President Joe Biden signed several new executive orders on Tuesday that address racial equity, including a memorandum that directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development to both mitigate racial bias in housing and advance fair housing laws. “The nation
What 2020’s top forbearance exit trends mean for servicers
Early COVID housing policy helped servicers care for homeowners in these first nine months of the pandemic with fast forbearances and smart deferrals. Now let’s preview how this will play out for servicers, homeowners and the housing economy in 2021.
Home prices surge to six-year high in November
Record low inventory and strong buyer demand once again pushed up the cost of homes in the U.S., as prices in November rose 9.5% nationally over the same time last year, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index. November’s numbers mark the greatest
Florida community bank launches mortgage arm
Amerant Bank, one of the largest community banks in Florida, announced that it is venturing into the mortgage industry with the formation of Amerant Mortgage. The company said this expansion was a direct response to the state’s growing demand for
Should You Invest In The Dallas Real Estate Market?
Investing in Dallas real estate is always considered a good decision by seasoned rental property investors. Cities like Dallas have seen residential exodus characteristics with both domestic and international immigration. The Big D’s home prices have been skyrocketing with homeowners
Housing industry reacts to Yellen’s confirmation
Industry officials were quick to signal their support for yesterday’s historic U.S. Treasury Secretary confirmation of Janet Yellen, the 74-year-old who now holds the distinction of being the first female to hold the position in its 230-year history. After a
Should You Invest In The Houston Real Estate Market?
It’s no more an unknown thing for a savvy real estate investor to know that Houston, Texas is a beautiful place to live and raise a family. Houston, with a fascinating history, is considered to be one of the most
The Top 9 Contingencies to Consider in Your Offer When Buying a Home
If you’re a first-time homebuyer, buying a home is an exciting time in your life — not to mention a little anxiety-inducing. But after touring dozens of homes and finally finding “the house,” you’re ready to make an offer. Before
5 House Features Oregon Homebuyers Want Most
Homebuyers often find themselves on the hunt for certain trends in their future dream home even before touring a house. Whether that’s a covered deck in Dallas, Texas or french doors in Los Angeles, California, you may be wondering what
Passive Income Ideas 2020 & 2021: 26 Ways To Boost Your Income
There has never been a better time to make passive income as a beginner. Over the past decade, some incredible passive income ideas have come to exist making it even easier for beginners to make extra money. Passive income
SitusAMC acquires Assimilate Solutions
Real estate services and technology firm SitusAMC on Monday announced its acquisition of mortgage and title outsourcer Assimilate Solutions – the second acquisition by the New York-based firm in January, and its fourth overall in less than a year. Terms of the
Yellen approved as Treasury Secretary in historic vote
The U.S. Senate officially appointed Janet Yellen as Treasury Secretary on Monday, ensuring the 74-year-old will be the first woman to lead the department in its more than 230-year history. As part of Yellen’s team, the Treasury also named Natalie
Smart Living: The Latest Smart Home Tech to Add to Your Home
Living in a smart house used to only exist in sci-fi movies. Fast forward to today and connected homes and smart gadgets are quickly becoming the norm. Smart home tech has transformed every aspect of home life, from security and
Crushing Your Sales Plateau
To be honest, like many others in this business I was never good at goal setting, but I am changing that. While I help clients and customers reach desired outcomes, I’ve experienced a plateau before and have been at the
Homes With a New Kitchen List for More and Often Sell Above List Price
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in a home, serving as both a central meeting place for family and a functional area necessary for preparing meals. So it’s easy to understand why a state-of-the-art kitchen is a
Forbearances hold steady as exits slow
The U.S. forbearance rate held relatively steady last week, rising one basis point to 5.38% of servicers’ portfolio volume, according to a survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association released on Monday. The virtually unchanged rate of forbearance volume can be attributed to a stalemate between
Real Estate Trends to Watch in 2021
With 2020 in the rearview mirror, what’s in store for the real estate market in 2021? Strong demand and more homes hitting the market in 2021 will mean a healthy rate of growth for 2021. Expect seasonal trends to normalize
Biden’s executive order will extend foreclosure moratorium
Following his inauguration on Wednesday, President Joe Biden revealed that he plans to sign 17 executive orders his first day in office, including a further extension of the eviction and foreclosure moratorium to at least March 31. Brian Deese, Biden’s
5 tips for finding the right mortgage lender for you
Before you buy a home is you should first do some research. And not just research on the best down payment or neighborhood to live in – you should also search the right mortgage lender. The type of mortgage loan
CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger resigns at Biden’s request
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Kathy Kraninger announced Wednesday she is resigning from her post at the request of President Joe Biden’s administration. “As requested by the Biden administration, today I resigned as Director of the CFPB,” Kraninger said. “I
Here’s how to find property owners ready to sell
As 2021 unfolds, the real estate industry is still dealing with ongoing concerns introduced and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic last year, leaving agents and brokers facing multiple challenges with their work. “There’s still a massive amount of buyers and
HUD declares FHA once again backing DACA mortgages
In one of former President Donald Trump administration’s last acts, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development declared Wednesday that the Federal Housing Administration will once again back mortgages for immigrants under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Housing industry welcomes President Joe Biden
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, and Vice President Kamala Harris became the first woman to serve in the office. In his inaugural address, Biden pledged his commitment to bringing
Don’t let COVID crisis mask affordable housing opportunity
As the U.S. rushes to inoculate the current global health crisis, the real estate and mortgage finance industries are facing their second wave of significant industry headwinds in little over a decade. Though the pandemic is causing pain throughout the