16 May 2024

Don’t Get Angry, Get Educated: How MLS Data, Buyer Contracts Can Transcend Settlement Changes

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...

Thoughts on Leadership: Honoring the Leadership Journey of Motherhood

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...

Housing Starts Rebound in April, Rising 5.7% 

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,...

Mortgage Rates Decrease Again

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...

Budnick Out, Blefari Returning as CEO at HSF Affiliates

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...

Escrow Holdbacks vs. Repair Escrows: What’s the Difference?

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...

Op-Ed: How We Got Here

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...

Change, With a Backbone of Consistency

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...

The Buyer Agent Playbook: Brokerage Leaders On Generating New Business Post-Burnett

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...

Newsmakers Spotlight: Colette Stevenson on the Value of Strategic Partnerships Between Brokerage and MLS

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...

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