April, 2025

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6 time management hacks to sell more homes in 2025

Housing Wire

A majority of agents believe 2025 is going to be a great year for the housing market, with 85% saying they have an optimistic outlook , and 70% believing the market will be more stable, according to a new survey from Clever Real Estate. Although agents are split on whether its going to be a buyers market or a sellers market, 87% of agents predict that demand will remain very strong over the next year.

Agents 368
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Lower mortgage rates are spurring housing demand

Housing Wire

Mortgage rates recently hit a year-to-date low, coinciding with ongoing market disruptions from tariffs. The more encouraging story, however, is that the spring season is shaping up positively for the housing market. Notably, purchase applications show growth both year-to-date and year-over-year. Additionally, our weekly pending contract data and new listings are trending positively compared to last year.

Mortgages 533
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Mortgage applications rebounded 20% last week as rates dipped

Housing Wire

Mortgage applications jumped 20.0% from the prior week, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Associations (MBA) weekly mortgage applications Survey for the week ending April 4, 2025. On an unadjusted basis, the index increased 20% compared with the previous week. The refinance index increased 35% from the previous week as mortgage rates took a dip.

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Mortgage rates fall as markets calm down

Housing Wire

Over the weekend, fears rose that the 10-year yield would climb to 5%, leading to 8% mortgage rates. However, Monday morning arrived with a sense of calm. The 10-year yield is now nearing a more balanced position at 4.35%, reflecting what I believe it should have always been after the jobs report two Fridays ago. As I write this, the 10-year yield currently stands at 4.37%.

Mortgages 518
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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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Reports: Fannie Mae lays off 700 employees

Housing Wire

Government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) Fannie Mae has reportedly laid off as many as 700 employees, with 200 of the layoffs focused on members of the Telugu-speaking community over irregularities uncovered related to charitable donations. According to reports from outlets including TechStory , HRKatha and the Times of India ,700 U.S.-based employees were fired within the first few days of April, including 200 workers who speak the Telugu language, which is primarily spoken in the Indian states of

Finance 542

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UWM and Google announce AI partnership

Housing Wire

UWM’s Jason Bressler and Google’s Oliver Parker United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) , the top mortgage lender in America, on Tuesday announced a strategic AI agreement with Google Cloud that the companies say will bring modernization to the mortgage industry. The partnership will see UWM blend Google Clouds advanced AI and data analytics capabilities with the lender’s technical solutions to create a faster, more intuitive and streamlined mortgage process.

Mortgages 497
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Here’s how one CRE veteran helps multifamily investors thrive

Housing Wire

Volatility is becoming the new norm in today’s commercial real estate market. If it isn’t rising interest rates or shifting rental trends, then growing technology is the driving force that prompts investors to evolve. They also face significant pressure to become faster and more efficient. A change is needed. To help investors survive uncertain times, professionals must understand market trends and develop a game plan for success.

Investor 468
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Nearly half of home sellers are offering concessions

Housing Wire

U.S. home sellers offered concessions to buyers in near-record numbers during the first quarter of 2025 as rising housing costs , high mortgage rates and growing economic uncertainty continued to reshape the real estate landscape. According to a new report from Redfin , 44.4% of home sales from January through March included concessions such as money toward repairs, closing costs or mortgage rate buydowns.

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FHA walks back Biden-era restrictions on foreclosed property sales

Housing Wire

In walking back policies designed to boost participation in foreclosed property sales for nonprofit and government bodies, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) said that policies put in place in 2022 that restrict certain sales to these entities for a 30-day period have produced mixed results at best and will now be rescinded. Mortgagee Letter (ML) 2022-01 expanded the exclusive listing period for U.S.

Sales 446
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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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No Congress, no rate hikes: Bill Ackman’s plan to privatize the GSEs

Housing Wire

Bill Ackman, the billionaire founder of Pershing Square Capital Management , has an audacious plan to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac without congressional approval. The proposal involves the federal government forgiving hundreds of billions of dollars while also reducing capital requirements. As a result, Ackman claims the plan would boost the stock prices of both companies to the $30 range without putting upward pressure on mortgage rates.

