Second Century Ventures Selects Seven Tech Companies for 2024 REACH Canada Program
CALGARY – Second Century Ventures, the strategic investment arm of the National Association of Realtors®, announced seven companies selected for its 2024 REACH Canada program. These firms operate within a diverse range of market segments and specializations, from empowering agents and brokers through productivity and efficiency solutions, to resources that help real estate businesses combat fraud and address some of society's growing housing challenges. "Each year, the REACH Canada program showcases the powerful blend of technology and innovation that is transforming the real estate market," said Dave Garland, managing partner of Second Century Ventures. "The 2024 class emphasizes the role of technology and collaboration in addressing some of real estate's core challenges in Canada and across the globe. We're thrilled about the transformative potential these companies bring, and we're proud to be supporting their efforts to shape this industry's future." Second Century Ventures is the most active global venture fund in real estate technology, with more than 230 portfolio companies worldwide. SCV operates the global REACH scale-up program in six major markets: U.S. Residential, U.S. Commercial, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Latin America. The award-winning REACH program helps high growth-potential companies scale across the real estate, financial services, banking, home services and insurance industries. Companies joining the 2024 program are broadly categorized within three verticals: affordable and equitable access to housing; enhancing housing supply; and streamlining the agent and consumer experience. The seven companies selected for REACH Canada 2024 are as follows: Collegium: Makes real estate development a data-driven process by bringing owners, architects, engineers, building trades, constructors, financiers, and insurance underwriters together onto one platform, with an end-to-end process and next-generation digital tools. Maket: Revolutionizing design with generative AI that empowers architects, designers, builders, contractors and developers to automate residential floor plans, create 3D renders and explore limitless styles. Proxima HQ: A digital, end-to-end real estate sales platform that enables agents to sell anywhere with the best buying experience. Propra: A suite of property management tools that improves efficiency, communication, and cost-savings while elevating the resident experience. ilumin.ai: A continuous anti-money laundering (AML) compliance and monitoring tool for the real estate sector. Infinite Creator: Helps real estate professionals create captivating content for real estate that's fast, easy, affordable and professional PropTexx: Provides generative AI, data analytics and actionable, real-time business intelligence for the real estate industry. "This cohort of companies offers a remarkable range of diverse solutions that leverage REACH's rapidly expanding global presence," said Lynette Keyowski, Managing Partner of REACH Canada. "These innovators are working to advance the real estate ecosystem through unique value-added solutions for homeowners, asset owners, real estate operators and agents." REACH Canada will offer its 2024 program a robust curriculum including education, mentorship, exclusive networking opportunities and significant exposure to the global real estate marketplace. Learn more about the companies selected for the REACH Canada program and how you can get involved at www.narreach.ca. About NAR The National Association of Realtors® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The term Realtor® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. About REACH REACH is a unique technology scale-up program created by Second Century Ventures, the most active global fund in real estate technology. Backed by the National Association of Realtors®, Second Century Ventures leverages the association's more than 1.5 million members and an unparalleled network of executives within real estate and adjacent industries. The REACH program helps technology companies scale across the real estate vertical and its adjacent markets through education, mentorship and market exposure. For more on REACH, visit www.narreach.com.

Inside Real Estate Announces Fourth Annual Give Back Awards, Nominations Now Open
Awards will recognize three members of the real estate community who have made an impact on the lives of others, their businesses, or the community around them, and celebrate the impact of "paying it forward" MURRAY, Utah, November 3, 2023 -- Inside Real Estate, one of the fastest-growing independent real estate software companies and trusted technology partner to nearly 500,000 agents, teams, brokerages and top franchise brands, is excited to announce the fourth annual Give Back Awards, highlighting members of the real estate community who have made a significant impact through service within their communities in 2023. The Give Back Awards include three categories, The Helping Hand Award for those jumping in to aid friends, family, employees, another business or the community, The Walk-The-Talk Award for those making charitable giving a part of their business, and The Creative Changemaker Award for those using their creativity to put an innovative spin on giving back. "In times of so much market volatility, it's a special privilege to highlight some consistency, especially when it comes to real estate professionals going above and beyond to make a positive impact in their business and community," said Joe Skousen, Founder & CEO of Inside Real Estate. "These awards celebrate the real estate leaders who are putting service over self, and making an impact by paying it forward, and we are excited to share their stories." Nominations close on December 7, 2023, and three winners will be selected by a panel of judges from Inside Real Estate, based on how strongly they exemplify each award. The winners will be announced on December 13, 2023. Winners will be featured on social media, and the Give Back Awards website, and receive a $1,000 prize with the option to donate the prize to an organization of each winner's choice. To learn more and submit a nomination, visit https://s.insiderealestate.com/give-back-awards-2023.

Sentrilock Announces Sentrikey Showing Service Now Included for All Customers
The basic tier of SentriKey Showing Service® provides REALTORS® with a complete showing and client management tool to manage their listings, manage showing feedback, and facilitate scheduling for buyer and seller clients all within the same secure mobile app that they use to control property access. "We continue to bring innovative solutions to REALTORS® and ensure we provide a trusted platform that does not turn REALTORS® livelihoods into data that can be used by others for their own purposes," said Scott Fisher, CEO of SentriLock. "Our integrated lockbox and scheduling management platform bring a fantastic set of tools for our customers to use. Making this showing service more widely available just made sense. We want our clients to have all the best tools they need so they can save time and concentrate on what they do best – helping their clients achieve their real estate dreams." SentriLock is currently working with their current SentriKey Showing Service® customers to ensure that all customers have the option to remain within their current tier or upgrade to higher tiers. Agents and brokerages will also be able to upgrade directly to higher tiers, which provide features like a full office dashboard and scheduling center, access to the concierge call center to schedule appointments, ability to sign clients up to the Client Connect app, and access to the enhanced features in the industry's first AI-Enabled assistant, SAM™, who assists agents in their day to day client appointments. "We cannot wait for our customers to have access to a great showing management product designed to be a part of our SentriLock ecosystem of products," said Andrew Sims, Vice President of Revenue. "This is a product designed and improved by the help of our REALTOR® members. It's not something we just bought and tried to make fit. We really see this full suite of products as well as integrations with other leading proptech partners as our future." All SentriLock customers will now be able to take advantage of this offer. To start the conversation, please contact our sales team at [email protected].

Plunk and BHR Partner to Integrate AI-powered Property Analytics into RealReports Platform
Data partnership streamlines access to property research, comprehensive valuation, and remodeling insights into one platform BELLEVUE, WASH. – November 14, 2023 – Plunk, the world's first AI-powered analytics platform for residential real estate, announced a partnership with BHR, a leading provider of property intelligence for real estate professionals. This collaboration will see Plunk's proprietary AI technology integrated into BHR's RealReports™ platform, creating a streamlined and powerful solution for real estate professionals to access and leverage a wealth of property data effortlessly. "In this current market, the more insight you have into a property, the more competitive you can be. Plunk's real-time valuation and AI-powered remodel recommendations are a powerful layer of insight for agents using RealReports and their clients to drive more informed decision-making," remarked James Rogers, Co-founder and CEO of BHR. "Partnering with Plunk is a no-brainer for us because our mission and values are so intrinsically aligned. Both of our teams are passionate about increasing transparency within the real estate industry and driving innovation using cutting-edge technology to provide real value for all of our users," added Zach Gorman, Co-founder and COO of BHR. Property data and intelligence has become critical for agents looking to remain competitive in today's demanding real estate climate. Having easy access to Plunk's one-of-a-kind remodel data along with the extensive property information provided by RealReports enables agents to stand out to prospective clients. "The integration of Plunk's advanced analytics into RealReports™ will enable real estate professionals to access a comprehensive and powerful tool to optimize decision-making processes and drive business growth," commented Brian Lent, Co-founder and CEO of Plunk. To get a RealReport, visit bhr.fyi. To gain access to Plunk's AI-powered home analytics platform, visit getplunk.com/developers. About PlunkPlunk is bringing advanced analytics and unique data to residential real estate for more confident investing in the largest asset class in the world. Harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence, computer vision and deep learning, Plunk delivers real-time insights into home valuation, risk assessment and remodeling analysis through its SaaS platform. For more information, visit www.getplunk.com. About BHR BHR is the ultimate property intelligence solution for real estate professionals. BHR's flagship product, RealReports provides comprehensive property information for every home in the United States, powered by over 30 top data providers and Aiden, an AI real estate copilot, which can answer any property question instantly.

