USA Real Estate News-RISMedia

You don’t have to like it. But you can only hate it for so long. More than two months after the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) announced it was paying $418 million and making long-resisted changes to MLS policy and compensation, brokers and MLS leaders are still seeing that anger in the real estate community.…

The post Don’t Get Angry, Get Educated: How MLS Data, Buyer Contracts Can Transcend Settlement Changes appeared first on RISMedia.

Escrow holdbacks and repair escrows are common tools in real estate transactions, used to facilitate smooth property transfers under certain conditions. These financial arrangements help manage and mitigate risks associated with property conditions at closing. I will clarify the distinctions and similarities between escrow holdbacks for repairs and other types of escrow accounts. You will…

The post Escrow Holdbacks vs. Repair Escrows: What’s the Difference? appeared first on RISMedia.

In an unexpected move last week but made public May 16, Christy Budnick announced that she was stepping down June 3 as CEO of HSF Affiliates, the franchisor of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices (BHHS). The company said that Gino Blefari would return as CEO of HSF Affiliates, adding to his position as CEO of HomeServices of…

The post Budnick Out, Blefari Returning as CEO at HSF Affiliates appeared first on RISMedia.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 7.02% this week, down for the second week in a row from last week’s 7.09%, according to the latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey® (PMMS®) from Freddie Mac released Thursday. This week’s numbers:  The 30-year FRM averaged 7.02% as of May 16, 2024, down from last week when it averaged…

The post Mortgage Rates Decrease Again appeared first on RISMedia.

With the U.S. still experiencing a housing shortage due to construction halts from the COVID-19 pandemic, housing completions, and starts, should continue to push positive, as each showed true in April—and the need for housing remains everlasting. According to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, housing starts reached a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.360…

The post Housing Starts Rebound in April, Rising 5.7%  appeared first on RISMedia.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on May 9, 2024.  As we approach Mother’s Day this Sunday, I want to express my profound respect and admiration for all mothers—those who are planning to start families, those eagerly anticipating the arrival of their children, those who are navigating the early days of motherhood, and those…

The post Thoughts on Leadership: Honoring the Leadership Journey of Motherhood appeared first on RISMedia.

As the adage goes, the only thing constant is change. But what if embracing change becomes the new constant?  I firmly believe change is good. To grow, it is important to not only welcome change but to use it to inspire opportunities to evolve and innovate. Yet, equally as important, as we prepare for what…

The post Change, With a Backbone of Consistency appeared first on RISMedia.

Above, Michele Harrington speaking at last year’s 2023 RISMedia Power Broker Forum in Anaheim, California. Editor’s Note: The historic events taking place in the real estate industry over the last year, including the commission lawsuits, Burnett/Sitzer case, the NAR and real estate brokerage settlements and how the industry will evolve and thrive in the new…

The post Op-Ed: How We Got Here appeared first on RISMedia.

Above, Filippo Incorvaia and Sarah Close When real estate professionals, and anyone else for that matter, look back on what happened within the residential real estate industry during 2023-24, normally vital measures such as mortgage rates and number of homes sold will not just take a back seat to the legal issues that have dominated…

The post The Buyer Agent Playbook: Brokerage Leaders On Generating New Business Post-Burnett appeared first on RISMedia.

Colette Stevenson is CEO of REsides, an innovative Multiple Listing Service (MLS) model that ensures equitable ownership for all stakeholders. Dedicated to empowering brokers and agents with actionable data, she strives to provide value beyond industry conventions.  “I believe that MLSs have a huge opportunity to get close to their customers in the midst of…

The post Newsmakers Spotlight: Colette Stevenson on the Value of Strategic Partnerships Between Brokerages and MLSs appeared first on RISMedia.

Colette Stevenson is CEO of REsides, an innovative Multiple Listing Service (MLS) model that ensures equitable ownership for all stakeholders. Dedicated to empowering brokers and agents with actionable data, she strives to provide value beyond industry conventions.  “I believe that MLSs have a huge opportunity to get close to their customers in the midst of…

The post Newsmakers Spotlight: Colette Stevenson on the Value of Strategic Partnerships Between Brokerage and MLS appeared first on RISMedia.

Reliance has announced its newest partnership with Intero Real Estate Services: designing and launching the Northern California-based real estate company’s new website, which includes a Hyperlocal MLS search experience.  “It is a true honor to partner with a company like Intero whose name has become synonymous with the top agents in the business,” said Sean…

The post Reliance Designs New Website for Intero Real Estate Services appeared first on RISMedia.

Above, Sarah Hatch Sarah Hatch  Vice President of Relocation Lamacchia Realty Waltham, Massachusetts https://www.lamacchiarealty.com  Region served: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine and Florida Years in real estate: 8 Number of offices: 16 Number of agents: 550 Motto/work philosophy that you live by: If you want it, work for it. Describe your journey with…

The post Nurturing Partnerships and Driving Business Growth appeared first on RISMedia.

In a high price market like the one real estate has seen for the past few years, many homeowners have seen a jump in their home equity. So, while home sales have been mostly down, home equity loans have not seen the same decrease.  Homeowners looking to borrow against their home equity have never had…

The post Why Homeowners Across the U.S. Are Acquiring Home Equity Loans appeared first on RISMedia.

Mortgage applications saw a slight increase of 0.5% from last week’s bump of 2.6%, according to the latest Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) for the week ending May 10, 2024.  This week’s numbers:  The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, increased 0.5% on a seasonally adjusted…

The post Mortgage Applications See Second Week of Increases appeared first on RISMedia.

As mortgage rates rose back above 7% in April, and remain high despite a recent decrease, homebuilders are pulling back their hopes for the housing construction market, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) data. The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) for May registered at 45, six points down from the…

The post Mortgage Rates Continue to Plague Homebuilder Confidence appeared first on RISMedia.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 0.3% in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, after rising 0.4% in March, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on May 15. Over the last 12 months, the all-items index increased 3.4% before seasonal adjustment. After hitting a 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022, inflation has slowed.…

The post Inflation Eases in April; Good News for Potential Fed Rate Cut appeared first on RISMedia.

Second Century Ventures, the strategic investment arm of the National Association of REALTORS®, has announced the selection of eight companies for the second annual REACH Latin America (LATAM) cohort. Those selected for the 2024 program will join a portfolio of more than 250 technology companies across six major markets worldwide. NAR stated that the REACH…

The post Second Century Ventures Announces Eight Companies for REACH LATAM 2024 appeared first on RISMedia.

Bright MLS, which covers the mid-Atlantic regions of the eastern United States, has published its latest report chronicling changes (and continuity) in the region’s housing markets.  The report suggests that despite new listings, rising mortgage rates and prices continue to exclude potential buyers–affordability is defined as the central concern for the real estate market. “More…

The post Bright MLS Releases Latest Mid-Atlantic Housing Update appeared first on RISMedia.

RISMedia’s third-annual 2024 Real Estate Rookie of the Year contest is accepting nominations, honoring the industry’s top agents who are new to the business, yet achieving extraordinary results.  Now is the time to nominate a 2024 Real Estate Rookie of the Year!  Nominations may be submitted here. Deadline ends 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5.…

The post What Does It Mean to Be Named RISMedia’s Real Estate Rookie of the Year? appeared first on RISMedia.