Sat.Mar 02, 2024 - Fri.Mar 08, 2024

article thumbnail

Why is housing inventory growing with higher mortgage rates?

Housing Wire

The mortgage rate lockdown premise says that if rates rise, inventory can’t grow meaningfully. The idea is that nobody will trade their low mortgage rates to buy another home — even though this happened every week last year. Of course, I have a different view. My podcast partner, Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler, disagrees, along with many others. You can see our debate on this topic here.

Mortgages 535
article thumbnail

What To Know About Credit Scores Before Buying a Home

Keeping Current Matters

If you want to buy a home, you should know your credit score is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to qualifying for a mortgage.

Mortgages 347
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

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

article thumbnail

5 master-your-market steps to effective real estate branding

Inman

If you want to raise your profile and stay top of mind in your chosen market, luxury consultant Chris Pollinger writes, it requires crafting an effective and recognizable brand identity.

Branding 185
article thumbnail

Affordable homes sprouting more quickly as spring approaches

Real Estate News

Realtor.com’s February housing report shows inventory rising, especially in the South, and availability of homes priced between $200k-$350k increasing by 20.6%.

274
274
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

Biden to call for first-time homebuyer tax credit, construction of 2 million homes

Housing Wire

The White House announced that President Joe Biden will call on lawmakers in the House of Representatives and the Senate to address a series of housing issues in his State of the Union address, which will be delivered to a joint session of Congress and televised nationally on Thursday night. In the address, the president will call for a $10,000 tax credit for both first-time homebuyers and people who sell their starter homes; the construction and renovation of more than 2 million additional home

article thumbnail

Why Access Is So Important When Selling Your House

Keeping Current Matters

If you’re gearing up to sell your house this spring, one of the early conversations you’ll have with your agent is about how much access you want to give buyers.

Agents 327

More Trending

article thumbnail

Home flipper optimism continues to rise — for now

Real Estate News

The winter dip in mortgage rates gave a boost to first-time buyers and home flippers, a new report shows. Whether that continues depends on the Fed.

Mortgages 284
article thumbnail

First-time homebuyers made up a record share of agency purchase loans in 2023

Housing Wire

First-time homebuyers made up 55% of agency purchase mortgages in 2023, according to Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) eMBS data, the highest such share in the 10 years ICE has been tracking the metric. A record 47% of government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) purchase loans in 2023 came from first-time homebuyers, a number that’s been trending gradually higher throughout the past decade.

Loans 514
article thumbnail

The Benefits of Downsizing When You Retire

Keeping Current Matters

If you’re taking a look at your expenses as you retire, saving money where you can has a lot of appeal.

356
356
article thumbnail

The Real Brokerage posts dramatic spike in revenue, agent count in Q4

Inman

Celebrating a decade in operation this year, the cloud-based brokerage saw revenue skyrocket by 89 percent in the fourth quarter and its agent count soar by 66 percent, according to earnings data on Thursday.

Brokerage 183
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.

article thumbnail

AI is so much more than ChatGPT — here’s what you need to know

Real Estate News

Products that just scratch the surface of what AI can do are giving real estate “a bad rap,” but there are ways to go deeper (without getting in too deep).

270
270
article thumbnail

Mortgage rates fall as labor market normalizes

Housing Wire

Everyone was waiting to see if this week’s jobs report would send mortgage rates higher, which is what happened last month. Instead, the 10-year yield had a muted response after the headline number beat estimates, but we have negative job revisions from previous months. The Federal Reserve ’s fear of wage growth spiraling out of control hasn’t materialized for over two years now and the unemployment rate ticked up to 3.9%.

Marketing 511
article thumbnail

Why There Won’t Be a Recession That Tanks the Housing Market

Keeping Current Matters

There’s been a lot of recession talk over the past couple of years.

Marketing 326
article thumbnail

Want to quit listing appointments? Try this pre-screening strategy

Inman

Agent Danielle Lazier quit listing appointments because she was tired of giving away expertise with no reward. Here's how she susses out which clients truly want to work with her.

Agents 176
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

Mortgage rate dip leads to jump in activity

Real Estate News

Rates fell slightly this week, ending a four-week run of increases, and mortgage applications were up nearly 10%. Inventory and consumer sentiment are also up.

Mortgages 265
article thumbnail

Inventory is 19% higher than a year ago: Altos

Housing Wire

At HousingWire , we have a debate about whether home sellers will freeze up again this year as mortgage rates stay stubbornly high. We’ve had seller growth for 18 weeks in a row. I’ve previously been confident that trend will continue. A couple months ago, when rates were in the 6s still, I suggested that we could see 15% home sales growth this year.

