Over half of Realtors said that social media was their top lead-generating technology tool, 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
Denver Real Estate Market: Prices | Trends | Forecast 2021-2022
Will Denver’s housing market remain scorching hot in 2021? As the Denver Metro Housing Market continues to evolve, this blog will keep you up-to-date. While the Denver metro area remains a seller’s market, the August 2021 report indicates signs of
Market for MSRs revs up as year-end approaches
The secondary market for mortgage servicing rights, or MSRs, has been heating up recently as interest rates tick up, increasing the value of MSR assets, and as other revenue streams for lenders begin to slow — such as loan refinancing.
When will mortgage rates get over 4%?
In several previous articles I have opined that an increase in mortgage rates may be our only hope for slowing the escalation of home prices that we’ve been experiencing for the past year. With mortgage rates hitting above 3% last
Phoenix Arizona Housing Market: Prices | Trends | Forecast 2021-2022
Phoenix has been one of the hottest real estate markets in the U.S. The Greater Phoenix housing market is extremely strong this year. It is a metropolitan area, centered on the city of Phoenix, which includes much of the central
What Is a Co-Op? The Pros and Cons of Housing Cooperatives
Investing in a housing cooperative can be a rewarding alternative to the traditional homebuying process. But buying a co-op comes with particular considerations and consequences. This article will review the pros and cons of investing in a co-op so you
Baltimore Real Estate Market: Prices | Trends | Forecast 2021-2022
Is Baltimore going to be a sizzling real estate market for investors over the next twelve months? According to NeighborhoodScout’s data, Baltimore’s appreciation rate has been at or slightly above the national average over the last twelve months, at 8.29
How Wildfire and Smoke Damage Affect Your Home: What You Need to Know
Natural and environmental hazards driven by climate change are becoming key considerations for today’s homebuyers. Each year, wildfires burn millions of acres across the U.S. and cause severe damage to buildings, homes, and communities. Few homeowners can imagine the devastation
Home equity won’t be enough to prevent foreclosure for some
Despite record-high home prices, home equity may not save some borrowers in forbearance from foreclosure, according to a Black Knight’s report published Monday. Since 2010, around 10% of borrowers with more than 120 days in delinquency were referred to foreclosure,
The American Colonial Style House
There are many popular home styles in the United States – contemporary, ranch, bungalow, English Tudor, Victorian, and log homes, to name a few. But no style has stood the test of time as the colonial house. With its defining
Housing Market Forecast 2021 & 2022: Crash or Boom Next?
Mortgage rates at record lows and a scarcity of inventory are keeping the US housing market robust in terms of demand. While affordability concerns continue to rise, low mortgage rates, rising savings, and a stronger job market all work together
Zillow’s purchase of ShowingTime closes
Zillow on Thursday completed its $500 million acquisition of ShowingTime, which real estate agents use to schedule home viewings, as federal regulators did not extend their window to review the deal. The Seattle-based home listings platform had announced buying the
Introducing the 2021 HousingWire Vanguards
If you were tasked with defining the word “leadership,” how would you explain what it means? The word encapsulates so much, and yet according to Merriam-Webster, it can be summed up as “the power or ability to lead other people.”
PennyMac, UWM raise conforming loan limit ceiling
PennyMac announced this week that it is upping conforming loan limits by almost 14% through broker and correspondent channels. According to PennyMac, for a one-unit property a borrower could receive $625,000, an increase of almost $75,000 from the maximum loan
How Much Does Title Insurance Cost and Is It Required?
When the seller accepts your offer, the closing process requires verification that the seller is the sole owner of the home’s title. This is called making sure you have a “clean title” and no one else has a legal claim
Homebuyers drawn to cheaper areas in Midwest and South
Pending home sales rose in August, following two consecutive months of decline, according to the National Association of Realtor’s pending home sales index report released on Wednesday. And homebuyers with flexibility are keen on more moderately priced regions within the
How credit scores impact lenders’ pipelines in a purchase market
With the purchase market becoming a primary emphasis for lenders in 2021, HousingWire sat down with CreditXpert VP of Marketing Mike Darne to talk about credit trends in a purchase market and how that impact lenders’ pipelines. HousingWire: We know
Bring the Indoors Out! How to Make the Most Out of Your Outdoor Living Spaces
If you’re looking to make the most of your square footage, consider extending your living space outside. Whether you enjoy laying by the pool or cooking a nice meal at the barbecue, designing your outdoor living spaces using the same
Can real estate brokerages survive without mortgage?
Real estate brokerages can survive, but only if they seriously invest in mortgage. So said members of a panel Tuesday on the evolution of the real estate brokerage during HousingWire Annual in Frisco, Texas. Today the value of a single
Mortgage applications fall as rates begin to rise
Mortgage application volume declined by 1.1% for the week ending Sept. 24, after a rebound in the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Pushing the decline was the purchase index, which dipped by 1.2% from the previous
LoanDepot sued 7 LOs after they left for a rival
LoanDepot CEO Anthony Hsieh After an origination team departed loanDepot in April of this year, loanDepot slammed the seven ex-employees and their new employer, CrossCountry Mortgage, with a lawsuit alleging they “hatched and implemented a scheme to loot loanDepot’s business.”
Why mortgage companies must focus on cybersecurity
Mortgage companies must focus on bolstering cybersecurity infrastructure, and should report any and all incursions from bad actors who seek access to sensitive information or who plan to encrypt systems to hold for ransom. This was a core part of
Loan origination complaints spike during pandemic
Loan origination-related consumer complaints rose significantly over the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) report published last week. The bureau’s research brief, which analyzed the relationship between U.S. Census characteristics and
Nashville Real Estate Market: Prices | Trends | Forecast 2021-2022
Nashville’s housing market is one of the hottest markets in the US. It is among the nation’s top cities for fastest-selling houses. With hot homes on the market selling in less than ten days, it seems as if Nashville’s housing