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☆ Home prices likely to keep rising even as lower mortgage rates bring more supply, according to BofA
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Existing home prices should keep climbing when mortgage rates slide, Bank of America said. The number of existing home sales on offer fell last year as mortgage rates rose and sellers opted to wait it out to hold onto lower rates they locked in years ago. "As of January, the median sales price of existing single-family homes had grown 5% y/y, while the price for new single-family homes fell 3% y/y." AdvertisementSo far in 2024, mortgage rates have come down from multi-year highs seen last October, falling to 6.74% this month. January's existing home sales were the highest since August, and even small declines in mortgage rates are enough to encourage bursts of activity.

Persons: —, It's, Redfin, Skylar Olsen Organizations: of America, Service, Bank of America, CNBC

☆ Realtor's settlement means buyers might save money on their new homes, but they'll be doing more work themselves
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Buyers' agents will no longer charge 6% commission fees for helping buyers purchase a house. However, the lowered commissions may mean buyers have to do more work themselves. And while the new rules around Realtors' commission fees mean buyers may save thousands of dollars on their homes, they may also end up doing more work themselves to find and purchase new houses. Other sellers, the outlet reported, won't offer any commission to pay a buyer's agent at all in a process called decoupling. If the seller doesn't shell out for the buyers' agent fees, as real estate transactions have typically been structured, this will leave the buyer's agent commission negotiations — and potentially the out-of-pocket payment for their fees — up the the buyer.

Persons: Buyers, —, Robby Braun, Cohen Milstein Sellers, Toll, they're, Toby Schifsky, Kaplan, BI's Grace Eliza Goodwin Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Service, Realtors, Street, Washington Post

☆ The way Americans buy and sell homes is about to get turned on its head
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( David Goldman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The way Americans buy and sell homes is about to get turned on its head. And other broker tactics that critics say are anticompetitive, such as a rule that made sellers’ agents set compensation for buyers’ agents, will be prohibited. Goodbye, 6% commissionsFor decades, Americans have paid a standard commission of around 6% when selling a home, split between the seller’s broker and the buyer’s broker. A separate new rule will require buyers’ brokers to enter into written agreements with their buyers. Second, it led buyers’ brokers to push more expensive homes on buyers, so their payout would be higher.

Persons: Cowen, Stephen Brobeck, Norm Miller, Miller Organizations: CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Industry, Consumer Federation of America, University of San Locations: America, University of San Diego

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, PepsiCo and more
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Investors see the event as a bellwether for artificial intelligence, as Nvidia is expected to unveil new products and updates. Alphabet , Apple — Shares of the Google parent company gained nearly 7% following a Bloomberg report that said Apple was discussing licensing Alphabet's Gemini artificial intelligence engine into the iPhone. Apple climbed roughly 2%. PepsiCo — The beverage stock rose nearly 4% after an upgrade to overweight from equal weight by Morgan Stanley . PepsiCo's business fundamentals should bottom out early this year and then rebound in the second half, according to Morgan Stanley.

Persons: Apple, Tesla, Morgan Stanley, Uber, — CNBC's Pia Singh, Jesse Pound Organizations: Nvidia —, Conference, Investors, Nvidia, National Association of Realtors, realtors ., —, Google, Bloomberg, Apple, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Reuters, Bank of America, PepsiCo, Technologies Locations: San Francisco, Japan

☆ Irish whiskies are doing the unthinkable - adding flavors
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —On St. Patrick’s Day, throwing back an Irish whiskey might taste different than it used to. Flavored whiskey is a $1.5 billion category and accounts for 20% of all US whiskey sales. In the past few years, flavored whiskey sales have outpaced unflavored whiskey, according to Southern Glazer’s distributors. But with younger drinkers gravitating toward punchier flavors, Irish brands “have to be much more flexible than their historical beliefs have been,” he told CNN. Flavors are “a good way to get them into the brand and into the whiskey category, and certainly into Irish whiskey,” Basford said.

