Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

Real estate transactions typically involve large sums of money, which makes them an attractive target for cybercriminals who use wire fraud and business email compromise (BEC), a scheme where legitimate business email is compromised to convince unwitting victims to transfer funds, as their favored tactics. The FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) report found BEC scams resulted in losses of $2.9 billion in 2023.

Title

Redfin

APRIL 30, 2025

Theres a reason why visiting your local cafe feels like such a treat-yourself moment. With soft, calm lighting, the warm smell of freshly brewed coffee, and artfully designed seating, coffee shops are the perfect space to slow down and relax or meet up with a friend. Thats likely why cafe core is popping up as one of 2025s latest interior design trends.

Design

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

In the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity , protecting your valuable data has never been more critical. In this installment of the Reducing Risk series, well explore the importance of reducing risk by maintaining a secure copy of your backup data at an off-site location that cannot be accessed by typical methods. This strategy is particularly effective in defending your business against the increasingly prevalent threat of ransomware.

Title

Eye on Housing

APRIL 30, 2025

A record-high 6.8 million households shared their housing with unrelated housemates, roommates or boarders in 2023.

Closing

Speaker: Jady West, VP of Hospitality & Chris Bennett, Head of Sales & Engineering

The modern hotel room is no longer just a place to stay—it’s an experience to remember. Today’s guests expect seamless 5G connectivity, personalized comfort, and high-tech convenience. From AI-powered smart room controls to in-room entertainment and app-based services, technology is redefining hospitality from the inside out. In this new session featuring industry pros Jady West and Chris Bennett, we’ll explore how high-speed, high-bandwidth connectivity powers the innovations that are enabling

Technology

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

If the mortgage industry had a mantra at the start of last year, it was something like: Just survive to get to 2025. With high rates keeping volume low, everyone was cinching their belts and feeling the pain but yet, hope remained, fueled by predictions of pending interest rate cuts that would bring welcome relief to all. But now heres 2025, and its clear that mortgage rates arent falling the way wed hoped, and the market is going to take more time than we thought to find its new normal.

Mortgages

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

Fannie Mae announced its first quarter 2025 earnings today, reporting a net income of $3.7 billion, which added to the company’s 29th consecutive quarter of positive earnings. As of March 31, 2025, Fannie’s net worth reached $98.3 billion a nearly 20% increase annually. During the government-sponsored enterprise’s (GSE) earnings call on Wednesday morning, FHFA director Bill Pulte shared opening remarks about Fannie Mae’s priorities. “Our current focus at Fannie Mae

Loans

HomeLight

APRIL 30, 2025

If you’re planning on selling a house in Alabama, youve likely noticed that for-sale signs are lingering longer. As buyers wrestle with high interest rates, homes are spending an average of 60 days on the market before getting a signed purchase contract and even longer in some cities. Waiting for months to find a buyer may not work for your moving plans, especially if you need the proceeds from your home sale to buy your new house.

Sales

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

The antitrust lawsuit filed last week by Compass against Northwest MLS (NWMLS) has generated a lot of talk , but it is far from the first time a brokerage has sued an MLS over an alleged antitrust injury. There is a slate of recently filed suits as well as those filed in the 1970s and ’80s that allege antitrust injury. But these focus on the National Association of Realtors (NAR) three-way membership agreement and access to the MLS.

MLS

Calculated Risk Real Estate

APRIL 30, 2025

Note: The Freddie Mac index is a repeat sales index using only loans purchased by Fannie and Freddie and includes appraisals. See FAQs here. Freddie has data for all states and many cities. For house prices, I’m currently following Case-Shiller, FHFA, CoreLogic, ICE, the NAR median prices, and this Freddie Mac index. Freddie Mac reported that its “National” Home Price Index (FMHPI) increased 0.01% month-over-month on a seasonally adjusted (SA) basis in March.

Loans

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Development

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) is facing a class-action lawsuit alleging misuse and misallocation of assets within its 401(k) retirement plan. The company has called the suit a baseless claim. Filed Monday in a Michigan district court, the lawsuit accuses UWM of violating the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) by using plan assets to reduce future employer contributions rather than reducing the plan expenses.

Mortgages

HomeLight

APRIL 30, 2025

If youre a homeowner in Decatur, Georgia, selling your house can sometimes feel like a race against the clock. You might be facing a looming deadline, unsure how to pull off a quick, hassle-free home sale. Rest assured with the right strategies and tools tailored to the local market, you can secure a timely sale that fits your individual needs. Whether you’re interested in pursuing a cash offer or searching for a top-rated Decatur agent, this guide will help you overcome local market hurd

Inspection

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

Mortgage applications decreased 4.2% from one week earlier, a less drastic drop compared to last week’s 12.7% decrease, but still a sign that mortgage rates and economic volatility are keeping buyers at bay. That’s according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Associations (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 25, 2025.

Fixed-rate mortgage

Redfin

APRIL 30, 2025

Key takeaways: If you have the means, now may be a good time to buy a house. A shaky economy has made both buyers and sellers wary, but rising supply is giving buyers the upper hand. Mortgage rates fell this week but remain volatile thanks to inflation concerns , recession fears , and market volatility. Housing costs are ballooning: The median U.S. home sale price sits at a near-record high $431,000, marking 21 straight months of year-over-year gains.

