Wed.Mar 29, 2023

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Mortgage demand gets a boost as rates decline for three straight weeks

Housing Wire

When the 30-year fixed rate dropped for the third straight week in late March, homebuyers responded, giving a boost to mortgage applications. And, following investors’ rush into bonds after the recent bank failures earlier this month, yields moved even lower last week — and mortgage rates followed. Mortgage applications increased 2.9% week over week on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending March 24, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

Mortgages 407
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Commissions lawsuit now a class action, greatly increasing its scope

Real Estate News

A judge ruled that the Moehrl suit would now cover all sellers who paid commissions to named companies over a 5-year period, plus “current and future” sellers.

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Hope Through Housing uses MLK Grant to fund after school programs

Housing Wire

Hope through Housing is a non-profit organization whose mission is to end generational poverty through affordable housing , educational programs and advocacy. In 2022, they were the recipients of an MLK grant which will be used to fund their youth development initiative. As people across the country celebrated MLK day on January 16th, Greg Bradbard, president of Hope Through Housing, sat down with HousingWire to talk about the impact the grant will have on his organization and the affordable hou

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Pending sales signal modest improvement in housing market

Real Estate News

NAR reported that February pending home sales were up 0.8% from January, making it the third consecutive month of increases.

Sales 320
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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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Home-equity niche will benefit from a private-label lift

Housing Wire

The demand for home-equity loans, particularly home-equity lines of credit (HELOCs) as well as shared-equity investment products, is now stronger than at any time since before the global financial crisis some 15 years ago. Securitization channels for those home-equity products, however, are only now starting to catch up to the growing demand for them.

Equity 383
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Agents Decoded: How to get clients to contact you

Real Estate News

When Jay Thompson needed to find a great local agent, he went looking for someone with a solid online presence and good reviews — who also responded to calls.

Agents 261

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MLS-owned Nestfully wants to make home shopping more pleasant

Real Estate News

The new home search platform, a joint venture between Bright MLS and CRMLS, aims to inspire a sense of calm and simplify the process for consumers and agents.

MLS 259
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Fidelity to pay $3.5M fine over “no-poaching” agreements

Housing Wire

Fidelity National Financial has agreed to pay a $3.5 million fine to the state of New York, following an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General that discovered the top U.S. title insurance company had “no-poach” agreements with rivals. Jacksonville-based Fidelity is the fifth large national title insurance company to sign an agreement to end no-poach practices in New York, followed by Old Republic National Title in September 2021, AmTrust and First Nationwide in July 2022, and Stewa

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Falling mortgage rates and home prices spur homebuyer interest

Inman

Demand for purchase loans picks up for the fourth straight week as mortgage rates continue to retreat from 2023 highs, according to the latest Mortgage Bankers Association survey released Wednesday.

Mortgages 217
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Gathering of Eagles is for mortgage professionals too

Housing Wire

This year, Gathering of Eagles is excited to invite colleagues from the mortgage industry to the real estate-centered event. There is no better time than a tough market to come together as a community. Mortgage lenders need to strengthen their bonds with real estate agents, and broker-owners must communicate with title professionals. It’s now more important than ever to remember that your sphere of influence reaches more than just customers.

Mortgages 373
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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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Gen Zers see ‘green homes’ in their searches, says RE/MAX study

Inman

Amid an economic landscape in flux, homebuyers and sellers continue to want expert advice from real estate agents while looking to prepare for the future, and for Gen Z that means finding "green homes," according to RE/MAX.

Agents 215
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Biden urged to consider Build America’s impact on affordable housing

Housing Wire

A coalition of 24 housing organizations, individual leaders and trade groups, led by the National Housing Conference (NHC), are urging President Joe Biden to exempt affordable housing development and repair from the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This includes affordable homeownership repair and development programs and U.S.

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4 Key Tips for Selling Your House This Spring

Keeping Current Matters

Spring has arrived, and that means more and more people are getting their homes ready to sell.

Marketing 232
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Opinion: Don’t cut back on professional support services

Housing Wire

The old saying that “the devil’s in the details” can be applied to many different circumstances. And it’s undeniable that the title and settlement services industry is, at its very core, about close attention to the little things. After all, title insurance is only issued after the public records are thoroughly scrutinized. But now, more than ever, title agents should be mindful of the axiom, especially when it comes to decision-making and budget cuts.

Title 321
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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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Love-hate relationship with social media? Here’s how I make it work

Inman

Although people have mixed feelings about social media, there's no denying that it's a valuable tool for marketing your business. Find out how agent Nikki Beauchamp puts it to work effectively.

Agents 174
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February pending home sales disappoint, but maybe we’re turning a corner?

