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Pending Home Sales Rose 4% in December—Biggest Jump in Over Two Years

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Homebuyers came out of the woodwork as mortgage rates posted the biggest monthly decline since 2008 Pending home sales rose 4.1% month over month in December on a seasonally adjusted basis–the biggest increase since September 2021–to the highest level in more than a year. That’s according to a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. They climbed 5.9% from a year earlier, the biggest annual gain since June 2021. Pending sales jumped because a steep drop in mortgage rates lured buyers to the market. The average 30-year-fixed mortgage rate fell to 6.82% in December from 7.44% in November, the biggest monthly decline since 2008. Buyers who were casually looking when rates were above 7% are now getting serious, Redfin agents say. The dip in mortgage rates has also brought sellers off of the sidelines, though they haven’t returned with as much intensity as buyers, likely because a majority of them don’t want to give up the ultra low mortgage rate they scored during the pandemic. New listings rose 0.1% month over month to the highest seasonally adjusted level since September 2022, and were up 2.7% year over year—the largest increase since July 2021. While housing supply has ticked up, it remains below pre-pandemic levels. Active listings, or the total number of homes for sale, rose 3.1% month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis but fell 5.1% from a year earlier. “We’re definitely seeing an uptick in activity from both buyers and sellers,” said Abby Alwan, a Redfin Premier real estate agent in Austin, TX. “I have two listings in the suburbs that six months ago would’ve sat on the market. But all of a sudden, buyers are coming out of the woodwork thanks to lower rates. More folks are looking to have conversations about what they need to do to enter the market now that they’ve seen improvement in the market.” It’s worth noting that while demand jumped in December, January is off to a slower-than-expected start, likely due to severe winter weather. Redin economists expect the market to pick up as spring approaches, so long as mortgage rates don’t shoot up. Home Prices Post Largest Increase in Over a Year The median U.S. home sale price climbed 4% year over year to $403,714 in December, the biggest annual increase since October 2022, and fell 1.1% month over month. Please note that home price data is not seasonally adjusted, and it is not unusual for prices to slow from a month earlier in December. The recent uptick in homebuyer demand is likely contributing to the rise in housing prices, but the primary driver of price increases is America’s persistent shortage of homes for sale, which is fueling competition in some areas. “Bidding wars are happening again, but they’re much more reasonable than they were during the pandemic homebuying frenzy,” Alwan said. “Houses are getting between one and five competing bids, and instead of offering one or two hundred thousand dollars over the asking price, competitive buyers are offering 3% to 5% over.” December 2023 Highlights: United States December 2023 Month-Over-Month Change Year-Over-Year Change Median sale price $403,714 -1.1% 4% Pending sales, seasonally adjusted 425,466 4.1% 5.9% Homes sold, seasonally adjusted 407,255 -0.5% -4% New listings, seasonally adjusted 511,136 0.1% 2.7% All homes for sale, seasonally adjusted (active listings) 1,569,438 3.1% -5.1% Months of supply 2.6 -0.3 0 Median days on market 43 6 -2 Share of for-sale homes with a price drop 14.2% -5 ppts 0.5 ppts Share of homes sold above final list price 25.5% -3.3 ppts 2.5 ppts Average sale-to-final-list-price ratio 98.6% -0.4 ppts 0.5 ppts Pending sales that fell out of contract, as % of overall pending sales 16.2% -0.1 ppts 0.7 ppts Average 30-year fixed mortgage rate 6.82% -0.63 ppts 0.45 ppts Metro-Level Highlights: December 2023 To view the full report, including charts, please visit:https://www.redfin.com/news/housing-market-tracker-december-2023 Author admin View all posts

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Blackstone Remains Committed to Tricon’s Extensive Housing Development Platform, Including its Pipeline of $1 Billion of New Single-Family Homes in the U.S. and $2.5 Billion of New Apartments in Canada Plans to Improve Quality of Existing U.S. Single-Family Homes through an Additional $1 Billion of Capital Projects Blackstone and Tricon Residential Inc. announced that they have entered into an arrangement agreement under which Blackstone Real Estate Partners X together with Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (“BREIT”) will acquire all outstanding common shares of Tricon (“Common Shares”) for $11.25 (approximately C$15.17) per Common Share in cash (the “Transaction”). The Transaction price represents a premium of 30% to Tricon’s closing share price on the NYSE on January 18, 2024, the last trading day prior to the announcement of the Transaction, and a 42% premium to the volume weighted average share price on the NYSE over the previous 90 days, and equates to a $3.5 billion equity transaction value based on fully-diluted shares outstanding. BREIT will maintain its approximately 11% ownership stake post-closing. Tricon provides quality rental homes and apartments in great neighborhoods, along with exceptional resident