Mortgages

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

APRIL 30, 2025

A former escrow officer at a McAllen, Texas -based title insurance company has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for orchestrating a complex wire fraud scheme that defrauded homebuyers and mortgage lenders of more than $350,000, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced. Mayela Saby Cantu, 55, pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Title

Marco Santarelli

APRIL 30, 2025

If you're like many people thinking about buying a home or even just keeping an eye on your current mortgage, the question of whether mortgage rates will ever drop below 5% again is probably on your mind. It feels like just yesterday we saw those incredibly low rates, and the thought of getting back to that level is certainly appealing. Well, based on where things stand in late April 2025, it looks like we might have to wait a while longer, and honestly, there's a good chance we won't see rates

Mortgages

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

Kind Lending recently announced the appointment of Jennifer Folk as its chief operating officer. Folk most recently held the role of VP, fulfillment operations at Tri Pointe Connect , the affiliated mortgage company of Tri Pointe Homes. She’s also held a variety of roles from loan officer to COO at places like Minute Mortgage , Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company and Planet Home Lending.

Lending

Fancy Pants Homes

APRIL 30, 2025

A grand five-bedroom home is now up for grabs in one of the city’s most recognizable residential buildings, the 75-story One57 building in Midtown. Located at 157 West 57th Street on New York City’s exclusive Billionaires’ Row, One57 is a trailblazing ultra-luxury condominium building that’s also home to the flagship Park Hyatt Hotel — offering residents five-star hotel services in one of Manhattan’s most prestigious addresses.

Design

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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

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) is taking its mortgage servicing operations in-house, following the decision to end its relationship with Mr. Cooper Group in the wake of the latters $9.4 billion deal to sell to rival Rocket Mortgage. The Pontiac, Michigan-based wholesale lender also announced it has selected ICE Mortgage Technology s MSP loan servicing system as its servicing platform, with a strategic focus on boosting recapture and referral business through its broker network.

Mortgages

BAM Media

APRIL 30, 2025

One of the most expensive residential sales in U.S. historyand the most expensive ever recorded in Floridajust closed for $225 million. But theres a twist. According to Realtor.com , the property comes with a 99.90% risk of flooding over the next 30 years. Byron Lazine broke down the news on the home sale in yesterdays Hot Sheet. Heres what real estate agents need to know about this historic deal, and what it says about todays luxury buyers.

Sales

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

Struggling to find a lucrative listings niche in 2025? Youre not alone. Listings (of any kind) seem even more out of reach for newer agents this year. Inventory is rising, sure, but sales are still sluggish. Then theres the economy. We went from facing mild headwinds for the real estate market to a category five crossfire hurricane, seemingly overnight.

Agents

Brownstoner

APRIL 30, 2025

An important remnant of Brooklyn's early 19th century past is back on the market. The Lefferts-Laidlaw House has a fine architectural pedigree as a rare Brooklyn example of a temple-front Greek Revival, a style once popular in the borough. An old-house lover will hopefully see the potential here: a striking… Read More > The post Singular Clinton Hill Temple-Front Greek Revival House Returns With Price Chop appeared first on Brownstoner.

Marketing

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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

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

Since the National Association of Realtors ‘ (NAR) commission lawsuit settlement took effect in August 2024, many real estate professionals have been asking, Will our commissions change? A new HousingWire survey of select residential real estate professionals offers the most comprehensive look yet at how the landscape is shifting. Buy-side commissions are mostly unchanged for now Despite widespread speculation, 58.8% of agents said their buy-side commissions have stayed the same.

Residential

RIS Media

APRIL 30, 2025

Contract signings for previously owned homes surged last month as rates retreated from the first two months of 2025buyers appear ready to jump, but experts say the rise in rates and tariff uncertainty this month may not allow for the sustained comeback that consumers seem to be ready for. U.S. pending home sales increased a… The post March Pending Home Sales See Biggest Jump in Over a Year, but Volatility Likely to Continue appeared first on RISMedia.

Sales

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

After a lawsuit was filed by a coalition of fair housing nonprofits against the Trump administration over the cancellation of Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) grants, a coalition of 21 state attorneys general led by California AG Rob Bonta have filed an amicus brief in the case in support of the nonprofits. The suit was brought in March by law firm Relman Colfax and four members of the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA).

Development

HomeLight

APRIL 30, 2025

If you’re a Rock Island homeowner looking to sell quickly and sidestep the complexities of a traditional home sale, working with a cash buyer could be a smart option. Both local and out-of-state investors continue to show strong interest in the area thanks to its relative affordability and growing job base. Given the competitive nature of the Rock Island real estate market , now may be a great time to consider a cash sale especially if speed and convenience are your main goals.

Proof of funds

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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

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

Recent data hasnt provided much optimism about the direction of the housing market , but one report suggests better conditions are on the way. The March reading of the Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) clocked in at 76.5, a 6.1% rise compared to February. An index reading of 100 is equal to contract levels in 2001.

Sales

Brownstoner

APRIL 30, 2025

In an uncertain economy, innovative sustainability programs are helping both businesses and homeowners make environmentally responsible choices. PaintCare, a nonprofit established in 2009, exemplifies this trend by transforming how communities handle leftover paint. Working with paint manufacturers and retailers across the country, PaintCare has created a network of convenient drop-off… Read More > The post PaintCare’s Recycling Program Comes to Brooklyn appeared first on Brownst

Housing Wire

APRIL 30, 2025

Are you nervous about your real estate business surviving 2025? Glennda Baker isnt. She showed up to our Zoom interview decked out in full celebrity Realtor drip: Gucci jacket, Van Cleef earrings and a diamond-studded Rolex that sparkled every time she gestured with her left hand, which she did a lot. She runs a highly successful team, has close to a million followers on TikTok and keynotes major real estate conferences.

Agents