Wed.Dec 11, 2024

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Winning the mental game: Keys to real estate success in 2025

Housing Wire

The work you do now is what will set you up for success in the first quarter of 2025. The majority of sales success is mental, preparing yourself mentally is just as crucial as setting your priorities and goals for the year ahead. Whether you liked or disliked what 2024 brought, soon youll be facing a clean slate. Even if the year was challenging and you felt like quittingguess what?

As-is 383
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“Friend Compounds”: The Pros and Cons of Buying Real Estate With Your Besties

Lighter Side of Real Estate

Buying your first house has never been easy, but for todays younger generations, its increasingly out of reach. High interest rates, soaring home prices, and the heavy burden of student loan debt have made it difficult for young folks to purchase a home on their own. Even cutting out lattes or avocado toast doesnt do much to bridge the gap. And forget about hanging out with friends and taking memorable trips together if youre trying to buy a house.

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The luxury housing market is booming despite larger stagnation

Housing Wire

The stagnant 2024 housing market is one the real estate industry cant wait to get away from, but not so for the niche luxury market. The 2025 Red Paper from The Agency shows the luxury market making a sharp diversion from the broader existing home sales market, which could clock in near a historic low at fewer than 4 million sales. The number of homes sold at $1 million or higher rose by 5.2% in the first half of 2024, and the median luxury home price jumped by 14.2%.

Marketing 370
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Why Moving to a More Affordable Area Makes Sense

Keeping Current Matters

Moving to a more affordable area could be the fresh start you need to get ahead financially.

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Welcome to the Future of Hospitality: Smart Rooms Start Here

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

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Mortgage demand is up 5.4% as interest rates ramp down

Housing Wire

Mortgage applications increased 5.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis during the week ending Dec. 6, stemming from a 27% jump in refinance activity, according to a report released Wednesday by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). This is the latest weekly increase in mortgage applications, following a trend of steady demand increases over the past several weeks.

As-is 384

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United Real Estate continues expansion efforts in South Carolina

Housing Wire

Dallas -based United Real Estate has announced another strategic expansion in the Carolinas. Charlotte -headquartered United Real Estate Queen City will open a new affiliate location in Fort Mill, South Carolina. According to a company statement, this move will strengthen the brokerage’s presence in the Carolinas. The Fort Mill brokerage is the second United Queen City location in the region and the expansion “reinforces Uniteds eastern service areas stretching over a thousand miles

Brokerage 366
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The Bad Advice Agents Need To Leave In 2024

BAM Media

Remember this time last year when mortgage rate predictions were calling for rates in the 5% range? Well, it turns out that 2024 was a year of hard lessons for agents who bet too much on falling ratesand for buyers who waited too long to act. After all, these numbers sure dont look like the year of the 5s. January: 6.64% February: 6.74% March: 6.82% April: 6.99% May: 7.06% June: 6.92% July: 6.86% August: 6.50% September: 6.18% October: 6.43% November: 6.81% December*: 6.69% The buzz around dropp

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At United Real Estate, the mission is always the focus. 2025 is no different

Housing Wire

In a year that has been full of noise, United Real Estate President Rick Haase has somehow managed to stay focused. Some of that focus comes from the messages written on the three colorful rubber bands adorning his wrist. The first reads, Go through life with an attitude of gratitude. A second reads, United Real Estate: Better Together. The third, a gift from the United franchise in Richmond, Virginia , states, Only the strong survive in 2025.

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What Do 2025’s Top 10 Housing Markets Have in Common?

BAM Media

Whats driving the housing market in 2025? According to Realtor.coms National Housing Forecast , the future belongs to metros in the South and West. These regions are leading the charge with younger populations, strong military ties, and housing options that balance affordability with opportunity. Despite ongoing challenges like high mortgage rates and stretched budgets, these top 10 markets have found ways to thrive.

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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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New NAR commission lawsuit, this time from home reno companies

Housing Wire

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) commission lawsuit settlement agreement may have received final approval , but it looks like NARs commission lawsuit woes are not over. On Tuesday, two Ohio -based companies that specialize in the acquisition, renovation and management of distressed real estate properties in Northeast Ohio, Abandoned Homes Project Scattered Site I LLC and Scattered Site II LLC., filed a suit against NAR, claiming that the trade groups now abandoned Participation Rule ,

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9 Tips for Buying a Preforeclosure (Especially If It’s Your First)

HomeLight

So youre thinking about buying a house, and you start looking around online just to see whats out there. As youre getting familiar with the lay of the land eyeballing homes that seem to meet your criteria and fit your budget , daring to let yourself feel excited about the possibilities maybe you stumble upon a listing marked as a preforeclosure. The photos show a home that looks like its in good shape, and the price is neither suspiciously low nor alarmingly high.

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Sierra Pacific Mortgage hires Suzy Lindblom as COO

Housing Wire

Sierra Pacific Mortgage has hired Suzy Lindblom as its new Chief Operating Officer, the company announced in a LinkedIn post. Lindblom confirmed the move in her own post , adding that she has been working with Sierra Pacific as a consultant for the last six months. With more than 40 years of experience in the mortgage industry, Lindblom was most recently chief operating officer (COO) at lender and servicer Arc Home , serving in that role from August 2022 to February 2024.

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The Ingredients to an Award-Winning Rookie Year

RIS Media

Don’t let Heather Stenson’s youthful persona fool you. What she may lack in years of experience she more than makes up for in dedication to her craft and commitment to her clients. And as RISMedia’s 2024 Real Estate Rookie of the Year winner, she now has the accolades to prove it. Designed to honor new-agent… The post The Ingredients to an Award-Winning Rookie Year appeared first on RISMedia.