services through its tech-enabled operating platform and dedicated on-the-ground operating teams. Tricon serves communities in high-growth markets such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Tampa and Phoenix as well as Toronto, Canada. In addition to managing a single-family rental housing portfolio, Tricon has a single-family rental development platform in the U.S. with approximately 2,500 houses under development, as well as numerous land development projects that can support the future development of nearly 21,000 single-family homes. The Company also has a Canadian multifamily development platform that is building approximately 5,500 market-rate and affordable multifamily rental apartments. Under Blackstone’s ownership, the Company plans to complete its $1 billion development pipeline of new single-family rental homes in the U.S. and $2.5 billion of new apartments in Canada (together with its existing joint venture partners). The Company will also continue to enhance the quality of existing single-family homes in the U.S. through an additional $1 billion of planned capital projects over the next several years. “We are proud of the significant and immediate value that this transaction will deliver to our shareholders, while allowing us to continue providing an exceptional rental experience for our residents. Blackstone shares our values and our unwavering commitment to resident satisfaction, and we look forward to benefitting from their expertise and capital as we partner in building thriving communities,” said Gary Berman, President & CEO of Tricon. “Tricon provides access to high-quality housing, and we are fully committed to delivering an exceptional resident experience together,” said Nadeem Meghji, Global Co-Head of Blackstone Real Estate. “We are excited that our capital will propel Tricon’s efforts to add much needed housing supply across the U.S. and in Toronto, Canada.” The announcement of the Transaction follows the unanimous recommendation of a committee (the “Special Committee”) of independent members of Tricon’s board of directors (the “Board”). The Board, after receiving the unanimous recommendation of the Special Committee and in consultation with its financial and legal advisors, has determined that the Transaction is in the best interests of Tricon and fair to Tricon shareholders (other than Blackstone and its affiliates) and recommends that Tricon shareholders vote in favor of the Transaction. “Following a thoughtful and comprehensive process, the Special Committee and Board concluded that the transaction with Blackstone is in the best interests of Tricon and its shareholders, and that the transaction price represents compelling and certain value for Tricon’s shares,” said Peter Sacks, Chair of the Special Committee and Independent Lead Director of Tricon. About Tricon Residential Inc. Tricon Residential Inc. (NYSE: TCN, TSX: TCN) is an owner, operator and developer of a growing portfolio of approximately 38,000 single-family rental homes in the U.S. Sun Belt and multi-family apartments in Toronto, Canada. Our commitment to enriching the lives of our employees, residents and local communities underpins Tricon’s culture and business philosophy. We provide high-quality rental housing options for families across the United States and in Toronto, Canada through our technology-enabled operating platform and dedicated on-the-ground operating teams. Our development programs are also delivering thousands of new rental homes and apartments as part of our commitment to help solve the housing supply shortage. At Tricon, we imagine a world where housing unlocks life’s potential. For more information, visit www.triconresidential.com. About Blackstone Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors. We do this by relying on extraordinary people and flexible capital to help strengthen the companies we invest in. Our over $1 trillion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow @blackstone on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), and Instagram. Author admin View all posts

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Home Rental and Ownership Still Difficult in 2024 for Average Workers in Most of Nation; But Renting Less of a Burden in Nearly 90 Percent of Local Markets; Trend Continues Despite Rents Growing Faster Than Home Prices ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property and real estate data, released its 2024 Rental Affordability Report, which shows that median three-bedroom rents in the U.S. are more affordable than owning a similarly-sized home in nearly 90 percent of local markets around the nation. The report shows that both renting and owning a three-bedroom home continue to pose significant financial burdens for average workers, consuming more than one-third of their wages in the vast majority of county-level housing markets. But median rental rates still require a smaller portion of average wages than major home-ownership expenses on three-bedroom properties in 296, or 88 percent, of the 338 U.S. counties with enough data to analyze. That gap extends trends from 2023 even as rents have commonly risen faster than home prices over the past year around the U.S. The analysis for this report incorporated 2024 rental prices and 2023 home prices, collected from ATTOM’s nationwide property database, as well as publicly recorded sales deed data licensed by ATTOM. Those two data sources