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Redfin Reports The Typical Homebuyer’s Down Payment is a Record $67,500, Up 15% From a Year Ago

Nearly 3 in 5 homebuyers put down more than 10% of the purchase price, one of the highest shares on record The typical down payment for U.S. homebuyers hit a record high of $67,500 in June, up 14.8% from $58,788 a year earlier, according to a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. This was the 12th consecutive month the median down payment rose year over year. The nearly-15% jump in the median down payment significantly outpaced the increase in home prices, which were up 4% in June year over year. The increase is being influenced by the current market, where higher-priced, turnkey homes in desirable neighborhoods are more likely to sell. It’s also partly due to buyers putting down a higher percentage of the purchase price as a down payment. “Investors are still coming in with all-cash offers on homes that need to be renovated. Traditional buyers are putting down large down payments to try and lower their mortgage payment,” said Annie Foushee, a Redfin agent in Denver. “These buyers will often utilize the help of family members to put down more than they could on their own.” The typical homebuyer’s down payment was 18.6% of the purchase price in June, the highest level in over a decade and up from 15% a year earlier. Nearly three in five (59.4%) homebuyers put down more than 10% of the purchase price in June, up from 56.6% a year earlier. Down payments are increasing for a number of reasons: All-cash purchases make up nearly a third of home sales The percentage of U.S. home purchases made with all cash rose to 30.7% in June, up slightly from 30.4% a year ago. “The percentage of all-cash sales generally follows the same trend as the rise and fall of mortgage rates. When rates are down, the percentage of all-cash sales is down too, and the opposite is true when rates go up,” said Redfin Senior Economist Sheharyar Bokhari. “That means we may start to see all-cash purchases level off a little now that mortgage rates have started to come down from recent highs.” FHA loans fall to lowest level in nearly two years FHA loans made up 13.7% of mortgaged U.S. home sales in June, the smallest share since August 2022 and down from 14.9% a year earlier. FHA loans have declined because home prices are at near-record highs and mortgage rates are still elevated, meaning fewer relevant buyers are able to afford a home. VA loans made up 6.7% of all mortgaged home sales, down slightly from 6.9% a year earlier. Conventional loans—the most common type—represented nearly four out of every five loans (79.5%) in June, up slightly from 78.2% a year ago. Jumbo loans—used for higher loan amounts and popular among luxury buyers—represented 6.6% of mortgaged sales, essentially unchanged from 6.5% a year earlier. Metro-Level Highlights: June 2024 Metros with biggest increases/decreases in down payments, in dollars In Newark, NJ, the median down payment jumped 51.5% to $125,000 from $82,500 a year ago 51.5%—the largest percentage increase among the metros Redfin analyzed. Next came Las Vegas (up 40.7% from $32,328 to $45,500), Washington, D.C. (up 38.7% from $54,800 to $76,000), New Brunswick, NJ (up 32.7% from $93,625 to $124,213) and Nashville, TN (up 32% from $46,500 to $61,395). Down payments only fell in three metros: Jacksonville, FL (down 28.4% from $39,950 to $28,338), Oakland, CA ( down 11% from $219,000 to $195,000) and Tampa, FL (down 6.4% from $42,500 to $39,773). Metros with highest/lowest down payments, in percentages In San Francisco, the median down payment was equal to 25.8% of the purchase price—the highest among the metros Redfin analyzed. It was followed by San Jose, CA (25.7%) and Anaheim, CA (25%). Down payment percentages are typically higher in San Francisco’s Bay Area due to a higher-concentration of wealthy residents who can afford to put a higher percentage of the purchase price down. Down payment percentages were lowest in Virginia Beach, FL (3%)—an area with a higher concentration of veterans using VA loans with little to no down payment—followed by Detroit (6.8%), and Jacksonville, FL (8.6%). Metros where all-cash purchases are most/least common In West Palm Beach, FL, 50.4% of home purchases were made in cash—the highest share among the metros Redfin analyzed—followed by Riverside, CA (39.9%) and Detroit (38.9%). All three metros see strong investor activity. All-cash purchases were least common in San Jose, CA (18.3%), Seattle (21%) and Oakland (21.2%)—three more expensive metros where the median-priced home tops $850,000. Metros with biggest increases/decreases in share of all-cash purchases In Pittsburgh, PA, 28.6% of home purchases were made in cash, up from 19.2% a year earlier—the largest increase among the metros Redfin analyzed. Next came New Brunswick, NJ (up from 31.1% to 36.8%) and Newark, NJ (up from 25.9% to 31.6%). In Providence, RI, 23.1% of home purchases were made in cash, down from 33.5% a year earlier—the lowest increase among the metros Redfin analyzed. Next came Baltimore (down from 36.1% to 26.8%) and Jacksonville, FL (down from 44.2% to 38.1%). To view the full report, including charts, methodology and additional metro-level data please visit: https://www.redfin.com/news/all-cash-homebuyers-june-2024

