National News

President Trump’s housing market: 5 possibilities to consider

Donald Trump is the president-elect of the United States of America, and pending any unforeseen developments, he will be the leader of the country come Jan. 2017. So what can we expect, as far as real estate and housing

Supreme Court decision could allow agents to sue banks

Yesterday the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments for City of Miami v. Wells Fargo and Bank of America, and early reports suggest the Court is leaning towards allowing the case to proceed – which could have major implications for

New survey finds clients rely on agents in big way during the buying process

The importance of real estate agents in the homebuying process cannot be understated, according to a new Freddie Mac analysis. Freddie’s survey, which asked licensed U.S. real estate professionals about the role that they play in homebuying process, found that clients rely on

Survey: 90% agree email marketing is increasing in effectiveness

In its 2015 member profile, the National Association of Realtors found that 96 percent of its membership uses email either daily or nearly every day, making it the most used form of communication by Realtors – and as a survey of

The 5 things that define first-time homebuyers in 2016

Last week, we covered the release of NAR’s 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, which reported that first-time homebuyer market share remains at its lowest level since 1989. But NAR’s profile included many more insights on first-time buyers in

Mortgage denial rates remain shockingly unequal across racial lines

The mortgage denial disparity remains as wide as ever across racial lines, and it’s especially pronounced here in Greater Boston, according to new Zillow analysis of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data. The numbers are hardly encouraging: although mortgage applicants in Beantown are denied

Study: 2.5 million consumers will soon re-enter the housing market

Approximately 2.5 million consumers are rejoining the housing market this year, according to a new study from Experian. During the downturn and subsequent recession, many consumers tacked foreclosures, short sales and/or bankruptcies onto their credit report, where they remained for seven years. Between June

NAR: Homebuyers in 2016, and how they are – and are not – changing

There are housing reports, and then there is NAR’s Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. An authoritative look at the housing market and the consumers who propel it forward, NAR’s report is a must-see document every fall, as it

Why credit is more available than you or your clients think

There are more renters in the U.S. today than at any other time over the last 50 years. More than half have considered buying a home, but have held off because most think they can’t afford it. A report from

6 emerging real estate trends to watch in 2017

Every year, the Urban Land Institute, in collaboration with PwC, takes on the notoriously herculean task of understanding where the nation’s real estate market – and the patchwork of markets that make it up – is heading. The two groups

The 4 ways consumers shop for homes in today’s market

It’s no secret that the Internet has revolutionized real estate, bringing a new level of access and breadth to an industry long defined by its exclusivity. What’s less known, though, is how consumers are interacting with that revolution, and

How to capitalize on huge Chinese demand for real estate

China’s presence in the U.S. residential real estate market is growing rapidly, and it’s creating opportunities for agents proactive enough to seize it, one expert says. Between 2010 and 2015, Chinese real estate buyers spent $93 billion in the

Boston home prices remain positive in new Case-Shiller

Boston home prices continued their positive momentum through the summer, according to the new Case-Shiller Home Price Indices from Standard & Poor’s. Per S&P’s analysis, prices in the area were up 0.3 percent from July to August, and up 4.1

5 ways housing has transformed over the last 35 years

This year marks 35 years of the National Association of Realtors’ Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, and to commemorate the latest survey’s Oct. 31 release, NAR spotlighted five integral ways that housing has changed in those 35 years. Here are

5 surprising facts about the 2016 homebuyer

With the billing of “the largest and most comprehensive survey of real estate consumers ever conducted,” Zillow’s 2016 Consumer Housing Trends Report arrived this week with considerable build-up, and indeed, the report does feature many interesting looks at the

Your comprehensive guide to CFPB’s newest TRID compliance updates

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau this month issued its new Small Entity Compliance Guide, which includes updated information for how to better comply with TRID. We’ve combed through the report, compared it to CFPB’s previous Small Entity Compliance Guide,

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