were combined with average wage figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Finding an affordable home remains a daunting prospect around the country for average workers, regardless of whether they want to buy or rent. Continuously increasing home prices contribute to the escalation of rental costs, making both buying and renting properties a challenging endeavor across most of the United States.,” said Rob Barber, CEO at ATTOM. “But the latest data shows that even as rents are growing faster, they remain more affordable than owning.” The current situation favoring renting over buying reflects a combination of housing market trends that offer limited straightforward options for home seekers but ultimately lean towards the advantage of rentals. Over the past year, both rental rates and home prices have continued to rise in most of the country. Rental rates have climbed even faster in a majority of counties with enough data to analyze. That has happened as elevated home prices have become further and further out of reach for average workers, preventing those with marginal finances from obtaining mortgages and leaving them with few options other than renting. Home prices kept going up in 2023 despite rising mortgage rates, in part because of a tight supply of homes for sale. Still, despite renting and ownership consuming more than a third of average wages in most local markets, rents haven’t escalated enough to keep them from being the more affordable option for average workers. That trend has held throughout the country but remains most pronounced in the most populous urban and suburban markets. Changes in rents outpacing home price trends in nearly two-thirds of U.S Median rents for three-bedroom homes have increased more over the past year, or declined less, than median prices for single-family homes in 210, or 62 percent, of the 338 counties analyzed in this report. Counties were included in the report if they had a population of 100,000 or more, at least 100 sales from January through November of 2023 and sufficient data showing changes in three-bedroom rents from 2023 to 2024. Changes in three-bedroom rents commonly have ranged from 3 percent decreases to 15 percent increases while changes in median sale prices for single-family homes last year typically ranged from 3 percent losses to 7 percent gains. Most populous counties have widest affordability gaps between renting and owning Renting a three-bedroom home, while still difficult for average workers, is most affordable in 2024 compared to owning a median-priced single-family home in the nation’s largest counties. In almost three-quarters of markets with populations of at least 1 million, the portion of average local wages consumed by renting is at least 10 percentage points lower than the portion required for typical major home ownership expenses. (Comparisons assume a home-purchase mortgage based on a 20 percent down payment. Major ownership expenses include mortgage payments, property taxes and insurance). Among 45 counties with a population of at least 1 million included in the report, the biggest gaps are in Honolulu, HI (median three-bedroom rents consume 67 percent of average local wages while typical single-home affordability consume 134 percent); Kings County (Brooklyn), NY (72 percent for renting versus 136 percent for owning); Alameda County (Oakland), CA (51 percent for renting versus 108 percent for owning); Santa Clara County (San Jose), CA (29 percent for renting versus 83 percent for owning) and Orange County, CA (outside Los Angeles) (88 percent for renting versus 136 percent for owning). The only two counties with a population of more than 1 million where it is more affordable to buy than rent in 2024 are Riverside County, CA (median rents consume 101 percent of average local wages while typical home ownership costs consume 91 percent) and Wayne County (Detroit), MI (22 percent for renting versus 19 percent for owning). Renting three-bedroom homes stretches budgets but remains most affordable in South and Midwest The report shows that the median three-bedroom rent requires more than one-third of the average local wage in 274 of the 338 counties analyzed for the report (81 percent). Among the 64 markets where median three-bedroom rents require less than one-third of average local wages, 59 are in the Midwest and South. The most affordable for renting are Jefferson County (Birmingham), AL (22 percent of average local wages needed to rent); Wayne County (Detroit), MI (22 percent); Ingham County (Lansing), MI (22 percent); Genesee County (Flint), MI (23 percent) and Caddo Parish (Shreveport), LA (23 percent). Aside from Wayne County, the most affordable counties for renting among those with a population of at least 1 million are Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), OH (24 percent of average local wages needed to rent); St. Louis County, MO (24 percent); Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), PA (26 percent) and Philadelphia County, PA (28 percent). The

