Hiring in the U.S. picked up steam in June, as employers added 850,000 jobs amid declining COVID-19 cases and a reopening economy, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday. After a lackluster April and May, June’s employment gains totaled 100,000 more
How can servicers best help borrowers as they exit forbearance?
With the forbearance moratorium expiring at the end of July and the CFPB’s new foreclosure rule taking effect in August, servicers have a lot to consider when working with borrowers on forbearance exits and loss mitigation strategies. HousingWire recently spoke
Real estate brokerages: Tech won’t ruin us
“The thing we need in real estate is more buzzwords about tech,” deadpanned Craig McClelland, vice-president and chief operating officer of BHGRE Metro Brokers in Atlanta. So began one of the more compelling panels at RealTrends’ “Gathering of Eagles” conference
What renovations will add value to my home?
We all love the feeling of a refreshed, renovated home, and being able to enjoy it instills a sense of pride in its owner. That’s partly why people are spending significant time, energy and money on home renovation projects these
Presenting HousingWire’s 2021 Marketing Leaders
If there’s one common characteristic that HousingWire saw the brightest marketing leaders and minds in the housing industry wield last year, it was being agile. When the world shifted to work from home, marketers stepped in with new messaging and
Northerners are snapping up houses in Savannah
The beauty and lore of Savannah, Georgia is familiar to most Americans — even if they don’t know it. Savannah, with its lush trees and at-home hospitality, was the principle filming location for the 1994 Academy Award-winning movie “Forrest Gump.”
7 Dog-Centric Home Renovations You Won’t Regret When It’s Time to Sell
Whether you’re buying your first home or upgrading your current one, your dog deserves a home where it feels comfortable, loved, and cared for. And, if you have some extra space and want to do something special for your four-legged
Black Americans still face massive housing barriers
Black Americans continue to face greater financial and generational barriers to homeownership than white Americans, with a recent study finding that only 45.1% of Black Americans bought or own their home as of the first quarter of 2021 — against
How to Protect Your Home While on Summer Vacation: 14 Home Security Tips
Amongst all the excitement for an upcoming vacation, it’s easy to forget to double-check that your home is secure and protected. In fact, according to the Department of Justice, there are 14 percent more burglaries in the summer than in
Mortgage rates dip back down to 2.98%
The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell four basis points from the week prior to 2.98%, according to data released Thursday by Freddie Mac‘s PMMS. Within the past almost three months, mortgage rates have only peaked above 3% one time. “Economic growth remains steady
FHFA won’t give servicers break on CFPB rule
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is requiring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac servicers to follow the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) new foreclosure rule a full month before it goes into effect. The move clarifies how servicers should approach
Are higher-risk homes cheaper?
The threat of natural hazard risk in United States is on the rise. According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, there were 22 weather and climate disasters in 2020 which cost over $1 billion. This is nearly 150% more
Housing inventory is about to get better — here’s why
With the July 4th weekend nearly upon us, it’s time to reflect all that we have been through in the past year and how, as a country, we have overcome so many daunting obstacles, including what we have been through
CFPB’s roadmap for the forbearance exit
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today released extensive mortgage servicing regulations it hopes will prevent “unwelcome surprises” for borrowers exiting forbearance. Across more than 200 pages, the CFPB laid out the rules for mortgage servicers to follow in the
Case-Shiller: April home price increase ‘truly extraordinary’
Home prices in April saw an annual gain of 14.6% in April — up from a 13.3% increase in March, per the latest S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index. Craig Lazzara, managing director and global head of index investment
House price increases still growing: FHFA
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) found that house prices across the nation rose 16% from April 2020 to April 2021. From March to April, house prices across the nation rose 1.8%, surpassing the previous month’s 1.6% increase. Three regions
Inclusivity and Representation Matter
In October of 2020, David Walsh and Juan Sanchez set out to launch CENTURY 21 Bear Facts Realty in Denver, Colorado. They met over 20 years ago, while both in real estate. David and Juan are both passionate about the
Ginnie Mae unveils 40-year mortgage term for issuers
Ginnie Mae is set to introduce a new 40-year mortgage term for its issuers on the heels of administrative shake ups at the top of the housing industry. Only modified loans with terms greater than 361 months and less than
How to Protect Your Home From Flooding: 9 Tips to Follow
When the time comes to buy a home, you’ll likely look at every aspect of your new neighborhood, the home itself, and any climate hazards that might be common in the area. If you’re house hunting in a location where
Servicers’ forbearance share falls to 3.91% of portfolios
Servicers’ forbearance portfolio volume fell two basis points last week to 3.91%, according to a survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association. The MBA estimates two million homeowners are still in some form of a forbearance plan. Broken down by investor type, the share of
Christian Siriano Brings High Fashion Home with New Furniture Line
Christian Siriano, star of Project Runway and a mainstay in the fashion world, is known for crafting textural and whimsical red carpet gowns for countless celebrities. Now, he’s translated his aesthetic into a modernist line of furniture for the home.
The appraisal industry’s hidden hand
After attending the eponymous university of pioneering televangelist Oral Roberts, David DeZarn decided that his life’s calling was to be a pastor. DeZarn became an ordained minister – “I married them and I buried them,” he said – and immersed
Nashville Real Estate Market Trends & Investment Outlook 2021
Nashville’s housing market remains one of the hottest markets in the US. Despite the pandemic-led economic slowdown, there is healthy demand to purchase homes in the Nashville real estate market. Across the nation, we have seen people moving from big
10 Backyard Additions to Create the Ultimate Home Oasis This Summer
Summer has officially arrived. That means warmer weather, backyard BBQs, time for gardening, and longer days spent relaxing outside. That’s why now is also the perfect time to remodel your backyard into a place you’ll never want to leave. There
