Home appraisals are critical to the home buying and selling process. While they’re one of the best opportunities for an objective party outside the deal to assess a home’s true value, they can also torpedo an asking price or cause a lender to rescind its financing offer. But that’s not all a home ap

Austin-based independent brokerage TJ Lewis Real Estate is affiliating with Keller Williams, according to an announcement on Tuesday.According to the news release, TJ Lewis will affiliate directly with Keller Williams’ Austin Southwest market center.The firm is led by broker Topher Rogers, who is ma

REcolorado was surprised to learn this week that its primary shareholders — the Denver Metro Association of Realtors (DMAR) and the South Metro Denver Realtor Association (SMDRA) — have agreed to sell the company to a private equity firm. REcolorado — which is the 16th-largest MLS in the country wit

Stamford, Connecticut-based independent brokerage NewBridge International Realty Group is affiliating with Coldwell Banker Realty, according to an announcement on Tuesday.“We are thrilled to welcome branch NewBridge International Realty Group to Coldwell Banker Realty,” Jennifer McCoy, vice presiden

Xactus, a Pennsylvania-based mortgage technology firm that specializes in borrower verifications, announced Tuesday that it has hired Joseph Peterson as chief financial officer.Peterson will be responsible for the company’s overall financial operations. He will manage the strategic direction of the

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) this week submitted a letter to congressional leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, urging them to endorse full funding for Ginnie Mae in order to ensure maximum liquidity for the government-backed corporation’s mortgage-backed securitie

Baby boomers and members of Generation X are staying in their homes for longer, which may be due to the high level of emotional attachment they have in their homes.This is according to a new report from Opendoor, which describes emotional attachment to the home as “an oft-ignored consideration in re

A report released Tuesday by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) found that the California Association of Realtors’ (CAR) buyer representation and broker compensation agreement is “virtually unreadable.” The release notes that the CFA sent this analysis to the Department of Justice (DOJ) two we

The number of homebuyers who enjoy the process of getting a mortgage might be able to be counted on one hand. And while taking out a six- or seven-figure loan is probably never going to be fun, Rocket Mortgage has a plan to at least make it easier.The country’s largest mortgage lender announced a pa

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) this week announced the approval of a new rule that aims to govern “current and future applications of complex algorithms and artificial intelligence used to estimate the value of a home.” The rule specifically targets automated valuation models (AVMs)

In an era where businesses are increasingly expected to contribute to the well-being of their communities, finding the sweet spot between local engagement and national growth can feel like an impossible challenge. However, tailoring your business model to resonate with the communities you serve buil

Top 10 reverse mortgage industry lender South River Mortgage is aiming to focus on its strengths. In addition to offering a proprietary reverse mortgage product option and transitioning last year from a broker to a direct lender, the company is focusing on its core business while staying engaged wit

The Seattle area is a hot housing market. According to Zillow, the average home price in the Emerald City is currently $884,828, up 4.3% year over year. As home values have risen sharply, this has made the conundrum facing the area’s seniors more difficult to navigate: If they need to downsize, they

Mortgage rates continue to hover around 7%, as they have since the latter half of 2023 when the Federal Reserve stopped raising benchmark rates. While the conventional wisdom is that high rates are choking the housing market, a new survey suggests it’s not as all-encompassing as one might think.Brig

Inventory grew by almost 14,000 homes this week. That’s a pretty solid number, but actually fewer than our model had predicted for the week.Available inventory of unsold homes continues to grow but that growth in seems a bit less intense than it could be. The sales rate — the demand side — is slower

Hilton Head, South Carolina-based “borderless” MLS REsides is joining firms like MLS Property Information Network and Northwest MLS by not opting into the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) nationwide commission lawsuit settlement agreement.The non-Realtor-owned MLS announced its decision to op

An executive refinance banker formerly employed by Rocket Mortgage is suing the company for treating her unfairly in the workplace. She alleges that the company refused a transfer request, cut her salary and demoted her when similarly situated white male employees were not given similar treatment, a

Nominations for the 2024 HousingWire Insiders award are open throughout the month of June. This prestigious award recognizes the operational leaders who are driving the growth and success of their organizations behind the scenes. Over the years, Insiders have shared how this recognition has positive

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Monday announced $469 million in new funding that will go toward fixing up older homes, renovating existing stock with new safety features and preserving affordable housing.The funds will be allocated to state and local governments under

Homeownership rates among minority groups have always lagged behind that of whites, but one group — Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) — is closing that gap.Freddie Mac’s June 2024 outlook on the economic, housing and mortgage markets revealed that over the past 20 year