Real estate mailers aren’t dead — far from it. With so many agents focused on digital marketing, mailers can help you stand out from the crowd to attract new leads, increase brand awareness, generate more referrals, and ultimately close more
Is mortgage demand really picking up?
Are we seeing the start of a market shift in mortgage demand? Notably, mortgage rates have been gradually declining, and we’ve observed back-to-back positive weeks in purchase application data for the first time since mid-March. While I typically prefer to
Why are home prices at all-time highs with more inventory?
Both existing housing inventory and home prices have been rising together year over year, which might seem odd at first glance since existing home sales are trending near all-time lows. However, I can clear up any confusion on this topic.
FHFA grants conditional approval for Freddie Mac second mortgage pilot
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) on Friday announced that it has given conditional approval for Freddie Mac to begin purchasing closed-end second mortgages through a pilot program. The pilot program includes several limitations to the types of loans the
Could aging in place be ‘a poor long-term decision?’
In survey after survey in which Americans are asked about their preferred living situations in retirement, recent data is clear — they want to age in place in their current homes and remain in the familiar environs of their house
Montana aims to remind seniors about its ‘reverse annuity mortgage’
The Montana Board of Housing is aiming to remind the state’s seniors about a government-administered program that is specifically designed to help older adults access their home’s equity — and it should be very familiar to members of the reverse
HUD offers new disaster relief in Hawaii following Biden executive order
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Friday announced a new round of disaster relief in the state of Hawaii that is targeted for the island of Kauai following severe storms, flooding and landslides that took place
Smaller metro areas are seeing sharp home-price increases: SmartAsset
While major cities are often the bellwethers when it comes to home-price trends, a SmartAsset analysis of Zillow data released Thursday shows that some secondary and tertiary U.S. metro areas are leading the way for home-price appreciation. SmartAsset, a personal
Right-to-list agreements now banned in 30 states
Since making headlines for the first time roughly 18 months ago, right-to-list agreements — also known as Non-Title Recorded Agreements for Personal Service (NTRAPS) — have been banned in 30 states, according to an announcement from the American Land Title
HUD joins other federal agencies to update climate resiliency plans
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced on Friday that it has joined more than 20 other federal agencies to update its climate adaptation plan in furtherance of the White House’s national climate resilience framework. As the
Senior-held home equity falls to $12.84 trillion in Q4 2023
Homeowners 62 and older saw their collective home equity levels drop in the fourth quarter of 2023 by roughly $119 billion to $12.84 trillion, the third quarterly fall in the last year. This is according to the Reverse Mortgage Market
Opinion: Why aren’t more commercial brokerages seeking affiliated arrangements?
Let’s face it: joint ventures (JVs) and affiliated business arrangements (ABAs) are all the rage in the residential real estate space right now. And why not? In times of depressed revenue, it makes sense to seek any and all reasonable
Senior-held home equity falls to $12.84 trillion in Q4 2023
Homeowners 62 and older saw their collective home equity levels drop in the fourth quarter of 2023 by roughly $119 billion to $12.84 trillion, the third quarterly fall in the last year. This is according to the Reverse Mortgage Market
Is your real estate database a dumpster fire or lead gen machine?
Study after study has shown that nurturing your database should yield you at least a 10% return. This means that when you have 100 people in your database, and they’re hearing from you regularly with something of value, at least
Opinion: Why aren’t more commercial brokerages seeking affiliated arrangements?
Let’s face it: joint ventures (JVs) and affiliated business arrangements (ABAs) are all the rage in the residential real estate space right now. And why not? In times of depressed revenue, it makes sense to seek any and all reasonable
Average IMB lost $2,109 per loan in Q4 2023
Independent mortgage banks (IMBs) and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks reported an average net loss of $2,109 on each loan they originated in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The loss is almost double
Is your real estate database a dumpster fire or lead gen machine?
Study after study has shown that nurturing your database should yield you at least a 10% return. This means that when you have 100 people in your database, and they’re hearing from you regularly with something of value, at least
Freddie Mac names president Michael Hutchins interim CEO
Freddie Mac on Friday announced that its president Michael Hutchins has been appointed interim CEO, effective March 16, but the company continues its search for a permanent appointment. He will replace Michael DeVito, who is retiring after three years in the job.
Average IMB lost $2,109 per loan in Q4 2023
Independent mortgage banks (IMBs) and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks reported an average net loss of $2,109 on each loan they originated in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The loss is almost double
Freddie Mac names president Michael Hutchins interim CEO
Freddie Mac on Friday announced that its president Michael Hutchins has been appointed interim CEO, effective March 16, but the company continues its search for a permanent appointment. He will replace Michael DeVito, who is retiring after three years in the job.
ICE Mortgage Technology’s Sara Holtz joins Optimal Blue as CMO
Optimal Blue has brought on Sara Holtz, former vice president of demand marketing and communications at ICE Mortgage Technology, as chief marketing officer (CMO). Holtz will drive unified marketing and communications strategies to advance Optimal Blue’s business priorities and further
NAR settles commission lawsuits for $418 million
The National Association of Realtors has agreed to pay $418 million in damages to settle the real estate commission lawsuits. The trade group has also agreed to abolish the “Participation Rule” that required sell-side agents to make an offer of
Blend narrows loss in 2023, projects confidence in achieving profitability this year
California mortgage tech firm Blend Labs narrowed its loss in 2023 by expanding its consumer banking footprint and growing its mortgage consumer base. The San Francisco-based company reported a non-GAAP net loss of $101.3 million in 2023, down from a
Tight inventory and frustrated buyers challenge agents in Virginia
No matter where you are in the state, real estate agents in Virginia are facing low inventory conditions that are creating frustrating scenarios for their buyers. “I think people are getting used to the interest rates where they are now,