Tue.Nov 01, 2022

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3 Trends That Are Good News for Today’s Homebuyers

Keeping Current Matters

While higher mortgage rates are creating affordability challenges for homebuyers this year, there is some good news for those people still looking to buy a home.

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What is a 2-1 temporary rate buydown?

Housing Wire

As mortgage rates hit 7% and above, loan officers are seeing new borrowers increasingly interested in options that can help reduce their initial mortgage payments. These borrowers are hoping that rates will decline enough in the next few years that a refinance will bring their payments down permanently. Options for borrowers include temporary rate buydowns and down payment assistance programs.

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More Prospective Buyers Are Actively Searching for a Home

Eye on Housing

Higher interest rates are pricing out some (not all) buyers, but also transforming remaining prospects into active buyers. In the third quarter of 2022, 59% of prospective buyers had moved beyond the planning phase and become fully engaged in the buying process, up from 46% in the first quarter and 49% in the second quarter of the year. The share.

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Rocket’s struggle to adapt to highly volatile market conditions

Housing Wire

Last year, Rocket Mortgage , America’s top mortgage lender, benefited greatly from record low mortgage rates — racking up more than double the refi volume of any lender. . But with rates rapidly climbing past the 7% level, the Detroit-based lender is now in a tough spot as it attempts to pivot to purchase mortgages and persuade its customers to get cash-out refis – all while trying to cut costs through voluntary buyouts and attrition, the Wall Street Journal reported in a deep dive published Tue

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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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Construction Job Market Volatility

Eye on Housing

The count of open, unfilled jobs for the overall economy increased in September, rising from 10.3 million open positions to 10.71 million. This represents a small increase from a year ago (10.67 million). This increase occurs despite signs of a slowing economy amidst aggressive monetary policy tightening by the Fed. The hotter than expected labor market data pushed the 10-year.

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Mortgage Coach, Polly team up amid a rapidly shrinking industry

Housing Wire

Mortgage tech firms Mortgage Coach and Polly have teamed up on a new application programming interface (API) integration that guides borrowers through a visual representation of their loan options. The goal is to help drum up business for lenders during an extremely challenging time in the industry. . Mortgage Coach, founded in 2009 and based in California, offers an interactive borrower education platform that lets loan officers guide borrowers through a visual presentation of their loan option

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Rocket launches loyalty program, gives discount for closing costs

Housing Wire

Rocket Companies on Tuesday launched a loyalty program to attract potential homebuyers into its ecosystem amid one of the most challenging mortgage markets in decades. Rocket Rewards will distribute points toward financial transactions across the Rocket Platform, such as using the company’s mortgage calculator, reading educational articles or watching informative videos.

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Real Estate Commission: How Much and Other Things to Know

Realty Biz

Many things can be foreign to you when you have never bought or sold a home. One of the greater mysteries in the real estate industry is the commission consumers pay when engaging the services of an agent. When you buy or sell a house, a commission will be paid. But how much? What is the average Realtor commission ? Do Real Estate agents or Realtors ever negotiate their fees?

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RON bill grinds to a halt in the U.S. Senate

Housing Wire

Things were looking good for the Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization (SECURE) Act as of late July after it passed in the House of Representatives as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. However, the bill’s momentum came to a halt in October after the SECURE Act was removed from the final version of the legislation.

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The Average Cost of Technology Tools for Real Estate Agents

Realty Biz

When it comes to real estate, having a good property on the market is only part of the battle; real estate agents also need to have effective marketing and advertising strategies to reach many potential buyers. With this, it comes as no surprise that agents use a lot of technology in their day-to-day operations. However, investing in technology is certainly no small amount of money.

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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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HW Annual 2022: HW Media Update

Housing Wire

HW Media Update. Starting in 2018, HW Media started focusing on events for marketers with Engage Marketing. In 2022 this tradition was continued with the Marketing Leader Success Summit at HousingWire Annual in Scottsdale. In this update Clayton Collins and Jennifer Laws talk about HW Media, our audience, the growth that HW Media has experienced in the past few years and how that matters to marketers.