Introducing RealStat: The Insightful Solution for Real Estate Professionals
From the award-winning data platform, Revaluate Golden, CO (November 9, 2023) – Revaluate, is artificial intelligence, insight and data for the real estate and mortgage industry that segments lists and databases for marketers by propensity to move, is proud to introduce "RealStat," a groundbreaking solution designed to empower real estate professionals, teams and the industry. It's available starting on Thursday November 9th. Real estate professionals are all too familiar with the sinking feeling of losing a potential sale to another agent. Whether it's the drive-by with another agent's sign in the yard or a social media post revealing that your past client's property listed with a different agent, especially in this market where each listing is more valuable, the agony of missed opportunities can be unbearable. In the competitive world of real estate, it's crucial to have the right tools and insights to stay ahead of the game. "The primary problem that RealStat addresses is the need for a comprehensive and real-time view of the active listings within a real estate professional's client database. This new product offers an instant and accurate health check of what's happening within your client database. Never before has the industry had access to such a level of insight," said Chris Drayer, CEO & Co-founder of Revaluate. RealStat is a digital coach, a live dashboard that provides real estate professionals with the information they need to make informed decisions, find listings and stay competitive in the market. It offers a wide range of benefits, including: Grades the Database Quality: RealStat allows you to audit your database for completeness. Identifies opportunities for Growth: Displays lost commissions over the last 12 months offering a snapshot of how your marketing to your database is performing so you can see the opportunities at your disposal. Effectiveness of Outgoing Marketing: RealStat allows real estate professionals to measure the effectiveness of their marketing efforts, providing valuable insights into what works and what doesn't. Measuring the Effectiveness of Prior Marketing: Without measurement, it's impossible to know which marketing strategies are delivering results. RealStat helps bridge this gap. Identifying Expireds and Potential Listings in Your Database: RealStat can identify people in your database who have listed their properties, with or without your assistance. Enhanced Contact Information: By using RealStat, you can ensure that your contact data, including physical addresses and email addresses, is more complete and accurate. Compliance with Marketing Regulations: RealStat helps agents avoid marketing to individuals with active listings, reducing the risk of violating regulations and facing fines. Expert Guidance: The Revaluate Lab connects you with industry experts who can provide insights into additional automation, systems and scripts to get more listings. Geography Visualization: RealStat allows you to visually see where your database is on a map - along with where your marketing is working and not working. RealStat seamlessly integrates with Revaluate's award-winning and trusted AI platform, which predicts likely movers and offers top-tier contact data quality. Together, this powerful combination validates whether real estate professionals are effectively staying in front of their clients or losing them along the way. "Revaluate is so far ahead in its thinking and knows how to provide the data that is critical for me to build my real estate business the way it needs to be built." said Barry Jenkins, CMO and owner of Better Homes and Gardens NAGR in Virginia Beach. RealStat is set to become an invaluable tool for real estate professionals seeking to gain a competitive edge, enhance their marketing strategies, and improve their database management. Revaluate is proud to introduce this new solution to the real estate industry, enabling professionals to prevent missed opportunities and secure their sales. For more information about RealStat and Revaluate, please visit https://revaluate.com/talk About Revaluate Revaluate is artificial intelligence for the real estate and mortgage industry. Revaluate segments lists and databases for marketers by propensity to move. The award winning third-party validated accuracy is the best in the industry at identifying people who are likely to move in the next six months.

Chime Technologies Rebrands to 'Lofty'
Newest AI-powered Innovation Streamlines Marketing Content Creation and Execution for Busy Real Estate Agents and Teams Phoenix, AZ – November 7, 2023 – Award-winning real estate innovator, Chime Technologies today announced the company has rebranded as Lofty. This marks a significant step in the evolution of the company and underscores the organization's persistent commitment to providing practical AI-powered innovations for the modern real estate professional as they seek to better manage and grow their business. To learn more and hear directly from the executive team about what this evolution means visit, lofty.com/chimetolofty. As the real estate space becomes more competitive, AI has the potential to greatly increase process efficiency through automation and lowering operating costs, all while empowering agents to spend more time doing what they do best – building relationships and selling properties. Powered by proven AI technology, Lofty's cohesive platform ensures real estate pros can spend less time juggling multiple software applications and more time building their business. Customers have been successfully leveraging the company's AI innovations since 2019. The Lofty platform features a single, flexible hub to help automate marketing programs, streamline the sales process, maximize collaboration, and convert more leads into transactions. Most recently, the company introduced an AI Marketing Assistant designed to help busy agents and teams streamline marketing content creation and execution. Unlike simple point solutions and outdated CRM software, Lofty seamlessly optimizes every step of the customer journey from search to settlement. "The real estate industry is arguably amid the most significant, positive disruption in its history. It stands to unravel structures that have long undermined innovation and competition. The agents and firms that best utilize technology and systems will outcompete the competition and seize market share," noted Robert Lucido Jr., chief strategy officer at Lucido Global. "Our team has long been impressed by Lofty's commitment to providing best-in-class innovations that make a real difference in the lives of our agents and teams. We are excited to leverage Lofty's next wave of product development and aggressively compete in the next era of our industry." In tandem with the rebrand, Lofty is also introducing a significantly upgraded mobile app, recognizing that efficiencies generated by AI will enable agents to spend more time out in the field while still requiring on-the-go access to the Lofty platform. Built from inception as a mobile-first offering, the Lofty app will bring together all the key capabilities customers know and love plus brand-new features including: Chat Groups – Enables greater team collaboration and efficiency around listings and provides an upgraded user experience for agent-to-consumer chat. Showing Management – Provides a NEW innovative solution for agents to communicate and coordinate showings, create more engagement, and capture more interest on their listings. Listing Management – Agents can now easily search, manage, and promote listings directly from their mobile device empowering them to be even more productive while on the go. "As the real estate industry continues to change rapidly, we have expanded our vision to best meet the evolving needs of our customers, helping them navigate and prosper in a world that will be driven by AI," noted Joe Chen, CEO of Lofty. "We want our brand to inspire customers to believe in their future success and set ‘lofty' goals for their business. Our clients can continue to expect the same high level of product innovation and commitment to addressing their business needs through the practical application of AI technology." For more information on Lofty and how we can help your real estate business grow, visit lofty.com/chimetolofty. About Lofty, Inc. Lofty, Inc. (formerly Chime Technologies) provides an AI-powered platform that helps real estate professionals increase their productivity and accelerate business growth. Featuring award-winning technology, the Lofty platform is designed to optimize every step of the real estate journey, from search to settlement. By leveraging one unified hub, customers can automate marketing programs, streamline the sales process, and maximize collaboration between agents empowering them to spend more time building relationships and their business. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Lofty operates as a US subsidiary of Moatable, Inc. (NYSE: MTBL). For more information, visit lofty.com.

