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Are settlement rules pushing down agent commissions? New survey says the opposite

Agent, Commission Lawsuit, HWmember, National Association of Realtors, Real Estate, Real Estate Agents, Sitzer/Burnett /

Few events in recent real estate history have rattled the industry more than the antitrust lawsuits filed against major brokerages and the National Association of Realtors (NAR), accusing them of artificially inflating agent commission rates. NAR settled the Sitzer-Burnett case for $418 million and agreed to rules that the plaintiffs believed would help bring down […]

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Global equity release market projected to top $56B by 2035

Europe, European Pensions and Property Asset Release Group, HECM, Home Equity, HWmember, NRMLA, Reverse /

Equity release — a class of financial products that involve unlocking home equity and converting it into cash flow — currently has global annual volume of roughly $17 billion. This class includes reverse mortgage products in the U.S., the United Kingdom and elsewhere, but a European equity release authority projects that volume will more than

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Lone Wolf, Follow Up Boss integrate platforms

Brokerage, HWmember, Lone Wolf Technologies, Real Estate, Real Estate Agents, Technology, Zillow /

Real estate software provider Lone Wolf Technologies is launching an integration with Zillow-owned customer relationship management system Follow Up Boss as it aims to connect transaction, marketing and accounting tools in one system. Follow Up Boss will be linked with Lone Wolf’s Foundation platform, which includes products such as Boost for digital advertising, Cloud CMA

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Fed holds rates steady amid inflation concerns, resilient job market

Employment, Federal Reserve, HWmember, Inflation, Jerome Powell, LendingLife, Mortgage, Mortgage Rates, Regulatory /

The Federal Reserve held benchmark rates steady in the range of 4.25% to 4.5% following its two-day meeting on Wednesday, a decision with implications for the mortgage industry.  The move, expected by virtually all monetary policy watchers, underscores the challenge facing the Federal Reserve — deciding when it’s appropriate to cut rates. It’s a delicate

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Homebuilders have no motivation to grow permits with 7% rates

Homebuilders, Housing Market, HWmember, Mortgage Rates, New Home Sales /

Even though new home sales showed growth last month, the homebuilders — both big and small — have no desire to grow housing permits or starts with 7% mortgage rates. Housing starts and permits peaked in 2022 and have been fluctuating at levels similar to the early stages of the COVID-19 recession for some time

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UpEquity gets warehouse facility from Silicon Valley Bank, Setpoint

Home Equity, HWmember, Investors, Lenders, Mortgage, Warehouse Lending /

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank, and lending partner Setpoint announced on Wednesday that they’re providing a $200 million warehouse facility to Austin-based mortgage tech firm UpEquity. The funding is expected to support $1 billion in originations over the next two years, helping homebuyers purchase new homes before selling their current

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VA loans are up 45% annually as Gen Zers lead the charge

Department of Veterans Affairs, Gen Z, HWmember, Mortgage, VA Loan, Veterans, Veterans United Home Loans /

Loan volume through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is up 45% during the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. That’s according to an analysis of VA loan data released Wednesday by Veterans United Home Loans. The analysis, based on lending data from the first half of fiscal year

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Conversational marketing is the new pipeline: How AI is redefining intent in real estate

Artificial Intelligence, Contributors, HWmember, Opinion, Technology /

Conventional marketing is on life support; bloated email blasts, generic landing pages, lead forms no one fills out. They’re not just outdated. They’re invisible to the modern consumer. Today, people crave relevance, not reach. They want conversations, not campaigns. That’s where conversational marketing steps in. It’s not about shouting louder. It’s about listening better and

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Longbridge’s Bill Packer on crafting AI that’s inclusive of seniors

Artificial Intelligence, HWmember, Longbridge Financial, Reverse, Team Leaders, Technology /

As more companies embrace the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) into their business- and customer-facing operations, a concern has emerged among firms focused on delivering services to older people AI training typically occurs with younger staffers, who could then incorporate unconscious institutional biases that might leave seniors feeling alienated from the technology. Representatives of Longbridge

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Texas team rejoins eXp Realty amid YouTube-driven growth

Brokerage, eXp Realty, Houston, HWmember, People Movers, Real Estate, Real Estate Agents, Texas /

Kyler Ferris — the founder of Ferris Realty in Conroe, Texas — has rejoined eXp Realty, bringing with him a 45-agent team and a reported sales volume of $164 million in 2024. The move marks a return to the national brokerage after Ferris Realty’s brief stint as an independent firm. Ferris, whose “Living in Houston

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