We are now under 60 days remaining until we have President Biden and Vice President Harris leading a new administration in D.C. Beyond any political views of the election and the ensuing drama, industry is asking: What will a Biden
Industry gives mixed reviews of FHFA’s Final Capital Rule
The mortgage industry is responding with mixed reviews to the Federal Housing Finance Agency‘s Final Capital Rule for mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which it released on Wednesday. The final rule mandates that the GSEs maintain tier 1 capital in excess of
Companies with MISMO RON certificate double in three months
Digital notary platform NotaryCam announced on Wednesday it has been awarded the Remote Online Notarization (RON) Compliance Certification through the Mortgage Industry Standard Maintenance Organization (MISMO) – making it the eighth company to receive the specialized certification. Originally introduced in April, the MISMO RON compliance
The housing market is hot, but not in a bubble
Existing home sales came in at a whopping 6,850,000, beating estimates with the highest print since 2006. Days on market fell from 36 days to 21 days on a year-over-year basis. Cash buyers remain at a historically high level of
How will California’s Proposition 19 impact property taxes?
A slim majority of California residents voted in favor of Proposition 19 on Election Day, green-lighting a motion that gives new property tax breaks to older homeowners while increasing property taxes for those inheriting their parents’ or grandparents’ properties. The
DOJ sues NAR for alleged antitrust violations
The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors (NAR) on Thursday, alleging a series of violations of antitrust law, including commission arrangements and consumer disclosure requirements. NAR has adopted a “series of rules, policies,
Mortgage rates break record again, down to 2.72%
The average U.S. mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed loan fell this week to 2.72%, Freddie Mac said in a report on Thursday – the lowest rate in the survey’s near 50-year history. This week’s rate broke the previous record set on Nov. 5 by 6
Existing home sales increase for the fifth month in a row
Existing home sales grew for the fifth consecutive month in October, up 4.3% from September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.85 million, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors on Thursday. Compared to last October,
Knock’s Home Swap solution expands to North Carolina
Homeowners in Charlotte, North Carolina and Raleigh, North Carolina can now use Knock Home Swap to purchase their new home before selling their old one. The solution is now available in 11 markets in six states. Home Swap is offered
Are borrower-assisted inspections here to stay?
HousingWire recently spoke with CoreLogic’s Chief Appraiser Shawn Telford about re-examining traditional appraisal workflows in light of the changes brought on by COVID-19. HousingWire: What changes have appraisers had to make to their workflows in light of social distancing and
FHFA issues Final Capital Rule for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) released its Final Capital Rule Wednesday for mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as it continues to work toward ending conservatorship. The final rule mandates that the GSEs maintain tier 1 capital in
Title technology is critical for digital mortgage success
At the Notarize Rewired event Wednesday on the panel, Home Buying After COVID, four experts talked about some of the largest pain points in the title industry. When asked if they could change one thing, or “wave a magic wand,”
Texas homeownership rate reaches an all-time high
The homeownership rate in Texas rose to an all-time high of 70% in the third quarter, exceeding the national metric for the first time since 2012, according to a report from the Texas A&M Real Estate Center. Texas home sales
The Hawaii housing market heats up
Real estate agents across the country have made it clear – low inventory and low mortgage rates have kept them busy throughout the pandemic, especially in typical vacation destinations. That trend is holding true for the housing market in Hawaii,
Increase in housing starts has construction playing catch-up
Single-family housing starts gained for the sixth consecutive month in October on an annualized pace not seen since April 2007, a Census Bureau report released Wednesday revealed. Housing starts overall rose 4.9% in October compared to September’s pace and to
The 10 most popular cities for out-of-town homebuyers
Out-of-town moves are on the rise, and it’s largely thanks to the pandemic. Some homebuyers are looking to move closer to friends and family, while others are simply on the hunt for more space and a break from cramped urban
Here’s what to expect in the mortgage application process
Home shoppers and sellers are flooding the market with demand, creating recording-breaking volume and unique opportunities for people looking to get in on the action. With both parties in the home-buying process fueling the market, there are plenty of success
Mortgage applications see slight decrease, despite purchase gain
[CORRECTION: The story has been updated to reflect that the MBA projects $3.39 trillion instead of $3.9 trillion] Mortgage applications decreased 0.3% last week, following a 0.5% drop from the beginning of November, according to a report from the Mortgage
Trump nominates Brian Brooks for head of OCC
After six months of filling the position temporarily, Brian Brooks, current acting head for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), announced on Tuesday that President Donald Trump intends to nominate him to serve as the 32nd Comptroller
NAR’s Yun expects a brisk winter housing market
This year has been full of surprises, but the biggest might be how exceptional the housing market is performing, National Association of Realtors Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said on Tuesday. In a panel at the NAR 2020 Realtors Conference and
These are the top RON trends to watch for in 2021
In 2020, remote online notarization became one of the key technologies being discussed among mortgage professionals. So what does 2021 have in store for RON? There are many different thoughts on what 2021 could bring for the eClosing technology (and
Realogy Franchise Group promotes Susan Yannaccone to president and CEO
The largest owner of U.S. real estate brokerages and franchise brands, Realogy Holdings Corp., has announced the appointment of Susan Yannaccone as president and chief executive officer of Realogy Franchise Group, effective Nov. 30. Yannaccone joined Realogy in 2015 as
Real estate tech roundup: Shaker, zavvie and Homie
Indianapolis-based High Alpha has launched Shaker, a collaborative CRM and real estate transaction management platform. Through the platform, Shaker offers a suite of tools to streamline client communication and collaboration, including transaction management, client communication, predictive insights and a built-in
Builder confidence reaches 35-year high in November
The National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, measuring builder confidence, rose five points to 90 in November – the highest score the series has ever recorded since its inception 35 years ago and the third month in its history the score
