Thu.Dec 14, 2023

article thumbnail

If Your House Hasn’t Sold Yet, It May Be Overpriced

Keeping Current Matters

Has your house been sitting on the market a while without selling?

Marketing 250
article thumbnail

A sub-7% mortgage rate brings holiday cheer

Housing Wire

The holidays have come early for the mortgage industry. Mortgage rates fell below the 7% threshold this week as markets prepared for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s announcement on Wednesday. The 30-year, fixed mortgage rate averaged 6.95% for the week ending Dec. 14, according to Freddie Mac ‘s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. That’s down from last week’s 7.03% and up from 6.31% the same week a year ago.

Mortgages 485
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

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

article thumbnail

Brokers in Focus: ‘There's no half doing this anymore’

Real Estate News

Laura Ellis, Baird & Warner’s strategy leader, believes changes spurred by Sitzer/Burnett will be “good for the serious, competent real estate professional.

297
297
article thumbnail

Thrive Mortgage and Lower strike merger deal

Housing Wire

Texas-based lender Thrive Mortgage plans to merge with digital multichannel rival Lower , which will create a unified lender with more than 650 loan officers and 120 active branches across the country. Financial details of the merger, which is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, were not disclosed. Over the last 12 months, Thrive has originated about $1.42 billion while Columbus, Ohio-based Lower has originated $1.88 billion during the same time period, according to mortgage recruiti

Mortgages 427
article thumbnail

3 Real Estate Office Hacks to Help Kickstart the Busy Season

Ready to better your Back Office? Dive into the secrets to a powerhouse back office with Brokermint expert, Jessica Souza. In this free download, she shares her 3 transformative hacks designed to clean house, get everyone on the same page, and set yourself up for success. From optimizing agent profiles to ensuring flawless transactions and boosting agent retention, these strategies are your ticket to a seamless operation.

article thumbnail

Rates fall below 7%, driving momentum in the market

Real Estate News

The seventh straight week of mortgage interest declines has led to more holiday season homebuying activity.

Marketing 279
article thumbnail

Opinion: Title and settlement fees aren’t a barrier to homeownership

Housing Wire

In 2023, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced plans to make it easier to buy a home and close the racial homeownership gap in the United States. Homeownership is one of the most important decisions in a person’s life and is a primary vehicle for wealth creation for the majority of households. In fact, our most recent analysis of the benefits of wealth creation from homeownership shows that for families in the bottom 20% of the income distribution, the median net worth of home-owning households w

Title 426

More Trending

article thumbnail

Mortgage trade group CHLA is concerned about commission lawsuit lending impacts

Housing Wire

Mortgage industry trade group Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA) is urging government agencies to begin to have conversations surrounding the impact of the jury verdict and potential court ruling in the Sitzer/Burnett commission lawsuit on lending practices. In a letter submitted Thursday to Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Sandra Thompson , Federal Housing Administration Commissioner Julia Gordon , Rural Housing Service Administrator Joaquin Altoro, and Department of Veterans Affai

Lending 418
article thumbnail

5 listing lessons that will transform your next deal

Inman

Luxury agent and new Inman contributor Tamer Howard shares a case study that's filled with strategies for getting that struggling listing sold for top dollar.

Agents 187
article thumbnail

OneKey MLS acquires Mid-Hudson MLS

Housing Wire

New York State’s largest multiple listing service just got larger. OneKey MLS has acquired Mid-Hudson MLS according to an announcement on Monday, growing its membership to nearly 50,000 agents. The Poughkeepsie-based Mid-Hudson MLS is a broker-owned MLS serving over 1,400 agents in Dutchess County and the Mid-Hudson Valley area. Founded in 2018 and owned by Long Island Board of Realtors and the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors , OneKey MLS already serves agents in New York (Manhattan), Suf

MLS 407
article thumbnail

Is Aalto the alt brokerage consumers want? Tech Review

Inman

At its heart, the company is a brokerage, but with twice the number of coders and designers than advisers, it's more of a "technology company" than Keller Williams and Compass.

Brokerage 170
article thumbnail

Need Curated Pre-foreclosure Lists to Generate New Real Estate Leads? Trellis Has the Data!

Trellis is a state trial court research and analytics platform that provides Real Estate Professionals (Buyers, Foreclosure, Loan Modification, etc.) with LEADS on Pre-Foreclosures, Lis Pendes, Distressed Assets and more — to help uncover **new** opportunities and grow their business. The process is quick and easy — and all in real time. Trellis will supply you with a link to the relevant dockets, a Leads sheet and access to its UI where applicable.

article thumbnail

How to empower agents and grow your brand in the wake of commission lawsuits

Housing Wire

We’ve all experienced that liberating feeling when you confront a serious issue with an honest and open conversation. It’s like a weight lifted off your shoulders, right? Well, those are the types of conversations many agents are looking for right now, underscoring why your words post- commission lawsuit are more important than ever. Crafting a content and communication strategy that genuinely acknowledges their insecurities can pave the way for substantial agent recruitment and business g

Branding 402
article thumbnail

24 of the best ways to generate real estate leads in 2024

Inman

Whether you're looking to appeal to buyers or sellers, Jimmy Burgess offers a range of paid, low-cost and no-cost lead generation activities that are working now.

Agents 176
article thumbnail

RESO announces 2024 board of directors election results

Housing Wire

The Real Estate Standards Organization is welcoming many new and returning board of director members in 2024. The organization announced its board of directors’ election results, as well as director and executive committee appointments in a release on Thursday. Of the nine open board of director seats, four went to MLS or Realtor association representatives and five went to members representing technology companies, developers, partners or consultants.

MLS 402
article thumbnail

Broker Spotlight: Corey Hasting, Engel & Völkers First Coast

Inman

Find out how this former NFL player applied his work ethic to building an award-winning, billion-dollar brokerage in just five years.

