Secrets to Building Generational Wealth in Real Estate

Bill Fairman is a national speaker, best-selling author, and serial entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in the mortgage banking industry. Over the years, Bill has made his mark in real estate as a fund manager by helping high net worth individuals grow their wealth and today, he is focused on providing education for individuals who want to create their legacy and build generational wealth. Listen to this episode to learn more about building generational wealth through real estate and what you can do today to get on the right path in building your legacy! Quotables “Most people don’t make wealth quickly, you make it over time, and that’s the easiest and most consistent way to do it.” “If you don’t do a bad deal while you’re in this business, you’re not doing enough deals because it happens.” “Life is not worth living if you are constantly in pain or a burden on somebody else, and it’s never too late.” Links Website: Bill Fairman https://billfairman.com/ Website: RCN Capital https://www.rcncapital.com/podcast Website: REI INK https://rei-ink.com/ Email: RCN Capital info@rcncapital.com

Read More

Maximizing AI & Your Digital Marketing

Bob McIntosh is a national speaker, best-selling author, and entrepreneur with thousands of hours spent on stages, helping over 15,000 people nationwide. He is one of the most influential people in real estate and entrepreneurship and today, Bob is with us to share valuable insights on real estate and digital marketing – two fields he has achieved massive success in. Listen to this episode to learn more about public speaking and digital marketing, and how you can maximize both of them to help you succeed in business! Quotables “AI and technology have made it both ironically harder and easier. It just changed what things are now hard and what things are now easier.” “If you’re an investor or any business owner using AI, don’t use it as an excuse to be lazy because when you do that, it shows.” “Focus on a routine that’s going to help you feel the best by yourself because you will be far more productive in the hours that you do work when you do.” Links Website: 3 Degrees Consulting https://go3dc.com/bobmcintosh/ Website: RCN Capital https://www.rcncapital.com/podcast Website: REI INK https://rei-ink.com/ Email: RCN Capital info@rcncapital.com

Read More

Redfin Reports Buyers Are Coming Back: Mortgage Demand Shoots Up, Home Tours Hit Highest Level Since May

Mortgage-rate locks rose 68% from a month earlier in the days after the Fed announced its interest-rate cut. Many house hunters had been waiting for the Fed’s cut before locking in a mortgage rate. Homebuyers locked in nearly 70% more mortgages than they did a month earlier on September 23, according to a new report from Redfin, the technology-powered real estate brokerage. The report analyzes mortgage rate-lock data from Optimal Blue. The surge in mortgage-rate locks comes five days after the Fed cut interest rates for the first time in four years. It’s worth noting that the surge in mortgage-rate locks may overstate the increase in mortgage demand, as it could be exacerbated by buyers who had already decided to purchase a home but were waiting to lock in a rate until after the Fed meeting. Still, there are other indicators that demand is improving. Mortgage-purchase applications are up more than 10% month over month. Additionally, Redfin’s Homebuyer Demand Index–a measure of tours and other buying services from Redfin agents–shot up to its highest level since May during the week ending September 22. It’s also notable that the Demand Index rose 1% annually, the first increase in nearly a year. Pending U.S. home sales fell 3.1% during the four weeks ending September 22, but that’s the smallest decline in five weeks, and the increases in mortgage-rate locks and mortgage applications will likely lead to an uptick in sales over the next few weeks. News of the Fed’s historic interest-rate cut is the main factor bringing home buyers off the sidelines. Mortgage rates and housing costs had been declining meaningfully for several weeks before the rate cut, but before this week it hadn’t led to an uptick in demand. Many house hunters had been waiting for the rate cut to actually happen to get serious about buying, and now they have, even though mortgage rates didn’t fall further after the rate cut than they had in the week leading up to it. Improving affordability is also, of course, a major factor bringing buyers back. The median monthly housing payment is down 4.4% year over year, the biggest decline in more than four years. It has dropped to its lowest level since January (with the exception of the prior 4-week period), thanks to mortgage rates dropping to their lowest level since February 2023 last week. (Home prices are still increasing nationwide, rising 3.9% year over year.) In some metro areas, such as San Jose, CA and Los Angeles, housing payments have fallen more significantly. “One new client decided to start their home search last Thursday because of the Fed’s rate cuts on Wednesday,” said Andrew Vallejo, a Redfin Premier agent in Austin, TX. “They immediately reached out to a real estate agent and they’re working with a lender. Rate cuts have sparked more showings; we’re seeing all of our listings in the area get more traffic. It’s a nice glimmer of hope after a slow year in Austin.” Declining mortgage rates and the Fed’s rate cut are also leading to fresh supply. New listings of homes for sale are up 7.6% year over year, the biggest increase since June, with sellers realizing it’s unlikely mortgage rates will drop back down to the 3% or 4% range anytime soon. It’s worth noting another reason for annual uptick in new listings is that they were quite low at this time last year. For Redfin economists’ takes on the housing market, please visit Redfin’s “From Our Economists” page. To view the full report, including charts, please visit:

Read More

Simplist Technologies Officially Launches Sonar, the First-Ever Mortgage Experience Platform

New platform exits beta, empowering mortgage professionals with a unified, AI-enhanced solution that optimizes processes, increases productivity and fosters seamless collaboration Simplist Technologies, the innovator behind the award-winning mortgage marketplace Simplist, is excited to announce the official launch of Sonar, the world’s first mortgage experience platform. This follows a successful beta phase with over 200 mortgage companies. Sonar seamlessly integrates loan origination system (LOS) and point-of-sale (POS) systems, providing mortgage professionals with a comprehensive, all-in-one solution to revolutionize the mortgage journey from start to finish. “With Sonar, we’ve combined the POS and LOS into a single, streamlined platform, enhancing the entire mortgage journey for mortgage originators and borrowers alike,” said Chris de la Motte, co-founder and co-CEO of Sonar. “By helping thousands of people secure mortgages through Simplist, we gained deep insights into the often disjointed and complex nature of mortgage systems. We experienced firsthand the frustrations of using a fragmented tech stack, and Sonar was built to solve these problems by creating a seamless, modern solution for the entire industry — including borrowers and mortgage professionals alike.” The mortgage industry has long grappled with outdated and disconnected systems, often requiring mortgage professionals to juggle multiple tools to manage a single loan. This disjointed process can result in high costs, inefficiencies and frustration for originators and consumers alike. Sonar addresses these challenges head-on by offering a unified platform that simplifies the origination process, enhances productivity and reduces costs. Key features include: Anthony Sherman, co-founder and co-CEO at Sonar, added: “With over 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry, I have never been as excited about a development as I am about AI. AI is set to revolutionize mortgage origination by automating the nuanced processes, reducing costs for originators, minimizing errors and ultimately providing a better experience for consumers. At Sonar, we are proud to be at the forefront of this transformation, streamlining workflows and relationships with AI-powered tools and bringing mortgage loan origination into the modern age.” Simplist Technologies’ deep understanding of the industry, honed through the success of its consumer mortgage platform Simplist — which has facilitated several billion dollars in originations and emerged as one of the fastest-growing mortgage companies in the United States — uniquely positions the company to address the complex challenges of mortgage origination. For more information, or to schedule a demo, please visit yoursonar.com.