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Affordable renter-friendly home improvements that add value

Zillow and Thumbtack data reveals the projects that personalize a rental for less than $1,000  Millennials and Gen Z adults priced out of homeownership are renting for longer, prompting many to seek out ways to personalize their not-so-temporary space. New data from Zillow and Thumbtack finds there are affordable, nonpermanent upgrades that allow renters to make their space their own and add value for their landlord.  Certain home features can contribute to more views, saves and shares per day when a home is listed on Zillow Rentals®, the number one most visited rental network. That makes many of these projects a win-win for landlords and renters alike. They also typically cost less than $1,000, based on national average cost estimates from Thumbtack, the technology company helping millions of people confidently care for and improve their homes.  “There are so many improvements that are both beneficial to a landlord and allow renters to make their space feel more like home,” said Emily McDonald, Zillow’s rental trends expert. “However, before making any major changes, renters should always review their lease and check with their landlord. If a renter can show how the upgrades add function or style, they may be more likely to get buy-in. In some cases, a landlord may be willing to split the costs if a renter is hiring a professional to do the work and willing to manage the project themselves.”  These are the seven renter-friendly home improvements to consider:  Swap out cabinet hardware: Changing out cabinet hardware is one of the easiest ways to make a kitchen or bathroom feel more contemporary. Choose half circles, fluted, or curved hardware for a fresh feel.  As for color, matte black finishes can modernize a space and help a rental listing get 25% more saves and 49% more shares per day on Zillow Rentals. The cost of updating hardware or fixtures can range anywhere from $50 to a few hundred dollars, depending on the fixtures and how many are swapped out. Add open shelving: Zillow® research finds rental listings with open shelving get 36% more saves per day on Zillow Rentals than similar units. With a national average cost of $275 for professional installation, open shelving allows renters to display personal mementos, art or books without adding bulky furniture that takes up valuable square footage.  Become a plant parent: Plants can improve a home’s air quality and boost a renter’s mental and physical health. A small herb garden is great for a home chef, a hanging eucalyptus plant can turn a shower into a spa, and succulents or cacti can add low-maintenance greenery.   For outdoor spaces, a patio garden can boost a rental’s daily views by 24.2% on Zillow Rentals. No patio? Try window or railing boxes to add color. Thumbtack finds the average national cost for a window box is $100-$150 for professional installation and $15-$900 for materials, depending on the type purchased.  Paint a room or add an accent wall: Landlords commonly allow renters to paint their walls if they agree to paint it back before they move out. The right color can make a dramatic impact and boost value. Darker hues are now preferred over white walls, according to Zillow’s latest research on paint colors.  “Gen Z shows an inclination towards bold, dark colors, which is a departure from more traditional color schemes,” said Rafael Rodriguez, a Thumbtack Pro and owner of Dambrak Painting. “Unlike previous generations that commonly use semi-gloss white for trim and flat white for ceilings, many Gen Z renters opt to paint both walls and trim in the same, often dark color, and ceilings in varied shades of off-white or other colors, creating a more cohesive look.” Interior painting requests are up 18% year-over-year on Thumbtack. The national average cost to paint a room is $324-$1,620. Homes with higher ceilings and bigger walls will typically cost more to paint, leading many renters to opt for accent walls instead. Painting of any kind can pay off. Fresh paint helps a rental listing get 14% more saves and 17% more shares per day on Zillow Rentals.  Upgrade lighting: New lighting fixtures can instantly change the mood of a space and save money. LED bulbs and fixtures are up to 90% more efficient.  App-controlled smart lights can change color and brightness based on the time of day. Smart lights can boost daily saves by 22% and daily shares by 35% on Zillow Rentals. Thumbtack finds the average cost for lighting installation is about $150 but depends on the number and type of fixtures installed. Hang Mirrors: Wavy, circular, and arched mirrors are on-trend, and they make a room feel bigger and brighter. Hanging a mirror is a relatively easy DIY project, and savvy shoppers may be able to snag a great vintage find for less than $100. For a more dramatic effect that visually expands a space, consider a mirrored wall. Rental homes with a mirrored wall get an additional 10% more saves and shares per day on Zillow Rentals.   Embrace peel-and-stick: Renters have embraced temporary wallpaper for a custom look without the commitment. On Thumbtack, wallpaper installations are up 10.1% year-over-year. Peel-and-stick wallpaper is generally more expensive than paint and can be tricky to apply. Hire a pro and expect to shell out $300 to $450 on average for installation.  Keep in mind, peel-and-stick isn’t just for walls anymore. Temporary backsplash applications are trending along with adhesive floor tiles or stickers.  “We’re seeing Gen Z take advantage of renter-friendly improvements to make their space uniquely their own – whether it’s through bold lighting upgrades, finishes or eclectic decor,” said Morgan Olsen, Design Expert at Thumbtack. “Being a renter doesn’t mean you have to compromise on adding character to your space, and budget conscious options can still have a big impact on how your space feels and looks.” SOURCE Zillow Group, Inc.

