Housing Wire

MAY 1, 2025

Industry debate around off-market listings or pocket listings has become increasingly heated. For some agents , these private transactions are tools of exclusivity and strategy. For others, theyre a disservice to sellers and a potential breach of fiduciary duty. Four agents with strong opinions; Isom Coleman in Sacramento, Calif.; Kevin Dombrowski in Arlington Heights, Ill.; Jaymes Willoughby in Austin, Texas; and Jovanka Novakovic in Chicago, offered contrasting views on the practice.

Agents 396

Agents Marketing MLS FHA loan 396

Real Estate News

MAY 12, 2025

A new report suggests mortgage rates are continuing to delay purchase decisions, but younger buyers are most eager to trade renting for homeownership.

Mortgages 350

Mortgages 350

Keeping Current Matters

MAY 8, 2025

From rising home prices to mortgage rate swings, the housing market has left a lot of people wondering whats next and whether now is really the right time to move.

Marketing 277

Marketing Mortgages 277

Housing Wire

MAY 17, 2025

One of the lesser known storylines in housing economics is that the improvement in mortgage spreads since 2023 has contributed to a noticeable trend in purchase application data for 2025, which is now showing 15 consecutive weeks of positive year-over-year growth. Mortgage spreads recently turned negative due to market volatility, which resulted in an increase of 20 to 25 basis points in mortgage rates.

Mortgages 505

Mortgages Sales Marketing As-is 505

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

MAY 22, 2025

Last year, I predicted a national home-price increase of 2.33%. While that forecast was lower than most others, it seemed achievable due to higher mortgage rates and increased inventory. I was wrong and too low for 2024. This year, my prediction is even lower at 1.77% national home-price growth. So far this year, the existing home price index has been higher than my forecast level every month.

Sales 470

Sales Mortgages Development As-is 470

Housing Wire

MAY 15, 2025

Housing markets across the country are grappling with a number of issues that have resulted in historically low home sales, and chief among them is the lack of affordability. Thats largely driven by a national housing shortage thats leading to fewer listings and thus driving up home prices. According to a new paper from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the drop in affordability is present in all income brackets but its most stark among the middle class where the percentage of affordab

Sales 413

Sales Marketing As-is 413

Housing Wire

MAY 20, 2025

As Congress continues its effort to rewrite major portions of the tax code, the National Association of Realtors ( NAR ) unveiled new polling showing just what the American people are looking for in the legislation. The national survey shows overwhelming bipartisan support for tax provisions that strengthen homeownership, support small business owners and the middle class, and unlock more housing inventory.

Commercial 421

Commercial As-is Mortgages Sales 421

Housing Wire

MAY 2, 2025

The reverse mortgage industrys premier trade association held its first event of 2025 this past week. While the mood was generally upbeat among the roughly 150 attendees who made the journey to Irvine, California, for the event hosted by the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA), there was also an acknowledgement of challenges faced by the industry when it comes to getting the word out about reverse mortgages.

Mortgages 445

Mortgages Industrial Land Equity 445

Housing Wire

MAY 12, 2025

What will happen to mortgage rates now that China and the U.S. have made progress in their trade war, agreeing to a 90-day period of lower tariffs? Stocks are up considerably this morning and bond yields have also increased. This raises the question: Is the de-escalation of the trade war good for mortgage rates ? The trade deals are just one factor, but I see three possible scenarios for mortgage rates in this environment.

Mortgages 425

Mortgages Marketing As-is Development 425

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Development

Housing Wire

MAY 20, 2025

As economic concerns grow, a new survey from Realtor.com shows that a significant share of prospective homebuyers may view a potential recession as an opportunity rather than a deterrent. According to the survey , 63.4% of respondents expect a recession within the next year, reflecting the highest level of concern since 2019. Despite that, nearly 30% of home shoppers said a downturn would make them more likely to purchase a home almost double the 15.8% who said it would make them less likely to

Lending 390

Lending Mortgages Loans As-is 390

Housing Wire

MAY 13, 2025

According to the most recent credit data from the New York Fed , foreclosure data for the housing market is still below 2019 levels. Although foreclosure rates rose in the last quarter, we are far from the stressful levels that we saw during the run-up to the housing bubble crash in 2008. Credit data in general doesnt look great when accounting for credit card debt, auto loans, and student loan debt all have had an increase in their percentage on 90-day lates.

