Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

The average U.S. mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed loan remained unchanged at 2.72% this week, Freddie Mac said in a report on Thursday – the second week in a row rates have sat at the lowest recorded level in the survey’s near 50-year history. The average fixed rate for a 15-year mortgage also remained unchanged from last week at 2.28%. After another week at the record low, there have now been 18 consecutive weeks when average mortgage rates have been below 3%.

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Keeping Current Matters

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

Around this time each year, many homeowners decide to wait until after the holidays to sell their houses. Similarly, others who already have their homes on the market remove their listings until the spring. Let’s unpack the top reasons why selling your house now, or keeping it on the market this season, is the best choice you can make. This year, buyers want to purchase homes for the holidays, and your house might be the perfect match.

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Realtor.com

NOVEMBER 27, 2020

"Home Alone": 20th Century Fox; house: Wikipedia/Creative Commons With the holidays in full swing but COVID-19 keeping many of us at home, it’s a prime opportunity to binge-watch some holiday movies—and one must-watch is “Home Alone,” which turns 30 years old this year. This classic John Hughes film from 1990 stars a young Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister , a precocious 8-year-old accidentally abandoned by his large, chaotic family when they jet off to Paris.

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Realty Biz

NOVEMBER 26, 2020

What to Know About Renting For The First Time. Are you thinking of moving out of your parent’s home and renting your first house or apartment? When you rent your first home, there are things you should know to avoid the pitfalls that could put you at odds with your landlord. Renting a house could involve some things you aren’t aware of, so allow us to give you the knowledge to help you find your ideal home with the minimum stress.

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Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

The pandemic has shifted the pecking order of the real estate industry’s location-location-location axiom for many homebuyers — high-cost and high-density urban is out, while suburban is back in vogue and rural is experiencing a bit of a revival. Many real estate investors were serendipitously ahead of this shift even before the pandemic started, driven by both affordability and an affinity for overlooked markets.

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Keeping Current Matters

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

This year’s record-low mortgage rates sparked high demand among homebuyers. Current homeowners, however, haven’t put their houses on the market so quickly. This makes finding a home to buy today challenging for many potential buyers. With an obstacle like this, those searching for their dream homes may be pressing pause on their searches as we approach the end of the year, but that could be a big mistake for many hopeful house hunters.

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Better Dwelling

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

Greater Toronto real estate is on fire… just not condo apartments, which is seeing a lot of sellers. Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) data shows condo apartment prices slid for a fifth month in October. Condo sales are fairly in line with last year’s numbers, except in the city. However, inventory has more than […]. The post Toronto Condo Prices Down Over $20k From Peak, As Inventory Doubles appeared first on Better Dwelling.

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Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced new conforming loan limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for 2021: $548,250. This is a 7.5% increase from 2020’s limit of $510,400 and marks the fifth consecutive year of increases from the FHFA. In 2016, the FHFA increased the Fannie and Freddie conforming loan limit for the first time in 10 years, and since then, the loan limit has gone up by $131,250.

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Keeping Current Matters

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

There’s no doubt 2020 has been a challenging year. A global pandemic coupled with an economic recession has caused heartache for many. However, it has also prompted more Americans to reconsider the meaning of “home.” This quest for a place better equipped to fulfill our needs , along with record-low mortgage rates , has skyrocketed the demand for home purchases.

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Realtor.com

NOVEMBER 27, 2020

comzeal/Getty Images With the coronavirus pandemic likely to stretch into next year, many people are spending more time than ever before in their homes—but some are ready to find a new place altogether. Cue the U-Haul trucks. Nearly half of Americans, 46%, are considering moving within the next year, according to a recent LendingTree survey. The online financial services marketplace based the report on a survey of more than 2,000 participants in September.

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Advertiser: Trellis

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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Better Dwelling

NOVEMBER 26, 2020

Vancouver is doubling down on the success of its vacant home tax…well, tripling down, technically. The Vancouver Empty Homes Tax (EHT) will be tripled from its original rate for the 2021 assessment year. The tax, which places a penalty on underused homes, was put in place to help encourage more efficient use. Vancouver Empty Homes […]. The post Vancouver To Triple Empty Home Tax To 3% In 2021 appeared first on Better Dwelling.

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Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

Auction.com ‘s Distressed Market Outlook report for the fourth quarter shows a pick-up in demand for distressed housing, with a 24% increase in completed foreclosure auction volume in September. In addition, the foreclosure sales rate is at a seven-year high, and REO bids-per-asset are at an all-time high. . The report notes that widespread foreclosure moratoria in place do not apply to legally vacant or abandoned homes.

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Keeping Current Matters

NOVEMBER 27, 2020

Some Highlights. Buying a home can be intimidating if you’re not familiar with the terms used throughout the process. To point you in the right direction, here’s a list of some of the most common language you’ll hear along the way. The best way to ensure your homebuying process is a positive one is to find a real estate professional who will guide you through every aspect of the transaction with ‘the heart of a teacher’ by putting your needs first.

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Realtor.com

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

Marina_Skoropadskaya/Getty Images Curling up by the fire during winter is a dream that anyone can achieve—even those of us who live in a home that doesn’t have a traditional fireplace. If your place was built without a brick hearth, fear not. You can still create that ideal winter scene in your home without breaking down a wall (or breaking the bank).

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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.

Sales

Coldwell Banker

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

Storage Solutions to Make Your Dining Room Office Sparkle Through the Holidays. The post The Home Identity Crisis: The Dining Room Office appeared first on Coldwell Banker Blue Matter.