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Creative Ways Investors Can Raise Private Capital

Charles Farnsworth is the director of 1892 Capital Partners, an established lending company that has been helping investors in different asset classes across the nation. He is a real estate finance expert with over 25 years of experience in corporate banking and wealth management, which includes founding a finance company and raising private capital. Listen now to learn more about the financing side of real estate and the different factors that can help real estate investors raise capital in today’s market! Quotables “What you’ll find quickly in the capital side is the way you raise money and what you use it for is largely driven by your shareholders or your invested parties.” “Depending where you are in the life cycle of real estate investing and what you’re trying to achieve largely dictates what you should be doing and what your secret sauce is.” “In my experience, people get to places in ways that you don’t understand a lot so I think to be able to have a conversation with somebody and have them part back where you are, what’s going on, and challenge you – I just don’t know where the best place to get a mentor or a coach like that is.” Links Website: 1892 Capital Partners https://www.1892capital.com Email: Charles Farnsworth charlesf@1892capital.com Website: RCN Capital https://www.rcncapital.com/podcast Website: REI INK https://rei-ink.com/ Email: RCN Capital info@rcncapital.com

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ICE First Look at Mortgage Performance: Delinquencies improved in July despite Hurricane Beryl’s impact on Houston homeowners

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (NYSE:ICE), a leading global provider of technology and data, reports the following “first look” at July 2024 month-end mortgage performance statistics derived from its loan-level database representing the majority of the national mortgage market. Data as of July 31, 2024 Total U.S. loan delinquency rate (loans 30 or more days past due, but not in foreclosure): 3.37% Month-over-month change: -3.46% Year-over-year change: 4.80%   Total U.S. foreclosure pre-sale inventory rate: 0.35% Month-over-month change: 1.05% Year-over-year change: -15.93%   Total U.S. foreclosure starts: 30,000 Month-over-month change 32.30% Year-over-year change: 13.91%   Monthly prepayment rate (SMM): 0.60% Month-over-month change: 11.63% Year-over-year change: 19.86%   Foreclosure sales: 5,500 Month-over-month change: 3.69% Year-over-year change: – 9.57%   Number of properties that are 30 or more days past due, but not in foreclosure: 1,812,000 Month-over-month change: -61,000 Year-over-year change: 112,000   Number of properties that are 90 or more days past due, but not in foreclosure: 435,000 Month-over-month change: 5,000 Year-over-year change: -33,000   Number of properties in foreclosure pre-sale inventory: 188,000 Month-over-month change: 2,000 Year-over-year change: -32,000   Number of properties that are 30 or more days past due or in foreclosure: 1,999,000 Month-over-month change: -59,000 Year-over-year change: 80,000 Top 5 States by Non-Current* Percentage Mississippi:  8.02% Louisiana: 7.93% Alabama: 5.70% Indiana: 5.34% West Virginia: 5.16%     Bottom 5 States by Non-Current* Percentage Oregon: 2.12% Montana: 2.03% Idaho: 2.03% Washington: 2.02% Colorado: 2.00%     Top 5 States by 90+ Days Delinquent Percentage Mississippi:  2.08% Louisiana: 1.85% Alabama: 1.45% Arkansas: 1.28% Indiana: 1.16%         Top 5 States by 12-Month Change in Non-Current* Percentage Alaska: -7.40% New York:  -6.59% Vermont: -3.57% Idaho: -3.29% California: -2.84%     Bottom 5 States by 12-Month Change in Non-Current* Percentage Arizona: 11.73% Louisiana: 11.32% Tennessee: 9.33% Arkansas: 8.96% Nebraska: 8.07% The company will provide a more in-depth review of this data in its monthly Mortgage Monitor report, which includes an analysis of data supplemented by detailed charts and graphs that reflect trend and point-in-time observations. The Mortgage Monitor report will be available online at https://www.icemortgagetechnology.com/resources/data-reports by Sept. 4, 2024. For more information about gaining access to ICE’s loan-level database, please send an email to Mortgage.Monitor@bkfs.com.

