Real Estate Industry News

As more and more Americans become rent burdened, the homeless rates in the nation’s most unaffordable markets continue to grow, according to the latest data from Zillow. Zillow Director of Economic Research and Outreach Skylar Olsen said that although the nation’s homelessness rate has fallen, some communities are still grappling with affordability.

According to the latest report from Black Knight, tappable equity on mortgaged properties is now $5.9 trillion – down from last quarter’s record-breaking $6 trillion. American homeowners with a mortgage lost about $2,300 in equity this quarter and now have $136,000 available to tap as a slowdown in home price appreciation dampens growth.

The average homeowner gained $12,400 in equity in one year's time, according to CoreLogic's Home Equity Report for the third quarter of 2018. And while that's not exactly nothing, it's the smallest annual increase in two years, reflecting a slowdown in home price growth.

Renters Warehouse, a property management company that specializes in managing single-family rentals, is set to expand its SFR business, as the company announced Tuesday that it is acquiring OwnAmerica, one of the country’s largest investment marketplaces for single-family rentals.

As home prices rise and wages remain stagnant, a growing number of Americans are finding themselves house-rich but cash-poor. And, with interest rates trending upward, American homeowners are increasingly likely to stay put. This all spells opportunity for Hometap, a homeownership investment company that’s summer launch was met with unexpected demand.

The legal battle between Airbnb and the Apartment Investment and Management Company over Aimco’s claims that Airbnb was encouraging residents to violate their leases by renting out their apartments on the short-term rental platform is now over. And everyone appears to be pleased.

CoreLogic released its predictions for 2019, outlining several factors that will be making economic news in the new year. CoreLogic’s chief economist explained that economic growth only needs to last seven more months in order to set the record for the longest economic expansion.

Wise Agent hired Jason Frazier as its chief marketing officer, the company announced this week. Frazier, a known marketer in the mortgage industry, will be responsible for modernizing email marketing and social content for Wise Agent’s CRM system.

In the last few days of his leadership at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Mick Mulvaney moved to further ease the bureau’s enforcement of the industries that it oversees. Additionally, the CFPB proposal would create a “Product Sandbox,” which would allow and encourage companies to create and test new products and services under safe harbor […]

Reports began to surface this week that the Trump administration is considering naming Mark Calabria to be the next director of the FHFA when Mel Watt’s term is up early next year. But what would Calabria bring to the FHFA and what might that mean for the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? Here's […]

Mortgage applications increased 1.6% for the week ending Dec. 7, 2018, according to new data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's weekly Mortgage Applications Survey. MBA’s Associate Vice President of Economic and Industry Forecasting Joel Kan said recent rate declines are responsible for the jump in refinance applications.

CoreLogic released its predictions for 2019, outlining several factors that will be making economic news in the new year. CoreLogic’s chief economist explained that economic growth only needs to last seven more months in order to set the record for the longest economic expansion.

Wise Agent hired Jason Frazier as its chief marketing officer, the company announced this week. Frazier, a known marketer in the mortgage industry, will be responsible for modernizing email marketing and social content for Wise Agent’s CRM system.

In the last few days of his leadership at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Mick Mulvaney moved to further ease the bureau’s enforcement of the industries that it oversees. Additionally, the CFPB proposal would create a “Product Sandbox,” which would allow and encourage companies to create and test new products and services under safe harbor […]

Reports began to surface this week that the Trump administration is considering naming Mark Calabria to be the next director of the FHFA when Mel Watt’s term is up early next year. But what would Calabria bring to the FHFA and what might that mean for the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac? Here's […]