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Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

As mortgage rates sta y below 3% for the 17th consecutive week, a Black Knight report released Friday found that the number of “high quality” refinance candidates continues to climb. According to the report, a whopping 19.4 million homeowners are now in a position to save through refis – the most in history. Black Knight’s report views prime candidates as 30-year mortgage-holders who have at least 20% equity in their homes, credit scores of 720 or higher, are current on their payments and who st

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Better Dwelling

NOVEMBER 27, 2020

Permanent resident growth, previously a large driver of real estate demand, is still largely absent these days. Government of Canada (GoC) data shows permanent resident arrivals are still down sharply in Q3 2020. Toronto and Vancouver are seeing declines get even larger, from previously big drops. Montreal is seeing some improvements, but it’s mostly due […].

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Realtor.com

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

HGTV Tamara Day of “Bargain Mansions” knows how to breathe new life into cheap, old fixer-uppers—and her latest renovation reveals one upgrade we’d bet most buyers have never seen, or even heard of before. In the Season 2 episode “Race to the Finish,” Day has bought a four-bedroom house in Leawood, KS, for $425,000, and invests $300,000 to fix it up.

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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

The American Genius for Real Estate

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

(REAL ESTATE BIG DATA) COVID-19 completely changed the trajectory of the housing market, but the promise of a vaccine could pull it back around in another direction. The post How a COVID-19 vaccine could upend the housing market (again) appeared first on The American Genius Real Estate.

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Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

This article originally appeared in FinLedger , HousingWire’s sister-publication focused on Fintech. Residential due diligence is an area of the mortgage ecosystem that’s overdue for disruption, according to two industry veterans who want to offer something completely different in the due diligence space through their newly launched company, Canopy.

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Afford Anything

NOVEMBER 26, 2020

Welcome back to PSA Thursday, a weekly- ish segment in which we talk about how to handle money, work, and life in the year that is 2020. Today, we’re tackling one of the biggest line-items on your budget: food. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , in 2019, Americans spent just over $8,000 on food. If you’re on a tight budget, slashing your grocery bill is one of the easiest ways to spend less.

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Realtor.com

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

If moving into a new home wasn’t already a perfect excuse to develop new traditions, settling in during the holiday season is an even perfect-er one. And with the 2020 holiday season shaping up to be, let’s just say, different than any other in recent memory, now is the time to embrace the unknown and find the fun. Who knows? Maybe this is the start of your new favorite winter celebration.

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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.

Agents

Better Dwelling

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

Canada’s narrow money supply is pointing to a big return to production and consumer spending. Bank of Canada (BoC) data shows the M1+ gross money supply reached a new all-time high in September. The measure of money supply has experienced the highest rate of growth seen in decades… in the middle of a recession… during […]. The post Canada’s Money Supply Is Growing At The Fastest Rate In Over 30 Years appeared first on Better Dwelling.

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Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 25, 2020

After two weeks of decreasing numbers, mortgage applications increased 3.9% last week, according to a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association. Refinance applications climbed even higher. The refinance index jumped up 5% from the previous week and is now up 79% over last year’s totals from the same week. The seasonally adjusted purchase index increased 4% from one week earlier, while the unadjusted purchase index decreased 2% compared with the previous week.

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RIS Media

NOVEMBER 26, 2020

Last August, realtor.com® began displaying flood risk information on for-sale properties across the United States. The data comes from two sources: FEMA and the nonprofit tech group First Street Foundation, and together, covers all of the nation’s waters as well as areas inland where heavy rainfall can cause flooding. Consumers can now see the FEMA flood zone for each listing and a Flood Factor rating between 1 (minimal risk) and 10 (extreme risk).

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Realtor.com

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

GSO Images/Getty Images If there’s one thing to know about reducing waste, it’s that all of us can improve. And what better place to start your sustainability efforts than in the kitchen? Not only is this the place where we’ll be spending a lot of time over the next couple months, but it’s also where—arguably—we produce the most trash as we make meals (or just dump takeout onto plates) and store food.

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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.

Agents

Brownstoner

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

Can the city push through a rezoning during a pandemic? This is what is currently worrying residents in Gowanus, who feel that the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure shouldn’t begin in January 2021, as the Department of City Planning has previously announced, because public hearings can’t safely be held… Read More > The post Gowanus Residents Want to Halt Rezoning Until in-Person ULURP Meetings Can Resume appeared first on Brownstoner.

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Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 24, 2020

Title fraud continues to grow, seeing sharp increases in the third quarter of 2020, according to the latest report from FundingShield. FundingShield’s Q3 2020 Wire and Title Fraud Analytics report shows a 31.5% increase in wire verification and ownership issues. “The risk of wire and title fraud in the closing and settlement space persisted and grew in certain risk concentrations during Q3 2020,” FundingShield stated in its report.

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The American Genius for Real Estate

NOVEMBER 23, 2020

(REAL ESTATE ASSOCIATIONS) NAR’s new interactive training simulation confronts housing discrimination by putting agents in the shoes of homebuyers. The post How do you react to housing discrimination? Learn from NAR’s new course appeared first on The American Genius Real Estate.

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Realtor.com

NOVEMBER 26, 2020

Gege Gatt (www.gegegatt.com) / Getty Images The holidays and coronavirus have many of us cooking more than ever, but kitchen fatigue can easily settle in. Need some inspiration for tackling a new dish, from ratatouille to creme brulee? It might be time to crack open those cookbooks. Even in this digital age where recipes run amok online, nothing beats those glossy pages of a physical tome filled with gorgeous dishes.

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Speaker: Ari Capogeannis, Director - Revenue Marketing at NVIDIA and Bill Pappa, Sales and Marketing Leader at Ai Media Group

Building strong personal and professional relationships with clients is a critical success factor. Sales professionals who focus on relationship building generate more leads and raise their brand awareness. Because this can take time, having regular engagements can help you cultivate these relationships more efficiently. The most effective way to accomplish this is through direct hyper-personalized touchpoints.

Sales