Fri.Apr 08, 2022

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Now is basically the worst time ever to buy a house

Housing Wire

It’s a depressing combination. A stunning rise in mortgage rates, historically low levels of inventory , and skyrocketing housing prices are fueling consumer pessimism. Fannie Mae ‘s Home Purchase Sentiment Index, which tracks the housing market and consumer confidence to sell or buy a home, dropped by 2.1 points to 73.2 in March from the previous month.

Mortgages 448
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Do You Know How Much Equity You Have in Your Home? [INFOGRAPHIC]

Keeping Current Matters

Some Highlights. If you’re a homeowner, your net worth has gotten a big boost. That’s because recent home price appreciation has increased your equity. Your equity grows as you pay down your loan and as your home increases in value. Over the past year, the average homeowner’s equity grew by $55,300. Ready to sell? Reach out to a local real estate professional to talk about how you can use that equity to fuel your next move.

Equity 282
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HW+ Member Spotlight: Eric Lapin

Housing Wire

This week’s HW+ member spotlight features Eric Lapin, who was recently appointed chief strategy officer at FormFree. Tapping into more than 25 years of experience, Lapin will strategically identify and execute growth opportunities at FormFree to drive the company forward. Prior to joining FormFree, Lapin served as first vice president of corporate development, national agency services, at Old Republic Title , and has also held leadership positions at Altisource , Black Knight , First American an

Lending 418
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10 Things Real Estate Agents Agree to Disagree About

Lighter Side of Real Estate

Real estate is a cooperative industry. You won’t survive long in this business if you can’t get along and work with other real estate agents. That doesn’t mean agents don’t have their differences about how to do their jobs well! There’s no one-size-fits-all way of working with clients. For every way one agent goes about getting their clients the best results, there’s an equal and opposite approach another agent firmly believes in.

Agents 145
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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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CFPB’s appeal to Ocwen suit off to a rough start

Housing Wire

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ’s attempt to revive a mortgage servicing misconduct lawsuit against Ocwen Financial Corp. is in choppy waters. On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ruled that most of the watchdog’s complaints against Ocwen that occurred from January 2014 to Feb. 26, 2017, are prohibited because of a 2014 consent order.

Staging 397
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Can You Put an Offer on a House That’s Contingent?

RIS Media

Yes! Once you find your dream home and it happens to be marked as contingent, you can still place an offer. Here’s all you should know about contingent sales as a potential home buyer. Contingent meaning. Real estate listings go through different stages. An active listing means the home in question is currently on sale, and sellers are actively open to offers.

More Trending

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Highest Paid Occupations in Construction in 2021

Eye on Housing

According to the latest May 2021 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and analysis by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), half of payroll workers in construction earn more than $49,070 and the top 25% make at least $75,820. In comparison, the U.S. median wage is $45,760, while the top quartile (top 25%) makes.

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Deephaven hires Gulotta to lead wholesale sales on East Coast

Housing Wire

Deephaven Mortgage hired Anthony Gulotta to lead wholesale sales on the East Coast, the non-QM lender announced this week. Gulatta, based in Charlotte, will work to build the lender’s presence with mortgage brokers on non-agency products. “Anthony combines a strong understanding of the business opportunities for mortgage brokers with a dedicated focus on education and client support,” John Keratsis, president and CEO of Deephaven Mortgage, said in a statement.

Sales 397
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Cast Your Ballot: Voting for Participatory Budgeting in Five Brooklyn Districts Ends This Weekend

Brownstoner

The voting period for the five Brooklyn City Council districts taking part in this year’s participatory budgeting cycle is coming to a close this Sunday, April 10. Here are the districts participating and the projects proposed for each one. What is participatory budgeting? Every spring, the mayor and the City Council work… Read More > The post Cast Your Ballot: Voting for Participatory Budgeting in Five Brooklyn Districts Ends This Weekend appeared first on Brownstoner.

Closing 118
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Freddie Mac rolls out $1.8 billion CRT note offering

Housing Wire

Freddie Mac’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Freddie Mac has unveiled its third credit risk transfer offering of the year through its Structured Agency Credit Risk (STACR) program. This latest transaction will bring the total note issuance so far in 2022 through STACR to $5.1 billion secured by single-family mortgage reference loan pools valued in total at $121.5 billion.