RentSpree Celebrates 2 Million Users Milestone on Its Rental Platform
RentSpree's user base doubles in less than two years LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31, 2023 -- RentSpree, the industry's premier end-to-end rental management software provider, today announced it reached two million users on its platform, effectively doubling its user base in less than two years. "It took us more than five years to get to the first million mark and less than two years to add the second million," said Michael Lucarelli, CEO and co-founder of RentSpree. "This is a testament to the power of our platform, our prolific industry partnerships and strong demand for smart rental solutions." Since a $620,000 pre-seed round in 2017, RentSpree has been able to raise a total of $28 million in Series A and B financings. The funds have enabled the company to expand product offerings for agents, landlords and renters and secure additional strategic partnerships. The company's exponential growth - a 598 percent revenue increase over three years - has landed it on the Inc. 5000 of fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. this year. RentSpree's key feature, its tenant screening solution, allows agents to view a rental applicant's report instantly. Over the years, RentSpree added a substantial array of additional rental solutions for agents, landlords and renters. Its latest is Credit Builder, RentSpree's rent payment reporting tool that allows renters to opt into having on-time payments reported to a credit bureau. RentSpree's comprehensive suite of tools helped boost transactions on the platform in any one month to a record 485,000 in July. These transactions include running tenant screening reports, agents adding properties to the system and renters submitting reviews for agents. Demand for rentals continues to be a timely topic as mortgage rates hovering around 8 percent and continuously increasing property prices have made buying a home out of reach for many. According to a recent study by CBRE, the cost comparison between purchasing a home and renting one has reached its most significant disparity since at least 1996. The study reveals that the average monthly new mortgage payment is now 52 percent higher than the average apartment rent. As part of its strategy to reach the largest number of users to benefit from its rental solutions, RentSpree has also formed hundreds of partnerships, including with three of the top five multiple listing services (MLS) in the United States – California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS), First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS), and Bright MLS. Other key partners include Beaches MLS, Miami Association of REALTORS®, Austin Board of REALTORS®, RE/MAX and Realty ONE Group, along with more than 250 of the most trusted brands in real estate, such as Lone Wolf Technologies. RentSpree's latest partnership includes OneKey® MLS, the largest multiple listing service in New York. RentSpree's key offerings include: Rental Application - Rental Application allows for easy-view, easy-to-read, and mobile-friendly applications. No need to be tied down to an office or computer to find the best tenants. Tenant Screening - Tenant Screening allows for agents to screen prospective tenants with a comprehensive background check from a credit bureau. Rental Client Manager - Rental Client Manager (RCM) leverages key milestones to help agents provide real estate guidance to clients. Listing Pages - With Listing Pages, RentSpree empowers agents to market their properties with a best-in-class user experience. Agent Profiles - Agent Profiles enable agents to create a personalized profile to promote their experience, feature their expertise, and market their listings. Accept/Deny Letters - Send a congratulatory welcome letter to new tenants and get off on the right foot, or a standardized denial letter to make it as painless as possible. Rent Payment - Rent Payment ensures all your rental transaction needs can be managed under one roof. RentSpree partners with Stripe to safely deposit payments into your bank account and automates the process to make sure to remind tenants when rent is due. Credit Builder - Renters can opt in to have on-time rent payments reported to a credit bureau to help boost their credit score. E-Sign Documents - Upload and send documents for fast and convenient signing anytime, anywhere. Agents can stay organized by uploading only the documents needed for the transaction and tracking the signature status. Renters Insurance - Insurance can help avoid issues during the lease. Tenants can purchase renters insurance or submit proof of their policy in one step. Rent Estimate - Rent Estimate helps agents discover similar properties in the area and develop strategies to maximize property values. About RentSpree Los Angeles-based RentSpree is a provider of award-winning rental software that helps easily connect real estate agents, landlords, and renters to simplify the entire rental process. The platform is known across all 50 states for its seamless and secure interface and suite of rental tools, including tenant screening, rent payments, marketing and renter management. To date, RentSpree has partnered with more than 250 of the most influential MLSs, real estate associations and brokerages to serve over one million users in the U.S. RentSpree was ranked on Inc. 5000's fastest-growing private companies in 2022 and 2023. Visit http://www.rentspree.com for more information.

Zillow Group to acquire Follow Up Boss, an industry leader in customer relationship management
Zillow Group's investment in the Follow Up Boss platform will further help teams and agents deliver great customer experiences, boost productivity and grow their businesses SEATTLE, Nov. 1, 2023 -- Zillow Group has entered into an agreement to acquire Follow Up Boss, a customer relationship management (CRM) system for real estate professionals. Follow Up Boss gives teams and agents a central hub to stay organized, engage customers, close deals and grow their production. As part of Zillow Group, Follow Up Boss will be able to invest further in improving its product offerings, helping their clients deliver the best possible customer experience while supercharging their businesses. Follow Up Boss will remain an independent brand and will continue to build its client base as a standalone product offering while serving all existing clients, regardless of whether an agent engages with other Zillow Group platforms. "We're excited to have more resources to invest in new features and functionality while still delivering the great experience our clients enjoy today," said Follow Up Boss co-founder Dan Corkill. "Our mission remains the same — to serve top-performing real estate teams and agents by providing industry-leading technology to power their businesses. We know Zillow Group shares that commitment." Follow Up Boss also plans to continue supporting its vast ecosystem of third-party integration partners, enabling agent clients to keep using their preferred systems seamlessly. Additionally, Zillow Group will continue supporting third-party CRM integrations on the Zillow Premier Agent app so Premier Agent partners can work in whichever CRM they choose. "Follow Up Boss is beloved by agents across the industry, including many Zillow Premier Agent partners and ShowingTime+ clients. Zillow Group continues to invest in tech solutions to help agents deliver an increasingly seamless experience for our shared customers," said Zillow president Susan Daimler. "Follow Up Boss has built the best CRM for agents and teams in the industry, and we look forward to supporting its continued success so agents can exceed the needs of today's buyers and sellers." Zillow Group has a track record of responsibly investing in the growth of industry tools, including in its previous acquisitions of dotloop and ShowingTime. Security and customer data privacy are a top priority for both Zillow Group and Follow Up Boss, and both companies have robust processes to secure customer data. The customer data that Follow Up Boss subscribers enter into the system is theirs, just as it always has been, and will stay within Follow Up Boss. In addition, Follow Up Boss will work with a third-party validator to ensure that the data stays safe and protected under the Follow Up Boss terms of use and privacy policy. The acquisition purchase price includes $400 million of initial cash consideration and up to $100 million in a potential cash earnout. Follow Up Boss has approximately 100 full-time employees who will join Zillow Group once the acquisition closes, including co-founders Dan Corkill and Tom Markov. More information can be found here. About Zillow Group Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow and its affiliates help people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, great partners, and easier buying, selling, financing and renting experiences. Zillow Group's affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®; Zillow Premier Agent®; Zillow Home Loans℠; Trulia®; Out East®; StreetEasy®; HotPads®; ShowingTime+℠; and Spruce®.

Nearly 70% of prospective buyers would buy a haunted house if it checked all their boxes
Zillow survey finds 35% of prospective buyers would buy a haunted house if it cost less SEATTLE, Oct. 24, 2023 -- This spooky season, a new survey from Zillow® finds that a scary number of prospective home buyers would be willing to put up with a few ghosts in the attic if those spirits happened to haunt the right home. More than two-thirds of prospective buyers (67%) say they could be convinced to buy a haunted house if it had appealing features, were in the right location, were more affordable or for another reason. These findings highlight the extreme compromises buyers are willing to make in order to land a home in today's housing market. Zillow's survey of prospective buyers finds that 40% say they could be convinced to buy a haunted house if it had features such as a big backyard, a pool or a two-car garage. Nearly one-third of prospective buyers (32%) say the same if the home were in their desired location. Finding a home that checks all the boxes has become challenging with frighteningly few new listings hitting the market. Zillow's latest monthly market report finds that inventory is starting to creep back up, but it remains more than 10% lower than this time last year, and more than 40% lower than 2019 levels. More than one-third of prospective buyers (35%) say they could be convinced to buy a haunted house if it were priced lower than the rest of the market. Home values remain near record highs after the pandemic-era run-up in prices. Meanwhile, mortgage rates surpassed a 22-year high this month, slashing buying power and spooking many would-be home shoppers. A new Zillow analysis finds buyers now need a six-figure income to comfortably afford the typical U.S. home, assuming a 10% down payment. "The combination of high prices, limited inventory and rising interest rates is creating a witches' brew of trouble for would-be homeowners," said Manny Garcia, a senior population scientist at Zillow. "Despite these chilling conditions, life events like job changes, coupling up and having children still drive households to buy. These shoppers have to square their budgets with important home characteristics like bedrooms, bathrooms and floor plans. When balancing so many priorities in an inventory-starved market, avoiding ghosts and ghouls doesn't always make the cut." In order to afford a home, many buyers end up trick-or-treating at the bank of Mom and Dad. A new Zillow report finds that 43% of recent buyers received a gift or loan from family or friends to help finance their down payment. Others are seeking out down payment assistance programs, which are listed on every for-sale home on Zillow. To reduce monthly mortgage costs, 45% of buyers are paying more money up front to buy points and lower their interest rate, according to a survey by Zillow Home Loans. There are new tools helping buyers better understand what they can afford. Mortgage and affordability calculators can help shoppers set a budget. Those shoppers can then search for homes by monthly cost instead of by sticker price when they are shopping on Zillow. Teaming up with a great agent and lender can also help manage the fear factor. For some brave souls, an otherworldly roommate can be a selling point. Nearly 30% of prospective buyers say they would be more likely to purchase a home if it were haunted (29%), while 20% say ghostly apparitions wouldn't impact their purchase decision. Either way, buyers may not know who is haunting the halls of their dream home. A Zillow analysis finds most states don't require sellers to disclose paranormal activity in the home they're selling. A spine-tingling 12% of successful buyers say their home is definitely haunted, while an additional 17% say their home may be harboring spirits. About Zillow Group Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow and its affiliates help people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, great partners, and easier buying, selling, financing and renting experiences.

