Real Estate News

NAR Submits Comments to VA on Allowable Fees; Urges GSEs and Regulators to Confirm Support for Buyer Financing

In ongoing efforts to address housing policy and lending concerns surrounding the recent National Association of REALTORS®’ (NAR) settlement, NAR issued two letters this week to both the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), GSEs and regulators. The letter to GSEs was also sent on behalf of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), delivered to the Federal…

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Q&A With Rocket Homes CEO Doug Seabolt: Is the Industry Changing?

Above, Doug Seabolt Doug Seabolt, CEO of Rocket Homes, spoke to RISMedia in the days before the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) chose to settle seller commission lawsuits and make significant changes to real estate compensation practices. While the focus is now on those immediate policy shifts, Seabolt was already envisioning an evolving real estate…

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MBA: New-Home Mortgage Applications Surge Nearly 16% in February

Homebuyers are continuing to turn to new construction as the antidote for a continued lack of existing homes for sale. Mortgage applications for newly built homes jumped 15.7% in February from a year ago, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) latest Builder Application Survey. While new-home mortgage applications only rose 1% from…

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Why a Shift From ‘I Have to’ to ‘I Get to’ Can Make All the Difference

In our industry and world right now, there’s a lot that feels heavy and/or overwhelming. And for many, that can mean a dip in motivation and a slide into “I don’t want to” thinking. That’s never going to help anyone succeed or lead a better life, right? I learned a really valuable lesson a long…

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Mortgage Rates Drop Slightly This Week

Freddie Mac released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) on March 28, showing the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.79%, down 8 basis points from the previous week—one basis point is equal to one hundredth of a percentage point. It follows the slight raise last week and declines the previous two weeks as…

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Panel of Judges Appears Open to Consolidating Commission Cases

Charleston, SC—Today, a panel of federal judges heard arguments from both plaintiffs and remaining brokerage defendants regarding whether the many disparate commission cases should be consolidated under one judge in one district—a decision with wide-ranging implications for the entire industry, as buyer suits remain a threat even to companies that have settled, and dozens of…

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Newsmakers Spotlight: Ashley Dane on Understanding and Embracing AI in Real Estate

Ashley Dane, regional director of RE/MAX of Michigan, is a strong advocate and supporter of new and emerging technology in the real estate landscape. From educating agents to implementing new strategies, she has made significant contributions to the real estate technology landscape, moving the industry forward and impacting real and necessary change. “The future of…

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Pending Home Sales See Slight Increase in February

Pending home sales increased 1.6% in February, with the Midwest and South each posting monthly gains in transactions, while the Northeast and West posted losses. All four U.S. regions saw year-over-year decreases, however, according to a March 28 report from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI)—a forward-looking indicator of…

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Permit Declines in 2023 Point to Possible 2024 Slowdown

The home construction market—despite seeing some growth from the lack of existing inventory—has been struggling overall and in the building permit segment. The data is pointing toward a possible slowdown coming this year, especially as there are still supply chain issues at play. To be specific, the number of homes under construction fell by 9%,…

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Mortgage Mix: Execs Map Out 2024; Fed Calls for 3 Rate Cuts

Editor’s Note: The Mortgage Mix is RISMedia’s weekly highlight reel of need-to-know mortgage-industry happenings. Watch for it each Friday afternoon. -Top brass from some of the largest and most influential lenders in the country told RISMedia this week they are taking a variety of different approaches to tackling 2024’s challenges, from investing more in tech…

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