Principal 397
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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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From Cramped Condo to Spacious Single Family, a HomeLight Trade-In Success Story in Denver

HomeLight

Homeowner Geetha Sivanandam and her family were living in a two-bedroom condominium in downtown Denver when the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. Despite spending more time at home than ever, the Sivanandams were comfortable in their convenient location. For a while, at least. “My daughter had just turned 11, and I think she was starting to outgrow the space,” says Sivanandam.

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This is the uncertain future of the PLS market

Housing Wire

The pace of deals in the private-label securities market has started to slow as the second quarter of the year gets underway and interest rates continue their upward climb — with rising inflation and the war in Ukraine, which is impacting supply chains, helping to fuel uncertainty over the future. . That’s what it looks like to some of the experts behind the scenes who are responsible for rating and conducting due diligence on private label securities (PLS) offerings.

Marketing 370
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12 Vital Considerations Before Renting A Home

Realty Biz

With many advantages to renting, like having fewer responsibilities and more flexibility, it is an obvious choice for many people. But even with fewer things to worry about, there are some considerations before renting a home that you need to be aware of. Research and due diligence are essential after jumping on the best website for rentals. Understanding how to find a house to rent is critical, but you don’t want to make mistakes.

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This San Antonio Couple Offered Below List and Still Got the Home…Thanks to HomeLight Trade-In and Cash Offer

HomeLight

Homeowner Domingo Gutierrez and his wife, Teresa, faced a common dilemma: They needed a larger home to accommodate their family and pets, but lenders kept insisting that they would have to sell their home first in order to get approved for a new mortgage. “For a couple of years, this actually stopped us from getting into a new home,” says Gutierrez.

Finance 111
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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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TRB Special Guest Blog: Tara Amina

Toronto Realty Blog

TorontoRealtyBlog. I don’t know David from high school, nor did I play baseball on his team… talk about a boys club, right? But not to worry, I worked in the heavy equipment industry for four years so I’m very well versed in what it means to voice the only female perspective in the room. So, I guess it’s my turn now. . Hello, I’m Tara Amina, also known as the most positive agent on the team!

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Dallas Resident Motivations 2022 (Infographic)

App Folio

A lot has been written about the state of Dallas-Fort Worth’s rental market over the last two years. What hasn’t.

Marketing 105
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A Bed Stuy Italianate With Mantels and Two More to See, Starting at $1.949 Million

Brownstoner

Our picks for open houses to check out this weekend are found in Bed Stuy and Crown Heights. They range in price from $1.949 million to $2.5 million. In Bed Stuy, an 1870s brick Italianate in the Bedford Stuyvesant/Expanded Stuyvesant Heights Historic District has some original interior details remaining, including six… Read More > The post A Bed Stuy Italianate With Mantels and Two More to See, Starting at $1.949 Million appeared first on Brownstoner.

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“Double Trouble” and the Homeownership Divide

RIS Media

Homeownership continues to be one of the most important means of wealth building in the U.S. Unfortunately, the number of housing units for sale is at its lowest in almost 50 years given the vast scale of underbuilding and the lack of residential investment over the past 15 years. The lack of investment in housing in our country has made buying a home much more expensive and out of reach for many credit-worthy Americans.

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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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Mortgage and refinance rates today, April 8, 2022

The Mortgage Report

Today’s mortgage and refinance rates Average mortgage rates fell appreciably yesterday. But even that worthwhile fall didn’t make much of a dent in recent rises. And mortgage rates start this […].

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Home Inspection Waived? It’s Not Too Late to Learn About the Home

RIS Media

Many buyers are waiving the home inspection in today’s market but even after closing, your clients can reap the benefits of having a professional, thorough home inspection. First, the home inspection allows the buyer to learn about any major defects or damage that may not have been disclosed. Things like a new roof or repairing a foundation are costly and will need to be budgeted for, on top of all the usual costs of homeownership.

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Daily Links: To-Go Cocktails May Still Have a Future in NYC

Brownstoner

In the News How to Get a Free Covid Test in New York City [NYT] Artist as Healer: Guadalupe Maravilla's Sculptures at the Brooklyn Museum [NYT] New York Aquarium’s New Imaginative Exhibit, the Playquarium, Opens [BP]. Dumbo Open Studios Returns in Person [BK Reader] Brooklyn Company Ordered to Give $900K to Underpaid NYCHA Workers… Read More > The post Daily Links: To-Go Cocktails May Still Have a Future in NYC appeared first on Brownstoner.