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Sluggish Home Sales Expected as Consumers Hold Out for Improved Affordability

Despite Recent Decline in Mortgage Rates, Existing Home Sales Likely to Remain Weak Despite the recent pullback in mortgage rates, total home sales are expected to come in lower than previously forecast through the rest of 2024, and then not pick up meaningfully until further out in 2025, according to the August 2024 commentary from the Fannie Mae (OTCQB: FNMA) Economic and Strategic Research (ESR) Group. The ESR Group notes that purchase mortgage applications have barely budged in response to the more favorable rate environment, and high-frequency measures of home purchase demand, including mortgage applications, showing requests, and listings views, remain below year-ago levels. Additionally, the Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index® continues to report a near-record low share of respondents indicating it’s a “good time to buy” a home. As such, the ESR Group has downgraded its total home sales forecast to 4.78 million in 2024 and 5.19 million in 2025, with the expectation that homebuying will not pick up meaningfully until income growth begins to outpace home price growth and mortgage rates move closer to 6.0 percent. On the new home side, the ESR Group continues to expect comparative strength relative to existing home sales as strong builder margins are likely to drive concessions in the quarters ahead. However, a near-term slowdown in starts is expected, as the number of new homes for sale that are already under construction has risen, likely delaying new projects until this inventory can be sold. The ESR Group forecasts mortgage rates to average 6.4 percent by the end of 2024 and 5.9 percent by the end of 2025. On the macroeconomic side, the ESR Group upgraded its 2024 real gross domestic product (GDP) outlook to 1.9 percent from 1.6 percent due to the stronger-than-expected second quarter GDP reading. However, a slowdown in growth is still expected given the historically low savings rate and the relatively weak July employment report, which showed the unemployment rate up six-tenths from the beginning of the year to 4.3 percent. The ESR Group continues to expect a soft landing as their base case forecast but notes that the odds of an economic downturn have likely increased given the historical relationship between sharp rises in the unemployment rate and previous business cycles. “After absorbing recent economic data, bond market participants now appear to expect slower paths for economic growth and inflation, which contributed to a softening in mortgage rates over the last few weeks,” said Mark Palim, Fannie Mae Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist. “On its face, the lower rate environment should be good for home sales by helping loosen the grip of the so-called ‘lock-in effect,’ in addition to aiding affordability more generally. However, high-frequency data, such as mortgage applications, home showing requests, and listings views, suggest that many potential homebuyers remain reluctant to make the jump. Even with moderately lower mortgage rates, affordability remains close to historic lows due to the high level of home prices relative to incomes. We are therefore expecting continued sluggishness in home sales over the rest of the year. One bright spot for the mortgage industry has been the recent uptick in refinance applications, albeit from very low levels.” Visit the Economic & Strategic Research site at fanniemae.com to read the full August 2024 Economic Outlook, including the Economic Developments Commentary, Economic Forecast, Housing Forecast, and Multifamily Market Commentary. To receive e-mail updates with other housing market research from Fannie Mae’s Economic & Strategic Research Group, please click here. Fannie Mae Resource Center1-800-2FANNIE SOURCE Fannie Mae

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ZOMBIE FORECLOSURE RATE CONTINUES TO DECLINE IN THIRD QUARTER OF 2024, MARKING LOWEST LEVEL SINCE 2021

