2022

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Cooler inflation data sends mortgage rates lower

Housing Wire

On Tuesday, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data came in cooler than expected , and the bond market loved it, driving mortgage rates lower. Where do we go from here? Headline inflation is still very elevated historically, but the trend can be our friend over the next 12 months. I say this because the most significant component of Core CPI is shelter inflation.

Mortgages 538
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Advice for Buyers & Sellers in Today’s Market

RRT Submitted Articles

The housing market has shifted, and today I have some practical advice for buyers and sellers. This is coming from hundreds of conversations every month as well as stats I'm pulling. Some new memes too. Enjoy if you wish.

Marketing 257
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3 Trends That Are Good News for Today’s Homebuyers

Keeping Current Matters

While higher mortgage rates are creating affordability challenges for homebuyers this year, there is some good news for those people still looking to buy a home.

Mortgages 318
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Sustainable Design Initiatives in Commercial Real Estate Construction

CRE Online

Sustainable Design Initiatives. Introduction. Favoring green, sustainable design is becoming more prevalent in the commercial real estate industry. The growing interest of developers to incorporate more sustainable design elements into their projects has resulted in numerous initiatives, including LEED certification and pilot programs for green building practices.

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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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Three-year delays in recovery of “forced loans” to tenants

REM Online

The following content may have been republished here without the author's permission. The original post can be found at the following URL: Three-year delays in recovery of “forced loans” to tenants. Please visit REMonline.com for more content like this, and contact web@remonline.com to inform us of any unauthorized reproduction. Government effectively sets up residential landlords to take the full brunt of a tenant’s ire by forcing landlords to apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board to increase

Loans 95
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17 Tax Deductions Real Estate Agents Need to Know

Ryan Serhant

You work hard for your money, and you want to keep as much of it as you can. There’s one important area that when overlooked can cost you thousands of dollars that would otherwise end up in your pocket. What is it? Taxes. Thankfully, when you’re familiar with the tax code, there are tons of tax deductions available for real estate agents that can help you keep more in your wallet.

Agents 52

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How smart home technology increases property value in a challenging market

Housing Wire

Over the past few years, we’ve seen an increased demand for smart home technology as consumers continue to embrace a digital lifestyle. “Smart home technology, whether it be keyless entry locks, smart thermostats or leak sensors, these are all things that, five or six years ago, were still pretty new to the marketplace,” said Andre Sanchez, COO of Rently, a smart home and self-guided touring solutions provider.

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Lower mortgage rates are stabilizing the housing market

Housing Wire

Since the weaker CPI data was released in November, bond yields and mortgage rates have been heading lower. The question then was: What would lower mortgage rates do to this data? Now, with five weeks of data in front of us, we can say they have stabilized the market. Purchase application data came out on Wednesday and the week-to-week data was down 3%, breaking the streak of four straight weeks of growth.

Mortgages 544
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Why This Housing Market Is Not a Bubble Ready To Pop

Keeping Current Matters

Homeownership has become a major element in achieving the American Dream.

Marketing 313
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Comparing this housing market recession to 2008

Housing Wire

As we close out 2022, it’s time to reflect on a historic year for the housing market, which was even crazier than the COVID-19 year of 2020. There are similarities and significant differences between the housing recession we’ve seen this year versus 2008, and looking at specific factors in both timeframes gives us an idea of what to expect in 2023.

Marketing 546
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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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Builders apply the brakes amid canceled contracts

Housing Wire

The best way to fight inflation is to add more supply, and when I look at the housing completion data for the past two years, it just makes me want to puke. In previous expansions, builders’ housing completion data would move in line with housing starts and permits. However, for the first time in recent modern-day history — due to supply chain issues and other factors — housing completion data has lagged behind housing permits and starts.

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Mortgage buy downs on the rise as builders try to entice more buyers

Housing Wire

Homebuilder confidence continued to drop in November, hitting its lowest level since June 2012, with the exception of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) report, released Wednesday. In November, builder sentiment in the market for newly built single-family homes fell five points from October , ending at 33 points — less than half the level it was six months ago.

Mortgages 545
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Mortgage demand rose on the back of slower inflation growth

Housing Wire

Mortgage demand rose as rates dropped following the October slowdown in inflation growth numbers. However, while purchase mortgage applications increased across all loan types, refinance activity remained depressed. The market composite index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 2.7% for the week ending November 11, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

Mortgages 545
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Federal judge rules in favor of FHFA on net worth sweeps

Housing Wire

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , has been granted summary judgment on the last remaining claim by investors in a lawsuit alleging the government overstepped its authority when it adjusted its stock-purchase agreements with the agencies and allowed net worth sweeps. The plaintiffs, Fairholme Funds Inc., et al., are private-sector investors in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which have been in conservatorship under FHFA oversight since the 2008 fin

Investor 544
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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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The case for mortgage rates to fall in 2023

Housing Wire

On Thursday, the gross domestic product data for the third quarter showed the U.S. economy grew at a rate of 2.6%, breaking the negative GDP streak we had in the past two quarters. Does this mean the Federal Reserve needs to hike rates even more to get the recession they’re looking for, or is there a case for mortgage rates to go below 6% over the next six months?

Mortgages 543
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Sixth recession red flag raised, despite strong jobs report

Housing Wire

What a crazy day for my economic model! On the same day, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revealed that we’ve recovered all the jobs lost to COVID-19 and I am raising my sixth recession red flag. When I wrote the America is back recovery model on April 7, 2020, and then retired it on Dec. 9, 2020, I knew one data line would lag the most: jobs!

