Thu.Feb 18, 2021

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Mortgage rates jump to 2.81%

Housing Wire

After three weeks of unchanged rates, the average mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed loan jumped 8 basis points to 2.81%, reaching its highest point since mid-November, according to Freddie Mac ’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. While economic spending has improved, due to the most recent stimulus, supply chain shortages are causing downstream inflation, leading to higher mortgage rates, said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “While there are multiple temporary factors drivin

Mortgages 545
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Will Low Mortgage Rates Continue through 2021?

Keeping Current Matters

With mortgage interest rates hitting record lows so many times recently, some are wondering if we’ll see low rates continue throughout 2021, or if they’ll start to rise. Recently, Freddie Mac released their quarterly forecast , noting: “The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit a record low over a dozen times in 2020 and the low interest rate environment is projected to continue through this year.

Mortgages 269
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Invest in real estate, not the stock market

Housing Wire

The stock market is a funny game. Not the kind of game that the rookie Game Stop investors are used to playing, but a real-life, action-packed, form of entertainment that toys with millions of Americans’ emotions and finances every day. You know what isn’t a game, and can also provide oh-so-sweet returns? Investing in real estate. The stock market is at an all-time high, finishing 2020 at record levels.

Marketing 521
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Secret Rooms and Futuristic Features! The Year’s 8 Biggest Kitchen Design Trends Will Blow You Away

Realtor.com

Heidi's Bridge/Houzz. Of all the rooms in your house, your kitchen likely saw the most action in 2020. With so many people staying at home making artisanal pizza and using their countertops as an office or classroom, this room endured plenty of wear and tear. And that means it might just be the room that’s most in need of a refresh. . But where to start?

Design 134
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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.

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LoanDepot cleared $2B in profits, but margins are shrinking

Housing Wire

Just a week after its initial public offering , multichannel lender loanDepot announced that it had earned over $547 million in profits during the fourth quarter, giving it over $2 billion in earnings across 2020. The lender , whose stock price skyrocketed following a downsized IPO that debuted at $14 a share, originated $37.4 billion in mortgages during the fourth quarter.

Lending 381

More Trending

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MBA’s Marcia Davies on the power of supporting women

Housing Wire

This HousingWire Daily podcast transcription features a crossover episode from HousingWire’s Girlfunds podcast. In this episode, Marcia Davies, chief operating officer at the Mortgage Bankers Association and HousingWire Women of Influence winner, talks about the power of leadership and what women can do to better support other women. During the episode, Davies shares her own journey in dealing with “ imposter syndrome ,” as well as actionable tips for women just starting their career.

Finance 381
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8 Ways To Use Nail Polish Remover To Clean Your House

Realtor.com

Getty Images When your nail polish chips or that cherry-red shade isn’t quite right, a cotton ball soaked with nail polish remover can give you a clean slate. But did you know that the primary ingredient in most nail polish removers can dissolve scuffs, stains, and patches of grime? If your nail polish remover contains acetone, congrats! You have a versatile household solvent at your fingertips.

As-is 128
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COVID accelerated migration trends, but is it sustainable?

Housing Wire

Even Norman Rockwell couldn’t put a rosier cast to New Hartford, Connecticut, in mid-autumn. On the far western outskirts of the Hartford metropolitan area, the town’s converted brick mill buildings are now occupied by restaurants that sell and serve locally grown produce and locally made artisanal cheese. A river – the Farmington – really does run through the town, shallow and sparkling, punctuated by occasional fly-fisherman.

Land 391
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Canada’s Expected Mortgage Credit Losses Reaches A Record $1.4 Billion

Better Dwelling

Despite Canada’s hot real estate market, lenders expect a record amount in losses. Statistics Canada (Stat Can) data shows expected credit losses (ECL) jumped in Q3 2020. ECLs are now at a record high according to the agency, but are a relatively small percent of total mortgage debt. It’s a little confusing, but expected losses […].

Mortgages 127
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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.

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Zillow’s 3D Home tours adds AI assistance

Housing Wire

Zillow’s already-popular 3D home tour option has gotten an upgrade, now allowing potential homebuyers and renters the opportunity to view still photos and AI-generated floor plans in a shared interface. The AI can also predict room dimensions and square footage. Following a 3D tour, the interactive floor plan is automatically uploaded to the listing and can also be added to the MLS, embedded on a website, or shared via email or social media.

MLS 391
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Canadian Real Estate Saw A “Typical” Home Price Rise Up To $73,000 Just Last Month

Better Dwelling

Everyone thinks their real estate market is hot, but they don’t realize they almost all are. Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) data shows large home price gains in January. Not just for the year, but for the actual month. The increases were actually so big, almost two dozen markets saw prices climb 5-digits. The Price […]. The post Canadian Real Estate Saw A “Typical” Home Price Rise Up To $73,000 Just Last Month appeared first on Better Dwelling.

Marketing 117
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Linda O’Koniewski talks navigating real estate franchises

Housing Wire

This HousingWire Daily interview transcription features an episode with REAL Trending, a podcast that focuses on interviewing the brightest minds in real estate. In this episode, Tracey Velt, managing editor at REAL Trends , a HousingWire sister company, interviews Linda O’Koniewski, CEO of Leading Edge Real Estate in Boston, discussing the lessons she learned after finding out her former franchise pulled the plug, and they had to rebrand overnight.