U.S. Home-Seller Profits Continue Rising as Home Values Hit New Highs in Third Quarter
Profit Margins on Typical Home Sales Nationwide Increase to Almost 60 Percent; Returns Rise for Second Straight Quarter as Median U.S. Home Price Hits Another Record; Seller Profits Still Down from Year Ago Following Earlier Slide IRVINE, Calif. – Oct. 19, 2023 — ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property and real estate data, today released its third-quarter 2023 U.S. Home Sales Report, which shows that profit margins on median-priced single-family home and condo sales in the United States increased to 59 percent in the third quarter – the second straight quarterly increase following several declines. The improvement in typical profit margins, from 56.6 percent in the second quarter of 2023, came amid a continued rebound in the U.S. housing market that pushed the median nationwide home price up 2 percent to a new high of $350,000. Both the nationwide profit margin and median home price have increased since an unusual decline from the middle of 2022 to the early part of 2023 that had threatened to reverse a decade-long market boom. However, even as seller fortunes improved again in the third quarter, the typical investment return nationwide did remain below the 62 percent level recorded in the third quarter of 2022 and a high point of 62.3 percent in the second quarter of last year. "Prices and profits around the U.S. got another boost over the Summer as the housing market continued recovering from last year's setbacks," said Rob Barber, chief executive officer for ATTOM. "Things do remain uncertain heading into the market's annual Fall slowdown, especially at a time when mortgage rates are rising again, home affordability is getting tougher and the potential for a recession hangs in the air. But the latest gains fell in line with what we often see during the third quarter and showed that any predictions of an extended market fallback may have been premature." Gross profits on typical single-family home and condo sales across the country also went up during the third quarter of 2023. They rose 5 percent quarterly, to $129,900, and were up 3.2 percent annually. The continued gains in profits and prices around the U.S., while representing typical growth for a third-quarter period, still came amid a mix of forces that could turn the market up or down over the coming months. Both measures improved over the Summer as the supply of homes for sale in the U.S. remained historically low. That put upward pressure on prices, which, by extension, helped to push up profits. But mortgage rates started increasing again in the third quarter, rising toward an average of 8 percent for 30-year fixed loan following a stable second quarter. Consumer-price inflation also ticked back up after dropping dramatically over the prior year from 9 percent to 3 percent, while the stock market declined and the national unemployment rate rose close to 4 percent. Profit margins grow quarterly in roughly half the country but remain down annually Typical profit margins – the percent difference between median purchase and resale prices – increased from the second quarter of 2023 to the third quarter of 2023 in 85 (55 percent) of the 155 metropolitan statistical areas around the U.S. with sufficient data to analyze. However, they were still down annually in 103, or 66 percent, of those metros as the recent improvements were not enough to wipe out the earlier losses. That happened as the third-quarter improvement in home prices outpaced smaller increases that recent sellers had been paying when they originally bought their homes. Larger gains at the point of resale translated into higher profit margins. Metro areas were included if they had sufficient population and at least 1,000 single-family home and condo sales in the third quarter of 2023. The biggest quarterly increases in typical profit margins came in the metro areas of Scranton, PA (margin up from 72.2 percent in the second quarter of 2023 to 92 percent in the third quarter of 2023); Reading, PA (up from 70.3 percent to 88.5 percent); Flint, MI (up from 66.7 percent to 84.6 percent); Evansville, IN (up from 32.9 percent to 45.9 percent) and Roanoke, VA (up from 44.4 percent to 56.3 percent). The biggest quarterly profit-margin increases in metro areas with a population of at least 1 million in the third quarter of 2023 were in Birmingham, AL (return up from 41.2 percent to 50.9 percent); Buffalo, NY (up from 73.9 percent to 82.9 percent); Rochester, NY (up from 65.4 percent to 71.9 percent); Kansas City, MO (up from 44.5 percent to 50.2 percent) and Tucson, AZ (up from 59.1 percent to 64.8 percent). Typical profit margins decreased quarterly in 70 of the 155 metro areas analyzed (45 percent). The biggest quarterly decreases were in Lake Havasu City, AZ (margin down from 101.7 percent in the second quarter of 2023 to 81.6 percent in the third quarter of 2023); Albany, NY (down from 44.8 percent to 27.4 percent); Naples, FL (down from 84.5 percent to 73.7 percent); Bakersfield, CA (down from 76.1 percent to 65.9 percent) and Tallahassee, FL (down from 73.8 percent to 63.6 percent). The largest quarterly decreases in profit margins among metro areas with a population of at least 1 million came in San Jose, CA (down from 105.4 percent to 98.1 percent); Fresno, CA (down from 77.1 percent to 70.8 percent); Raleigh, NC (down from 61.9 percent to 56.3 percent); San Diego, CA (down from 78.7 percent to 73.8 percent) and Austin, TX (down from 50.3 percent to 45.5 percent). Metro areas with a population of at least 1 million where typical profits remained down the most annually included Austin, TX (margin down from 68.8 percent in the third quarter of 2022 to 45.5 percent in the third quarter of 2023); Honolulu, HI (down from 69.9 percent to 50.6 percent); Phoenix, AZ (down from 80 percent to 61.9 percent); Raleigh, NC (down from 73.9 percent to 56.3 percent) and Nashville, TN (down from 84 percent to 68 percent). Raw profits up in almost two-thirds of U.S. Profits on median-priced home sales nationwide, measured in raw dollars, increased from $123,716 in the second quarter of 2023 to $129,900 in the third quarter, a 5 percent gain. Typical raw profits went up quarterly in 95, or 61 percent, of the metro areas analyzed for this report. Measured annually, the typical nationwide raw profit also was up, by 3.2 percent, from $125,875 in the third quarter of 2022. The figure rose year over year in 54 percent of the markets analyzed. The biggest quarterly raw-profit increases in areas with a population of at least 1 million were in Buffalo, NY (up 22 percent); New York, NY (up 15 percent); Birmingham, AL (up 13 percent); Rochester, NY (up 13 percent) and Kansas City, MO (up 11 percent). On an annual basis, the largest improvements in raw profits on median-priced home sales among metros with a population of at least 1 million came in Hartford, CT (up 33 percent); Rochester, NY (up 24 percent); Chicago, IL (up 15 percent); Cincinnati, OH (up 13 percent) and Buffalo, NY (up 13 percent). Eighteen of the top 20 largest raw profits on median-priced sales in the third quarter of 2023 were along the northeast or west coasts. They were led by San Jose, CA (profit of $718,000); San Francisco, CA ($485,000); San Diego, CA ($361.000); Los Angeles, CA ($347,233) and Seattle, WA ($331,938). Nineteen of the smallest 20 raw profits were in the Midwest or South. The lowest were in Shreveport, LA ($2,744); Beaumont, TX ($24,312); Peoria, IL ($37,500); Lubbock, TX ($44,725) and McAllen, TX ($47,030). Prices up in almost three-quarters of nation Median single-family home and condo prices increased from the second to the third quarter of 2023 in 110 (71 percent) of the 155 metro areas around the country with enough data to analyze, and were up annually in 125 of those metros (81 percent). Nationwide, the median home price rose to a new high of $350,000, up 2 percent over the previous record of $343,000 in the second quarter of 2023 and 6.1 percent from $329,900 in the third quarter of last year. Metro areas with the biggest increases in median home prices from the second quarter of 2023 to the third quarter of 2023 were Buffalo, NY (up 14.7 percent); Scranton, PA (up 11.4 percent); Trenton, NJ (up 11.1 percent); New York, NY (up 9.9 percent) and Syracuse, NY (up 9.8 percent). Aside from Buffalo and New York, the largest quarterly median-price increases in metro areas with a population of at least 1 million were in Detroit, MI (up 7.8 percent); Hartford, CT (up 6.3 percent) and Philadelphia, PA (up 6.3 percent). Home prices tied or hit new highs during the third quarter of 2023 in 86, or 55 percent, of the 155 metro areas in the report. Metro areas with a population of more than 1 million that set or tied records in the third quarter included New York, NY; Chicago, IL; Philadelphia, PA; Miami, FL, and Atlanta, GA. Metro areas with a population of at least 1 million where the median home price declined most from the second to the third quarter of 2023 included New Orleans, LA (down 5.2 percent); Indianapolis, IN, (down 4.6 percent); San Francisco, CA (down 4.4 percent); Austin, TX (down 4 percent) and Dallas, TX (down 3 percent). Homeownership tenure up close to high point for this century Homeowners who sold in the third quarter of 2023 had owned their homes an average of 7.86 years, which marked the second highest point since 2000. The latest figure was up from 7.6 years in the second quarter of 2023 and from 7.21 years in the third quarter of 2022. Average tenure was up from the third quarter of 2022 to the same period this year in 96 percent of metro areas with sufficient data. The largest annual increases were in Santa Barbara, CA (tenure up 32 percent); Madera, CA (up 27 percent); Santa Rosa, CA (up 27 percent); Truckee, CA (up 24 percent) and Santa Cruz, CA (up 21 percent). The top 40 longest average tenures among sellers in the third quarter of 2023 were in the Northeast or West regions of the U.S. They were led by Barnstable, MA (13.84 years); Bridgeport, CT (12.79 years); Norwich, CT (12.59 years); Santa Rosa, CA (12.58 years) and Boston, MA (12.56 years). The smallest average tenures among third-quarter sellers were in Provo, UT (6.44 years); Austin, TX (6.46 years); Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, FL (6.47 years); Oklahoma City, OK (6.57 years) and Lakeland, FL (6.57 years). Lender-owned foreclosure sales remain near low point since 2000 Home sales following foreclosures by banks and other lenders represented just 1.4 percent, or one of every 73 U.S. single-family home and condo sales in the third quarter of 2023. That was down from 1.5 percent in the second quarter of 2023, although up from 1.1 percent in the third quarter of last year. Still, it remained just a tiny fraction of the 30 percent peak this century hit in early 2009 during the aftermath of the Great Recession of 2007. Among metropolitan statistical areas with sufficient data, those areas where REO sales represented the largest portion of all sales in the third quarter of 2023 included Flint, MI (6.2 percent); Macon, GA (5.8 percent); Hilo, HI (4.1 percent); Lansing, MI (3.4 percent); and Chicago, IL (3.3 percent). Cash sales up Nationwide, all-cash purchases accounted for 36.6 percent of single-family home and condo sales in the third quarter of 2023. That was up slightly from 36.4 percent in the second quarter of 2023 and up from 35.2 percent in the third quarter of last year. "The level of cash sales has inched up over the past year as mortgage rates in the U.S. have continued their march higher, now close to an average of 8 percent for a 30-year loan," Barber said. "If rates keep rising, that should continue creating favorable conditions for more all-cash deals." Among metropolitan areas with a population of 200,000 or more and sufficient cash-sales data, those where cash sales represented the largest share of all transactions in the third quarter of 2023 included Athens, GA (63.3 percent); Myrtle Beach, SC (60 percent of all sales); Macon, GA (58.9 percent); Claremont, NH (56.8 percent) and Naples, FL (56 percent). Those where cash sales represented the smallest share of all transactions in the third quarter of 2023 included Greeley, CO (16.3 percent); Boulder, CO (19.7 percent); Cedar Rapids, IA (21.6 percent); Washington, DC (21.7 percent) and Vallejo, CA (21.7 percent). Institutional investment drops to three-year low Institutional investors nationwide accounted for 5.9 percent, or one of every 17 single-family home and condo purchases in the third quarter of 2023. That was down from 6.2 percent in the second quarter of 2023 and from 7.6 percent in the third quarter of 2022, to the lowest point since the fourth quarter of 2020. Among states with enough data to analyze, those with the largest percentages of sales to institutional investors in the third quarter of 2023 were Oklahoma (8.8 percent of all sales), Tennessee (8.7 percent), Texas (8.4 percent), Georgia (8 percent) and Indiana (7.9 percent). States with the smallest levels of sales to institutional investors in the third quarter of 2023 included Hawaii (1.9 percent of all sales), Rhode Island 2.9 percent), Maine (3 percent), New Hampshire (3 percent) and Louisiana (3.2 percent). FHA-financed purchases down quarterly, up annually Nationwide, buyers using Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans comprised 8.8 percent of all single-family home purchases in the third quarter of 2023 (one of every 11). That was down from 9.3 percent in the second quarter of 2023 but still up from 8 percent a year earlier. Among metropolitan areas with sufficient FHA-buyer data, those with the highest levels of sales to FHA purchasers in the third quarter of 2023 included Merced, CA (25.3 percent); Lakeland, FL (24.3 percent of all sales); Bakersfield, CA (22.9 percent); Yuma, AZ (20.5 percent) and Visalia, CA (20.1 percent)). Report methodology The ATTOM U.S. Home Sales Report provides percentages of REO sales and all sales that are sold to institutional investors and cash buyers, at the state and metropolitan statistical area. Data is also available at the county and zip code level, upon request. The data is derived from recorded sales deeds, foreclosure filings and loan data. Statistics for previous quarters are revised when each new report is issued as more deed data becomes available. About ATTOM ATTOM provides premium property data to power products that improve transparency, innovation, efficiency and disruption in a data-driven economy. ATTOM multi-sources property tax, deed, mortgage, foreclosure, environmental risk, natural hazard, and neighborhood data for more than 155 million U.S. residential and commercial properties covering 99 percent of the nation's population. A rigorous data management process involving more than 20 steps validates, standardizes, and enhances the real estate data collected by ATTOM, assigning each property record with a persistent, unique ID — the ATTOM ID. The 30TB ATTOM Data Warehouse fuels innovation in many industries including mortgage, real estate, insurance, marketing, government and more through flexible data delivery solutions that include bulk file licenses, property data APIs, real estate market trends, property navigator and more. Also, introducing our newest innovative solution, that offers immediate access and streamlines data management – ATTOM Cloud.