Staging 545
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The risk of zero-down loans while the Fed talks recession

Housing Wire

Bank of America recently announced a loan for lower-income households that doesn’t require homebuyers to come up with a downpayment or closing costs, and doesn’t base the loan on a minimum FICO score. People’s first reaction was to wonder if this was 2008 all over again. Are we really doing those types of loans and promoting homeownership again without understanding the risks?

Loans 544
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After implosion, FGMC files for bankruptcy

Housing Wire

Less than a week after laying off hundreds of workers and refusing new mortgage applications, First Guaranty Mortgage Corp. (FGMC) and its affiliate Maverick II Holdings filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection late Wednesday. . “While we have made considerable efforts to address our ongoing financial challenges related to the state of the mortgage market, we ultimately must do what is best for our borrowers and consumers,” Aaron Samples, chief executive officer of FGMC, said in a

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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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Housing starts data raises 5th recession red flag

Housing Wire

I’m raising my fifth recession red flag today based on the Census Bureau ‘s May housing starts data. Housing starts showed a miss on the estimate but positive revisions. Housing starts came in at 1.549 million and housing permits came in at 1.695 million. Housing completion data did grow to 1.465 million and more of the backlogged homes are finished.

Mortgages 545
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Are home prices about to fall?

Housing Wire

We are at the point of the economic cycle where I really just get two questions: Are we going into recession and are home prices about to fall? I am going to do my best to try to make sense of what is happening with the housing market right now, since the years 2020-2024 have been a talking point of mine for years and my biggest concern since the fall of 2020 has been prices overheating — not having a deflationary collapse. .

Sales 545
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Can we still avoid a recession?

Housing Wire

Economic reports over the Thanksgiving holiday paint a complicated picture of what’s happening, and where we are on recession watch. The big economic surprise was the strength of Black Friday sales, where consumers spent a record $9.12 billion online. Another surprise was the Atlanta Fed’s forecast of 4.3% GDP growth in the fourth quarter, since the Atlanta Fed data was used by many to say that the U.S. went into a recession earlier in the year.

Mortgages 538
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Why a good jobs report is bad news for the Fed

Housing Wire

On Friday the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 263,000 new jobs were added in September. While that growth seems like good news in this economy, it runs directly counter to what the Federal Reserve wants to see. And the even worse news for the Fed was that the unemployment rate fell back to 3.5%. That low unemployment rate has to be driving the Fed nuts.

As-is 539
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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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Mortgage rates collapse on softer inflation data

Housing Wire

Finally, some good news: the growth rate of inflation is cooling off for now, and with the CPI inflation report being positive, the 10-year yield fell noticeably, and mortgage rates will fall with that! So, the question is, are we reaching the peak of inflation and close to the end of the Fed rate hike cycle? Let’s take a look at today’s data.

Mortgages 537
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5 predictions for the 2022 housing market

Housing Wire

This article is part of our HousingWire 2022 forecast series. After the series wraps, join us on February 8 for the HW+ Virtual 2022 Forecast Event. Bringing together some of the top economists and researchers in housing, the event will provide an in-depth look at the top predictions for this year, along with a roundtable discussion on how these insights apply to your business.

Marketing 545
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With home sales down, why are home prices still up?

Housing Wire

Looking at the housing market in the years 2020-2024, one risk i identified early on was that home prices could accelerate more in this period than we saw in the previous expansion if inventory channels broke to all-time lows. I talked about having a 23% price-growth model for the housing market in the years 2020-2024 as a critical marker of balanced growth versus overheating, especially as inventory had been falling for years right into our critical demographic patch.

Sales 540
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The savagely unhealthy housing market is now a nightmare

Housing Wire

The housing nightmare continues. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that existing home sales for April came in at 5.41 million , down 3.4% from the previous month and 8.6% from last year. But, the savagely unhealthy data line was that home prices are up 14.8%. Now that we are almost in July, we can safely say the premise that once mortgage rates hit 4%, the mass panic selling of American homeowners who need to get out at all costs, driving total inventory up in the millions, has

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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.

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Why owning a home is the best hedge against inflation

Housing Wire

On Thursday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the same trend that all Americans have seen lately: the inflation rate of growth is rampant and doesn’t show any sign of easing up due to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. The Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers “increased 0.8 percent in February on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.6 percent in January… Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 7.9 percent before seasonal adjustment.” As you can

Mortgages 543
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The VA’s little-known program for Native American veterans

Housing Wire

A Department of Veterans Affairs lending program for Native American veterans has been severely underutilized, a government watchdog found. According to a report the Government Accountability Office published this week, the VA’s Native American Direct Loan program only resulted in 89 loans originated in the continental U.S. from 2012 to 2021. This represents less than 1% of the estimated potentially eligible population of 70,000 veterans, the watchdog agency said.

Lending 542
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The housing market is now savagely unhealthy

Housing Wire

The National Association of Realtors reported that existing home sales for February came in as a miss of estimates at 6.02 million. This level is still within my 2022 forecast sales range between 5.74 million and 6.16 million. Last year I discussed sales levels coming back down to 5.84 million and I am looking for more of the same in 2022, at the 5.74 million level.

Marketing 542
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Freddie Mac rolls out direct deposit income verification

Housing Wire

Potential homebuyers seeking Freddie Mac -backed mortgages will no longer have to hunt for paper pay stubs to verify their income. Freddie Mac announced on Wednesday that it will roll out an automated process that allows mortgage lenders to assess a prospective homebuyer’s direct deposit income. Freddie Mac claims this would reduce the paper documentation burden on borrowers, speed loan closing and simplify the lending process.

Lending 541
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5 Data Proven Ways Agents Can Do 18% More Business

Curious as to how you could do 18% more business? How about 14 more transaction sides per year? Check out this infographic with data from a RealTrends study to learn more.