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How quickly does financial turmoil impact the housing market?

Housing Wire

While the housing market seems like the least of our financial worries right now as stock markets are melting down around the globe, we track housing here at HousingWire, so it opens the question: how quickly could we see impact in the housing market and in which data would we see it first? We have two competing forces that will impact home buyer demand.

Marketing 449
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The Fed needs labor to break to cut rates more aggressively

Housing Wire

Since 2022, Ive focused on the relationship between labor and Fed policy. Theres a common belief that a decrease in the inflation growth rate would lead to mortgage rates dropping below 6% as the Fed would cut more aggressively. However, we havent seen that improvement. Todays soft Consumer Price Index ( CPI ) inflation report indicates progress. However, it also highlights that we are still adjusting to the pandemic-related inflation that arose when supply chains were disrupted and recovered.

Design 466
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Mortgage rates sharp reversal as market go wild

Housing Wire

The past few days have been highly turbulent for the stock and bond markets, resulting in dramatic shifts in mortgage rate pricing. When chaos enters the marketplace, it quickly makes its presence felt. This is a critical moment for all of us to stay informed and navigate these challenges together. I’ve been concerned over the past few days, emphasizing that without the recent tariff news , we likely wouldnt have seen mortgage rates drop to a year-to-date low last week.

Mortgages 501
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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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Survey: Home insurance rates rise for most policyholders in 2024

Housing Wire

Two-thirds of U.S. homeowners saw their insurance rates increase in 2024, according to a recent survey by ValuePenguin. Amid escalating costs , many policyholders worry their homes could become uninsurable in the future, while some have already received nonrenewal notices from their insurers. The survey of nearly 2,000 consumers found that 67% experienced rate increases in 2024, down slightly from 72% in 2023.

Marketing 391
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Rocket-Redfin deal sparks uncertainty over Bay Equity’s future

Housing Wire

Over a month after Rocket Companies announced its $1.75 billion deal to acquire digital real estate brokerage firm Redfin , industry observers are still trying to understand the future of one key asset: Bay Equity Home Loans. While the companies remain quiet on their plans, some Bay Equity employees arent waiting for answerstheyre already looking for new jobs.

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Peeking into Pennymac’s ‘aggressive’ goal to double broker market share by 2026

Housing Wire

During last week’s earnings call, PennyMac Financial Services chairman and CEO David Spector said during a Q&A with investors and analysts that the company’s goals include continued growth in its broker direct channel and 10% market share by the end of 2026 a goal of more than 100% growth over the next 18 months. The California-headquartered company’s broker market share currently sits at 4.8%, according to Kim Nichols , Pennymac’s chief third-party origination produ

Marketing 410
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Beyond the deal: Marc Trachtenberg on the true value of title insurance

Housing Wire

Marc Trachtenberg chairman and CEO of Silk Title Company has spent a career in mortgage and title insurance companies finding ways to break from the status quo, creating innovative, forward-thinking solutions along the way. He doesnt plan to stop any time soon. He actively searches for new and groundbreaking ways to improve his companies and inject innovation and creativity into the industry.

Title 397
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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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Title companies fighting cybercrime to protect the American dream

Housing Wire

Real estate transactions typically involve large sums of money, which makes them an attractive target for cybercriminals who use wire fraud and business email compromise (BEC), a scheme where legitimate business email is compromised to convince unwitting victims to transfer funds, as their favored tactics. The FBIs Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) report found BEC scams resulted in losses of $2.9 billion in 2023.

Title 359
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Bond yields fall after tariff news. Are mortgage rates next?