Persons: Patrick’s, “, ”, Lander Otegui, Bushmills, Jameson, Conor McGregor’s, Otegui, Honey, Paul Basford, William Grant, Basford, Jack Daniel’s, Jim Beam, ” Jon Berg, ” Basford, ” Otegui Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, Tullamore D.E.W, Tullamore, NIQ Locations: New York, St, Southern, Tullamore D.E.W, Tullamore

☆ Things are about to get weird for homebuyers and sellers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Matt Turner | Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Ban or no ban, TikTok is under pressure. Now, we're about to enter a new age of experimentation as buyers and sellers start thinking hard about how they'll pay their agents, and how much. More of this week's top readsThe Insider Today team: Matt Turner, deputy editor-in-chief, in New York.

Persons: —, TikTok, Bytedance, Biden, Donald Trump, Steven Mnuchin, Anson Chan, sarayut Thaneerat, Tyler Le, Ken Griffin, Ambition, Theresa Sue Mubenga, who's, Matt Turner, Jordan Parker Erb, Dan DeFrancesco, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, Business, Senate, Apple, Medical Properties Trust, Citadel, Miami, Citadel Securities, Wall, Workers, National Association of Realtors, Oxford Locations: China, Chicago, Miami, New York

☆ Here's what bitcoin experts see ahead for the world's biggest cryptocurrency
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Yuheng Zhan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The narrative on bitcoin is still bullish, though commentators see more volatility ahead. Bernstein analysts wrote this week that the rally firms up their view that bitcoin is on track to hit $150,000 by mid-2025. Here's what some of the market's top commentators have said about the outlook for the world's most popular cryptocurrency. Related stories"We built bitcoin institutional flows in our estimates to arrive at bitcoin price. Saylor said that following the bitcoin halving in April, dwindling supplies would continue to fuel demand, propelling the price momentum even higher, saying "the natural sellers are the miners."

Persons: Bitcoin, Bernstein, —, Kris Marszalek, Gautam Chhugani, Mahika Sapra, Michael Novogratz, Jamie Dimon, He's, Michael Saylor, Saylor Organizations: Service, CNBC, Galaxy, Galaxy Digital, Wednesday, JPMorgan JPMorgan, Australian Financial

☆ Realtor Lawsuit Settlement Will Change the Housing Market Forever
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementThese changes, spread out over millions of transactions a year, have the chance to reshape the housing market. Real-estate agent commissions have hovered between 5% and 6% of the sale price for decades. If sellers are in a desirable market, they might start offering less commission to buyers' agents, or none at all. This would force buyers' agents to get more creative. It has made it clear that it doesn't want sellers offering compensation to buyers' agents.

Persons: there's, Rich Pedroncelli, doesn't, they're, Bret Weinstein, they'll, I'm Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Department of Justice, NAR, DOJ, AP, MLS, Department, Justice Locations: Denver

☆ Presidential election or not, economists say, the Fed will cut interest rates in the fall if it must
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Fed officials have said they will begin to cut rates whenever they have “gained enough confidence” that inflation is under control. The Bank of Japan announces its latest interest rate decision. The Reserve Bank of Australia announces its latest interest rate decision. The Federal Reserve announces its latest interest rate decision and releases a fresh set of economic projections, followed by a news conference featuring Chair Jerome Powell. The Bank of England announces its latest interest rate decision.

Persons: Wall Street’s, “, ” Kathy Bostjancic, ”, Jerome Powell, ” Powell, Fed hasn’t, Nathaniel Beck, Elizabeth Warren of, Powell, lambasting, Donald Trump, reappoint Powell, ” Kayla Bruun, David Goldman, Anna Bahney, Cowen, Lennar, Mills Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, Washington CNN, Federal Reserve, Fed, Nationwide, CNN, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Democratic, Republican, Morning, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Realtors, Toll Brothers, National Association of Home Builders, Bank of Japan, Reserve Bank of Australia, US Commerce Department, Micron Technology, Prudential, Accenture, Nike, FedEx, lululemon, Darden, Academy Sports, Bank of England, US Labor Department, Global Locations: Washington, Wells Fargo

☆ The NAR settlement could slash home prices for many Americans
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Elisabeth Buchwald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The settlement, which is still subject to a judge’s approval, will eliminate the long-standing standard 6% commission paid by the seller. The NAR, which represents more than 1 million agents, declined to comment on whether home prices will fall as a result of the settlement. For instance, listing agents will likely continue to tell sellers that their homes will be sold faster if they pay for the buyer’s agent’s fee. That would increase how much they’re compensated since the total fee ends up getting split between listing agents and the buyer’s agents. NAR settlement or not, factors such as housing inventory, mortgage rates and consumer savings rates will “play much larger roles,” said Brobeck.

