Sat.Jan 11, 2025 - Fri.Jan 17, 2025

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Housing Market Decoded: Why Fed cuts haven’t kept mortgage rates down

Real Estate News

When the Fed lowers interest rates, a drop in mortgage rates often follows but recently, the opposite has happened. Heres why.

Mortgages 280
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What not to post: 9 common social media pitfalls to avoid

Inman

Social media is a powerful tool for real estate agents, but knowing what not to post is just as important as knowing what to share. Expert Jessi Healey outlines the top mistakes to avoid, from posting too much to ignoring comments, so you can maintain a polished, professional and trustworthy online presence.

Agents 148
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The Truth About Credit Scores and Buying a Home

Keeping Current Matters

Your credit score plays a big role in the homebuying process.

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Mortgage rates fall after remarks by Fed President Waller

Housing Wire

The 10-year yield and mortgage rates have been on a wild ride lately, even testing my top-end forecast at 7.25%, but today, the 10-year yield fell after remarks by Fed President Chris Waller about whether the Fed would do even more rate cuts than the market was anticipating. His statement on this, in a CNBC interview : If inflation continues on this path through the beginning of 2025, it’s reasonable to think that possibly rate cuts could happen in the first half of the year.” This w

Mortgages 493
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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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California agents scramble to help clients affected by LA wildfires

Real Estate News

As the fires rage on, some agents are working on the front lines to help displaced residents facing big losses while navigating scarcity and price-gouging.

Agents 292
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FTC warns of massive spoofing op impersonating mortgage lenders

Inman

"Green Mirage" phone scam targets homeowners in all 50 states from India, using the caller ID of the borrower's actual mortgage lender and tricking victims into making payments to U.S.-based "mules.

Mortgages 166

More Trending

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Rising mortgage rates zap builder confidence

Housing Wire

Todays housing starts data exceeded estimates; however, a closer examination of the report with the builder confidence reveals that the recent rise in mortgage rates , approaching 7.25%, has negatively affected builder sentiment. Since late 2022, our analysis indicates that mortgage rates in the 6%-6.5% range are positive to grow sales, whereas rates at 7% and above especially 7.50% or higher significantly impact the builder data.

Mortgages 468
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Resilience and rebuilding: LA’s uncertain housing future

Real Estate News

What does rebuilding look like and should we even continue to build in some of the areas affected by wildfires? Experts share their thoughts.

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Mortgage rates ease on benign December inflation report

Inman

Investors bid up shares of mortgage lenders and real estate companies after "relatively benign" CPI report ends speculation that inflation worries might force the Fed to raise rates this year.

Mortgages 173
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One Homebuying Step You Don’t Want To Skip: Pre-Approval

Keeping Current Matters

There’s one essential step in the homebuying process you may not know a whole lot about and that’s pre-approval.

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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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Natural disasters like the LA fires will deepen the U.S. housing crisis

Housing Wire

Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) released an in-depth study this week in which they argue that decades of policy missteps have created a shortage of affordable housing across the U.S. and are pushing homeownership out of reach for millions of Americans. The full study , which was published in the January edition of The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, goes back 20 years to examine the origins of the current housing crisis.

Lending 418
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Supreme Court denies NAR request to review DOJ case

Real Estate News

The decision is a blow for the association, which has spent years trying to prevent the Justice Department from reopening its investigation into NAR policies.

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RE/MAX taps Christie’s Real Estate vet Chris Lim as chief growth officer

Inman

Lim, who vacated the presidency of Christie's International Real Estate in 2023, will be tasked with growing RE/MAX at a time when the brokerage has struggled with falling revenue and U.S. agent count.

Brokerage 158
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How Much Home Equity Have You Gained? The Answer Might Surprise You

Keeping Current Matters

Have you ever stopped to think about how much wealth you’ve built up just from being a homeowner?

Equity 250
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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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What previous California wildfires can teach us about rebuilding LA

Housing Wire

The wildfires ripping through Los Angeles are on pace to be the most destructive in U.S. history, as one estimate concludes that property damage from the Palisades and Eaton fires could exceed $45 billion. When theyre finally extinguished, the city and its residents will have to sift through the devastation and answer questions about how and whether to rebuild.

