National News
This year is one of continued change in home design as consumers get revved up about more livable spaces and a surge in new home-centered technology. Trends are constantly changing, and this year, homeowners want design that will create
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has been a subject of debate for years in Congress, gaining temporary funding multiple times without any permanent solutions. Recently, representatives across political lines have shown interest in finally reaching a long-term resolution,
For most Americans, the average commute is less than 90 minutes. However, extreme commuters exist on either end of this spectrum, with telecommuters (who work from home) experiencing no travel time and so-called “super commuters” traveling over 90 minutes
Lender optimism jumps as rates drift lower The latest survey of mortgage industry sentiment from Fannie Mae found lenders markedly more optimistic about their business prospects at the start of 2019. While still negative overall, the results of Fannie
Will technology one day replace the role of the real estate agent? In an era of rapidly evolving customer relationship management software, iBuyers and the constant specter of brokerage mergers and acquisitions—always, it seems, with tech bandied about as
Real estate is a field that traditionally counts more women among its ranks than men; the 2018 National Association of Realtors Member Profile found that 63 percent of all NAR members were female last year. Yet when it comes
Experts warn of misleading listing photos Has photo retouching gone too far? Some brokers and buyers think so, according to a feature in The Wall Street Journal this week discussing the growing popularity of dead-simple photo editing tools used
American homeowners have a vested interest in the U.S. economy, and by association, so do real estate agents. The size and scope of the housing market, itself just one piece of the world’s largest economy, makes this a difficult
Only three months ago, the consensus among economists studying the U.S. housing market was that 2019 would be, at best, unimpressive. Given prevailing trends at the time, it looked as though rising interest rates would continue driving up the
The U.S. Census Bureau is renewing its push to stimulate innovative technological developments through the use of its own data. The Opportunity Project (TOP), a collaborative effort between government agencies and private tech firms, continues to build upon initiatives
Homeownership rate posts eighth-consecutive quarterly gain The newest estimate of U.S. homeownership rates, released Feb. 28 by the Census Bureau, showed that more Americans have become homeowners in the last two years. As of the fourth quarter of 2018,
One of the most widely cited barometers of the U.S. housing market showed home price growth continuing a downward trend at the close of 2018, an positive sign for buyers. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Home Price Index registered a
On Tuesday, Feb. 26, the Senate Banking Committee voted to confirm Mark Calabria as the new head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Assuming he makes it through the full Senate vote, which has yet to be scheduled, Calabria
Early May named the best time to list a home Plenty of Americans are getting anxious about the arrival of spring, particularly those who are homeowners looking to sell in the near future. As it turns out, spring may
Evidence of slower price appreciation, growing inventory and falling interest rates have boosted economist expectations for U.S. home sales at the beginning of 2019. However, these trends that should entice buyers haven’t yet made an impact when it comes
U.S. homebuilders haven’t seen quite the same gains as the broader real estate market in recent years, but signs are beginning to point in the industry’s favor this year. A new report from LEK Consulting and Wells Fargo’s U.S.