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High financing costs, limited inventory continue to be biggest challenges, but insurance costs and coverage are growing concerns. There were significant differences of opinion between fix-and-flip investors and rental property owners about the state of real estate investing, according to the Winter 2023 Investor Sentiment Survey from RCN Capital, conducted by market intelligence firm CJ Patrick Company. To read the full report: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/emMCtPO/WinterInvestorSentiment Fifty percent of flippers felt things were better today than last year, and 51% expect things to improve over the next 6 months. Only 20% of rental property owners felt conditions were better today, and only 22% expect things to improve over the next 6 months. Forty eight percent of rental property owners felt conditions were worse today compared to 26% of flippers. Rental owners are also less optimistic about future conditions, with 23% expecting things to worsen, while only 14% of flippers share that concern. Overall, after jumping from 30% to 39% in the Fall Survey, investor optimism was basically flat with 40% of the respondents saying the environment for investing was better than a year ago. Slightly fewer felt that things were worse: 33%, down from 38% in the Fall and 37% in the Spring. “Rising home prices are helping improve profits for fix-and-flip investors, while asking rents have flattened out and even declined in some markets compared to last year.” said RCN Capital CEO Jeffrey Tesch. “These factors probably play a large role in the opposite trends we’re seeing among real estate investors today.” The Winter 2023 Investor Sentiment Survey is the third quarterly report from RCN Capital, taking the pulse of real estate investors across the country, identifying market challenges and opportunities, and getting feedback on current trends and events. Investors sited the same factors as major challenges to their success as in previous surveys. The high cost of financing was mentioned by 74% of respondents; 43% noted the lack of inventory of properties for sale; and 35% said that competition from institutional investors was a problem and will continue to be later in the year. Investors may believe that finance costs are beginning to improve, as only 67% of respondents believed that high loan costs will still be a major challenge in six months. Conversely, the percentage of investors who believe that limited inventory will still be a problem in the future was slightly higher, at 46%. Perhaps due to that expectation, over 82% of investors expect to buy the same number of properties or less in the next year. Fix-and-flip and rental property investors outlooks are similar in that regard: 49% of flippers and 47% of rental property investors plan to buy the same number of properties in the next year; 37% and 33% respectively expect to buy fewer. “One new finding in the Winter survey is that insurance is becoming more of a factor for investors today, and a major concern going forward,” noted Rick Sharga, CJ Patrick Company CEO. “Almost 70% of the respondents agreed that rising premiums and limited availability of insurance were factoring into their decisions about investing, and 62% noted that these factors were somewhat of a hindrance in their ability to buy and sell properties.” Investors continued to see the impact of higher mortgage rates in their local markets. Over 92% have seen either a decline in demand for owner-occupied homes, an increase in demand for rental properties, or both in the markets where they invest. Recession Still Seems Likely, Home Prices Expected to Rise Investors were slightly less pessimistic about the U.S. economy in the Winter survey compared to the Fall. Almost 43% of the respondents expect the country to enter a recession in 2024, down from 53% in the prior survey. Just under 42% were unsure, while 15% don’t expect a recession. Investors still believe that home prices will continue to increase – almost 50% expect home prices to go up, 31% believe prices will remain about the same, and only 18% believe they’ll decrease. Most Investors Opting for Rental Properties, Buying Close to Home For the second time in the last three surveys, more investors claimed to focus on buying rental properties than fixing-and-flipping homes. Forty six percent of the respondents buy and rent properties, while 32% fix-and-flip properties to home buyers. Wholesaling – securing the rights to sell a property without taking title – may be a growing trend, as 22% of respondents listed that practice as their primary type of investment activity. As in the previous survey, the majority of investors purchase their investment properties close to home – 39% purchase within their hometown, and 84% within their home state. California, Florida, Texas, and New York were the states most frequently cited by respondents as where they invest today, and where they plan to invest over the next year. To read the full report: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/emMCtPO/WinterInvestorSentiment About RCN Capital RCN Capital is a South Windsor, CT-based national, direct, private lender. Established in 2010, RCN provides commercial loans for the purchase or refinance of non-owner-occupied residential properties. The company specializes in new construction financing, short-term fix & flip and bridge financing, and long-term rental financing for real estate investors. For more information on RCN Capital and RCN’s loan programs, visit www.RCNCapital.com. About CJ Patrick Company Founded in 2019, CJ Patrick Company is a Market Intelligence and Business Advisory firm working with companies in the real estate and mortgage industries. Visit www.cjpatrick.com for more information. Author admin View all posts

