Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 4, 2021

There’s no doubt we’re in a seller’s housing market. With inventory at record lows, demand surging and prices on the rise, buying — even just finding — a home in today’s market is quite the challenge. Of course, nothing’s impossible. If buying a home is on your radar for 2021, there are still ways to do it. You’ll just need a little forethought and some good old creativity, and the American Dream could very well be within reach.

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Keeping Current Matters

FEBRUARY 4, 2021

In today’s housing market, there are clear financial benefits to owning a home: increasing equity , the chance to build your net worth , and appreciating home values, just to name a few. If you’re a renter, it’s never too early to think about how homeownership can propel you toward a stronger future. Here’s a dive into three often-overlooked financial benefits of homeownership and how preparing for them now can steer you in the direction of greater financial security and savings. 1.

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Maximum Exposure Real Estate

FEBRUARY 4, 2021

Should I Pay Off My Mortgage Many people ask themselves, “should I pay off my mortgage?” As a homeowner, the idea of having your home paid off early is likely enticing. Who wants to pay a mortgage every month if they don’t have to? But, as with every big financial decision, it is essential to […]. The post Should I Pay Off My Mortgage Early: See The Pros and Cons appeared first on Massachusetts Real Estate Exposure.

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Realtor.com

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

Tijana Simic / Getty Images What are the tax benefits of owning a home? Plenty of homeowners are asking themselves this right around now as they prepare to file their taxes. You may recall the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act—the most substantial overhaul to the U.S. tax code in more than 30 years—went into effect on Jan. 1, 2018. The result was likely a big change to your taxes, especially the tax perks of homeownership.

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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.

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Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 3, 2021

Economists and housing experts say mortgage lending standards will likely loosen in 2021, despite the increased risk of delinquencies ahead. Such a scenario illustrates the growing disparities in the U.S. housing market. As one struggling group of homeowners braces for the end of forbearance and navigates COVID-19-related economic shocks, another segment is better positioned than ever to scoop up properties that become available.

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Keeping Current Matters

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Some Highlights. A real estate professional is an expert who can advocate on your behalf throughout the process when building a home. Agents help you understand key steps, like choosing upgrades and managing negotiations, while staying within your budget from start to finish. If building is the right choice for you, work with a trusted real estate professional who can help you successfully navigate the path to your dream home.

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Better Dwelling

FEBRUARY 2, 2021

Canada’s central bank has finally stopped juicing the mortgage market… or at least it’s taking a break. Bank of Canada (BoC) data shows December was the first ever drop in the amount of Canada mortgage bonds (CMBs) held. It’s too early to tell if it’s just temporary, or if it’ll start again. If the buying […]. The post Bank of Canada Data Shows They’re Past Peak Mortgage Bond Buying appeared first on Better Dwelling.

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Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

United Wholesale Mortgage , now a publicly traded company, will return to the Super Bowl this year. The wholesale lender will be running a new Super Bowl commercial spotlighting independent mortgage brokers and its website FindAMortgageBroker.com for a second straight year. See the video below: “We will always find ways to elevate and shine a light on independent mortgage brokers, and what better way to do this than during the Super Bowl where millions of Americans are tuned in to watch the game

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Keeping Current Matters

FEBRUARY 3, 2021

Is the idea of saving for a down payment holding you back from buying a home right now? You may be eager to take advantage of today’s low mortgage rates, but the thought of needing a large down payment might make you want to pump the brakes. Today, there’s still a common myth that you have to come up with 20% of the total sale price for your down payment.

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Imagine Your House

FEBRUARY 4, 2021

Stanzas built to portray a home’s real essence. How many of us truly appreciate our homes? Especially now. Now that we seem to be spending a lot more time at home. And I get it that this hasn’t necessarily been our choice, yet now that you have been glued to your home more or less, how do you feel about the walls surrounding you? No, I’m not speaking literally about the walls themselves!

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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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Better Dwelling

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Mortgage rates might be low, but nosebleed home prices still make payments difficult. National Bank of Canada (NBC) data shows the household income required to carry a mortgage on a typical home in Q4 2020. The numbers in some regions are staggering, before even considering downpayments. In Toronto or Vancouver, the middle class can no […]. The post Buying A Typical Home In Canada?

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Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 4, 2021

The average mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed loan remained unchanged last week from the week prior at 2.73%, according to Freddie Mac ’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. With mortgage rates hovering below 3% for over six months now, Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, said this may be a sign of an economy still struggling. “This rate environment is advantageous for those who are looking to refinance in order to strengthen their financial position,” Khater said. “While ma

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Keeping Current Matters

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

As we approach the anniversary of the hardships we’ve faced through this pandemic and the subsequent recession, it’s normal to reflect on everything that’s changed and wonder what’s ahead for 2021. While there are signs of economic recovery as vaccines are being issued, we still have a long way to go. It’s at times like these we want exact information about anything we’re doing.

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Realtor.com

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

Patrick Wong/Houzz The dining table was fine for a while. We were supposed to be working from home for only a few weeks. But then the weeks turned into months, and now the months have turned into (gasp!) nearly a year. So we found refuge wherever we could—behind closed bedroom doors, out on the patio, or even inside our closets. And so the “cloffice” was born.

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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.

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RIS Media

FEBRUARY 2, 2021

Realogy Holdings Corp. recently announced that more than 40 of its leaders, affiliated agents and broker/owners were recognized on RISMedia’s Real Estate Newsmakers list, represented across multiple categories. The company also celebrates the induction of Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Realogy Expansion Brands portfolio, to the 2021 Newsmakers Hall of Fame for her achievements driving the strategic growth of the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and ERA brands. “Realogy’

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Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 3, 2021

United Wholesale Mortgage originated more than $54 billion in mortgages and generated more than $1.3 billion in net income during the fourth quarter, the company revealed on Wednesday. The wholesale lender’s parent company reported $54.7 billion in originations, a 71% increase from the $31.9 billion the Michigan-based lender originated in the fourth quarter in 2019.

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Keeping Current Matters

FEBRUARY 2, 2021

Every year, households across the country make the decision to rent for another year or take the leap into homeownership. They look at their earnings and savings and then decide what makes the most financial sense. That equation will most likely take into consideration monthly housing costs, tax advantages, and other incremental expenses. Using these measurements, recent studies show that it’s still more affordable to own than rent in most of the country.

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Realtor.com

FEBRUARY 4, 2021

Ariel Skelley/Getty Images It’s no news to house hunters that the pickings are slim in today’s real estate market. While that has been true for several years, the pandemic has made the situation worse as virus-wary home sellers have pulled their properties off the market, resulting in sky-high prices and out-of-control bidding wars for the remaining stock.

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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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Zolo

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Sellers will quickly realize that there is very little space to highlight the best features of your home, so it's best to choose wisely and focus on the features homebuyers really want. The post Features men and women home buyers really want appeared first on Zolo.

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Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 4, 2021

A Zillow report released Thursday shows urban home values in Midwest cities — namely, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, Columbus and Indianapolis — have risen faster than suburban home values over the past several months. Urban housing markets in the Midwest are generally more affordable than urban areas in other areas of the country. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing millions to work from home, Zillow reported that demand is supercharging home values in those kinds of affordable a

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Swiftlane

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

What Is Proptech and Why Are Companies Developing It? Proptech, at its simplest, means property technology. If that definition seems broad, that’s because it is. Proptech can refer to any technology that uses automation, AI, IT, IoT (we can go on) that is developed for the property industry. That means commercial real estate, multifamily housing, […].

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Realtor.com

FEBRUARY 3, 2021

Westend61/Getty Images Starry-eyed first-time home buyers are getting a rude awakening to the realities of today’s high-stakes home-buying market. The coronavirus pandemic supercharged the housing market, as buyers urgently seeking more space flooded the market, lured by low mortgage rates. That’s on top of the usual dynamics of household expansion: Many millennials hit 30 and wanted homes that could accommodate a growing family.

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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.

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Lighter Side of Real Estate

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

When you list your home, the goal is to sell the property for more than you invested in it—and to walk away with a profit. And in 2020, those profits were significant for a lot of homeowners. According to recent data from real estate research firm ATTOM Data Solutions , in 2020, the average home sale in the United States saw a home-price gain of $68,843, with profits rising in more than 90 percent of housing markets across the country—and homeowners seeing a 34.7 percent return on investment (RO

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Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 2, 2021

Ginnie Mae announced its first guarantee of a mortgage-backed security backed by digital pools, or pools of loans that consist entirely of eNotes. The MBS were loans closed by Rocket Mortgage in December, are issued as of Jan. 1, 2021 and have coupon rates ranging from 2.5% to 3.5%. The total principal value of the digital pools came to about $24 million.

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Eye on Housing

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

Buyers’ perceptions about the availability of homes in the market are showing significant improvement, according to the latest Housing Trends Report. In the final quarter of 2020, 37% of prospective buyers expect their search for a home to get easier in the months ahead, while 54% expect it will be harder or stay the same. A year earlier, far fewer.

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Marketing 126

Coldwell Banker

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

Beyond tech, tools and training – Coldwell Banker has it covered when it comes to agent needs. The post Agent Survey: No One Beats Coldwell Banker When it Comes to Agent Satisfaction appeared first on Coldwell Banker Blue Matter.

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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.

Agents

Realtor.com

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

Paul Rollis/Houzz With six more weeks of winter still ahead (thanks for nothing, Punxsutawney Phil !), what better time to make your living room the cozy haven it’s meant to be? If your great room could use some comfort and warmth, never fear—we’re here, as always, to provide you with much needed decor therapy. We scrolled through what’s trending on Instagram (so you don’t have to) and picked out five living room looks that are so cozy you’ll think you’ve been trans

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Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 5, 2021

According to a recent Realtor.com survey , almost 95% of homebuyers consider their pets when purchasing a home. Yes, you read that right. Purchasing your first home is an exciting time. Whether you’re shopping for a fixer-upper or a home with a modern exterior, there’s nothing like finally being able to check the “buy a house” box off your bucket list. .

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American Lifestyle

FEBRUARY 1, 2021

The post Why Now Is a Great Time to Tap Into Your Home’s Equity appeared first on American Lifestyle Magazine.

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Brownstoner

FEBRUARY 3, 2021

Intransigent transit officials have refused to move their emergency vehicles off of a plot of land in Greenpoint to a planned new facility next door, further delaying a promised park along Newtown Creek some 16 years in the making, according to local pols. “We are still faced with the MTA dragging… Read More > The post Long-Delayed Greenpoint Park Still On Hold While Site Serves as MTA Parking Lot appeared first on Brownstoner.

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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.

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