil rights statutes, engaged in unlawful discriminatory practices, breached their contracts, created a monopolistic system and broken federal antitrust laws.

MLS 448
article thumbnail

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.