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September Private Residential Spending Stays Flat

Eye on Housing

Private residential construction spending was virtually unchanged in September, with spending on single-family construction dropping just 2.6%. The value of September private residential construction put in place was at an annual pace of $918 billion, about 12.7% higher compared to a year ago. The monthly decline is largely attributed to lower spending on single-family construction.

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 SaaS provider WorkWave acquires TaskEasy

Housing Wire

WorkWave, a cloud-based SaaS provider, announced Tuesday the acquisition of TaskEasy, a service provider for rental property owners. The acquisition aims to provide WorkWave field service customers with local service jobs, allowing them to grow their business while streamlining sales, marketing and advertising expenses. TaskEasy, meanwhile, will get access to WorkWave’s customer base, according to a statement from the company.

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Inside a Contemporary Wine Country Farmhouse

Sotheby's International Real Estate

Known as the heart of Napa Valley, St. Helena is a picturesque community that is home to some of the region’s pioneering wineries, superlative restaurants, and delightful shops as well as the Auberge du Soleil resort and the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. For those who choose to transcend the occasional vacation and live here, it offers a balance of quaint vintage homes along with larger luxurious estates—this captivating newly constructed compound among them.

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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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Opinion: The single-family rental (SFR) category is providing a critical pathway to home ownership

Housing Wire

One of the most common misconceptions in the broader discussion of America’s housing crisis is that the rapid increase of the single-family rental (SFR) market is preventing prospective homeowners — especially younger homeowners — from attaining the American Dream. That is not the case, in fact, SFR properties serve as a critical housing “safety valve,” providing an intermediate step toward home ownership.

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Instead of Cutting Costs, Think About Making Strategic Investments

App Folio

Back in 2021, AppFolio co-partnered with the National Apartment Association (NAA) to launch our Property Management Industry Pulse, which revealed.

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Caliber sues Union Home Mortgage for trying to “cripple” its Southeast operation

Housing Wire

Caliber Home Loans is suing another direct competitor for raiding its talent pool, accusing rival Union Home Mortgage of trying to “cripple” its retail mortgage operation in the Southeast. On Oct. 24, the Dallas-based lender filed a lawsuit against Union Home Mortgage and Kevin Cario, a former regional manager, for allegedly raiding 51 employees that produced $400 million in mortgages in 2021, which generated a $1.4 million profit for Caliber.

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Social media reigns supreme for lead generation

Real Trends

Social media remains Realtors’ top lead-generating technology tool , with 46% of respondents reporting it was their number one technology powered lead generation source, according to a new survey report from the National Association of Realtors. The most popular social media app among the random sample of Realtors surveyed was Facebook , with 89% of respondents reporting they used the app, followed by Instagram at 59%, LinkedIn at 53%, YouTube at 26%, Twitter at 19% and TikTok at 12%.

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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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Do You Know Where Your Money Is Coming From? Navigating Today’s Lending Market

Bigger Pockets

There is no doubt that the real estate market has been a wild ride since the pandemic changed the normal course of our lives over two years ago. Lending did […].

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If You Love Pie Charts, You’ll Love These Real Estate Memes!

Lighter Side of Real Estate

There’s something so appealing about a pie chart. Perhaps it’s because, like actual pie, they’re so easy to consume! They make it easy (and fun) to learn something with a quick glance. Here are 9 real estate memes that make learning a thing or two about real estate as easy as (ahem) pie ! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. The post If You Love Pie Charts, You’ll Love These Real Estate Memes!

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Semi-Retired at 30 Thanks to One Year’s Worth of Real Estate Investing

Bigger Pockets

If early retirement seems out of reach right now, try semi-retirement. Once you get there, you’ll only be halfway to early retirement, just like today’s guest, Jessie Dillion. At only […].