Redfin Reports That Homebuyers Must Earn $115,000 to Afford the Typical U.S. Home -- About $40,000 More Than the Typical American Household Earns
Sky-high mortgage rates and still-rising home prices have made it harder than ever to afford a home, especially for first-time buyers SEATTLE -- A homebuyer must earn $114,627 to afford the median-priced U.S. home, up 15% ($15,285) from a year ago and up more than 50% since the start of the pandemic, according to a new report from Redfin, the technology-powered real estate brokerage. That's the highest annual income necessary to afford a home on record. "In a homebuyer's ideal world, rising mortgage rates would push demand and home prices down enough to make up for high interest payments. But that's not what's happening now: Although new listings are ticking up slightly, inventory is still near record lows as homeowners hang onto their low mortgage rates—and that's propping up prices," said Redfin Economics Research Lead Chen Zhao. "Buyers—particularly first-timers who are committed to getting into a home now—should think outside the box. Consider a condo or townhouse, which are less expensive than a single-family home, and/or consider moving to a more affordable part of the country, or a more affordable suburb." Housing costs are higher than ever because of the one-two punch of sky-high mortgage rates and rising home prices. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage was 7.07% in August. Mortgage rates have climbed even higher since then, hitting 7.57% during the week ending October 12—their highest level in over two decades. But even though soaring mortgage rates have dampened demand, low inventory is causing home prices to increase. The typical U.S. home sold for about $420,000 in August, up 3% year over year and just about $12,000 shy of the all-time high hit in mid-2022. The typical U.S. homebuyer's monthly mortgage payment is $2,866, an all-time high. That's up 20% from $2,395 a year earlier, and by that time payments had already increased substantially from the beginning of the pandemic, a time of ultra-low mortgage rates and yet-to-skyrocket home prices. In August 2020, for instance, the typical monthly payment was $1,581, based on that month's average mortgage rate of 2.94% and median home price of $329,000. At that time, a homebuyer would have needed to earn $75,000 per year to afford the typical home. The typical American household earns about $40,000 less than the income needed to buy a median-priced home. The median household income was roughly $75,000 in 2022, the most recent year for which annual income data is available. Hourly wages have risen in 2023, but not nearly as fast as the income necessary to afford a home is rising: The average U.S. hourly wage has increased by about 5% over the last year. Affordability is less of a problem for all-cash and move-up buyers. Buyers who can afford to pay cash aren't impacted by high mortgage rates, and they likely earn more than the income necessary to purchase a home, anyway. Buyers who are selling a home to buy another one are in a better boat than first-timers because they have likely built up equity in their current home, which takes a bit of the sting out of soaring monthly payments. The caveat to the caveat is those who bought at the height of the pandemic-era market with an ultra-low mortgage rate and need to sell now: Not only are they giving up a low rate, they also may have lost money on their home. Metro-level highlights: Income needed to buy a home has risen in all major metros, with biggest uptick in Miami and smallest in Austin August 2023, analysis includes 100 most populous U.S. metros for which sufficient data is available Metros where necessary income has increased most: In both Miami and Newark, NJ, homebuyers must earn 33% more than a year ago to afford the typical home—the biggest percent increase of the major U.S. metros. Homebuyers in Miami need to earn $143,000 annually to afford the area's typical monthly mortgage payment of $3,580, and Newark buyers need to earn roughly $160,000 to afford that area's $3,989 payment. Other metros where necessary income has increased by over 30%: The income necessary to afford a median-priced home has increased by over 30% in four other metros, all in the eastern half of the country: Bridgeport, CT ($183,000); Dayton, OH ($60,000); Rochester, NY ($66,000); and Hartford, CT ($95,000). Buyers need to earn more in every major metro: Skyrocketing mortgage rates have caused the income necessary to buy a home to increase in every major metro, even the places where prices have declined over the last year. Necessary income has increased least in pandemic homebuying hotspots: Austin, TX homebuyers must earn $126,000 to afford the median-priced home, 8% more than a year ago—the smallest increase of all the major U.S. metros. That's despite Austin home prices falling 7% year over year in August after they skyrocketed during the pandemic, with remote workers flocking in. Boise, ID, another pandemic homebuying hotspot where demand has since dropped, experienced the next-smallest increase: up 9% to $127,000. Salt Lake City, Fort Worth, TX and Lakeland, FL come next, with year-over-year increases of about 13% each. Home prices are down from a year ago in all those metros. Homebuyers must earn six figures to buy a home in half the major metros in the country: In 50 of the 100 metros in this analysis, buyers must earn at least $100,000 to afford the median-priced home in their area. Buyers must earn at least $50,000 everywhere in the country. Bay Area buyers must earn $400,000: Buyers in the most expensive markets in the country—San Francisco and San Jose, CA—must earn more than $400,000 to afford the median-priced home in their area, both up nearly 25% year over year. The next five metros are all in California: Anaheim ($300,000), Oakland ($250,000), San Diego ($241,000), Los Angeles ($237,000) and Oxnard ($233,000). Rust Belt buyers need the least income—but it's still up from a year ago: Detroit homebuyers must earn about $52,000 to afford the area's median-priced home, up 19% from a year ago. That's the lowest income required to afford a home in the U.S. Next come three Ohio metros (Akron, Dayton and Cleveland) and Little Rock, AR, all of which require roughly $60,000 in annual income to buy a home. View the full report, including a chart, a metro-level breakdown and methodology, here. About Redfin Redfin is a technology-powered real estate company. We help people find a place to live with brokerage, rentals, lending, title insurance, and renovations services. We also run the country's #1 real estate brokerage site. Our home-buying customers see homes first with same day tours, and our lending and title services help them close quickly. Customers selling a home in certain markets can have our renovations crew fix up their home to sell for top dollar. Our rentals business empowers millions nationwide to find apartments and houses for rent. Customers who buy and sell with Redfin pay a 1% listing fee, subject to minimums, less than half of what brokerages commonly charge. Since launching in 2006, we've saved customers more than $1.5 billion in commissions. We serve more than 100 markets across the U.S. and Canada and employ over 5,000 people.

