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☆ Housing affordability has improved, but not by much
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Yuheng Zhan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The last time the typical household earned more than the median-priced home was in February 2021. AdvertisementMortgage rates have eased from multi-decade highs hit late last year, but housing affordability hasn't improved much in 2024. "For over a decade, America has been slowly marching toward a housing affordability crisis due to chronic underbuilding, and that crisis was kicked into overdrive when the pandemic homebuying boom fueled a meteoric rise in housing prices," said Redfin senior economist Elijah de la Campa. On the flip side, buyers in Anaheim, California were hit by the nation's biggest housing affordability crunch, as they needed 20% more income compared to the previous year. The median home price has climbed twice as much as the 6% rise in median household income over the past year.

Persons: Redfin, —, It's, Elijah de la, Campa Organizations: Service Locations: America, San Antonio , Texas, Anaheim , California

☆ Home price growth is back at pre-pandemic levels. Here's what that means for buyers and sellers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

"We're back to that trend, despite these higher mortgage rates," she said. However, the market today is vastly different from the market two to eight years ago, experts say. The average home is still unaffordable for most potential buyers while inventory has slightly improved but not enough to meet demand. "The sentiment we're getting from our agents is that neither sellers nor buyers are satisfied with this market," Fairweather said. And buyers are disappointed in rising prices and rising mortgage rates."

Persons: Daryl Fairweather, Matthew Walsh, It's, Fairweather, Sellers Organizations: Finance, Moody's Locations: U.S

☆ Could First-Time Home Buyers Lose Out Under New Commission Rules?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Ronda Kaysen | Rukmini Callimachi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

With a landmark legal settlement poised to upend a decades-old norm that has dictated who pays real estate agents and how much, economists, agents and lenders are beginning to worry that the burden could now be on first-time home buyers. Buyers may soon have to pay out of pocket for something that had always been baked into the price. “First-time home buyers are usually the people who don’t have much cash and experience — and that experience matters,” said Daryl Fairweather, the chief economist of Redfin, the online brokerage that cut ties with the National Association of Realtors last year. The lawsuit was initially brought by home sellers in Missouri who accused N.A.R. of artificially inflating home prices by coupling commissions paid to sellers’ and buyers’ agents.

Persons: ”, Daryl Fairweather, Buyers, N.A.R Organizations: Redfin, National Association of Realtors Locations: Missouri

☆ They moved into floating homes and houseboats — and discovered a world of adventure and hidden expenses
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Amanda Goh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Read previewMoving into their 360-square-foot floating home a year ago was a dream come true for Sarah Spiro and Brandon Jones. In 2023, there were 70 floating home sales reported on the Regional Multiple Listing Service, or RMLS, which covers the Portland area and a significant part of northwest Oregon, Portland Floating Homes real-estate broker John McPherson told BI. Lily and Dylan Rose moved onto their houseboat on Lake Union in Seattle in June 2019. AdvertisementHome insurance for a floating house tends to be about double what it is for a regular house on land, McPherson said. Additionally, the float — the part of the floating house that's equivalent to a foundation — deteriorates over time, McPherson said.

Persons: —, Sarah Spiro, Brandon Jones, Spiro, keepingafloatwiththejoneses Spiro, Jones, keepingafloatwiththejoneses, Adam Lind, @adam.floatinghome, It's, John McPherson, Lily, Dylan Rose, Elizabeth Earle, BI's Jordan Pandy, Earle, Elizabeth Earle Earle's, McPherson, Daryl Fairweather, Redfin's, Realtor.com, Hannah Jones, it's, Laura Woodley, Woodley, isn't, Kate Fincham, Fincham, Lily Rose, Dylan, Rose, she's Organizations: Service, Business, Portland Floating Homes, Realtor.com, Union, Trust, England & Wales, Lake Union Locations: Fontana Lake, North Carolina, Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Sausalito , California, Johns Island , South Carolina, England, Bluffers Park, Toronto, Lake, Boston

☆ Why buying a home isn't likely to get much cheaper even under Biden's housing plan
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Biden has a plan to make housing more affordable, but prices might be stuck in the stratosphere. "The effect on the housing affordability crisis is going to be muted. Some of Biden's housing affordability measures would fuel demand further at a time when supply is still historically tight, according to Lawrence Yun, the chief economist of NAR. But the problem with the housing market isn't really that there isn't enough money going toward housing. It's more the red tape and the local opposition that has been the biggest barrier to building housing," Fairweather said.

