Redfin Delays Reopening, Mandates Shots for Workers
Seattle-based Redfin has made vaccines mandatory for all personnel as it reopens offices, though non-vaccinated workers will continue to have a work-from-home option.
Freddie Mac Rolls Out New Lower-Cost Renovation Mortgage
The mortgage giant says “CHOICEReno eXPress” helps buyers and owners reduce costs compared to using credit cards or unsecured financing for small-scale projects.
Most Consumers Now Comfy with Online Closings
After a year of the pandemic, 81% of adults say they’re okay buying things – even expensive things – online, especially with extra authentication and verification steps.
Outlook Brightens for Apartment Landlords Amid Rising Rents
Moody’s Analytics REIS: The national average effective rent, a key industry measure, rose 0.6% in 2Q 2021, lifting the average U.S. effective rent to $1,394.79.
Latest ‘Blow Me Away’ Amenity for Buyers? Home Classrooms
Some parents home-schooled their kids even before the pandemic. But after the recent lockdowns, more buyers with kids see it as a golden amenity.
Calm Before the Storm? Forecasters Add to Hurricane Predictions
NOAA: 7-10 hurricanes will still form out of 15-21 named storms (includes tropical storms). If true, 2021 will be a record sixth straight year of above-normal activity.
Prediction: Lots of International Buyers Over the Next Year
The pandemic’s border closures and lockdowns dinged the international buyer market over the past year, but signs point to a resurgence among new buyers and those who postponed a purchase. Economists say today’s buyers should expect to face even more competition.
Tab for ‘Climate Change Risk’ Added to Some Listings
What threat do heat, flood, drought and fire pose to a house as the earth warms? Redfin says it’s adding ClimateCheck, scaled 1-100, to each listing on its website.
Mortgage Rates: 6-Week Streak Under 3%
The average 30-year mortgage rate fell to 2.77% this week, down from last week’s 2.80%, in part due to investor uncertainty over the COVID-19 delta variant.
Realtor Groups File Emergency Motion to Stop Eviction Ban
The Supreme Court agreed the original eviction ban was unconstitutional in a suit filed by two Realtor associations. On Wed., they asked a District Court to rule against the latest ban, even as a push is on to get more money to landlords. In Fla., only 2% of $870M the state received so far has…