National News

Profit for home sellers hits 12-year high

In a year defined by rising home prices, sellers fared well in 2018, according to a new report from Attom Data Solutions. Based on its analysis of public sales records across metro areas with at least 200,000 residents, the

Real Estrange: Waste not; want not, a binding contract

Waste not; want not On the market for $3.475 million, this Alamo, California, home gives a new name to the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra. The fireplace mantle had a previous life in a bar on Oakland’s waterfront, and the

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Real Estate in Brief: Overseas investment, shifting strategies and more

Between 2013 and 2016, Chinese firms ramped up capital outflows to invest in more stable, lucrative markets, with American real estate among the most prized asset types. But the Chinese government has intervened to reduce foreign investment in an

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Fed poised to pause on rate hikes

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell sent the strongest signals yet that the central bank would hold off on raising the key federal funds rate, implying that consumer interest rates like those on home loans may not rise much higher

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White House presses for changes at Fannie and Freddie

The White House has made a strong push in recent months for reform at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-sponsored enterprises that work to stabilize the U.S. mortgage market. However, the administration’s plans for how exactly it would

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Why home remodelers are thinking like real estate brokers in 2019

Homebuilders today are finding their business prospects increasingly pressured by higher costs for materials and skilled labor. Those costs — and financial strain — inevitably trickle down to real estate developers, homebuyers themselves and even the real estate agents

Price cuts improve affordability for new construction buyers

The residential property market continues to look better for prospective buyers as the trend of falling prices extends into the new construction segment. In the fourth quarter of 2018, according to data from Zillow, more than a quarter of

Real Estate in Brief: Hope for homebuilders, FHFA shakeups and more

While the broader U.S. financial market has struggled to recover from a sudden drop in stock prices near the end of 2018, shares of major homebuilders have made big gains. The Wall Street Journal reported that since the start

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December home sales show market headwinds subsiding

The most recent existing home sales report from the National Association of Realtors found sales volumes decline on both a monthly and annual basis in the final weeks of 2018. December home closings touched their lowest annual rate since

Make-or-break relationship: Agent and preferred lender

  A trusted preferred lender can be a major difference maker for an agent’s business. Just ask Baird & Warner agent Maureen Barrett. In her 13-plus years in the business, Barrett has worked with many lenders whom her clients

Chase top economist to speak at Chicago Agent Mag’s Accelerate Summit

Chicago Agent magazine announced Monday that Chase Bank chief economist Anthony Chan will be one of the expert speakers at the magazine’s Accelerate Summit. “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Chan to the impressive roster of market experts that

What agents and their clients should know about moving scams

Agents have a responsibility to do right by their clients in every way possible, but in the complex, lengthy process of buying and selling a home, not everything may be within an agent’s full control. Criminals and con artists

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Home listing growth accelerates to near 4-year high

At a key moment for the U.S. housing market, Redfin found more evidence that homebuyers are entering 2019 in perhaps the strongest position in years. The number of homes for sale in the nation’s largest markets grew 4.8 percent

Real Estate in Brief: Shutdown studies, interest rate insights and more

The partial shutdown of the federal government is entering its 21st day, and reports of its myriad ripple effects continue to surface. The latest bit of insight from the real estate industry is a Jan. 7 survey by the

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Gary Keller returning to Keller Williams as CEO

In an email sent to associates late in the evening Jan. 8, Keller Williams Realty, Inc. announced co-founder Gary W. Keller would return to his role as CEO after having left that same post in 1995 and serving on

Century 21 CEO will step down in March

Century 21 CEO and president Nick Bailey announced this week that he will be leaving the company. The company’s chief growth officer, Michael Miedler, will be tapped for the role of chief executive and president. The transition to new leadership

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