National News

Report: Gender and racial inequality continues to impact housing affordability

While housing is still affordable on a national level, growth in household income is decelerating while gender and racial gaps persists. A new study by Free and Clear looked at data provided by the Census Bureau’s 2017 household income report

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Real Estate in Brief: Rising interest rates, the smart home market and more

The Federal Reserve attempts to regulate accelerated inflation by raising interest rates for the third time this year, as reported by HousingWire. The Fed’s key rates have increased by .25 percent, to a current total of 2.25 percent. This rate hike is now the eighth since 2015, as

Sen. Warren introduces $450 billion bill to fund housing affordability

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren introduced an expansive bill to Congress Sept. 26 that would fund a wide spectrum of initiatives to bolster housing finance and enable more Americans to become homeowners. Called the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act

Housing legislation struggles through Congress

The cost of living in a home has outpaced the wage growth of the average U.S. citizen, and is becoming an urgent concern for millions. Apartment List found that housing affordability is an evident determining factor for the quality of life

Pending home sales continue to see declines

Pending home sales fell for the eighth straight month on an annual basis, according to the August report from the National Association of Realtors. The Pending Home Sales Index dropped 1.8 percent from July’s 106.1 to 104.2 in August,

Homebuyer traffic remains strong despite slight slowdown

Realtors across many states in the nation reported slower homebuying activity in August as the Realtors Buyer Traffic Index fell to 57 from 69 in August 2017, according to the August 2018 Realtors Confidence Index Survey. Homebuying activity in

LGBT+ couples are showing a stronger desire to purchase homes

Although housing discrimination continues to be an issue for many in the LGBT+ community, more LGBT+ couples are buying homes. The National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP) put out its annual report looking at LGBT+

Compass partners with Waze to feature listings

Compass has announced its new partnership with Waze. Starting in October of this year, Compass listings will appear on the app’s live map thanks to the new real estate smart signs. “We’re taking our mission the move with the help

bemortgage joins CrossCountry Mortgage, Inc.

Mortgage firm bemortgage announced today that it will be moving to a division of CrossCountry Mortgage, Inc. Formerly a division of Bridgeview Bank Group, bemortgage launched in Chicago in November 2017, and now has more than 70 employees across

Chicagoland split between two different housing markets in August

The metropolitan Chicago housing market is split into two different types of markets during the month of August, according to an analysis by the RE/MAX Northern Illinois Region. The number of homes selling for less than $500,000 totaled 9,953

Existing-home sales steady in August after months of declines

After four months of declines, existing-home sales stayed steady in August from July, according to the National Association of Realtors’ monthly report. “Strong gains in the Northeast and a moderate uptick in the Midwest helped to balance out any

Real Estate in Brief: FTC website crack-down, HUD hiring for loyalty, and Zillow's lawsuit

According to Housing Wire, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cracked down on a string of real estate websites allegedly targeting Section 8 renters, charging a weekly subscription fee for false rental listings. The FTC alleges that brothers and company owners Steven and Kevin (Kaveh) Shayan operated a set

Homebuyers purchase second vacation homes for profit over personal use

Over the past decade, the property market for second homes and online travel operations have transformed significantly. A survey developed by real estate adviser Savills and HomeAway found that recent buyers are prioritizing the purchasing of second vacation homes for financial benefits rather

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New construction activity finally climbs in August

The U.S. Census Bureau’s monthly New Residential Construction report showed builders broke ground on new homes and apartment buildings at a much higher rate in August compared to the prior month or last August. Housing starts grew by 9.2

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NAHB: Permits and confidence grow, but tariff trouble looms

The latest survey of U.S. homebuilders by the National Association of Home Builders finds that confidence within the industry remains generally high despite some persistent headwinds. The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) for September remained unchanged from the

Coldwell Banker Real Estate announces new chief operating officer

Liz Gehringer, tenured senior vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer of Realogy Holdings Corp., was named the new chief operating officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Gehringer will be working under Coldwell Banker president and CEO, Charlie Young, while overseeing the brand’s field

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