Mortgages 501
article thumbnail

The Spring Market Is a Sweet Spot if You’re Looking To Sell [INFOGRAPHIC]

Keeping Current Matters

Wondering if now’s a good time to sell your house?

Marketing 333
article thumbnail

C21’s Mike Miedler speaks on the power of a ‘to-don’t’ list

Inman

The real estate conference season is heating up, as multiple real estate brands descend on Las Vegas to rally agents and brokers for what will undoubtedly be another challenging year. Century 21 is the latest brokerage to roll the dice in Sin City, with its annual One 21 Experience taking place in the Fontainebleau from Mar. 4 to 7.

Brokerage 178
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

Realtor.com to expand rental listings — using Zillow data

Real Estate News

The home search rivals announced a syndication agreement allowing Zillow to be the exclusive provider of multifamily apartment listings on Realtor.com.

262
262
article thumbnail

More homeowners feel like it’s the right time to sell: Fannie Mae

Housing Wire

Consumer sentiment toward housing inched higher for a third consecutive month as respondents feel increasingly optimistic about home selling conditions. Fannie Mae ’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index ( HPSI ), which tracks the U.S. housing market and consumer confidence to buy or sell a home, rose 2.1 points in February to 72.8. The full index is up 14.8 points from one year ago.

Mortgages 497
article thumbnail

New Bill in Congress Targets Real Estate Investors—Here’s Why This Could Be a Big Problem

Bigger Pockets

Another bill is targeting real estate investors—this time, with a goal to “help Main Street compete with Wall Street.” What's in the bill? And what are the consequences for investors if passed?

Investor 140
article thumbnail

Luxury forecast: What lies ahead for high-net-worth buyers in 2024

Inman

Recent luxury forecasts from Coldwell Banker and Christie's International Real Estate show optimism in the market, and plenty of demand for new technology. Intel examines their findings.

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

The new prime time for sellers? It’s no longer May

Real Estate News

A report from Zillow found that summer can be the most lucrative time to list, but low inventory means rate fluctuations can “make their own seasonality.

255
255
article thumbnail

‘There will be bank failures,’ Fed chief tells lawmakers

Housing Wire

In remarks made Thursday to the Senate Banking Committee this week, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said he expects some U.S. banks to fail in the coming months because of declining values and defaults in their commercial real estate loan portfolios. According to reporting by multiple outlets, including The Hill , Powell indicated that the risk is tied to small and midsized banks, and there is no systemic risk to the banking sector posed by the potential collapse of major institutions.

Banks 492
article thumbnail

Fed Chair Powell Affirms Rate Cuts Are Coming This Year as U.S. Moves Closer to 2% Inflation Goal

RIS Media

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday signaled that rate cuts are coming this year, sticking to the Fed’s cautious script about slashing rates too quickly before it has a sustained handle on inflation. “In our pursuit of our dual mandate, the Federal Reserve remains steadfast in promoting maximum employment and stable prices for the… The post Fed Chair Powell Affirms Rate Cuts Are Coming This Year as U.S.

article thumbnail

Inman announces 2024 class of Marketing All-Stars award winners

Inman

The prestigious award honors the most creative, innovative and strategic-thinking marketers within the real estate industry for 2024.

Marketing 193
article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

Real posts big gains in agent count, revenue and transactions

Real Estate News

Fourth-quarter revenue was up a whopping 89%, though net losses rose along with operating expenses.

Agents 293
article thumbnail

The Fed is in no rush to cut rates amid inflation battle

Housing Wire

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated Wednesday that the central bank won’t be applying any cuts to benchmark interest rates until it’s sure that inflation is under control. In his prepared testimony to the House Financial Services Committee, Powell hinted at rate cuts “at some point this year” but kept the timing under wraps. Powell emphasized the Fed’s commitment to its dual mandate of bolstering employment and keeping consumer prices stable.

Banks 482
article thumbnail

Overflow Crowd Packs Gowanus Church for Rowdy Meeting Over Migrant Shelter

Brownstoner

Spaced elbow to elbow in Hoyt Street’s City Life Church Monday night, Gowanus locals aired their concerns at a community meeting on a migrant shelter for 400 men slated to open in a former factory building on 3rd Street. A vocal group dominated the meeting, heckling speakers and yelling snipes… Read More > The post Overflow Crowd Packs Gowanus Church for Rowdy Meeting Over Migrant Shelter appeared first on Brownstoner.

Marketing 132
article thumbnail

Location, location, location? Price eclipses previous buyer priority

Inman

Fifty-six percent of consumers surveyed by Coldwell Banker said that price is the most important factor for them when choosing a home, compared to 50 percent who said location was most important, casting doubt on the seasoned advice that location is everything in homebuying.

Brokerage 174
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.