Chime Technologies Unveils AI Marketing Assistant
Newest AI-powered Innovation Streamlines Marketing Content Creation and Execution for Busy Real Estate Agents and Teams Phoenix, AZ – October 11, 2023 -- Chime Technologies, an award-winning real estate technology innovator, today unveiled the latest AI-powered innovation to be added to the Chime platform, the all new AI Marketing Assistant. Designed to help real estate agents and teams quickly and easily create compelling marketing content, the AI Marketing Assistant generates a wide range of content marketing assets from open house events to emails newsletters, without requiring time from agents to identify, develop, and execute ideas. Integrated directly into the Chime campaign dashboard, the new solution streamlines this critical lead nurturing function and allows real estate professionals to spend more time building relationships and closing deals. To learn more or to see the solution in action, click here. Chime's AI Marketing Assistant can help clients generate compelling content with minimal effort. Through a series of AI-generated prompts, the Marketing Assistant quickly guides agents through the process of creating multiple content and lead nurturing assets. From open house events to blog copy, email newsletters to social media posts, the new solution effortlessly creates copy and automatically manages the execution. By coupling this advancement with Chime's additional lead nurturing capabilities, such as the platform's Smart Plans application, customers can minimize the time spent on creating marketing assets and reap the benefits of AI-powered content creation.AI Marketing Assistant can help clients generate compelling content with minimal effort. Through a series of AI-generated prompts, the Marketing Assistant quickly guides agents through the process of creating multiple content and lead nurturing assets. From open house events to blog copy, email newsletters to social media posts, the new solution effortlessly creates copy and automatically manages the execution. By coupling this advancement with Chime's additional lead nurturing capabilities, such as the platform's Smart Plans application, customers can minimize the time spent on creating marketing assets and reap the benefits of AI-powered content creation. "AI is an easy term to throw around the industry, but our team has been developing AI-driven solutions that focus on providing practical benefits for nearly five years," noted Joe Chen, CEO of Chime. "Our latest innovation, AI Marketing Assistant will not only save agents time but enable them to engage and nurture their leads more often without having to do more intense marketing follow up." To learn more about Chime and how our AI-driven innovations deliver real business value to real estate agents, teams, and brokerages, visit chime.me/. About Chime Technologies Chime is an award-winning real estate technology innovator headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Our AI-powered platform empowers real estate professionals, teams, and brokerages with the tools they need to automate lead generation operations, drive conversions, and grow their business. Chime Technologies operates as a US subsidiary of Moatable, Inc. (NYSE: MTBL). For more information, visit www.chime.me.