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By Nikita Biryukov, New Jersey Monitor New Jerseyans facing foreclosure will have a new path back to homeownership under a bill Gov. Phil Murphy signed Friday. The new law creates the community wealth preservation program, which will give homeowners facing foreclosure — plus their families and certain nonprofits — the right of first refusal to purchase their home at a sheriff’s sale. “With today’s bill signing, we are creating a new avenue to homeownership for individuals and families throughout New Jersey, giving many the opportunity to remain in the homes and communities they cherish while also protecting our neighborhoods from rapid investor-driven homebuying,” Murphy said in a statement. To reclaim a foreclosed home, the homeowner or their family must be preapproved for a loan that matches the home’s original upset price — the lowest price for which a home would be sold — or its final starting upset price, whichever is lower. The upset price is typically equal to the combined total of any outstanding mortgage on the property, plus interest, fees, and other associated costs. “This bill is a creative opportunity for families to save their wealth at the time of a foreclosure sale by using financing,” said Sen. Britnee Timberlake (D-Essex), who sponsored the bill as an assemblywoman. “This legislation also levels the playing field for renters, affordable housing nonprofit developers and people who want to purchase an abandoned home to restore and live in or to create affordability.” Successful bidders must make a deposit equal to 3.5% of their bid amount and would be required to use the home as their primary residence for at least seven years. Those who attempt to sell a home reclaimed under the program within that time period would face a $100,000 fine on their first offense and $500,000 fines on subsequent offenses. Exemptions in the bill allow homeowners to sell the property within the seven-year period. Those exceptions are generally related to hardship, including the death of a spouse or child, a divorce, or a change in employment, among others. The bill is in part an effort to slow investor purchases of foreclosed New Jersey homes. Because investors have financial resources, they can outright purchase homes at a sheriff’s sale and make a profit selling the home at market rate. They can also hold the property as an asset. “Too often foreclosed properties are bought up by real estate investors and developers only looking to make a profit,” said Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Mercer). “This legislation will help to keep property ownership within the community.” Author admin View all posts

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GoDocs, the premier commercial lending document automation platform, has announced Adam Craig as its new CEO. This move signals a continued commitment to providing a true enterprise-class solution for banks, credit unions, and private lenders focused on delivering a seamless and consistent closing experience at scale. Craig, a seasoned FinTech leader with a 20-year track record driving disruptive growth, brings to GoDocs a deep expertise in building and delivering best-in-class SaaS solutions for the Financial Services industry. Prior to joining GoDocs, he served as President at Segmint, an industry-leading transaction cleansing and analytics SaaS company for financial institutions, which was acquired by Alkami in 2022 where he subsequently led M&A and strategic partnerships. “GoDocs is at a pivotal moment, poised to capitalize on its technological edge to disrupt and transform commercial lending,” Craig stated. “My vision is to harness the exceptional talent within GoDocs, to drive disruptive product innovations that will further streamline the commercial lender experience and redefine their borrower’s journey with transparency and speed.” Brian Shortsleeve, Co-Founder and Managing Director of M33 Growth, “Adam has the vision and experience to take GoDocs to the next level,” Shortsleeve declared. “His arrival marks a new phase of growth, and we are thrilled to have him at the helm.” GoDocs’ commitment to delivering next-generation solutions for all commercial lenders – banks, credit unions, and private lenders – remains its core mission. Under Craig’s leadership, the company will accelerate its product and go-to-market build-out in order to transform the commercial lending landscape. This will allow the company to deliver unmatched automation and efficiency resulting in strong growth and positioning the company to be the preferred solution for high-volume commercial lenders. About GoDocsGoDocs, the automation leader in commercial loan document generation, offers a next-generation software platform for banks, credit unions, and private lenders that creates a streamlined process for closing commercial loans. The first and only purely SaaS system for automated loan document generation, GoDocs provides lenders with a digital solution that requires no training to use. The company has the #1 NPS customer satisfaction score in the industry and is trusted by industry-leading banks as well as community banks, Federal and local credit unions, and private lenders of all sizes. GoDocs is proud to back its solutions with 100% onshore support. Media ContactVirginia BushVP of MarketingGoDocs949.274.7907371168@email4pr.com Websitegodocs.com SOURCE GoDocs Author admin View all posts