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8 Tips for Moving in the Winter

Realty Biz

Although spring and summer are the most popular times for moving into a new home, sometimes life has other plans. Whether you accepted a new job or you found your dream home for a bargain price, you may need to sell your home quickly and move in the winter. Moving in winter comes with weather-related challenges, but they aren’t impossible to overcome.

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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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5 Ways to Prepare Your House for Cold Weather

RISMedia

By Dixie Somers Preparing your home for winter is an important task that you surely don't want to put off. Cold weather, snow and ice can severely damage your home if you don't take steps to prepare for it. Be sure to complete these five important tasks to winterize your home before the cold weather […]. The post 5 Ways to Prepare Your House for Cold Weather appeared first on RISMedia's Housecall.

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ERA REAL ESTATE FORTIFIES ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO PRESENCE WITH AFFILIATION OF ERA SUMMIT

Realty Biz

ERA Real Estate , a global franchising leader within the Anywhere SM portfolio of brands, announced today the launch of ERA Summit in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The firm, which has been named a Top Workplace multiple times since 2014, serves the greater Albuquerque area, including the surrounding cities of Corrales, Rio Rancho, Peralta, Los Lunas, Belen, Edgewood, Tijeras, Moriarty, Estancia, Truth or Consequences, Santa Fe, Socorro and Placitas. .

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Sunset Park Finnish Co-op With Wood Floors, Barn Doors, Renovated Kitchen Asks $537,500

Brownstoner

On the third floor of a Sunset Park walk-up, this apartment has a flexible floor plan along with a renovation that kept some period details and added a bit of rustic style. It is in the four-story Finnish co-op at 4113 7th Avenue, located across from the neighborhood's eponymous park. The… Read More > The post Sunset Park Finnish Co-op With Wood Floors, Barn Doors, Renovated Kitchen Asks $537,500 appeared first on Brownstoner.

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Top 5 Real Estate Software for Agencies

Realty Biz

Technology has changed almost every aspect of our lives. It has also had a significant impact on the real estate market. Using technology, especially real estate software to reach clients is an innovative solution to drive business and should be used to expand the market. The rise of online services such as Zillow and Redfin have made it easier for buyers and sellers alike to compare shop properties, while apps like Google Maps make it simple to find directions.

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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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Brooklyn Real Estate Listings Six Months Later: All Four Sold

Brownstoner

This week, a look back at four of our featured listings from six months ago focuses on homes in Prospect Heights, Kensington, Sunset Park and Fort Greene. How did they fare? A top floor one-bedroom with in-unit laundry has the delights of its era and appears to be in move-in condition.… Read More > The post Brooklyn Real Estate Listings Six Months Later: All Four Sold appeared first on Brownstoner.

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How to Brighten Your Home Before a Dark Winter

Realty Biz

Lights and glass are the best solutions for overcoming gloomy winter days. Winter’s darkest skies will soon be with us, and you might want to take on a few simple DYI projects that will add brightness inside until the long sunny day's return. Replace Older Fixtures with Modern Lighting. You have many bright options today if it is time to replace older original light fixtures with modern LED lighting.

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With a Revamp, Brownsville Heritage House Aims to Be ‘Neighborhood’s Public Living Room’

Brownstoner

Tucked up on the second floor of Brownsville’s Stone Avenue Library, a self-described “treasure trove of Black culture” awaits in the Brownsville Heritage House. A redesign is aiming to open up the resource to more people in the community and increase the nonprofit cultural center's reputation as a star attraction… Read More > The post With a Revamp, Brownsville Heritage House Aims to Be ‘Neighborhood’s Public Living Room’ appeared first on Brownstoner.

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NSDCC October Listings

BubbleInfo

Next year, everyone will be talking about how mortgage rates in the 7s or 8s will be causing a lack of affordability, but I have bad news for those who still want to buy. There probably won’t be many homes for sale. It will only take one or two headlines about the real estate market […].

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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.