Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler sat down with Joshua Ernst, CEO of Backflip, to talk about the challenges of flipping real estate in today’s market and how the right technology can unlock opportunities in a country full of older homes. Sarah Wheeler: How did your background lead you to start Backflip?

The HousingWire award spotlight series highlights the individuals and organizations that have been recognized through our Editors’ Choice Awards. Nominations for HousingWire’s 2024 Tech Trendsetters award are open now through Monday, Sept. 30. Click here to nominate someone.If we learned anything fr

The nation’s largest brokerage by transaction sides is increasing its footprint. On Thursday, eXp Realty announced the affiliation of independent brokerage Grand Lux Realty.Founded in 2006 by Michael Levy, Grand Lux Realty is based in Westchester County, New York, and has more than 200 agents. The f

Vetted by HousingWire  |  Our editors independently review the products we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to convert unrepresented sellers into listings and sales with our proven FSBO scripts. These scripts come from ou

Real estate agents have white-knuckled their way through more than two years of suffocatingly high mortgage rates that have stymied sales, choked off inventory and pushed home prices to new all-time highs.So what was the reaction from agents when the Federal Reserve surprised everyone by cutting rat

Like the traditional forward space, the reverse mortgage industry has been operating in an elevated interest rate environment for some time.While news of the Federal Reserve lowering its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points (bps) to a range of 4.75% to 5% will have wider economic ramifications

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming an increasingly common tool for consumers and businesses, primarily in reference to chatbots that can dynamically mimic human conversation and gather information. It could also have applications for aging in place, according to the leader of a senior care com

Heartland Bank, the leading reverse mortgage lender in Australia and New Zealand, will rebrand its dedicated reverse mortgage division from “Heartland Finance” to “Heartland Bank” following a recent acquisition and a repositioning of its offerings.“We are excited to deliver the Heartland Bank brand

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced this week that they have secured a $15 million conciliation agreement with New Jersey-based OceanFirst Bank to settle allegations of discriminatory redlining in certain neighborhoods with ma

The Federal Reserve cut rates on Wednesday and mortgage rates went up! What happened? The answer lies in the bond market.The 10-year yield and 30-year mortgage rates have been in a slow dance since 1971 and trended together. The bond market isn’t old and slow like the Fed — it moves very quickly, an

The overall critical defect rate for mortgages increased in the first quarter of 2024, ending five consecutive quarters of decline. But the increase itself was relatively modest and the share of loans with defects now stands at 1.58%, according to a report released Thursday by ACES Quality Managemen

The Federal Reserve’s interest rate cut on Wednesday, which was larger than some people expected, couldn’t have come at a better time for the housing market.After a modest monthly uptick in July, existing-home sales fell 2.5% in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.86 million, according

The Alabama Association of Realtors (AAR) is asking the National Association of Realtors (NAR) to provide greater flexibility by allowing members to decide which levels of Realtor associations they would like to join. AAR made the request in a letter sent Monday to NAR CEO Nykia Wright. AAR CEO Jere

Vetted by HousingWire  |  Our editors independently review the products we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.Virtual open houses are a unique way to help you stand out from other agents as a tech-savvy marketer and can help get your listings in front of hundreds (po

Vetted by HousingWire  |  Our editors independently review the products we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.With still-soaring interest rates, low inventory, and a relatively sluggish market, agents have had a chance to slow down and reassess our marketing efforts

Vetted by HousingWire  |  Our editors independently review the products we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.Here’s our complete guide to sending and receiving real estate referrals and earning more money this year. We’ll break down everything you need to know about

CMG Home Loans, the retail lending division of CMG Financial, has its eyes on growing its dedicated reverse mortgage segment. In addition to recently making a key operations hire in an effort to expand its capacity to originate and fund loans, market conditions — including an expanding Home Equity C

Elder financial exploitation (EFE) is a common form of elder abuse that impacts as much as 10% of older Americans each year. But to better combat its growing commonality, more information is needed — particularly for vulnerable communities — according to senior advocacy organization AARP.“While fina

Republican members of the U.S. Senate have introduced new legislation designed to expand the oversight of federal housing programs, make changes to loan officer compensation for the origination of small-dollar mortgages, and create additional counseling requirements for homebuyers.The Renewing Oppor