Bankruptcy 472

Bankruptcy Equity Loans Lending 472

Housing Wire

MAY 2, 2025

eXp Luxury , the upscale division of real estate brokerage eXp Realty , is teaming with MORE Seller Financing to give luxury home sellers new tools to attract buyers and improve listing performance in a high interest rate environment. The partnership, announced this week, will give eXp Luxury agents access to the MORE Seller Bridge Loan Program a short-term seller financing option that lets sellers convert their existing low-rate mortgages into income after selling their home. “Luxury sel

Finance 463

Finance Loans Brokerage Mortgages 463

Housing Wire

MAY 18, 2025

To add to the list of dramatic events in 2025, Moodys downgraded U.S. credit by one notch on Friday from Aaa to Aa1 raising concerns about mortgage rates. Moodys pointed to increasing debt and interest payment ratios notably higher than those of comparable sovereign nations. This downgrade has sparked a range of reactions among market participants, with some suggesting that it may be politically motivated, given the timing and challenges facing the Republican budget and tax cuts.

Mortgages 480

Mortgages Banks Marketing As-is 480

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

MAY 20, 2025

The government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) have been under the conservatorship of the federal government since the 2008 financial crisis, and for some time now many in the mortgage industry have thought this should end. But what is the goal of ending the conservatorships for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ? GSE reform was up for debate at a panel on Tuesday morning at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA)’s Secondary and Capital Markets Conference in Manhattan.

Investor 441

Investor Mortgages Residential Finance 441

Housing Wire

MAY 22, 2025

U.S. home prices are projected to flatten in the third quarter and decline 1% year over year by the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a new report from Redfin. The company also expects mortgage rates to remain elevated near 7% through the end of the year. This marks a sharp reversal from more than a decade of mostly rising prices. Except for a brief dip in 2023, home prices have increased on a yearly basis since 2012, driven by a prolonged sellers market.

Purchase and sale agreement 387

Purchase and sale agreement Backup offer Seller concession Sales 387

Housing Wire

MAY 15, 2025

Foreclosure activity continued its upward trend in April, with a total of 36,033 properties receiving default notices, scheduled for auction or repossessed, according to the latest data from real estate analytics firm ATTOM. The figure represents a 0.4% increase from March and a 13.9% jump compared to April 2024. April’s foreclosure activity continued its gradual climb, with both starts and completions up annually, Rob Barber , CEO of ATTOM, said in a statement.

Marketing 414

Marketing 414

Housing Wire

MAY 29, 2025

What happens when competitors pursue scale in a static yet strategically important market? The answer lies in a remote corner of the mortgage industry: subservicing. This business which involves handling mortgage payments, borrower communication and escrow administration on behalf of lenders has undergone consolidation. The sector drew renewed attention in March when Rocket Companies announced a $9.4 billion offer to acquire Mr.

Mortgages 370

Mortgages Loans Banks Industrial 370

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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

MAY 5, 2025

Preferences for aging in place are well-documented among older Americans, but there are some factors that should be considered carefully. This is according to Pamela Redwine, a family, health and wellness agent with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. The service is an educational arm of the university that provides research-based information, programs and services to people and communities across Mississippi.

Renovation 428

Renovation As-is Agents 428

Housing Wire

MAY 8, 2025

Tamir Poleg, chairman and CEO of The Real Brokerage , closed out the prepared remarks section of his firms first-quarter 2025 earnings call by addressing the transformative technological era the industry is currently operating in. The catch was, listeners thought it was Poleg, but it wasn’t. The rise of AI is not just another tool but a fundamental shift that, in our view, will reshape industries, professions and entire business models.