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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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How to track housing data to know what’s coming next

Housing Wire

Tracking live weekly housing data would have been nearly impossible just a few years ago, but now we can gather and analyze real-time housing demand data. This valuable information can significantly enhance our understanding of housing economics and what is coming next. The question is: How can we harness the data to give you more confidence when talking about the housing market?

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States and Construction Trades Most Reliant on Immigrant Workers, 2023

Eye on Housing

As reported in a previous post, immigrants make up one in four workers in the construction industry. The share of immigrants is significantly higher (32.5%) among construction tradesmen.

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FHA publishes final rule to establish permanent single-family loan sale program

Housing Wire

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) on Wednesday published a final rule in the Federal Register, establishing a permanent program to sell seriously delinquent, FHA-insured single-family mortgages following the release of a proposal over the summer. A public inspection version of the rule was released on Tuesday prior to its final publication. This rule amends the requirements for the sale of eligible single family mortgage loans insured by the [FHA] that have been assigned to the secretary

Loans 384
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Realty ONE Group Offers Arizona Real Estate Professionals the Option to Disaffiliate With NAR

RIS Media

Realty ONE Group International has announced it is creating a program for real estate professionals in Phoenix who do not want to be affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS (NAR). In a recent press release, the brokerage stated it has established a new subsidiaryRealty ONE Group AZfor those who choose to unaffiliate with NAR… The post Realty ONE Group Offers Arizona Real Estate Professionals the Option to Disaffiliate With NAR appeared first on RISMedia.

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Driving Profit: 4 Pillars for Growing Your Real Estate Brokerage

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.

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Longbridge, Mutual of Omaha attempt to reach settlement over deceptive marketing accusations

Housing Wire

An ongoing lawsuit between two major reverse mortgage lenders, Mutual of Omaha Mortgage and Longbridge Financial , over marketing practices could come to an end if both parties can reach a settlement agreement prior to going to trial. But such an outcome isnt guaranteed, and Mutual of Omaha has requested additional time to provide a response to the allegations Longbridge laid out in its complaint, according to a court filing reviewed by HousingWire s Reverse Mortgage Daily (RMD).

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Mortgage Applications Increase for Fifth Straight Week

RIS Media

With mortgage rates hitting six-week lows this past week, home-purchase applications saw their fifth-straight week of increases, driven primarily by a surge in refinance activity by borrowers with the higher rates of this time last year. Veterans Affairs loans in particular saw the highest refi activity with an 85% increase over the previous week. Lets… The post Mortgage Applications Increase for Fifth Straight Week appeared first on RISMedia.

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HUD takes a closer look at senior finances, housing affordability pain points

Housing Wire

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)s Office of Policy Development and Research recently published a report that more closely examines the housing needs of older Americans and the pain points that have exacerbated their needs stemming from a national housing crisis. The material featured came from a workshop hosted by Fannie Mae and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia , which highlighted research assessing the impact of demographic shifts, including the aging U.S. popu

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Fort Greene Co-op With Mantels, Laundry, Enclosed Terrace Asks $1.4 Million

Brownstoner

The price tag is on the higher end for a one-bedroom, but the photogenic unit does have some extra perks for the money, including a recent renovation, loft storage, and an enclosed terrace. The apartment is on the parlor level of an 1870s Italianate brownstone at 6 South Portland Avenue. In… Read More > The post Fort Greene Co-op With Mantels, Laundry, Enclosed Terrace Asks $1.4 Million appeared first on Brownstoner.

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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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First American launches real-time fraud alert system

Housing Wire

Every season is fraud season and title firm First American is not messing around. On Wednesday, the Big Four title company announced the launch of Order Insights, a real-time fraud alert system. The tool is available to all First American policy-issuing title agents and is now included with AgentNet Services, First Americans digital title product and service storefront.

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DOJ tells Supreme Court it has a right to investigate NAR policies

Inman

In its response to an NAR appeal, the DOJ acknowledged that, although it had closed an investigation into two NAR policies in 2020, it didn't agree not to reopen it.

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New NAR commission lawsuit — this time from home renovation companies

Housing Wire

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) commission lawsuit settlement agreement may have received final approval , but it looks like NARs commission lawsuit woes are not over. On Tuesday, two Ohio -based companies that specialize in the acquisition, renovation and management of distressed real estate properties in Northeast Ohio, Abandoned Homes Project Scattered Site I LLC and Scattered Site II LLC., filed a suit against NAR, claiming that the trade groups now abandoned Participation Rule ,

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The Agency’s Red Paper report shows luxury market thriving

Inman

Luxury clientele's resiliency toward interest rates and a well-performing stock market were primary factors in the luxury market's positive performance in 2024.

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The Broker Action Plan for the Post-NAR Lawsuit Landscape

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.

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Today’s Mortgage Rates Surge Ahead of CPI Report – December 11, 2024

Marco Santarelli

Mortgage rates have climbed today as the market anticipates the report from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) set to be released later today. As of December 11, 2024, the national average for the 30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.26% , while the 15-year fixed rate has risen to 5.62%. This increase reflects broader economic conditions, particularly as analysts predict a rise in inflation, which is likely pushing up mortgage rates.

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South Florida association launches consumer education ad campaign

Inman

Titled Perfect Strangers, the latest commercial is part of Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors' stated goal of creating a national movement to change how consumers think of real estate agents.

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Inflation Remains Sticky Despite Easing Housing Costs

Eye on Housing

Inflation picked up to 2.7% in November, while matching expectations, the last mile to the Feds 2% target proves to be the most challenging. Shelter costs continued to be the main driver of inflation, contributing nearly 40% of the monthly increase. However, the year-over-year change in the shelter index remained below 5% for a third.

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