On July 9, President Joe Biden ordered the Federal Trade Commission to fully ban or limit an employer’s use of noncompetes. If such a rule is implemented, industry veterans and labor attorneys say it could change how the mortgage industry
AI can finally address some of the chokepoints in title
For the title industry, artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a futuristic concept to be discussed wistfully in conference breakout sessions. It’s here — and not a moment too soon. There are few general production processes in the housing
Here’s how Priority Title & Escrow made the Inc. 5000 list
Buoyed by the volume of mortgage originations in 2020, 12 title companies made the Inc. 5000 list this year. Like all the companies on the list, those in title dealt with the special challenges of pandemic conditions and found a
The fastest growing companies in housing
Congratulations to all of the entrepreneurs, founders and executives who have survived the onslaught of phone calls, emails and DMs from first-year private equity associates (yeah… we’re looking at you Summit Partners….). But hey, growth equity firms and potential acquirers
What is a Mother-in-Law Suite, And Does it Add Property Value?
What is a Mother-in-Law Suite? A mother-in-law suite is a residence or addition built for an in-law or relatives. The suite is either connected to or built on the same lot as a home that’s occupied by other family members.
Nashville Housing Market: Prices | Trends | Forecast 2021
Nashville’s housing market is one of the hottest markets in the US. However, at the end of July, the Nashville-area real estate market began to slow slightly. The number of home sales in July was down from the previous year.
California Housing Market Shows Signs of Cooling in July 2021
The California housing market moderated for the third month in a row in July 2021. After a busy summer, the state’s housing market continues to stabilize, with both sales and prices moderating as we go into the fall. The overheated
SELLER: All about disclosures
Disclosure is key to the house selling process. While the form may seem overly long and confusing, filling it outright is important. Failure to disclose some problems or entering false information can leave you open to a lawsuit, even after
Reservations Are Now Open for Space Perspective
You don’t have to be a Richard Branson or Jeff Bezos to head to space. Now, you can book your own history-making flight via Space Perspective. The Florida-based luxury spaceflight experience company recently announced that reservations are now open for their
Servicer phones are ringing as forbearance decreases
The volume of loans in forbearance fell 14 basis points, from 3.40% the prior week to 3.26% for the week ending August 8, per the latest Mortgage Bankers Association report, while new forbearance requests and calls to servicers increased. According
Don’t get scared off by these 8 common house problems
When house hunting, it’s hard to see past flaws. However, there are lots of minor repairs and aesthetic fixes that should never keep you from buying an otherwise perfect home. If you love the neighborhood, the style, the size, and
UWM’s income, margins drop significantly in Q2 2021
United Wholesale Mortgage CEO Mat Ishbia has set the goal of topping arch-rival Rocket Mortgage by 2024. The second quarter earnings report shows he still has quite a bit of work ahead of him. The wholesale-only lender originated $59 billion
$350 Million ‘Palace on Rails’ Luxury Train Concept Unveiled
French designer Thierry Gaugain, a frequent collaborator with renowned designer Philippe Starck, has unveiled his vision for a “palace on rails.” The $350 million private “G Train” project reimagines the luxury rail travel experience with the modern yacht experience in
We may finally be reaching this seller’s market peak
With houses flying off the market, bidding wars, and supply shortages pausing new construction, house shopping can’t get much crazier. For months, there’s been no sign of things easing up. But now, at long last, there are some signs of
HUD and FHFA raise the focus on fair lending
In an interesting announcement last week, HUD and FHFA issued a joint MOU (memorandum of understanding) that enhances efforts to synchronize fair lending policy, enforcement and investigatory activities. This is a rare instance where HUD and the regulator of the
Fannie Mae’s rental payment change worries some
The mortgage industry had mixed feelings about the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s move to count positive rental history in Fannie Mae’s underwriting process. Advocates for affordable housing cheered the move. Lenders appeared to be supportive of the change. But some
Divvy Homes hits $2 billion valuation after latest funding round
Divvy Homes, the prop-tech startup that buys homes on behalf of renters and guides them to eventual ownership, announced Friday a new round of funding that nearly quadrupled its valuation to $2 billion. Co-led by Tiger Global Management and Caffeinated
The Post-COVID shift: What Amazon and Zillow can’t do
In just a few months’ time, COVID-19 accelerated the digital shift era to forever change the way consumers approach home buying. This tipping point came after several years of rapid technology growth in our industry. In February 2019, we wrote
A leaner, meaner Douglas Elliman?
Douglas Elliman CEO Scott Durkin In May of last year, New York City residential brokerage Douglas Elliman revealed its business was at a crossroads. “Douglas Elliman began to experience a severe decline in closed sales volume in mid-March 2020 and
10 Ways To Give Your House a Facelift Before Selling
First impressions are everything. So when it comes to selling your home, even the smallest details are important. While little things such as paint chips or mismatched hardware seem like minor cosmetic changes you may not have to worry about,
What will fix the housing market inventory shortage?
The aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, plus solid housing demographics, has created a genuine problem with housing inventory. Record low inventory has resulted in a hectic housing market with forced bidding becoming typical rather than the exception. One of my
HUD and FHFA join forces on fair housing enforcement
The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Finance Agency today announced that they will work hand-in-hand to strengthen, coordinate and increase fair housing enforcement of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. HUD and the FHFA entered into
7 Home Insurance Myths Debunked
You never know when a disaster will strike and damage your home – whether it be storm damage, fire damage, or a burglary. One way to ensure you have financial protection in case of an emergency situation or unexpected event
Rocket Companies’ plan to transcend mortgage
Rocket Companies CEO Jay Farner Rocket Companies is not content with merely being America’s largest lender. Its ambitions are far outsized, even for a firm with a reputation for taking moonshots. In its quarterly earnings call on Thursday, CEO Jay