Airbnb last week acquired a platform called Urbandoor that offers extended stays for corporate clients. Founded in 2015, Urbandoor differentiates itself not just through its focus on business travelers, but also by the fact it deals directly with multifamily building owners instead of renters. The company goes directly to big real estate firms like Greystar, […]
Research shows iBuyers typically cost sellers 13% to 15% more
August 12, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Consumers who choose to use an iBuyer to sell their home often end up paying much higher fees than they would have if they’d gone with a traditional real estate agent, according to new research from Collateral Analytics. iBuyers are companies that provide instant cash offers and quick closings on a home, which can be […]
Big tech’s affordable housing commitments are ‘not enough’, experts say
August 11, 2019 by Leave a Comment
With the cost of housing reaching sky-high levels in many West Coast cities, a number of technology companies have stepped in with pledges of millions of dollars to try and reverse the situation. Microsoft for example, in January announced it was committing $500 million to pay for affordable housing, while Google recently said it would […]
Study shows that recessions don’t have much impact on home values
August 7, 2019 by Leave a Comment
New research from Zillow shows that recessions typically don’t have a negative impact on home values, contrary to what many experts have always said. Other than the housing-led Great Recession of the late 2000s, Zillow’s analysis shows that home values have typically continued to grow through national and statewide recessions over the past quarter-century. The […]
Consumers get more home buying power as Fed cuts interest rates
August 1, 2019 by
The U.S. Federal Reserve this week slashed interest rates for the first time since the Great Recession in 2008, but experts say the move is unlikely to improve what is already a very favorable borrowing environment for home buyers. The federal funds rate, which governs the rate banks charge each other for short-term borrowing, will […]
Experts forecast growth in homeownership rates as millennials come of age
July 30, 2019 by
U.S. Census Bureau data published this week shows that the homeownership rate fell slightly to 64.1%, despite the fact that the number of new households is rising. That’s because most new household formations come from rentals, the number of which was larger than the amount of new homeowners for the first time since 2016. “The […]
Hippo Raises $100 Million in Series D Funding to Fuel Expansion
July 27, 2019 by
Last week, InsurTech company Hippo announced a $100 million Series D funding round led by Bond.
Vacant & abandoned homes are a big factor in the ‘housing crisis’, experts say
July 26, 2019 by
The U.S. is often said to be facing a “housing crisis”, with much of it centered on a shortage of available homes for sale. But a new report from the National League of Cities says that abandoned and vacant homes across the country are also a big part of the problem. In some parts of […]
Amazon launches real estate agent matching service with free product incentives
July 25, 2019 by
Amazon is offering home buyers who use a real estate agent via its new TurnKey program thousands of dollars worth of free smart home technology, plus home service credits, as it looks to push into the real estate sector. The online retail giant launched its new homebuying program in 15 U.S. cities this week, in […]
Redfin teams up with Opendoor to expand its Instant Offers service
July 16, 2019 by
Web-based real estate brokerage Redfin is expanding the availability of its instant offers service via a partnership with iBuying company Opendoor. The partnership, announced last week, will allow homeowners who sell their homes on Redfin’s platform to get instant offers on their properties. The way iBuying works is that companies like Opendoor buy the homes […]