Technology 370

Technology Title Brokerage Agents 370

Housing Wire

MAY 30, 2025

Real estate agents flourish when they can generate referrals, and Jason Mitchell Group (JMG) has practically industrialized the process. The Arizona-based brokerage has organized a vast network of referral partners that include major mortgage lenders like Rocket Mortgage, Veterans United Home Loans and Mr. Cooper just to name a few. This has enabled JMG agents to close more transactions.

Brokerage 368

Brokerage Agents Closing Mortgages 368

Housing Wire

MAY 21, 2025

Roughly two years after Kamini Lane took the helm at Coldwell Banker Realty , the real estate industry has gone through quite a bit of change and faced its fair share of challenges. From the interest rate environment and inflation to the commission lawsuits and the business practice changes stemming from the National Association of Realtors ‘ (NAR) settlement agreement , it has been quite a ride.

Industrial 400

Industrial Purchase and sale agreement Agents Branding 400

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Sales

Housing Wire

MAY 27, 2025

Weve entered the busiest season in the real estate industry at the same time that markets are more uncertain than ever. Nearly 40% of annual home sales happen between May and August, and were quickly approaching the most popular day to list your home: June 1*. Meanwhile, the economic landscape is shifting mortgage rates, consumer sentiment, and the cost of goods are all in flux and consumers are seeking more clarity and consistency than ever.

Agents 363

Agents Marketing MLS Staging 363

Housing Wire

MAY 12, 2025

The weekly pending home sales picked up this week as expected, with 2.6% more pending home sales contracts started than a year ago. If youre following the data closely, you know that home sales are still running at or below last years pace. Year to date, through the first week of May, we count 3% fewer total sales than in 2024. But in May and June, the yearly comparisons get easier because last year at this time was really dry due to the highest mortgage rates of the year.

Sales 378

Sales Mortgages Marketing As-is 378

Housing Wire

MAY 14, 2025

Mortgage applications increased 1.1% from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Associations (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending May 9, 2025. On an unadjusted basis, the index increased 1% compared with the previous week. The seasonally adjusted purchase index was a bright spot this week, increasing 2% from one week earlier.

Fixed-rate mortgage 352

Fixed-rate mortgage Mortgages Loans VA loan 352

Housing Wire

MAY 8, 2025

Home prices rose in more than 80% of U.S. metro areas in the first quarter of 2025 even as affordability remained stretched and fewer markets posted double-digit gains. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 189 of 228 metro areas (83%) saw year-over-year increases in the median price for existing single-family homes. Thats a slight decline from 89% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Sales 420

Sales Mortgages Marketing As-is 420

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.

Agents

Housing Wire

MAY 20, 2025

Zillow will begin a phased rollout of its listing access standards policy, which bans publicly marketed listings not entered into the MLS , on May 28. In a blog post on Tuesday, Zillow offered agents some clarifications and guidance on its new policy and how it will be implemented. Publicly marketed listings should be entered in the MLS within one business day and published on Zillow as well as other sites that receive MLS feeds so it is viewable to all buyers and participants in the market, the

MLS 355

MLS Seller disclosure Brokerage Agents 355

Housing Wire

MAY 20, 2025

First American Data & Analytics released its April 2025 Home Price Index (HPI) report on Tuesday, revealing that house prices nationally are now 57.2% higher compared to pre-pandemic levels. Month over month, the HPI changed +0.4% and tear over year the HPI changed by +2.0%. The report noted that home-price growth reported in last months HPI for February 2024 to March 2025 was revised up by 0.2 percentage points, from +0.5% to +0.7%.

Mortgages 394

Mortgages Sales Marketing As-is 394

Housing Wire

MAY 19, 2025

A new report on real estate agent and brokerage performance in the first quarter of 2025 shows that agent movement accelerated dramatically in opening months of the year. The research was conducted by Recruiting Insight in collaboration with BoldTrail Recruit and My BFF Social. It tracked thousands of agent movements across brokerage models and markets.

Agents 354

Agents Brokerage As-is Marketing 354