Should You Become a Mortgage Broker?

​ CHICAGO — For real estate professionals looking for another source of income, becoming dually licensed as a real estate agent and mortgage loan originator (MLO) might be the right path. Consider that 89% of buyers use an agent for their purchase and 80% finance the transaction, according to the National Association of Realtors®’ 2023 […]

Report: Homeowners Go into Debt for Renovations

​ ST. LOUIS — Nearly 2 in 3 homeowners (63%) have gone into debt to fund a renovation, according to new research from Clever Real Estate, a St. Louis-based real estate company. With 94% of homeowners having completed a major renovation in the past five years, about 3 in 4 (78%) went over budget on […]

Some Florida Homes Buried in Sand After Hurricanes

​ BRADENTON BEACH, Fla. — When a hurricane sets its sights on Florida, storm-weary residents may think of catastrophic wind, hammering rain and dangerous storm surge. Mounds of sand swallowing their homes? Not so much. That’s the reality for some after Hurricanes Helene and Milton clobbered Florida’s Gulf Coast with back-to-back hits in less than […]

Single-Family Starts Trend Higher in September

​ WASHINGTON —With the Federal Reserve beginning an easing of monetary policy and builder sentiment improving, single-family starts posted a modest gain in September while multifamily construction continued to weaken because of tight financing and an ongoing rise in completed apartments. Overall housing starts decreased 0.5% in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of […]

Rising Rates Haven’t Slowed Pending Sales

​ News & Media SEATTLE – Pending U.S. home sales rose 3.2% year over year during the four weeks ending October 13, the biggest increase in three years, according to a new report from the real estate brokerage Redfin. Home sales are rising. On a local level, pending sales are up in 34 of the […]

In-Person Hurricane Recovery Support Available

​ ORLANDO, Fla. — Home and business owners who need in-person help navigating hurricane-recovery resources can visit Florida Small Business Development Center Network’s mobile assistance center and  Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Recovery Centers this week. The Florida SBDC, in partnership with state and federal agencies, has been on the ground in impacted communities […]

Seller Profit Margins Drop Slightly Across U.S.

​ IRVINE, Calif.— Homeowners earned a 55.6% profit margin on typical single-family home and condo sales in the United States during the third quarter, the real estate analytics company ATTOM said. That figure was down by small amounts both quarterly and annually, dipping by one percentage point from the second quarter of 2024 and two […]

Report: August National Rent Growth Slow, Steady

​ WASHINGTON — U.S. annual single-family rent growth remained below 3% in August but is still up by 33% since the beginning of the pandemic. Expensive coastal metros led the country for gains, and although Sun Belt markets are no longer as hot as they once were, some of those areas have put up significant […]

Helene and Milton Among Costliest Hurricanes

​ WASHINGTON — Monstrous hurricanes Helene and Milton caused so much complex havoc that damages are still being added up, but government and private experts say they will likely join the infamous ranks of Katrina, Sandy and Harvey as super costly $50-billion-plus killers. Making that even more painful is that most of the damage – […]

Listing Agreement Questions? NAR Has Answers

​ News & Media By Amy Connolly WASHINGTON — What is a listing agreement? What services might be included in one? How do I know what might work best for me? These are just some of the questions sellers might have when asked to sign a listing agreement and covered by the National Association of […]

SBA Encourages Disaster Loan Applications

​ ORLANDO, Fla. – The U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is urging businessowners, homeowners and renters impacted by the recent hurricanes to apply for its Disaster Loan Program funding even though the program’s funds have been depleted. Links to /tools-research/hurricane-resources/helene-recovery-assistance-realtors-resources We have gathered resources for Realtors in Florida to help you recover and rebuild. […]

Average Mortgage Rates Increase

​ News & Media By Alex Veiga WASHINGTON — The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose for the third week in a row, reaching its highest level in eight weeks. The rate rose to 6.44% from 6.32% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged […]