Housing Wire

MARCH 4, 2021

The average mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed loan rose 5 basis points last week to 3.02%, marking the first time since July that the industry has seen rates break above 3%, according to Freddie Mac ’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. Since reaching a low point in January, mortgage rates have risen by more than 30 basis points as the economy works to recover, and according to Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist, the impact on purchase demand has been noticeable.

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Keeping Current Matters

MARCH 3, 2021

Whether you’re buying your first home or selling your current house, if your needs are changing and you think you need to move, the decision can be complicated. You may have to take personal or professional considerations into account, and only you can judge what impact those factors should have on your desire to move. However, there’s one category that provides a simple answer.

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Better Dwelling

MARCH 5, 2021

Last March, the Canadian government sprung into action when news of a pandemic struck. No, not for PPE as you might guess. An email shows they rejected an offer from a major N95 supplier, stating “masks are not a priority.” If healthcare wasn’t the government’s top priority, what was? Preserving real estate prices, it would […]. The post Canada Tried To Stop Real Estate Prices From Falling, And Created A Bigger Bubble appeared first on Better Dwelling.

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Brownstoner

MARCH 1, 2021

It is just a snippet of footage, but a rare bit of film gives a glimpse of something that once greeted generations of Brooklynites: a flock of sheep taking a spring-time stroll through Prospect Park. The shepherd and his collies that guide the bleating herd, including some scampering lambs, were captured… Read More > The post Watch Sheep Stroll Through Prospect Park in a Rare Newsreel From the 1920s appeared first on Brownstoner.

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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.

Industrial

Housing Wire

MARCH 3, 2021

Mortgage applications recovered slightly from last week , increasing 0.5% for the week ending Feb. 26, 2021 according to the latest report from the Mortgage Bankers Association. A giant dip in applications was reported following the devastating winter storms in Texas the week of Feb. 8, but a week of normalized weather brought numbers back up, according to Joel Kan, MBA’s associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting.

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Keeping Current Matters

MARCH 4, 2021

Last year, many homeowners thought twice about selling their houses due to the onset of the health crisis. This year, however, homeowners are beginning to regain their confidence when it comes to selling safely. The latest Home Purchase Sentiment Index ( HPSI ) by Fannie Mae shows that 57% of consumers believe now is a good time to sell. Doug Duncan, Vice President and Chief Economist at Fannie Mae, explains : “Overall, the index’s monthly increase was driven largely by a substantial jump in the

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Realtor.com

MARCH 5, 2021

Getty Images No one likes to overpay. But if you’re looking to hire a home improvement professional to do some work, you might not know what’s a fair price. Services like installing a deck, repairing a roof, or remodeling a bathroom can cost a lot of money, but most people don’t know what to expect—or understand what goes into the final cost. “There is a natural information imbalance between the consumer doing the hiring and the pro doing the work,” says Mischa Fisher , chief economist for

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Housing Wire

MARCH 4, 2021

United Wholesale Mortgage , the top wholesale lender in the nation, announced on a Facebook live Thursday that it will no longer partner with brokers who also work with Rocket Mortgage and Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. Mat Ishbia, president and CEO of UWM, gave brokers and owners a deadline of March 15 to sign an addendum saying they are not working with those two lenders.

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Keeping Current Matters

MARCH 5, 2021

Some Highlights. With so few homes available to buy today, houses are in high demand, and they’re selling fast. That means it’s a great time to sell if you’re ready to make a move. Reach out to a local real estate professional to make sure your house is ready for a top-dollar sale this spring. It may be closer than you think! The post How to Prepare Your House for a Winning Sale This Spring [INFOGRAPHIC] appeared first on Keeping Current Matters.

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Brownstoner

MARCH 1, 2021

With hundreds of years of history behind its walls, this early 19th century Brooklyn Heights house is perhaps best known as the 'Moonstruck' house. The 1987 film used the exterior of 19 Cranberry Street as the home of the multi-generational Castorini family, and the surrounding area figured prominently in the… Read More > The post Brooklyn Heights ‘Moonstruck’ House With Lush Interior, Parking Asks $12.85 Million appeared first on Brownstoner.

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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

Eye on Housing

MARCH 3, 2021

In the survey results described in one of last week’s posts, prices of building material ranked as the number one problem among NAHB’s single-family builders, and availability of building materials ranked second. These concerns are not surprising, given the surge in building material prices reported in the latest Producer Price Index data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Construction 138

Housing Wire

MARCH 5, 2021

Tension between long-time rivals United Wholesale Mortgage and Rocket Pro TPO , formerly Quicken Loans Mortgage Services , reached a new boiling point after the top wholesale lender in the nation announced it will no longer work with brokers who also work with Rocket Mortgage. Mat Ishbia, president and CEO of UWM, gave brokers and owners just over a week to sign an addendum saying they are not working with Rocket Pro TPO.

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Keeping Current Matters

MARCH 1, 2021

If you’re thinking of buying a home this year, you may be wondering how much money you need to come up with for your down payment. Many people may think it’s 20% of the loan to secure a mortgage. While there are plenty of lower down payment options available for qualified buyers who don’t want to put 20% down, it’s important to understand how a larger down payment can have great benefits too.

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Realtor.com

MARCH 5, 2021

Snowberry Lane Photography/Houzz If you’re dying for a real vacation right about now, we have good news—and bad news. While spring break might still be canceled, that doesn’t mean you can’t bring the magical vibes of travel into your home with some fresh decor. After scouring Instagram for the hottest looks , we’re here to bring you these top five favorites.

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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

RIS Media

FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Bold Moves Create Modern Advantages for the RE/MAX® Network. A year ago, in March 2020, on the heels of an active January/February that set the year up as a strong one for home sales, the reality of COVID-19 hit the U.S. consciousness like a prize fighter’s uppercut. The blow essentially knocked the housing market to the canvas. At RE/MAX®, where spirits were high after an extremely successful convention in February, that bewildering moment could have triggered a total retreat.