Abandoned Homes in Foreclosure Down 20 Percent Annually;  Only One in 14,800 U.S. Homes Sit Empty in Foreclosure, Matching Three-Year Low;  Zombie-Property Trends Come Amid Decline in Lenders Going After Delinquent Homeowners ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property, and real estate data, released its third-quarter 2024 Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report showing that 1.4 million (1,357,423) residential properties in the United States are vacant. That figure represents 1.3 percent, or one in 76 homes, across the nation – roughly the same as in the second quarter of this year. The report analyzes publicly recorded real estate data collected by ATTOM — including foreclosure status, equity and owner-occupancy status — matched against monthly updated vacancy data. The report also reveals that 222,934 residential properties in the U.S. are in the process of foreclosure in the third quarter of this year, down 6 percent from the second quarter of 2024 and down 29.3 percent from the third quarter of 2023. Foreclosure activity has declined over the past year following a surge in cases that hit after a nationwide moratorium on lenders pursuing delinquent homeowners, imposed during the Coronavirus pandemic, was lifted in the middle of 2021. Among those pre-foreclosure properties, about 7,000 sit vacant as zombie foreclosures (pre-foreclosure properties abandoned by owners) in the third quarter of 2024. That figure is slightly above the number in the prior quarter, but down 20.2 percent from a year ago. The latest count of zombie homes continues a long-term pattern of those properties representing only a tiny portion of the nation’s total housing stock – currently at just one of every 14,776 homes around the U.S. The ratio is about the same as the level of one in 14,724 in the prior quarter, but well down from one in 11,565 in the third quarter of last year, marking the lowest level since early 2021. Zombie foreclosures remain so rare that most local housing markets around the country have little or no issues with the blight and decay those properties can attract and spread. The portion of pre-foreclosure properties that have been abandoned into zombie status, meanwhile, ticked up a bit, from 2.9 percent in the second quarter of 2024 to 3.1 percent in the current quarter. “Zombie foreclosures continue to be a mere blip on the radar screen – one of many measures of the overall strength of the U.S. housing market. After some worries about a rise in abandoned homes following the end of the COVID-era foreclosure clampdown, they remain an anomaly throughout most of the country,” said Rob Barber, CEO for ATTOM. “One significant factor is the historically high levels of home equity. This provides homeowners who may be struggling with their mortgage payments a strong incentive to negotiate new payment plans, which in turn reduces the number of foreclosures. As a result, fewer owners are simply walking away from their properties like so many did after the Great Recession of the late 2000s.” The hold-steady pattern of zombie properties during the third quarter comes as the nation’s housing market boom continues into its 13th year, reversing signs of a slowdown in 2023. The nationwide median home value shot up 6 percent, year over year, in the Spring of 2024, reaching a new high of $365,000, according to ATTOM’s home sales data. It has increased every year since 2011, more than doubling during that time. Those gains have led to historic improvements in homeowner equity, which has resulted in almost 95 percent of owners with mortgages having at least some equity built up and half owing less than 50 percent of the estimated value of their properties. Zombie foreclosures mostly unchanged quarterly around U.S. while down annually A total of 7,007 residential properties facing possible foreclosure have been vacated by their owners nationwide in the third quarter of 2024, up 0.9 percent from 6,945 in the second quarter of 2024 but down from 8,782 in the third quarter of 2023. The number of zombie properties stayed the same quarterly or went up slightly in 26 states – usually increasing by less than 20. The number declined in 24 states. The biggest percent decreases from the third quarter of 2023 to the third quarter of 2024 in states that had at least 50 zombie homes a year ago are in Connecticut (zombie properties down 79 percent, from 87 to 18) Oklahoma (down 78 percent, from 199 to 43), Iowa (zombie properties down 78 percent, from 290 to 64), North Carolina (down 74 percent, from 191 to 50) and New Mexico (down 74 percent from 95 to 25). The only annual increases among states that had at least 50 zombie foreclosures in the third quarter of 2023 have come in Florida (zombie properties up 64 percent, from 1,199 to 1,961), Texas (up 63 percent, from 112 to 183) and New Jersey (up 12 percent, from 205 to 230). Georgia’s number has stayed the same, at 85. Overall vacancy rates also about the same The vacancy rate for all residential properties in the U.S. has remained virtually the same for 10 quarters in a row, hovering around 1.3 percent. The latest figure of 1.31 percent (one in 76 properties) is up slightly from 1.26 percent in both the second quarter of 2024 and the third quarter of last year. States with the highest vacancy rates for all residential properties are Oklahoma (2.36 percent, or one in 42 homes, during the third quarter of this year), Kansas (2.32 percent, or one in 43), Missouri (2.11 percent, or one in 47), Alabama (2.09 percent, or one in 48) and West Virginia (2.08 percent, or one in 48). Those with the smallest overall vacancy rates are New Hampshire (0.35 percent, or one in 282 homes), Vermont (0.41 percent, or one in 243), New Jersey (0.43 percent, or one in 231), Idaho (0.5 percent, or one in 201) and Utah (0.65 percent, or one in 153). Other high-level findings from the third quarter of 2024: Media Contact:Megan Huntmegan.hunt@attomdata.com  Data and Report Licensing:datareports@attomdata.com SOURCE ATTOM

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