Search by school on Zillow makes house hunting as easy as ABC
Find homes in specific school districts when searching for homes to buy or rent SEATTLE, Oct. 11, 2023 -- Today, Zillow is launching search by school, a new feature on the Zillow app that makes it easy for home shoppers to discover homes for sale or rent within specific school attendance zones or school districts just by using the search bar. "Nearly one-third of home shoppers have children younger than 18, making 'search by school' an important feature on the Zillow app," said Nicholas Stevens, vice president of product at Zillow. "We understand the perfect home often extends beyond the property itself, and this feature makes it easy for shoppers to explore homes for sale or for rent in their desired school districts." The search-by-school feature is accessed through the Zillow search bar and offers auto-complete suggestions for relevant schools and school districts based on the user's search history. Searching by school is currently available on Zillow's iOS mobile app and will launch on Android platforms by the end of the year; it will be on the web in 2024. Additionally, Zillow is introducing the ability for home shoppers to receive instant or daily alerts about new for-sale or for-rent homes within their preferred school attendance zone or school district. How to search by school on the Zillow app Using the Zillow mobile app, searching for homes within a particular school attendance zone or school district is as simple as typing the name into the search bar. The feature helps home shoppers by auto-completing their search, offering relevant suggestions for schools and school districts based on their previous searches. Once a school or school district is selected, the app will automatically display the attendance zone boundaries on the map. Users will then see which homes are available for sale or rent within that attendance zone. Searches for open enrollment, or charter or private schools without assigned boundaries will display homes within a 5-mile radius surrounding the school. Zillow aims to unlock information and empower home shoppers to make better decisions. The search-by-school feature gives people the ability to effortlessly locate homes within a specific school attendance zone or school district, making their home search process as smooth as possible.   School districts: A key priority for home buyers According to Zillow's Consumer Housing Trends Report, a significant share of home buyers value living in their preferred school district. The importance of school district selection was particularly evident among buyers in their 30s, with 75% of them emphasizing its significance. In addition, 67% of buyers in their 40s and 61% of first-time buyers considered it a highly important factor in their home search. Statistics from 2021 revealed that 68% of buyers with kids younger than 18 emphasized the importance of school districts, compared to 20% of buyers without children. Year over year, the percentage of buyers who considered school districts highly important remained steady at 43% from 2018 to 2021. However, in 2023, there has been a notable increase to 52% of buyers, indicating a growing preference among home buyers for locating homes within specific school districts. About Zillow Group Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow and its affiliates help people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, great partners, and easier buying, selling, financing and renting experiences. Zillow Group's affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®; Zillow Premier Agent®; Zillow Home Loans℠; Trulia®; Out East®; StreetEasy®; HotPads®; and ShowingTime+℠, which includes ShowingTime®, Bridge Interactive®, and dotloop®.

NAR's 2023 Good Neighbor Awards Winners Celebrated for Community Impact
WASHINGTON (October 5, 2023) – The National Association of Realtors® today announced the recipients of the 2023 Good Neighbor Awards. Celebrating its 24th year, these awards spotlight real estate agents who make an extraordinary impact on their communities through volunteer work. The winners exemplify a tireless commitment to serving their communities and working to make life better for people in their neighborhoods. The 2023 Good Neighbor Award winners are as follows: Debbie Arakaki, Compass, Lahaina, Hawaii, major fundraiser for Maui Food Bank Karen DeMarco, Coldwell Banker Residential Realty, Tenafly, New Jersey, co-founder of The Food Brigade Kasia Maslanka, Douglas Elliman, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of Morningday Community Solutions Sandra Shank, TAG Ventures Real Estate Services Co., Palm Coast, Florida, founder of Abundant Life Ministries–Hope House Inc. Anita Sherley and Jay Sherley, Big Sky Brokers LLC, Helena, Montana, founders of Life Houses Inc. "As we honor this year's Good Neighbor Awards recipients, we are reminded of the broader purpose that unites us in the real estate profession," said NAR President Tracy Kasper, a Realtor® from Nampa, Idaho, and broker-owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Silverhawk Realty. "Beyond sales and contracts, it's the people, stories and shared dreams that matter. These winners are making a difference in communities and improving lives, underlining the true spirit of community engagement." Each of the five winners – selected by a multistage, criteria-based judging process – will receive a $10,000 grant for their charity and be featured in the fall 2023 issue of REALTOR® Magazine. NAR will formally present each with their award on November 15 during NAR NXT, the association's annual conference that will take place in Anaheim this year. More About Each Winner: Debbie Arakaki, Compass, Lahaina, Hawaii In the state with the nation's highest food costs, Debbie Arakaki has raised funds to provide more than one million meals through the Maui Food Bank. Since 2015, Arakaki has rallied the real estate community to host food drives, run fundraisers and volunteer for food-packing events. Now, in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires, she is amping up her efforts to help thousands of families who lost their homes. She and a group of other long-time Maui residents collaborated to create the Maui Pono Foundation to provide immediate funds to neighbors in need. Karen DeMarco, Coldwell Banker Residential Realty, Tenafly, New Jersey Karen DeMarco was inspired by her community's support during her battle with breast cancer and decided to pay it forward. Within three years, DeMarco went from cooking meals in her kitchen to co-founding The Food Brigade, a food pantry network that has provided more than 1,700 tons of food to tens of thousands of people across three New Jersey counties. Kasia Maslanka, Douglas Elliman, Fort Lauderdale, Florida Kasia Maslanka co-founded Morningday Community Solutions to redirect overstocked or returned excess merchandise from retail businesses to nonprofits and people in need. Over 13 years, they have saved nonprofits $10 million in spending and diverted more than 400 tons of unused products from landfills each year. Sandra Shank, TAG Ventures Real Estate Services Co., Palm Coast, Florida In 2003, Sandra Shank opened Abundant Life Ministries–Hope House Inc. to give troubled teenage boys in Florida's foster care system a supportive foundation. For 20 years, she has housed and mentored 300 of the most vulnerable residents, with current plans to break ground on an affordable housing complex offering holistic care services to families in need. Anita and Jay Sherley, Big Sky Brokers LLC, Helena, Montana Anita and Jay Sherley provide stable housing and mentoring to at-risk young men and women recently released from jail or too old for foster care, those typically at higher risks of homelessness. In the 16 years since they founded Life Houses Inc., the Sherleys have helped more than 200 at-risk young adults build life skills to transition to productive, goal-oriented lives of purpose. In addition to the winners, the following Realtors® have been recognized as Good Neighbor Awards honorable mentions and will each receive $2,500 grants for their charity: Betsy Brint, @properties, Highland Park, Illinois, Highland Park Community Foundation Rick Furnish, Landmark Realty & Development Co., Spearfish, South Dakota, America's Kids Belong and Hope Ranch Jed Nilson, Nilson Homes, Ogden, Utah, Northern Wasatch Association of REALTORS®' Have a Heart Foundation Irene Sawyer, Keller Williams High Country, Boone, North Carolina, High Country Breast Cancer Foundation Steven Sharpe, Keller Williams Realty, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Camp Horizon NAR's Good Neighbor Awards is supported by primary sponsor Realtor.com® as well as the Center for REALTOR® Development. In September, Realtor.com® invited the public to vote for their favorite of the 10 finalists. The top three vote-getters all received additional donations for their charities. The following Realtors® have been crowned as this year's Web Choice Favorites: Anita and Jay Sherley, who will receive an additional $2,500 bonus donation for Life Houses Inc. Karen DeMarco, who will receive an additional $1,250 bonus donation for The Food Brigade. Debbie Arakaki, who will receive an additional $1,250 bonus donation for Maui Food Bank. "This year's Good Neighbor Award winners continue the tradition of raising the bar on what's possible through giving back," said Realtor.com® CMO Mickey Neuberger. "Their stories have moved us at Realtor.com®, and they've inspired everyone who voted for their Web Choice Favorite. We are honored to be long-time sponsors of the Good Neighbor Awards program." Realtor.com® is an open real estate marketplace built for everyone. Realtor.com® pioneered the world of digital real estate more than 25 years ago. Today, through its website and mobile apps, Realtor.com® is a trusted guide for consumers, empowering more people to find their way home by breaking down barriers, helping them make the right connections, and creating confidence through expert insights and guidance. For professionals, Realtor.com® is a trusted partner for business growth, offering consumer connections and branding solutions that help them succeed in today's on-demand world. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. For more information, visit Realtor.com. The Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD), a wholly owned subsidiary of NAR, is devoted to lifelong learning, career advancement, and specialized credentials for real estate professionals. With 10+ designations and certifications, over 100 microcourses, learning pathways, an award-winning podcast, and educational events, there is a learning experience for every real estate professional. Learn more at crd.realtor. The National Association of Realtors® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The term Realtor® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