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8 Safety Tips Every Real Estate Agent Should Know

RIS Media

Being a real estate agent could put you in some risky situations, so make sure you have a safety plan ready to go. Is being a real estate agent a dangerous job? Though not an inherently dangerous job, the National Association of REALTORS ® (NAR) 2020 Member Safety Report found that about 5% of agents have been the victim of a crime while working. To ensure your safety and peace of mind, it’s best to be prepared for anything.

Agents 98
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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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Friday Flash: Country Radio

1000Watt

I spent three days this week driving across the wide-open spaces of Montana with my daughter. . Interstate and backroad, mountain and plain, “city” and town. We ditched Spotify and listened to radio — country radio — the whole time. . I am 50. Gen X. I grew up on radio. Casey Kasem and Rick Dees were totems in my teenage world. Their shows were events.

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Global Spotlight: London Calling

RIS Media

With years of experience in the property industry, the team at Capital Homes International is well positioned to find their clients the best properties available at any given time. Here, Carlo Nasti and Jonny Keightley—the firm’s directors—provide a glimpse into the burgeoning London market. Nasti and Keightley. Please tell us about your firm.

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Lead Generation For Real Estate Agents

Lab Coat Agents

One of the most frequently asked questions at LCA is, “How much time should real estate agents spend on lead generation every day?” It is recommended by many successful real estate agents and some of the top real estate coaches that three hours of lead generation per day is what is needed for a six-figure business. Some will argue that lead generation consists of voice-to-voice (or face-to-face) communication with prospects.

Agents 98
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Power Brokers Brace for Changing Conditions

RIS Media

While their collective sales volume was a staggering $2.4 trillion-plus in 2021, the Top 1,000 brokers ranked in RISMedia’s 2022 Power Broker Report are facing a very different landscape as this year progresses. According to the results of RISMedia’s annual Power Broker Survey, total sales volume for the top 1,000 firms in 2021 increased by nearly $800B YoY, with the average transaction amount soaring from $394,043 in 2020 to $492,857 in 2021.

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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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As mortgage rates soar, sellers are increasingly chopping prices

Real Trends

The share of home sellers dropping their asking prices in March reached the highest level recorded since early December, according to a Redfin report published on Thursday. Soaring mortgage rates are largely to blame, according to Redfin’s economists. The report examined housing market data in over 400 U.S. metropolitan areas during the four weeks ending on April 3.

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Howard Hanna Real Estate Merges With HER, REALTORS®

RIS Media

The next step in Howard Hanna Real Estate Services’ forward-looking growth strategy was realized this week with the announcement of its merger with HER, REALTORS®. The deal adds roughly 1,200 agents and 90 offices to Howard Hanna’s portfolio and expands its footprint in Ohio, Michigan and northern Kentucky. “We are excited to welcome HER, REALTORS® to the Hanna Family of Companies,” said Helen Hanna Casey, chief executive officer of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services.

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3 Key Differences Between Conventional & Physician Mortgage Loans

Realty Biz

Physician mortgage loans are a particular loan class exclusively available for physicians and medical residents. A few factors can make home loans more difficult than you would expect for a person who works as a doctor. If you’re a physician or a dentist, you may have a high student loan balance as a newly graduated medical practitioner. Or, you might be still in and out of training.

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HUD to Use Additional $3.3 Million in American Rescue Plan Funds

RIS Media

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced that it is making an additional $3,285,353 in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding available to help HUD’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) agencies combat housing discrimination related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizations that qualify for the funding, which is being awarded through FHIP’s Private Enforcement Initiative (PEI) component, will be able to use the money to conduct a range of fair housing enforcement an

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Boldtrail Backoffice - Take The Quiz to See What Package Is Right For You

BoldTrail BackOffice provides a single, streamlined solution to manage agent onboarding and billing and commission tracking and disbursements, along with agent management, reporting, and accounting - so your brokerage can run smoothly & profitably. Our #1-rated back office solutions have exactly what your business needs to deliver a seamless experience for your clients and your team.