Brokerage 192
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

Fannie Mae expands use of AOLs in selling guide update

Housing Wire

In an update to its selling guide , Fannie Mae announced Wednesday that it was expanding the use of attorney opinion letters in lieu of title insurance. Previously, the only transactions ineligible for an AOL were those that involve loans secured by a unit in a condo project, co-op share loans, loans secured by a dwelling on a leasehold estate, including leasehold estates on property owned by a community land trust, loans secured by a manufactured home, HomeStyle Energy and HomeStyle Renovation

Title 389
article thumbnail

Texas homesellers file new commission suit as cases pile up

Inman

The new suit is the second in Texas since the Sitzer | Burnett verdict, and is one of a growing number of antitrust cases challenging the way agents get paid.

Agents 170
article thumbnail

Stairs Financial platform launches to help first-time homebuyers

Housing Wire

Texas-based mortgage platform Stairs Financial launched on Thursday after completing a $3.5 million funding round. With first-time buyers accounting for just 26% of all home purchases in 2022 — a 41-year low — the mortgage market place aims to help first-time homebuyers with the right program and mortgage products. “Thousands of down payment assistance and credit programs have sprung up to help first-time homebuyers overcome the challenges, but these home-buying options are hard for homebuyers t

Equity 364
article thumbnail

Merger of Lower and Thrive would give Veritex 12.5% ownership stake

Inman

Parent company of Veritex Community Bank, which paid $54.9 million to acquire a 49 percent interest in Thrive Mortgage in 2021, expects a $25 million to $30 million loss if the deal closes.

Banks 160
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

What is Needed to Close on a House

RIS Media

Closing on a house culminates weeks or months of house hunting, negotiations, and paperwork. It’s an exciting but often complex process involving several key players, numerous documents, and meticulous steps. You will learn what is required to close a house and the items needed for a home closing. Closing on a house isn’t rocket science,… The post What is Needed to Close on a House appeared first on RISMedia.

Closing 134
article thumbnail

22 renters vie for each unit in America’s toughest rental market

Inman

Miami saw an average of 22 renters compete for every available apartment in 2023, compared to a national average of just nine, according to a new report released earlier this week from RentCafe.

Marketing 157
article thumbnail

Mortgage Rates Dip Back Below 7%

RIS Media

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) decreased for the seventh straight week, from last week’s average of 7.03% to an average of 6.95% this week, according to the latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) from Freddie Mac released Thursday. This week’s numbers: 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.95%, down from last week when it averaged 7.03%.

article thumbnail

3 reasons you should be using a buyer agreement now

Inman

According to broker Joseph Santini, buyer agreements are good for buyers and good for buyer agents. Find out more about these valuable tools and how to get them signed.

Agents 153
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.

article thumbnail

The Coming Fed Rate Cuts and the Impact on Mortgage Rates

Calculated Risk Real Estate

Yesterday, the Federal Open Market Committee ( FOMC) “decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 5-1/4 to 5-1/2 percent”, but the statement and projections suggested multiple rate cuts in 2024. Following the FOMC meeting, Goldman Sachs economists wrote: The soft PPI report on Tuesday morning combined with downward revisions to prior months implies that core PCE inflation was only 0.07% month-on-month and—as Chair Powell noted in the press conference̵

Mortgages 117
article thumbnail

Closing escrow: Rebate-based Prevu lands $6M Series A

Inman

Alternative brokerage model Prevu secured $6 million in a Series A round of funding to continue providing its “Carvana-like,” technology-first brokerage service.

Land 154
article thumbnail

These are Seattle’s highest- and lowest-income neighborhoods

Seattle Times Real Estate

In nine King County census tracts — most of them on the Eastside — the median household income exceeded $250,000 in the latest census data, writes FYI Guy.

128
128
article thumbnail

Industry headwinds push Plunk in new direction

Inman

Plunk President and co-founder David Bluhm said a number of issues led to the decision, which included the release of three employees to date and the possibility of more.

article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

Many Brokers See ‘Flip’ to Buyer’s Market in 2024

RIS Media

Despite broker sentiment hitting a yearly low in November—at exactly the same time as it did last year—there are larger signs of positive changes in the housing market, according to RISMedia’s latest Broker Confidence Index (BCI) survey of real estate business leaders. While the overall BCI reading fell from 6.1 to 5.8, a not-insignificant number… The post Many Brokers See ‘Flip’ to Buyer’s Market in 2024 appeared first on RISMedia.

Marketing 115
article thumbnail

CoStar acquires popular UK real estate portal

Inman

The acquisition of OnTheMarket, a major portal in the U.K., comes as CoStar continues to push further and further into the residential space.

article thumbnail

Foreclosure Activity Sees Decline in November

RIS Media

A total of 32,120 properties had foreclosure filings—default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions—in November, down 7% from a month ago but up 5% from a year ago, according to a new report from ATTOM. ATTOM’s Foreclosure Market Report for November found that 4,347 housing units had a foreclosure filing. In addition, states with the… The post Foreclosure Activity Sees Decline in November appeared first on RISMedia.

Banks 116
article thumbnail

Teams Spotlight: The Pargh Team

Inman

Learn how this Nashville team focuses on relationship-building and how it's paying dividends as they grow their impact.

161
161
article thumbnail

Real Estate Solutions: How to Crush Your Sales Goals and Fuel Your Pipeline

Speaker: Mary Maloney, Founder & Team Leader at Hometown Realty

The sales cycle in real estate is frequently measured at 3+ months. During this time, real estate agents frequently lose contact with clients and miss out on opportunities because they fail to follow up and provide value to the client. Top real estate agents are distinguished from developing agents by their ability to convert organic connections into sales opportunities.