Persons: won’t, Kevin Sears, ”, Stephen Brobeck, ” Brobeck, “, ” Tomasz Piskorski, Piskorski Organizations: New, New York CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Consumer Federation of America, CNN, Columbia University Locations: New York, Missouri

☆ Five Ways Buying and Selling a House Could Change
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Rukmini Callimachi | Debra Kamin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

A settlement reached this week threatens to strike a blow to an established standard of residential real estate: the 6 percent sales commission. It also will change who pays it. The deal, reached after a yearslong court battle initially brought by a group of home sellers in Missouri, calls for the powerful National Association of Realtors, which has long regulated the way U.S. homes are sold, to amend its rules on how Realtors for sellers and buyers are compensated. In most real estate transactions in the United States, both the seller and buyer have an agent representing them. For decades, there’s been a standard for paying these agents: a commission of between 5 and 6 percent of the home’s sale price, covered by the seller and split between the two agents.

Persons: there’s Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Realtors Locations: Missouri, United States

☆ 10 easy design tips that will make your house more attractive to buyers, according to a home stager
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Erin Mcdowell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Baer shared her biggest tips for successfully staging a house in order to sell it quickly. AdvertisementBaer told Business Insider that the priciest home she's staged recently was a $200 million property in Florida. According to a 2021 survey by the National Association of Realtors, 82% of buyers' agents said home staging made it easier for their buyers to visualize themselves in the home. AdvertisementRealtor.com also reported in 2023 that staged homes sell 88% faster and for an average of 20% more than non-staged homes. Here are 10 easy design tips that will make your house more attractive to buyers, according to a professional home stager.

Persons: Meridith Baer, Baer, —, she's, HomeAdvisor, Realtor.com Organizations: Service, Business, Hamptons, Meridith Baer Home, Forbes, National Association of Realtors Locations: Los Angeles, San Francisco , New York, Miami, Florida

☆ The 6% commission on buying or selling a home is gone after Realtors association agrees to seismic settlement
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( David Goldman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The NAR, which represents more than 1 million Realtors, also agreed to put in place a set of new rules. One prevents sellers’ brokers from setting buyers’ agents’ compensation, which critics say led brokers to push more expensive properties on customers. Another new rule will require buyers’ brokers to enter into written agreements with their buyers. Realtors could now compete on commissions, allowing for prospective buyers to shop around on rates before they commit to buying a home. The association also faces scrutiny from the US Department of Justice, and it’s unclear whether this settlement with sellers will impact the government’s scrutiny of the brokerage industry.

Persons: ”, Kevin Sears, Nykia Wright, Homesellers, HomeServices, Wright Organizations: CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, Realtors, realtors, US Department of Justice Locations: Missouri, America, litigate

☆ Temu has officially opened to US-based sellers in a strategy shift that could help it compete more closely with Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTemu has opened its marketplace to sellers with US-based warehouses, marking a shift to its strategy that has focused on shipping orders from China. Business Insider previously reported that US Amazon sellers were largely eager to try selling on Temu once it was made available to them. Offering faster shipping options could help Temu to better compete with US e-commerce incumbents like Amazon. The company's use of de minimis shipments has gotten increased attention from US lawmakers as of late. Shein, another China-linked e-commerce marketplace, also began onboarding US merchants last year.

Persons: —, Temu, Brightever, Bernstein, De minimis, Earl Blumenauer, Neal Dunn, Dan Bishop, Shein Organizations: Service, Pinduoduo Holdings, Business, US, US Customs Locations: China, Palm Springs, Las Vegas

☆ Home prices could go down now that the biggest group of real-estate agents agreed to lower commissions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The National Association of Realtors said it'd reduce commissions as part of a $418 million settlement. Cut commissions could lead to lower home prices but may force some agents out of the industry. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AdvertisementThe entire real-estate industry could shift in homeowners' favor, thanks to a settlement by one of the most powerful groups of real-estate agents in the country. In a major win for consumers, it also agreed to amend its rules on commissions, The New York Times, which obtained a copy of the signed agreement, reported.

