News / Features

Affordable home supply jumps as mortgage forbearance programs end

The supply of affordable homes on the market rose a record 13% in the third quarter as mortgage forbearance programs ended, prompting low-cost homeowners to put their properties on the market.

Atlanta, Houston real estate professionals elected to LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance executive roles

Atlanta’s Rodney Mason, who serves as vice president of mortgage lending with Guaranteed Rate, was named treasurer of the nonprofit, while Anita Blue, who works as an agent and credit restoration consultant at Cap Tex Realty, was named national vice president.

Mortgage applications decline despite drop in interest rates

“Mortgage rates decreased for the first time since August, as concerns about supply-chain bottlenecks, waning consumer confidence, weaker economic growth and rising inflation pushed Treasury yields lower.” — MBA associate vice president of economic and industry forecasting Joel Kan

Zillow: Most home buyers middle-aged, married, college-educated

The average American home buyer is 45 years old, married or partnered, college-educated and likely to purchase a home located in the South, according to Zillow’s 2021 Consumer Housing Trends Report.  Individuals ages 30-39 make up the largest population

Rocket Mortgage, Salesforce team up for loan originations

“This will be the first time a home lender will provide an end-to-end ‘mortgage-as-a-service’ solution through Salesforce Financial Services Cloud — a platform that thousands of financial institutions already heavily rely on.” — Rocket Cos. Vice Chairman and CEO Jay Farner

Zillow closes Zillow Offers, announces layoffs

Zillow announced today it’s ending its iBuyer service, Zillow Offers, and cutting roughly a quarter of its workforce, citing the volatility the service created for the online brokerage as the motivation for the move.

Millennials are fueling the housing boom — will it continue?

Millennials are purchasing houses — finally. Over the past year, millennials made up the largest share of homebuyers: 37% according to Barron’s.

More homebuyers choosing to live in diverse neighborhoods

As more house hunters are opting to live in socially, racially and culturally diverse communities, developers are formulating strategies to list more inclusive properties on the market, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.  Developers’ strategies include

Buy-in for this poolside casino home in Kissimmee, FL

Entertainment is a top priority of the “Royale Reunion” in Kissimmee, FL. This luxury villa is equipped with a home theater room, arcade game rooms and… a private casino.

NAR: Pending-home sales slide 2.3% in September

“Contract transactions slowed a bit in September and are showing signs of a calmer home price trend, as the market is running comfortably ahead of pre-pandemic activity.” — NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun

One, Two, Freddy’s coming for you…

The iconic home from “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is prime Hollywood real estate. And it’s currently for sale.

Federal Housing Finance Agency makes desktop appraisals permanent

It’s been a more than a year and a half of technological innovation in real estate in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency has decided to make one tool — desktop appraisals — permanent.

Mortgage applications rise despite increase in interest rates

At the same time, the increase in interest rates drove fewer borrowers to refinance their loans, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

New-home sales rebound in September as prices hit new record

“There simply aren’t enough homes for sale relative to the demand fueled by millennials armed with low mortgage rate-driven house-buying power.” — First American Deputy Chief Economist Odeta Kushi

NAR: Existing-home sales rebound in September

The median existing-home price for all housing types in September was $352,800, up 13.3% on an annual basis, as every region in the country registered price increases.

Freddie Mac to offer $3B in affordable housing bonds

Freddie Mac plans to offer at least $3 billion in single-family affordable housing bonds to support affordable homeownership and serve historically underserved markets, according to a press release. To underscore this effort, the company is offering approximately $285 million

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