Mortgage rates could see slight relief after brutal rises over the past month. Thatās because the job market will not exert upward inflationary pressure and oil prices have retreated somewhat. The latest job report shows 29,000 net new jobs in September, indicating the economy is not nearing a recession but also not overheating.The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2% (from 4.1%), and for a good reason. More Americans are searching for a job rat
AI is making real estate fraud faster and harder to spot. Cybersecurity experts urge agents to build verification into the transaction to avoid getting duped.Think you know how to spot a fake? A familiar email, a trusted voice or even a building ID cardānowadays none of these necessarily proves youāre dealing with the real person.AI is giving scammers new ways to impersonate clients, agents and parties in a transaction, and itās making frau
As mortgage rates climb above 7%, some home buyers are still finding ways to lower their upfront borrowing costs.The latest jump in mortgage rates is changing the math for home shoppers.The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.03% on Sept. 24āthe first time since January 2025 that Freddie Macās weekly measure has averaged above 7%.Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of REALTORSĀ®, has recently called 7% rates āthe ne
The housing market is feeling the pressure from higher borrowing costs, with some buyers shrugging higher rates off and moving ahead while others take the wait-and-see approach.Higher mortgage rates arenāt stopping home buyers altogether, but they arenāt exactly causing them to rush in either. Contract signings in August held fairly steady, nudging up 0.3% from July. Still, pending home sales remain 4.7% below a year ago, according to the Nat
Home sales took another dip in August, capping a subdued summer market as home prices and mortgage rates remain elevated.Existing-home sales posted another decrease last month, as higher costs may be keeping more home buyers cautiously watching from the sidelines. But as the number of For Sale signs rises, real estate pros point to more choices and opportunities for buyers who decide to make moves this fall.Existing-home salesāwhich include sin
License plate reader cameras are being used in more neighborhoods and are sometimes touted as an amenity. But not every buyer sees them as a selling point.More HOA-governed communities are beefing up neighborhood security with cameras, including automatic license plate reader (ALPR) technology and Flock Safety systems. As the use of such surveillance technology grows, real estate professionals are finding themselves fielding more questions from b
Buyers may be finding more negotiating power lately, but strong job growth in a handful of states could mean more competition is soon coming. Read more in NARās latest pending home sales report.The housing market may be giving some buyers reason to wait, as affordability challenges pushed Julyās contract signings lower. But real estate pros are reporting that buyers who remain in the market are finding more room to negotiate, and those living
Build Your Real Estate Business with the Support You Deserve.Your success as a real estate professional shouldn't depend on doing everything alone. At iPro Real Estate, we provide agents with the technology, resources, leads, training, and responsive broker support they need to spend less time dealing with obstacles and more time growing their business.From 24/7 broker support and free client leads to a custom website, advanced IDX search, online
"Mortgage rates remained relatively stable this week at 6.67%," said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac's Chief Economist. "Housing affordability has improved from a year ago, and recent increases in purchase and refinance applications suggest that borrowers continue to respond to even modest changes in mortgage rates."TheĀ 30-year FRMĀ averaged 6.67% as of August 13, 2026, down from last week when it averaged 6.69%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM
