National News

Cheaper Oil, Cheaper Mortgage Rates – A Buying Opportunity

There are a lot of cities in the U.S. – Houston, New Orleans – that have felt the sting of falling crude values (“sting” being a cozy euphemism for economic haymaker). But the news isn’t all bad. Take, for instance, mortgage

3 Positive Employment Trends For Housing

The latest jobs report shows some silver linings for employment   Last week, the Labor Department released its monthly jobs report with mostly positive news: unemployment fell below 5 percent in January, suggesting that even with the weak global economy and decreasing

In Listing Language, Luxury Homes are “Sexy” and “Seductive” – Not “Lovely”

When selling luxury, “sexy” is preferable to “lovely” As Pat Benatar sang, “love is a battlefield” – and as realtor.com analysts have found, love is also a lousy way to sell a home. According to an analysis of 1.6

NAR Survey: 10% of Transactions Delayed by TRID

TRID’s impact on the real estate process has been minimal, though agents are still experiencing some problems with their clients’ documentation, according to a new survey from the National Association of Realtors. Just over 10 percent of Realtor transactions,

TransUnion Predicts 2.2 Million Boomerang Buyers Will Return by 2021

Boomerang buyers are, as the name implies, ready to return to housing The housing market’s recovery has been slow since the recession, and many consumers are still struggling with the economic fallout. According to a study released by TransUnion, though, there

Boston Ranked a Top Metro Area for New Construction

According to a Dodge Data & Analytics report, Boston was ranked as one of the top metro areas for new commercial and multifamily construction in 2015, with a total dollar amount of $4.7 billion. “At the national level, the construction expansion

NAHREP Welcomes New Chief Marketing Officer

The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) has named their new chief marketing officer, Jason Riveiro. Riveiro has more than 10 years of experience in leading multinational strategies for some of the most recognized Fortune 500 companies.

5 New Green Building Innovations for New Construction in 2016

The National Association of Homebuilders’ annual International Builders’ Show has become a platform for top and emerging brands to showcase the most innovative technologies in the industry today. Following the trend of sustainable building, which has almost become a new

Is Move, Inc. Taking Steps Towards Online Real Estate Transactions?

New agreement offers unified platform for transactions Move Inc., which runs realtor.com for the National Association of Realtors, announced an agreement with zipLogix that will bring the zipForm digital library to the Reesio document/transaction management platform, according to Housing

New Homes Are More Expensive and Bigger than Ever Before

Bigger homes mean more luxury buyers – but what does that mean for first-time buyers?   The average unit size of new residential construction is increasing, according to a National Association of Home Builders report. The average size of

Mortgage Applications Decrease as Interest Rates Fall

According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), mortgage applications deceased 2.6 percent from the prior week ending in Jan. 29, which included an adjustment for the Martin Luther King holiday. Mortgage Rates Are Decreasing According to the

The 3 Trends Shaping New Construction in 2016’s Market

These three trends illustrate where new construction is heading in 2016 Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that new single-family home sales in 2015 totaled 501,000, a 14.5 percent increase over 2014 that brought new home sales to their

Pending Home Sales Rose by How Much?

December was a modest month for contract signings, according to NAR Pending home sales were mostly unchanged in December, but inched forward slightly, fueled by a large increase in the Northeast that outpaced declines in the other three major

Are First-Time Homebuyers Making a Comeback?

First-time homebuyers have been MIA for some time – are they poised for a comeback? The National Association of Realtors reported late last week that first-time homebuyers accounted for 32 percent of existing-home sales in December, which was up

CoreLogic: Distressed Sales Hit Lowest Nov. Since 2007

National distressed sales – including real-estate owned (REO) and short sales – fell 1.9 percentage points in November 2015, pushing the distressed share of total sales to its lowest November point since 2007, according to a new report from

These High-End Grocery Stores Boost Your Clients’ Home Values

According to a new analysis by Zillow, homes within a mile of either a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods appreciate faster than other homes. Featured in the paperback edition of the real estate marketplace’s book titled, “Zillow Talk: Rewriting

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