Branding 328
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Survey: Luxury Real Estate Beats Out Other Investments

RIS Media

Luxury Portfolio International® (LPI), the luxury division of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® , recently released a study of the world’s most affluent households: “State of Luxury Real Estate.” The report focuses on consumers in the top 1-5% income bracket across 17 countries and 30 million households. The study was conducted in collaboration with the Affluent Consumer Research Company, finding that of the 30 million-plus households surveyed, more than 15.5 million

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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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Finicity SVP Lisa Kimball to speak at Spring Summit

Housing Wire

Lisa Kimball, senior vice president of product and strategic programs at Finicity , will speak on a panel titled What Mortgage Tech is Solving Now at HousingWire’s Spring Summit on March 4. Kimball will be joined on the panel by Nikolaos Pavlou , product marketing manager at Blend. Pandemic conditions have provided fertile ground for mortgage tech innovation.

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Best Online Real Estate School in Utah Explains How to Succeed in their Program

Agent Drive

Enrolling in an online real estate school is the most convenient way to attain a license to be a real estate agent or broker in the state of Utah. A quality online program will provide you with everything you would expect from an in-person institution, such as experienced and trained instructors, but with the additional […]. The post Best Online Real Estate School in Utah Explains How to Succeed in their Program appeared first on AgentDrive.

Agents 105
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Homeownership Expenses That Your Clients May Overlook

RIS Media

By the time buyers contact you for help in making a real estate purchase, they’ve likely considered their budget and determined how much they can afford to spend on a new home. They’ve probably considered a down payment, mortgage payments, closing costs, taxes and insurance. Your buyers even may have obtained pre-approval from a lender. Even when they’ve been very thorough, buyers may overlook or underestimate some of these common homeownership expenses: Lawn Care.

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Another 861,000 Jobless Claims Filed

Eye on Housing

Weekly initial jobless claims increased for the past two consecutive weeks and reached the highest level in one month in the week ending February 13, despite the decreases in the number of COVID-19 cases. The labor market is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, but the road is proving to be long. The U.S. Department of Labor released the Unemployment Insurance.

Marketing 105
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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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Virtual Networking Ideas for 2021

RIS Media

As a real estate agent, networking is very important for your business. However, networking in person has become a challenge. As community leaders, real estate agents can help safely connect members of their communities through online networking events. Consider what your specific community is interested in to come up with networking opportunities that would work for you.

Agents 106
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Is it worth refinancing for 1 percent? What about for 0.5 percent?

The Mortgage Report

It's often worth refinancing for 1 percent. But is it worth refinancing for 0.5 percent — or even 0.25 percent? In some cases, the answer is yes.

Mortgages 111
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4 Ways Real Estate Company Culture Can Impact Your Success

RIS Media

Choosing a brokerage with a culture that suits your needs and personality can have a tremendous impact on your real estate career. Here are four ways real estate company culture can affect your bottom line. 1. Brokerage Culture and Your Performance. When everyone in your office is working toward a common goal—whether that’s a certain number of home sales or becoming the top-ranking brokerage in town—you’ll feel compelled to put forth the extra effort to achieve that goal.

Brokerage 102
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Ty Pennington Builds Something Better Than a Home Bar: Can You Guess What It Is?

Realtor.com

Dia Dipasupil / Staff / Getty Images Ty Pennington has designed plenty of home bars, but in the latest episode of “Ty Breaker,” he goes one step further by designing a speak-easy. Cool! In the Season 1 episode “A New Level To Entertain,” Starr and Antoine need help with their house in Atlanta. While they live comfortably on the second and third stories, they aren’t sure what to do with the first floor, which is awkwardly laid out with dark, dated furniture—including

Design 99
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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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First Team Real Estate Leads The Way In Innovation with New Home Search Assist Technology?

First Team Real Estate

Known for personalized service and local market expertise as the #1 Independent real estate company in Southern California 1 , we are proud to introduce our new Home Search Assist Technology? on firstteam.com to help home buyers navigate today’s fiercely competitive real estate market. The U.S. housing shortage, felt strongly across California with severely limited inventory and exacerbated by lagging home construction, has placed home buyers at a disadvantage, searching for months on end to sec

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Shop and Dine On Worth Avenue

Waterfront Properties

The famous Worth Avenue is known to be one of the most famous and iconic streets on the island of Palm Beach. The famous avenue is home to luxurious, high-end shops and award-winning restaurants. Worth Avenue stretches from the Palm Beach Clock Tower and the Atlantic Ocean to the intracoastal waterway and marina to the west. Low story buildings line with street with rows of palm trees and beautiful landscaping.

Design 98
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7 Ways to Make Your Home (More) Pet-Friendly

Point2Homes

Image: New Africa / Shutterstock.com. A pet can bring unbelievable joy into your life. But pets can also be a little hard on your home. However, the endless love and companionship animals provide is absolutely worth the effort it takes to make your home a place they enjoy. Not only will it make your pet happier, it’ll make your life easier too. Here are seven ways to make your home more pet-friendly.

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How to Ignite Your Social Media Channels to Sell More Real Estate

Boom Town

Your digital presence is at the center of it all in today’s real estate market. But, are you using social media to its full potential? Join expert agents and marketers Owen Tyler and Molly Glover of Charleston, South Carolina’s The Cassina Group, as they dig into how real estate agents can maximize their social media strategy for conversions. The How-Tos You’ll Learn: How authenticity translates into sales.

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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.