Housing Wire

Liberation Day has finally arrived, and what a wild day its been! The bond market and stock futures rose when the initial discussions about the 10% tariffs hit the market. But the real game changer? Those anticipated reciprocal tariffs sent the 10-year yield plummeting from 4.23% to 4.11%, currently trading at 4.13%. Since we believe in the close relationship between the 10-year yield and mortgage rates , we expect mortgage rates to decrease tomorrow if bond yields continue to decline.

Mortgages 493
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The 11 do’s and don’ts of buying a new build

Housing Wire

Navigating the home buying process often begins with deciding between a new build or an existing homeand while new construction offers exciting possibilities, it also comes with unique challenges. With years of experience guiding clients through the process, weve seen firsthand the most common mistakes, misconceptions and pitfalls that can turn an exciting journey into a stressful one.

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Tariffs are creating perfect storm for housing market

Housing Wire

Over the last month, home sales have definitely picked up, especially when compared to last years very low levels. Weekly pending home sales counts have been at or above the year-ago levels for four weeks in a row now. This week, there were 3.8% more weekly pending home sales than last year at this time. In total, there are now nearly 2% more homes in contract nationally than a year ago.

Marketing 435
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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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Fannie Mae posts 29th straight quarter of profitability amid GSE shakeup

Housing Wire

Fannie Mae announced its first quarter 2025 earnings today, reporting a net income of $3.7 billion, which added to the company’s 29th consecutive quarter of positive earnings. As of March 31, 2025, Fannie’s net worth reached $98.3 billion a nearly 20% increase annually. During the government-sponsored enterprise’s (GSE) earnings call on Wednesday morning, FHFA director Bill Pulte shared opening remarks about Fannie Mae’s priorities. “Our current focus at Fannie Mae

Loans 378
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Primary suites, kitchens, roofing lead remodel impact report

Housing Wire

As homeowners continue to invest in upgrading their living spaces, a new report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) highlights home remodeling projects that offer the greatest personal satisfaction, and those most likely to recoup costs. The 2025 Remodeling Impact Report , released Tuesday, found that adding a primary bedroom suite, upgrading the kitchen, and installing a new roof were the projects that brought homeowners

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Baby boomers overtake Millennials in buying the most houses

Housing Wire

Baby boomers have overtaken millennials as the largest share of homebuyers , making up 42% of all purchases in the past year, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Millennials, who previously led home-buying trends, now account for 29%, down from 38% the previous year. NARs 2025 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends report found that Generation X buyers remained steady at 24% of the market.

Finance 453
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Most home sellers still rely on agents, but trust issues linger

Housing Wire

A new report from Anytime Estimate , a subsidiary of Clever , reveals that while the vast majority of American homesellers still plan to work with real estate agents in 2025, concerns about trust, commission fees , and agent value are reshaping expectations of those entering the housing market. The survey of 1,000 homeowners planning to sell within the next year found that 91% intend to use a real estate agent.

Agents 417
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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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Foreclosure auctions rise in Q1 after VA moratorium expires

Housing Wire

Foreclosure auction activity across the U.S. rose to a six-quarter high during the first three months of 2025, fueled by a surge in properties that hit the market after the expiration of post-pandemic protections, according to a report from Auction.com. Completed foreclosure auctions were up 20% from the previous quarter and up 4% from a year earlier, despite some mid-quarter softening.

Loans 369
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Closing costs for the typical home purchase now top $4,600

Housing Wire

Homebuyers paid an average of $4,661 in closing costs on purchase mortgages last year, according to a new report from LodeStar Software Solutions. The company released its first-ever purchase mortgage closing cost report. The findings showed that, on average, closing costs represented 1.06% of home sale prices at the national level. The median percentage came in slightly lower at 0.88%.

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Wade Pfau: how market volatility could renew reverse mortgage discussions

Housing Wire

Reverse mortgage professionals have long sought financial advisors as referral sources, but might find that those professionals are not particularly willing to entertain the notion that the product would be right for their clients. But when confronted with volatility in the markets, advisors who are more concerned with the risk of loss might start to slowly open themselves up to more conversations.

Mortgages 410