Persons: Biden, —, Joe Biden's, That's, Daryl Fairweather, Fairweather, Lawrence Yun, Yun, who's Organizations: Service, NAR, Department of Housing, Urban Locations: America

☆ Consumer advocates — and even some Realtors — hail NAR settlement: 'We've opened up the entire industry to competition'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Rob Wile | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Now, a landmark settlement with the National Association of Realtors is poised to upend this model. According to consumer advocates, and even some Realtors, it's a win for homebuyers and sellers. And in the months following Covid-19 pandemic reopenings, the hottest U.S. real estate markets were tipped squarely in favor of sellers. It's the same amount of money, but now the buyer gets money instead of a buyer agent, and they can decide what to do with it." What's more, greater competition for clients is likely to result in lower costs across the board, said Ryan Tomasello, a real estate industry analyst with the Keefe, Bruyette & Woods financial firm.

Persons: it's, Mariya Letdin, Letdin, they'll, Doug Miller, Miller, Ryan Tomasello, Keefe, Tomasello, Phil Crescenzo Jr, Crescenzo Organizations: National Association of Realtors, Realtors, homebuyers, Florida State University's College of Business, NBC News, U.S, NAR, Nation One Mortgage Corp Locations: Alhambra , California, Minnesota, Woods

☆ A 71-year-old Californian explains why she's one of many boomers reluctant to sell their large homes and downsize — and it has nothing to do with money
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Like Frieden, they're having a hard time finding what they need on the market. Frieden says she's surprised developers aren't doing more to meet the demand, particularly at the higher end of the market. Empty-nest boomers now own twice as many large homes as millennials with kids do, according to a recent Redfin analysis. This is making it even harder for millennials and households with kids to break into the market or upsize their homes. AdvertisementThis misallocation of housing — and shortage of larger condos and apartments — will become increasingly urgent as boomers age in homes that aren't ideal — or even safe — for them.

Persons: Deborah Frieden, —, they've, Frieden, they're, they'd, Joe's, she's, I've, Daryl Fairweather Organizations: Service, BI Locations: Oakland , California, Lake Merritt, Frieden

☆ Could real estate go the way of the travel industry? Not just yet
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( John Towfighi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Sites like Redfin and Zillow provide a way for buyers and brokers to connect online, but the role of real estate agents in closing purchases has persisted. “Ultimately, people will understand what real estate agents really do, especially on the buy side,” Piskorski said. But even with the possibility of major changes, Hale said, one thing will almost certainly remain the same for real estate agents. Currently, the framework of real estate solely emphasizes the buy and sell transaction, said John Bodrozic, co-founder of HomeZada, a real estate tech company. Yet what ultimately differentiates a travel agent from a real estate agent is the value and risk associated with the purchase.

Persons: Tomasz Piskorski, ” Piskorski, Danielle Hale, ” Hale, Hale, “, John Bodrozic, Bodrozic, ”, Bobby Juncosa, Piskorski, ” Juncosa, Juncosa Organizations: CNN — Technology, National Association of Realtors, Columbia Business School, NAR, CNN, Buyers, ” Finance

☆ Redfin CEO on NAR settlement: People should have a voice in how much a real estate agent gets paid
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailRedfin CEO on NAR settlement: People should have a voice in how much a real estate agent gets paidCNBC’s Diana Olick and Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the legal settlement by the National Association of Realtors, the impact of the settlement on the home buying process, and more.

Persons: Diana Olick, Glenn Kelman Organizations: National Association of Realtors

☆ Home prices rose 2.4 times faster than inflation since 1960s, study finds. What that means for homebuyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"When demand for other consumer products comes up, or when it increases, it's usually not too hard for people to scale up supply," Brannon said. Moreover, the current housing affordability makes 64.2% of owners and renters have negative feelings about the economy, Redfin found. In fact, affordable housing is a pressing topic for both liberal and conservative voters: the topic is ranked as No. 1 for liberals while it's No.3 for conservatives, according to a separate survey by The Real Estate Witch. To address the issue, President Biden announced in early March as part of his budget for fiscal 2025, a plan to cut housing costs, boost supply and expand access to affordable housing.

Persons: Brannon, Kirabo Jackson, Qualtrics, Redfin, it's, doesn't, Brennon, Biden Organizations: Westend61, U.S . Census, White House Council, Economic Advisers, CNBC Locations: U.S

☆ Premarket stocks: Why Zillow is worried about America’s housing market shakeup
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Zillow reported that it outperformed the residential real estate industry by 12 percentage points in 2023. That’s because one of the main ways Zillow makes money is through lead generation for real estate agents. “This shift in the structure of real estate transaction costs is too new to understand how it will impact housing market dynamics,” a spokesperson said. Zillow could make even more money if real estate agents offer their services piecemeal, he said. The takeawayThere’s a lot of disagreement between analysts about the future of Zillow and the real estate industry at large.

Persons: Zillow, ”, Dan Kurnos, it’s, Zillow’s, they’ll, who’s, Kurnos, ” Stephen Brobeck, “, It’s, Homes.com, William Blair Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, National Association of Realtors, Realtors, Benchmark Company, NAR, Zillow, Consumer Federation of America, CNN, Bank of America Locations: New York

☆ 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

☆ 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

☆ The best time to sell your home — in 2023, listings in this period sold for $7,700 more, research finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Spring, the season when home buying and selling activity kicks off, is around the corner. Available housing supply is already rebounding: The number of new listings jumped 14.8% from a year ago, the largest annual gain since May 2021, according to new data from Redfin, a real estate site. Buyers are typically looking to land a new home before their children's new school year while a seller's house benefits from the fresh flowers and renewed greenery post-winter. In 2023, homes listed in the first two weeks of June sold for 2.3% more, a $7,700 boost on a typical U.S. home, according to a new Zillow analysis. "We've learned that real estate cycles don't always happen [at this] time of year," said Melissa Cohn, regional vice president at William Raveis Mortgage.

Persons: Amanda Pendleton, We've, Melissa Cohn Organizations: Zillow, Finance, William, Mortgage Locations: Redfin, U.S

☆ Check out the tiny-home village a millennial built, where 29 units priced as low as $190,000 sold out in less than 2 months
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Alcynna Lloyd | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Micro-home community South Park Cottages offers locals an affordable alternative to renting. Homes in the community start at $190,000, and the typical monthly mortgage payment is around $1,500. South Park Cottages is so popular that its developer is building another community in Georgia. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . Compare that to the typical home sold in Atlanta, which Redfin found cost $431,250 as of February 2024.

Persons: —, Booker Washington, Redfin Organizations: Cottages, Service, Business Locations: Georgia, Atlanta

☆ Redfin CEO reacts to NAR's $418 million commission lawsuits settlement
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailRedfin CEO reacts to NAR's $418 million commission lawsuits settlementRedfin CEO Glenn Kelman joins 'The Exchange' with CNBC's Diana Olick to discuss the implications of the National Association of Realtors' settlement on the real estate industry, how the settlement could affect Redfin's business, and more.

Persons: Glenn Kelman, Diana Olick Organizations: National Association of Realtors

☆ 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

☆ Renters face a competitive spring market: What to know about 3 kinds of properties you may see
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"In a condo or co-op building, upfront costs and fees are determined at the building level and they can vary significantly," Romero said. To compare, for a typical rental building, according to New York state law, the application fee is capped at $20, and the security deposit is limited to one month's rent, Romero said. Rhode Island has a new state law that prohibits landlords, rental agents and property managers from charging application fees to rental applicants beyond the actual cost of conducting certain background checks if needed. What to know about renting a condo or co-opTo be sure: condos and co-op properties are primarily targeted to people who want to buy. If you come across condos or co-ops in your rental search, here are a few things to consider: 1.

Persons: " Romero, Romero, Frank Dong Organizations: Getty, Rhode, Ruby Locations: New York, . Wisconsin

☆ See how badly your home could be hit by heat, wind, and bad air over the next 30 years
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Dan Latu | Catherine Boudreau | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Realtor.com has unveiled a set of climate risk tools that homeowners and homebuyers alike can use to learn the specific climate risks of a property. The tools, called Heat Factor, Wind Factor, and Air Factor, are available starting Wednesday and can map out a neighborhood's risks of above-normal days on the heat index, chances of experiencing wind gusts over 50 mph, and days of poor air quality. More than 40% of US homes, valued at a combined $20 trillion, are vulnerable to extreme heat, wind, and poor air quality, according to a Realtor.com analysis. Understanding your home's climate riskPrior to releasing the heat, wind, and air quality tools, Realtor.com already provided fire and flood risks for properties based on data from First Street. First Street, a climate-risk firm, is also behind the data on extreme heat, wind, and air quality now added to listings.

