Category: Real Estate

Housing News Bonus Episode: Ellie Mae’s Eric Connors on what to watch for post pandemic

Helen Anderson

In this custom episode presented by Ellie Mae, HW+ Managing Editor Brena Nath talks to Ellie Mae Senior Vice President of Product Strategy and Management Eric Connors on how the mortgage industry is going to move forward in this new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that it’s the beginning of May and more states are starting to provide updates around the stay-at-home orders, Connors shares how the industry has been learning to adjust to the changes in the market, such as the reduction in rates and the increase…

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SoftBank-backed mortgage lender Better going public via $7.7 billion SPAC

Helen Anderson

Digital mortgage lender Better will make its market debut by merging with Aurora Acquisition Corp., valuing the company at $7.7 billion.The deal includes a $1.5 billion private investment in public equity (PIPE) arrangement led by SoftBank.The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter. Digital mortgage lender Better.com announced Tuesday that it will make its market debut by merging with Aurora Acquisition Corp., valuing Better at $7.7 billion. The company, ranked No. 15 on last year’s CNBC Disruptor 50 list, was most recently valued at $6 billion following an April 2020 investment…

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Inman Handbook: Finding success in the short-term rental market

Helen Anderson

With this summer’s short-term rental market poised to be one of the busiest ever, owners need to be on top of their game. Here’s how investors and independent hosts can succeed With this summer’s short-term rental market poised to be one of the busiest ever, owners need to be on top of their game. Here’s how investors and independent Airbnb hosts can succeed. Property investors rode a wild wave during the pandemic, with the short-term rental market stopping, then restarting, and property prices in many second-home markets soaring. What does…

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As home prices rise, here’s what buyers can do to land a deal

Helen Anderson

In this red-hot real estate market, it’s tough for buyers to land a deal. Supply is low, which is pushing prices higher. The median price of an existing home sold in March was $329,100. That’s a 17.2% increase from March 2020. Yet there is some good news. New listings were up for the second week in a row, increasing 40% over last year, which is right when the pandemic hit, according to Realtor.com. More from Invest in You:I want to move to New York after college graduation. Can I afford…

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Homebuilders need to construct 3.8M homes to meet demand

Helen Anderson

The shortage of new homes is pushing up housing prices and threatening to slow down the entire economy, according to a report by Freddie Mac’s chief economist New home construction has lagged since the 2007-09 recession, and now the chickens are coming home to roost: Builders would need to construct 3.8 million single-family homes just to catch up with existing demand, and the shortage is pushing up housing prices and threatening to slow down the entire economy. That’s the conclusion of an analysis by Freddie Mac Chief Economist Sam Khater,…

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A third of Realtors bought or sold a ‘green’ home in the past year

Helen Anderson

Thirty-two percent of respondents of a National Association of Realtors survey say they were involved in buying or selling a property that had eco-friendly features in the past year Thirty-two percent of respondents of a National Association of Realtors survey say they were involved in buying or selling a property that had eco-friendly features in the past year. At a time when people are hyper-focused on their home and its livability due to the pandemic, properties with “green” or eco-friendly features are of growing interest among consumers, according to the…

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