Housing Wire

Don’t call it a comeback? Pending home sales rose for the third month in a row in February, but at 0.8%, the uptick over January was less than is typically seen in the run-up to the spring housing market. Month-over-month, contract signings increased in three U.S. regions, but declined in the West, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Sales 304
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Sherry Chris and Amory Wooden on how tech and culture ‘fuel’ ERA

Inman

As ERA Real Estate's Fuel conference unfolds this week, Chris and Wooden, the brokerage's CEO and CMO, revealed how they navigate a slow market and the technology they routinely deploy.

Brokerage 160
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Bringing MLS Software Into the Modern, Mobile Era

GeekEstate

[Note from editor: The “Mastermind Showcase” highlights companies and news from members of the GEM. Today’s showcase: Perchwell] A business operating system, Perchwell, provides listing data management, search, and syndication plus collaboration solutions for residential real estate professionals and their clients. Its flagship MLS platform (which includes both a front-end and back-end system) is constructed from a myriad of public and private sources and s upports interoperability/integration a

MLS 125
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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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Will an inventory shortage stymie spring? Look to 1994 for clues

Inman

This spring won't be easy for homebuyers and their agents, but history is full of examples in which the supply of homes went down, but sales kept chugging along, according to an Inman analysis.

Agents 160
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How To Lowball

BubbleInfo

Thanks to Peter for sending in this sale that exemplifies how to get a good deal. Someimes you can get lucky and the listing agent does the work for you – and you just need to be in the right place, at the right time.

Agents 105
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Bombshell multibillion-dollar commission suit now a class action

Inman

A judge on Wednesday granted class certification in a federal commission suit that could rock the real estate industry and impact how agents are compensated nationwide.

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Mom and Pop Business Owners’ Day: Landlords of Small Rental Properties

NAR: Economic Outlook

Mom and Pop Business Owners’ Day As March 29 is designated as Mom and Pop Business Owners’ Day, take a look at some key facts about mom-and-pop landlords and small rental properties.

Design 102
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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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@properties, Christie’s expand to Madison, Wisconsin, with affiliate

Inman

The independent brokerage formerly known as LeGrand Real Estate is the luxury brand's first affiliate in Madison, and its third in the state of Wisconsin. It is led by the mother-son team of Melissa LeGrand and Brogan Brunker.

Brokerage 154
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Video of the Week: A Breathtaking Estate in Sydney, Australia

Sotheby's International Real Estate

Featuring curated videos from the most sought-after destinations the world over, discover this week’s V ideo of the Week.  Sydney, Australia | Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty This magnificent luxury residence was created by award-winning Felton Homes Architecture. A testament to timeless design, the home was inspired by French Provincial architecture and adheres to classic proportions, making it arguably one of the area’s finest homes.

Design 101
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Dreading a rise in foreclosures? Here’s one economist’s take

Inman

Windermere Chief Economist Matthew Gardner has pulled the latest data on foreclosure starts and looked at the quality of mortgages that have been given to buyers in order to give you a clear idea of how foreclosures will impact the overall housing market.

Mortgages 154
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5 Time-Saving Tips for Handling Client Communication and Follow-Up

Broke Agent Media

Effective communication and follow-up can make or break your success in the industry. Whether you are managing multiple clients or juggling a range of properties, having a streamlined approach to client communication can save you time—and help you build stronger relationships with your prospects and clients. But with the fast-paced nature of the real estate industry, keeping up with all that communication can be a challenge.

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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.

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10 proptech entrepreneurs get real with real estate’s decision-makers

Inman

From Rentspree to Better, Intel asked 10 property technology entrepreneurs tough questions on the minds of their colleagues and customers, many of them large, national brokerage brands.

Brokerage 154
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What Does a Title Company Do in a Real Estate Transaction

Maximum Exposure Real Estate

The Role of a Real Estate Title Company As if real estate wasn’t confusing enough. When you think you have a handle on all the professionals and the organizations, along comes someone or something else to let you know there’s always more to learn. When you are a first-time home buyer, one of those items […] The post What Does a Title Company Do in a Real Estate Transaction appeared first on Maximum Real Estate Exposure.

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Collaborate, communicate, calculate: 7 ways to keep buyers in the deal

Inman

The more a buyer is educated about the ins and outs of a transaction, the more comfortable they'll be with bumps in the road. Luxury agent Cara Ameer offers insights designed to help you keep buyers on track.

Design 154
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Climate Controlled Storage Near Me: Finding a Unit

Maximum Exposure Real Estate

What to Know About Climate-Controlled Storage Are you buying or selling a home and have figured out you’ll need a temporary self-storage unit? If you need to store your items, you’ll find companies offering climate-controlled storage units. These will be more costly than standard units, and you might be more restricted in available sizes.

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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.