Persons: Realtor.com, Oscar Seikaly, Bob Stephens, homebuyers, Danielle Hale, Hale, Z, Redfin, we've Organizations: Service, Factor, Air Factor, Business, San, Sun Locations: Florida , California, Texas, Miami, San Francisco, California, Florida

☆ Real-Estate Agents Use 'Steering' to Hide Cheap Houses From Homebuyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Technically, the seller can promise as little as $0 to the buyer's agent; after all, why pay for someone you didn't hire? But multiple agents told me there are all kinds of ways shady practitioners try to skirt the rules. Critics say the stickiness of the going commission rate is evidence of steering's ubiquity. He said buyers' agents might call and say, "'Why is there no buyer's commission?" There are lots of willing brokers out there; if you suspect steering, agents told me, you've got plenty of options for a second opinion.

Persons: should've, Redfin, Julie —, Julie, Wendy Gilch, Gilch, they're, Doug Miller, Real, Rex, Keller Williams, I'm, Brendon Bowers, we're, Stephen Brobeck, Brobeck, they'll, you've, Rich, they've Organizations: Department of Justice, National Association of Realtors, Business, Facebook, Realtors, NAR, Consumer Federation of America, DOJ Locations: America, Minnesota, Austin, Houston, Kansas City , Missouri, Phoenix

☆ Most homeowners and renters say housing prices will factor into their vote for president, Redfin survey shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Yuheng Zhan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Over half of US owners and renters said housing prices will inform their vote for president, Redfin said. Soaring mortgage rates and prices have made it hard for Americans to buy property. President Biden recently unveiled proposals to boost housing affordability in the US. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . February saw mortgage rates inch back up, reversing course after a period of declines as markets adjusted expectations for rate cuts from the Federal Reserve.

Persons: Redfin, Biden, —, Daryl Fairweather Organizations: Service, Qualtrics, Federal Reserve Locations: November's

☆ Florida condo owners are stuck in a 'train wreck' as prices drop and mounting insurance rates scare away buyers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThe Florida condo market is caught in a storm. By contrast, median condo prices nationally rose 8% over the same period, to around $340,000. A deepening insurance crisis for Florida homeownersThe rising cost of insurance has been a long-simmering problem in Florida. Recently, he walked away from buying a $300,000 condo in North Palm Beach that would have come with a $4,500 annual insurance bill. On his own single-family home in Palm Beach Gardens, Forina added, his annual insurance premium, which was $2,600 in 2017, jumped to $8,200 in 2024.

Persons: —, It's, Joe Humphfner, rusk, Florida homeownership, Holly Meyer Lucas, Meyer Lucas, Anthony Forina, Forina, Humphfner Organizations: Service, Business, Sunshine State, Farmers Insurance, Bankers Insurance, Homeowners, Wall Street Journal, Condo, Humphfner Locations: Florida, Jupiter, West Palm, Jacksonville, Miami, Coral, Florida's, South Florida, North Palm, Palm Beach

Biden unveiled a plan that includes tax credits and down payment assistance to improve housing affordability. Eligible homebuyers would get this tax credit for two years, meaning you could get a total of $10,000 in tax credits for buying a house. Down payment assistanceAnother piece of Biden's plan for more affordable homeownership is the $25,000 in down payment assistance he wants Congress to provide to first-generation homebuyers. What hopeful homebuyers should knowAs a whole, this plan could substantially improve housing affordability, enabling more Americans to become homeowners. And even for homebuyers who qualify for tax credits or other assistance, saving up for a down payment remains a big barrier to homeownership.

Persons: Biden, —, Dan Green, homebuyers Biden, hasn't, doesn't, Green, Daryl Fairweather, Fairweather, White, homebuyers Organizations: Biden, Service, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Consumer Financial, homebuilders, Loan, Program, Bank of America Mortgage, Democrats

☆ Biden proposes $10,000 tax breaks for first-time homebuyers, 'starter home' sellers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Kate Dore | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Cavan Images | Cavan | Getty ImagesPresident Joe Biden has floated plans to address the country's affordable housing issues, including new tax breaks for first-time homebuyers and "starter home" sellers. "If inflation keeps coming down, mortgage rates will come down as well. Interest rates still near 'multidecade highs'With soaring home prices and mortgage interest rates, 2023 was the least affordable year for homebuyers in more than a decade, according to a report from Redfin. "We're close to multidecade highs for mortgage rates," said Keith Gumbinger, vice president of mortgage website HSH. watch nowThere's a 'housing supply crisis'Of course, higher mortgage interest rates are only one piece of the country's affordable housing puzzle.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, I'm, Keith Gumbinger, it's, Janneke Ratcliffe Organizations: Getty, White, Chamber, U.S, Capitol, Washington , D.C, homebuyers, Housing Finance, Center, Urban Institute, Urban Locations: Cavan, seller's, Washington ,, Redfin

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