Read More

Zillow introduces First Street’s comprehensive climate risk data on for-sale listings across the US

For-sale listings on Zillow will now feature detailed climate risk information for five key categories — flood, wildfire, wind, heat and air quality — along with insurance recommendations Zillow® is introducing climate risk data, provided by First Street, the standard for climate risk financial modeling, on for-sale property listings across the U.S. Home shoppers will gain insights into five key risks—flood, wildfire, wind, heat and air quality—directly from listing pages, complete with risk scores, interactive maps and insurance requirements. With more than 80% of buyers now considering climate risks when purchasing a home, this feature provides a clearer understanding of potential hazards, helping buyers to better assess long-term affordability and plan for the future. In assisting buyers to navigate the growing risk of climate change, Zillow is the only platform to feature tailored insurance recommendations alongside detailed historical insights, showing if or when a property has experienced past climate events, such as flooding or wildfires. “Climate risks are now a critical factor in home-buying decisions,” said Skylar Olsen, chief economist at Zillow. “Healthy markets are ones where buyers and sellers have access to all relevant data for their decisions. As concerns about flooding, extreme temperatures and wildfires grow — and what that might mean for future insurance costs — this tool also helps agents inform their clients in discussing climate risk, insurance and long-term affordability.” Climate risk information will be available on the Zillow app for iOS® and on the Zillow website by the end of the year, with Android™ availability expected early next year. Navigating climate risk scores on ZillowWhen using Zillow’s search map view, home shoppers can explore climate risk data through an interactive map highlighting five key risk categories: flood, wildfire, wind, heat and air quality. Each risk is color-coded and has its own color scale, helping consumers intuitively navigate their search. Informative labels give more context to climate data and link to First Street’s property-specific climate risk reports for full insights. When viewing a for-sale property on Zillow, home shoppers will see a new climate risk section. This section includes a separate module for each risk category—flood, wildfire, wind, heat and air quality—giving detailed, property-specific data from First Street. This section not only shows how these risks might affect the home now and in the future, but also provides crucial information on wind, fire and flood insurance requirements. Nationwide, more new listings came with major climate risk, compared to homes listed for sale five years ago, according to a Zillow analysis conducted in August. That trend holds true for all five of the climate risk categories Zillow analyzed. Across all new listings in August, 16.7% were at major risk of wildfire, while 12.8% came with a major risk of flooding. Zillow partnership with First StreetZillow has partnered with First Street, a trusted leader in climate risk modeling, to deliver accurate, reliable data to home shoppers. First Street’s models, developed by leading scientists and vetted through a peer-review process, are used across multiple industries, including real estate, banking, government and insurance, ensuring that the climate insights given on Zillow are both credible and actionable. First Street’s analysis of the impact of Hurricane Debby found 78% of properties flooded by that hurricane were outside FEMA flood zones, and consequently located where flood insurance isn’t mandatory. It’s important to note that 85% of these properties would have received an insurance recommendation on Zillow, highlighting how climate risk data can guide users in assessing insurance needs and making informed decisions about their future homes. “At First Street we are on a mission to connect climate change to financial risk,” said Matthew Eby, founder and CEO of First Street. “Partnering with Zillow helps us achieve that mission by providing the millions of everyday users on the Zillow platforms with the same property-specific climate risk data that is used by top banks, agencies and investors.” SOURCE Zillow

Read More

Mastering Negotiation Skills & Creative Finance Opportunities

Matt Reilly is a seasoned expert in real estate finance with years of experience as a certified real estate appraiser and managing billions of dollars worth of non-performing loans and REOs. Today, Matt continues to specialize in bridge loans and private lending at Stonecrest Financial and he is with us to give us a little more insight on the financial side of real estate investing. Listen now to learn more about evaluating properties for investments, the different financing options you have as an investor, and more! Quotables “I think in order to negotiate well, you have to be a good listener so you always want to hear what the other side is saying and formulate your opinion.” “There are no shortcuts. Due diligence is key to most deals – you want to know as much as you can about any property or deal.” “If a deal lingers on too long, it always seems to collapse so I think when you’re getting into a deal, you always want to set realistic expectations and then you want to stick to the timeline.” Links Website: Stonecrest Financial https://stonecrestfinancial.net/ Website: RCN Capital https://www.rcncapital.com/podcast Website: REI INK https://rei-ink.com/ Email: RCN Capital info@rcncapital.com

Read More