National News

Housing Starts, Driven by Multifamily Sector, Exceed Expectations in July

With a strong multifamily sector driving activity, housing construction put up some fantastic numbers in July. #162749020 / gettyimages.com The homebuilding sector exceeded expectations in July, with housing starts soaring to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.093 million, according

Million-Dollar Loans Surge to Highest Level Ever in 2014

We’ve been reporting for some time that housing is being largely driven by higher-income consumers (while first-time homebuyer numbers stall), but new stats on mortgages in 2014 really drive that trend home. Check out our infographic below for some

The 5 Reasons that Millennials are Still Living with Their Parents

Millennials are poised to be the next big source of housing demand, but far too many of them are still grounded in their parent’s homes; why is that? Using new survey data from Fannie Mae, we’ve put together the

Improving Personal Finances Help Encourage Positive Housing Outlook

Improvements to the housing market have been pushing the nation towards recovery, but a new survey says some consumers remain wary. #186817598 / gettyimages.com While housing, in many parts of the country, has seen a steady stream of improvements

Goldman Sachs Finds No. 1 Factor Fueling Millennial Loan Rejection

Lending standards have loosened since a year ago, but student debt is still keeping Millennials out of homeownership. #173865930 / gettyimages.com So much is said about why Millennials have been largely staying away from the housing market, but a

3 Negotiating Techniques To Manage Your Own Assertiveness

Negotiations call for a certain amount of assertiveness to make sure your clients get what they deserve, but how do you when it’s enough? #182793260 / gettyimages.com One of the hallmarks of a quality negotiator, especially in regards to real

The 4 Sobering Things You Should Know About the Changes to FICO

Recent analysis by the CFPB has spurred changes to FICO, but how will those changes impact your real estate business, if at all? #114854649 / gettyimages.com FICO, aka the most prevalent credit-rating system in the U.S. and a key

Housing Inventory in Chicago Finally Reverses Course

It’s been quite the quest, wading through the market’s low inventory, but could the market finally be changing course? #108126479 / gettyimages.com “Low inventory” has, arguably, been the most persistent meme in the housing recovery; indeed, it’s rare to

3 Implications of Zillow’s $3.5 Billion Acquisition of Trulia

After a weekend filled with rumor and speculation, news dropped on July 28 that Zillow will indeed acquire Trulia for a cool $3.5 billion, creating by far the largest real estate syndication site on the Internet. Spencer Rascoff, Zillow’s

The Longest Foreclosure Timelines in the U.S. – is Illinois Among Them?

Foreclosure timelines in some states can take more than three years; is our fine state among such illustrious company? #167335661 / gettyimages.com We’ll cut straight to the chase – according to the latest Mortgage Monitor from Black Knight Financial

The 3 Prevailing Reasons that People Move in America

Housing is still the biggest overall reason for moving in America, but what are the specifics behind those moves? #183748163 / gettyimages.com Nearly 36 million people moved in the United States between 2012 and 2013, and housing was the

Chicago Asking Price Growth Among Nation’s Best in July

Asking prices grew all over the nation in July, but they showed particular strength in our metro area. #470620827 / gettyimages.com Asking prices in the Chicago metropolitan area rose 12.9 percent year-over-year in July, according to the latest Price

The Impact of Student Loans on Mortgage Applications

Millennials are waiting longer and longer to move into homeownership, but do student loans mean getting approved for a loan is harder? #76529853 / gettyimages.com It’s no industry secret that Millennials are staying away from the homebuying process, in

The 4 Jobs that Builders Desperately Need Workers For

We’ve been hearing for some time that there is a shortage of construction workers, but is there any truth to that? Answer: Oh yes! #143991371 / gettyimages.com There have been many memes in housing these past couple years, and

The Nation’s Mortgage Markets – in Two Easy Charts

The residential mortgage marketplace is often made into a complicated beast, but we’ve got two charts that explain it easily. #90537529 / gettyimages.com The residential mortgage market is a massive, multi-trillion dollar behemoth, and as such, it can often

Nearly a Quarter of Banks Report Easing Lending Standards

Are lending standards starting to ease up? That seems to be the implication of new survey data from the Fed. #185239684 / gettyimages.com Nearly a full quarter of banks reporting eased lending standards in 2014’s second quarter in the

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