Land 396
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New construction ends 2024 on a high note

Real Estate News

Housing starts were way up for the year, and prospects look good heading into 2025 but the economy and policy decisions could present some challenges.

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NAR hires insider as ‘first-ever’ senior VP of industry relations

Inman

Jarrod Grasso will lead the trade group's efforts to "deepen engagement with state and local associations, MLS executives and other critical industry partners.

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Roughly 11,000 Homes Will Sell Today – Will Yours Be One of Them?

Keeping Current Matters

Are you hesitant to sell your house because you’re worried no one’s buying with rates and prices where they are right now?

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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.

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What to expect in 2025: Securing customer insurance in a volatile real estate market

Housing Wire

The year 2025 will be transformative for real estate. Rising personal home insurance rates, fueled by escalating claims costs, increasing property values and the growing frequency of natural disasters, will all have a profound impact on market dynamics and homeowners insurance costs. For real estate professionals and mortgage lenders, these shifts present both challenges and opportunities.

Marketing 369
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Clear Cooperation lawsuit dismissed (again)

Real Estate News

TAN, a private listing network, has agreed to drop its case against NAR after nearly five years of litigation and previous dismissals. Will this be the end?

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MoxiWorks 2025 launches with new funding, product initiatives

Inman

In addition to it being the first full year under new CEO Eric Elfman, MoxiWorks has landed a significant round of financing to support its plans for the coming year.

Land 158
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Rebuilding Lives After the L.A. Wildfires: A Resource Guide for Recovery

BAM Media

Its one thing to see L.A. wildfires on the news and in social media. Its another to see the destruction and heartbreak in your own neighborhood. The Broke Agent , who lives in the area, has seen plenty of SoCal agents going above and beyond to help their fellow residents in any way they can. People love to take shots at real estate agents. Feels like they are often the public punching bag.

Banks 116
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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.

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Realtor.com: HOA fees are on the rise among all home types

Housing Wire

Mortgage and property tax payments are not the only expenses that prospective homeowners need to consider. Homeowners associations (HOAs) are commonplace, and more of them are requiring owners to pay up, according to a survey by Realtor.com. Realtor.com’s report found that 40.5% of listings in 2024 had some sort of HOA fee and these expenses became even more costly.

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NAR asks court to dismiss Michigan mandatory membership case

Real Estate News

Tying association membership to MLS access isnt anticompetitive, the defendants argue, while also claiming the plaintiffs are contradicting themselves.

MLS 222
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Wildfires don’t discriminate, but people do. Fight back with fairness

Inman

As real estate first responders, Dr. Lee Davenport writes, let us be mindful to fight fire with fairness and fair housing in mind.

Agents 158
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Housing Starts End 2024 on an Up Note

Eye on Housing

Fueled by solid demand, single-family construction moved higher in December despite several headwinds facing the industry, including high mortgage rates, elevated financing costs for builders and a lack of buildable lots. Overall housing starts increased 15.8% in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.50 million units, according to a report from the U.S.

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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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Younger generations are more likely to pursue home renovations this year

Housing Wire

As high home prices continue to impact the market, many homeowners are deciding to stay put in their homes. But most still have plans to purse home renovations and younger generations are leading this new focus on home improvement. Emmy Award-winning home improvement platform This Old House conducted a survey of 2,000 homeowners on their renovation plans for 2025.

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FMLS in Georgia to share data with Alabama neighbors

Real Estate News

The agreement allows the 67,000 combined members of FMLS the 5th-largest MLS in the U.S. and three smaller organizations to share listings and referrals.

MLS 220
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‘This feeling is devastating:’ Celebs who lost their homes in LA wildfires

Inman

Dozens of high-profile celebrities have lost their homes in the Los Angeles wildfires since last week, including Mandy Moore, Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and more.

Brokerage 158
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Pol, Locals Call for More Affordability in Planned Arrow Linen Development

Brownstoner

The controversial Arrow Linen rezoning, which would see the development of two 13-story apartment buildings on a currently low-rise Park Slope site, was the subject of yet another heated public hearing last week, this time at the City Council. Sixty-eight people testified in front of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises… Read More > The post Pol, Locals Call for More Affordability in Planned Arrow Linen Development appeared first on Brownstoner.

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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.