Persons: — Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Service, New York Times, Business

☆ How the recent settlement on paying a commission could change the way Americans buy and sell homes
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Commissions aren’t disappearing — you’ll still need to pay a real estate agent for their work, just as you would any service provider. And the commission, which is set between an agent and the seller, will continue to be negotiable. The seller’s agent will also still be able to split the commission with the agent bringing the buyer. One new rule prohibits agents’ compensation from being included on listings placed on local centralized portals known as multiple listing services, which critics say led brokers to push more expensive properties on customers. This agreement will specify the work the buyer’s agent will do and how they will get paid.

Persons: who’ve, TD Cowan, Will, that’s, it’s Organizations: DC CNN, National Association of Realtors, NAR, MLS Locations: Washington

☆ Home buyers and sellers to be spared automatic broker commissions under $418 million settlement
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Rob Wile | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The National Association of Realtors has agreed to a landmark settlement that would eliminate real estate brokers' long-standing automatic commissions, commonly of up to 6% of the purchase price. Instead, home buyers and sellers would be able to negotiate fees with their agents upfront. If the $418 million legal agreement is approved by a federal court, consumer advocates predict the ranks of real estate agents will thin, further driving down commission prices. "For years, anti-competitive rules in the real estate industry have financially harmed millions," said Benjamin Brown, managing partner at the Cohen Milstein law firm and one of the settlement's negotiators. "It's a bribe," Doug Miller, an attorney and longtime consumer advocate in the real estate industry, said of the commission-splitting arrangements.

Persons: Benjamin Brown, Cohen Milstein, Nykia Wright, Wright, —, Doug Miller Organizations: National Association of Realtors, NAR, MLS

☆ Looking to sell your home? Here are 4 cheap or free things you can do boost its value and get a higher price, according to Zillow.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But there are still a few small things to consider before selling that could help you bump up your house's value even further. 4 things to boost your home's valueFirst, Pendleton said adding a fresh coat of interior paint can add value to your home. Dark gray outperformed white in every single room that we tested," Pendleton said. "So it is a really good option, even in the bedroom and the bathroom, if you feel like, 'Oh, dark gray is way too much for my kitchen.' She added: "I'm telling you, dark gray covers a lot of imperfections, and it feels modern.

Persons: You've, you've, it's, Amanda Pendleton, Pendleton, Zillow, Soapstone countertops, I'm Organizations: Business Locations: Zillow's, soapstone

☆ Best Buy recalls more than 250,000 Insignia air fryers due to fire, burn and laceration hazards
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —Best Buy has recalled more than 250,000 Insignia air fryers sold in the United States and Canada, because of fire, burn and laceration hazards. Customers are advised to immediately stop using the fryers and can visit this site for instructions on how to submit images of damaged air fryers. Affected customers can get a refund check or Best Buy store credit. The recall noted customers should not try to return the air fryers at Best Buy stores. Last February, roughly 2 million Cosori air fryers were recalled because they posed a possible fire risk.

Persons: Air Fryer, •, fryer Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Consumer Product Safety, Air, Customers Locations: New York, United States, Canada

☆ Powerful Realtor Group Agrees to Slash Commissions to Settle Lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Debra Kamin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

American homeowners could see a significant drop in the cost of selling their homes after a real estate trade group agreed to a landmark deal that will eliminate a bedrock of the industry, the 6 percent sales commission. The National Association of Realtors, a powerful organization that has set the guidelines for home sales for decades, has agreed to settle a series of lawsuits by paying $418 million in damages and by eliminating its rules on commissions. Legal counsel for N.A.R. approved the agreement early Friday morning, and The New York Times obtained a copy of the signed document. “This will blow up the market and would force a new business model,” said Norm Miller, a professor emeritus of real estate at the University of San Diego.