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Housing Wire

MARCH 2, 2021

Spring is one of the most popular selling seasons – and it’s right around the corner. Are you preparing to sell your house? You don’t just want to sell it as is. You want to make a few preparations to attract the most potential buyers. Here are a few things you should consider to ensure your home sells fast and you get the best deal! More for Real Estate Enthusiasts. 5 reasons to refinance your mortgage right now.

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Keeping Current Matters

MARCH 2, 2021

The real estate market was on fire during the second half of 2020. Buyer demand was way up, and the supply of homes available for sale hit record lows. The price of anything is determined by the supply and demand ratio, so home prices skyrocketed last year. Dr. Lynn Fisher, Deputy Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Division of Research and Statistics , explains : “House prices nationwide recorded the largest annual and quarterly increase in the history of the FHFA Home Price I

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Better Dwelling

MARCH 2, 2021

Greater Vancouver suddenly has exuberant homebuyers once again, armed with cheap debt. Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver (REBGV) data shows composite prices made a big jump in February. Actually, almost all measures of home prices made a big leap. Some segments even added more than $44,000 to the value just last month. Let’s dive […].

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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.

Sales

The Mortgage Report

MARCH 4, 2021

6 low- and no-down-payment mortgage options for today's home buyers. Find out how you can buy a house with no money down and a low interest rate.

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Mortgages 141

Housing Wire

MARCH 2, 2021

Rocket Companies Chairman Dan Gilbert may want to gift some karma to users of the infamous subreddit Wall Street Bets. His company’s stock soared nearly 100% on Tuesday after the day traders at the subreddit took interest in the mortgage lender’s stock , which had been hovering around the $20 mark for much of the past three months. Nearly 40% of the company’s available shares are sold short, according to Market Beat, and it’s one of the most shorted companies by hedge fun

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Eye on Housing

MARCH 2, 2021

NAHB analysis of Census Construction Spending data shows that total private residential construction spending rose 2.5% in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $713 billion, reaching a record high. Total private residential construction spending was 21% higher than a year ago. The monthly gains are largely attributed to the strong growth of spending on single-family and improvements.

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Realtor.com

MARCH 1, 2021

Josiah & Steph Photography Ikea has finally jumped aboard the tiny-house trend. This megaretailer of budget-friendly home decor has just unveiled its first tiny house, which measures a mere 187 square feet. Ikea’s first tiny house Josiah & Steph Photography. While Ikea created and designed this unit, it isn’t selling it quite yet, as this was just a one-off—a collaboration with Vox Creative and tiny-home builder Escape, meant to showcase how homeowners can create “a sma

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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

HomeLight

FEBRUARY 27, 2021

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many homeowners feel the urge to expand and enhance their living space. Maybe you need more space now that your kids moved back home, or perhaps you need a designated home office to get away from household distractions. Whatever the reason, you’re considering expanding your garage for some additional square footage.

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Housing Wire

MARCH 3, 2021

MAXEX , a digital exchange platform for buying and selling residential loans, announced on Wednesday the launch of two new lending programs in collaboration with JPMorgan Chase for green energy home improvements. The programs include MAXEX Sustainable, which allows borrowers to finance green energy renovations into their 30-year fixed mortgage, and allows for residential solar panels and geothermal units to be amortized in the loan at the point of purchase or refinance.

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Marco Santarelli

MARCH 4, 2021

Housing data by Salt Lake Board of Realtors®. The forecast is an estimate based on data from multiple sources. While it is deemed reliable, it is not guaranteed. The pandemic has supercharged Utah’s housing market driven by historically low interest rates and low unemployment rate. Utah housing market has been ranked as nation’s #1 housing market for strongest pace of job growth, along with low unemployment, low mortgage rates, few mortgage delinquencies, and low state & local taxes, accordi

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Realtor.com

MARCH 5, 2021

iStock Welcome to your home tax deduction checklist! For homeowners, this kind of guidance is essential in the wake of all the changes ushered in by the new tax plan, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, that are still rolling in. The biggest change for 2020? The standard deduction jumped a couple of hundred dollars for taxpayers—to $12,400 for individuals, $18,650 for heads of household, and $24,800 for married couples filing jointly.

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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

HomeLight

FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Wondering how to add a dose of glamour to your living space? Art Deco interior design just might be the answer. Opulent, luxurious, and inspiring, this style continues to inspire nearly a century after its heyday. Marked by bold colors, geometric patterns, and statement accessories, Art Deco provides plenty of opportunities to enliven a 21st century home.

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Housing Wire

MARCH 5, 2021

What a two-year stretch it has been for appraisers. The appraisal workforce was already in decline in 2019. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the industry’s workforce shrank even further. To compound matters, homebuyer demand skyrocketed thanks to historically-low mortgage rates and societal changes. These factors combined to throw the appraisal industry in flux.

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GeekEstate

MARCH 2, 2021

This week, we interviewed Bryan Chong from PocketBuildings. Without further ado… Who are you and what do you do? Thanks for including me as part of this series. My name’s Bryan Chong and I’m the co-founder and CEO of PocketBuildings. PocketBuildings is a platform that allows commercial real estate professionals to develop, manage, and transact faster by organizing the extensive visual content for their portfolios.

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Realty Biz

MARCH 5, 2021

Resale housing inventory is at an all-time low nationally, making it difficult for many to find a house within their budget. Even if you are able to find a home, often you will get caught in a bidding war or the house may be taken off of the market before you can make an offer. And if you remember back to your basic economics course, low inventory plus high demand equals price increases, placing that dream of owning a home even further out of reach for some.

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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.

Agents