Persons: ”, Norm Miller Organizations: National Association of Realtors, The New York Times, N.A.R, University of San Locations: U.S, University of San Diego

☆ Real estate stocks plunge as NAR agrees to landmark settlement that rewrites rules on commissions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The National Association of Realtors announced a $418 million settlement to end antitrust lawsuits. Real estate stocks including Zillow and Redfin fell Friday after the announcement. AdvertisementShares of real estate companies plunged on Friday following an announcement from the National Association of Realtors that resolves a lawsuit with home-selling groups and effectively nixes the standard 6% commission for home purchases. As part of the settlement, the NAR has agreed to prevent sellers' brokers from determining the compensation for buyers' agents. AdvertisementTaken together the changes will rewrite the longstanding real estate business model which had sellers pay their broker and the buyer's broker.

Persons: Redfin, —, Nykia Wright, Kevin Sears Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Service, NAR

☆ The housing market's inventory crisis is finally easing
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewUS home-sellers are finally getting accustomed to higher mortgage rates. "The housing market is nothing like it was two years ago during the pandemic homebuying frenzy, but it's better than it was last year. Mortgage-purchase applications declined through February, as rates rose from early 2024. While mortgage rates are moving back down from last month's 6.78% average, they are likely to remain elevated for longer, Redfin said. AdvertisementBetween mortgage rates and higher prices, the median US monthly housing payment stood $2,686 through February, just $30 below last year's all-time high.

Persons: —, Redfin, It's, David Palmer, Sellers Organizations: Service, Business, Mortgage, White

☆ 4 Ways a Settlement Could Change the Housing Industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Debra Kamin | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In the early hours of Friday morning, the National Association of Realtors agreed to a global settlement deal that would resolve several lawsuits against the trade group. rule requiring home sellers to pay commissions to their agents and the agents of their buyers led to inflated fees and price fixing. The lawsuit also called into a question another rule requiring agents to list homes on N.A.R.-affiliated databases in order to sell them. With the settlement agreement, N.A.R. will pay $418 million in damages, but more important, it has agreed to rewrite a number of rules that have long been central to the U.S. housing industry.

Persons: N.A.R Organizations: National Association of Realtors, N.A.R Locations: Missouri, N.A.R

☆ Palantir CEO Alex Karp says he loves 'burning the short-sellers' who bet against 'great companies' to fund their cocaine habits
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Goldman Sachs, Barclays, and Ken Griffin's hedge fund Citadel are among the names who've bet against Karp's company, per MarketBeat. Karp also acknowledged in his CNBC interview that some Palantir staff had left due to its vocal support for Israel. Disclosure: Palantir Technologies CEO Alexander Karp is a member of Axel Springer's shareholder committee.

Persons: —, Palantir, CNBC's, Alex Karp, who'd, Karp, Goldman Sachs, Ken Griffin's, We've, it's, Peter Thiel —, Alexander Karp, Axel Springer's, Axel Springer Organizations: Service, Business, US Army, Refinitiv, Barclays, Citadel, CNBC, Israel, Hamas, Palantir, Insider Inc Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel

☆ Refund fraud schemes promoted on TikTok, Telegram are costing Amazon and other retailers billions of dollars
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

The following month, 10 men were indicted in Oklahoma, charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for allegedly operating a refund fraud service named Artemis Refund Group. A thriving refund fraud marketFor every refund fraud service shut down by law enforcement, swarms of similar groups remain open for business. CNBC viewed several active refund fraud services on encrypted messaging app Telegram, each with thousands of followers. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards A Google form from an active refund fraud service explaining which stores it targets and how much it charges customers. Zoom In Icon Arrows pointing outwards A refund fraud service claims to have access to Amazon insiders in a Telegram post.

Persons: Stephanie Keith, Noah Page, Page, he'd, Ralph, —, Rick Owens, Sajed Al, Ralph Lauren, Uber, Maarej, Chris Black, Amazon, Al, they'd, Rekk, Cyril Noel, Tagoe, Noel, Louis Vuitton, scammers, Reddit, Brittany Allen, Allen, Remi Vaughn, Vaughn, she's, David Johnston, Johnston Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, CNBC, National Retail Federation, Appriss, Amazon, Page, Riverside Press, Medianews, PayPal, Retailers, Artemis, Walmart, Apple, Nike, eBay, Saks Fifth, DoorDash, Google, MacBook, Mail, UPS, U.S . Postal Service, Al, Rekk, Gucci Locations: New York, Chattanooga , Tennessee, Reddit, TikTok, Eastvale, Michigan, Oklahoma, Chattanooga

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