RentSpree Launches Rent Reporting Feature to Empower Renters on the Path to Homeownership
RentSpree's Credit Builder feature reports on-time rent payments directly to credit bureaus LOS ANGELES, Oct. 3, 2023 -- RentSpree, the industry's premier end-to-end rental management software provider, is excited to announce the launch of Credit Builder, a rent reporting feature designed to enhance renters' financial health and facilitate their journey toward homeownership. Through its Credit Builder feature, RentSpree facilitates secure online rent payments that can automatically be reported to TransUnion. "No pun intended, but let's give credit where credit is due," said Michael Lucarelli, CEO and Co-Founder of RentSpree. "Building a credit history through rent payments can significantly impact loan approvals, especially for those with limited credit history. RentSpree aims to facilitate this process and empower renters to achieve their financial goals, whether it's securing a loan, purchasing a vehicle, or buying their dream home." Despite being one of the largest monthly expenses for renters, usually accounting for between 30 percent and 40 percent of their income, rent payments traditionally have not contributed to their credit history. Unlike homeowners, renters do not build credit with each timely rent payment. Recognizing the significance of rent payments in the financial success of individuals, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac recently began to consider this monthly financial outlay as part of borrowers' credit histories. As consumers are unable to directly report on-time rent payments, RentSpree's Credit Builder feature bridges this gap. "Credit Builder is a powerful tool that can truly help renters and landlords alike," said Lucarelli. "Research shows that when payments are reported to credit bureaus, seven out of 10 renters are more likely to pay on time. So this feature is going to benefit those who are already punctual while encouraging others to develop greater consistency. It's a win-win." He added, "All of us who are in the business of helping renters – whether it is the landlords who provide the space, the agents who work with renters or the organizations that in turn support agents such as MLSs — can ultimately play an important part in helping renters transform rent payment obligations into stepping stones toward a better credit score and a more financially sound life." About RentSpree Los Angeles-based RentSpree is a provider of award-winning rental software that helps easily connect real estate agents, landlords, and renters to simplify the entire rental process. The platform is known across all 50 states for its seamless and secure interface and suite of rental tools, including tenant screening, rent payments, marketing and renter management. To date, RentSpree has partnered with more than 250 of the most influential MLSs, real estate associations and brokerages to serve over one million users in the U.S. RentSpree was ranked on Inc. 5000's fastest-growing private companies in 2022 and 2023. Visit www.rentspree.com for more information.

Finding Leads in Your Sphere Easier Than Ever Before with Latest Innovation from MoxiWorks
MoxiWork's dynamic duo MoxiPresent & MoxiEngage helps agents make their market, even in a down one Seattle, WA (September 28, 2023) – MoxiWorks, your partner in real estate success, providing stackable tech solutions that agents and brokers actually want to use, has launched an upgrade connecting their dynamic duo of MoxiPresent and MoxiEngage like never before. MoxiPresent is an agents' more than just a CMA tool enabling them to create dynamic presentations from CMAs and buyer tours, to annual property reviews and more. MoxiEngage is the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool that keeps you on task and in flow, syncing and updating info and insights about your sphere, and ultimately helping you win more listings and better serve your clients. The latest innovation has made it even easier to spin-up any presentation and send it off to your sphere of influence directly in MoxiEngage. One of the proven ways to bring more transactions into an agent's orbit is by staying in flow with their sphere of influence and providing value to clients like annual property reviews. This is one of the most surefire ways to educate someone on the value of their home and show them all the benefits that buying/selling would do for them, no matter the market. And that's why MoxiWorks has made it even easier to create and send these presentations to garner more activity and ultimately more listings. "Innovation at MoxiWorks is always done with an eye towards making the agents more efficient and maximizing their opportunities. In a market as tough as this, it is always about gaining that edge," said Dave Greenbaum, MoxiWorks' VP of Customer Engagement. "This deeper integration between two of our most-beloved products is all about making it easier for agents to really delight their clients — to be that expert, to have the answers, and to stay in touch long after or long before that contact is ready to transact." Finding leads in your sphere easier than ever before with latest Innovation from MoxiWorks So how does it work? You can now quickly launch presentations from the MoxiEngage My People contact cards. Associate presentations with specific contacts and automatically pull in their property addresses while crafting a presentation in MoxiPresent. MoxiPresent will give you the option to pull in addresses from more than one contact, too. Have a client that has a new/different address? Simply enter that address into MoxiPresent and you can push that new address to the contact profile(s) in MoxiEngage, ensuring that the contact profile(s) is up to date with the most current address. "For years we've talked about the secret weapon of annual property reviews," said York Baur, CEO MoxiWorks. "Your CRM is full of people who may be ready to list their property, but they need a trusted expert to show them what their opportunity looks like. We know agents are the experts in their markets and they are best equipped to help their clients realize what's possible. This new update makes putting these property reviews together easier than ever." This is just the first of many innovations and upgrades coming down the pipeline as MoxiWorks continues to build deeper integrations between products and with our partner platforms, thanks to the MoxiCloud. Ultimately creating an even more cohesive experience across the platform. To learn more or to get in touch, visit moxiworks.com. About MoxiWorks MoxiWorks, a real estate tech platform that has revolutionized the industry for more than a decade, powers more than 800 brokerages and 400,000 agents to be more productive with an easier and faster marketing and management experience. Flexible, stackable, and tailored MoxiWorks solutions make the day-to-day of running a brokerage less daunting so real estate rockstars can shine. Find out more and supercharge your growth at moxiworks.com.

Plunk Partners with Award-Winning Marketing Platforms to Deliver AI-Powered Analytics Across Multiple Digital Channels
Union Street Media and Realforce join Plunk's growing list of partners to deliver real-time housing market insights to target audiences BELLEVUE, Wash. , Sept. 26, 2023 -- Plunk, the world's first AI-powered analytics platform for residential real estate, announced a partnership with two of the real estate industry's top marketing platforms. Union Street Media is the leader in omnichannel marketing, providing integrated campaigns across web, mobile, voice, search engine optimization and social media. Realforce (previously Adfenix) is modernizing the marketing infrastructure by streamlining the martech stack for real estate teams. "We believe that AI-powered, real-time data and analytics will become the industry standard within the next five years," predicted Ted Adler, a marketing visionary and Founder of Union Street Media. "With Plunk, we're getting ahead of that adoption curve and delivering home valuation, remodeling analytics and market insights to our target audiences across every digital medium — right now." The housing market is in constant flux and Plunk's AI-powered home analytics platform is transforming the speed at which buying and selling decisions are made, by offering up-to-the-second insights into home valuation, risk assessment and remodeling possibilities. These partnerships set a precedent for greater access to real-time data in an industry that has historically experienced challenges with providing timely and accurate data. It also sets a new bar for more efficient delivery of relevant data to current and potential customers. "Through this strategic partnership with Plunk, we aim to address a longstanding challenge in the real estate industry: the generation of high-quality leads with a measurable and positive return on investment," added Philip Hegge, US Director, Realforce. "Not only does this enhance the consumer experience, but it also simultaneously delivers top-tier leads that drive business for brokerages and agents." To gain access to Union Street Media's marketing channels: www.unionstreetmedia.com/plunk. To learn more about Realforce's streamlined marketing solutions: www.realforce.com. To get sample code for Plunk's AI-powered APIs: www.getplunk.com/developers. About Plunk Plunk is bringing advanced analytics and unique data to residential real estate for more confident investing in the largest asset class in the world. Harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence, computer vision and deep learning, Plunk delivers real-time insights into home valuation, risk assessment and remodeling analysis through its SaaS platform. For more information, visit www.getplunk.com. About Union Street Media Union Street Media is the first real estate marketing company to leverage the power of omnichannel marketing, driving success for real estate professionals for nearly three decades. With an unwavering focus on innovation and customer service, Union Street Media provides tailored solutions that seamlessly blend technology with creativity. For more information, visit www.unionstreetmedia.com. About Realforce Realforce (previously Adfenix) is the top platform for Marketing Automation in the real estate industry. Globally, Realforce works with over 350 brands, including some of the biggest names in the field. Its automated solutions are designed to streamline marketing programs, boost brand impact and aid in the success of agents. For more information, visit www.realforce.com.

Renting Beats Buying in All but Three of the Largest U.S. Metros
Buying a starter home in the top 50 metros cost $1,111 (60.3%) more than renting in August, as median U.S. rents see fourth consecutive month of year-over-year declines SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 21, 2023 -- The elevated mortgage rates, steep home prices and declining rent costs familiar in today's housing market have made it less costly to rent than to buy a starter home in all but three of the largest metros in the U.S., according to the Realtor.com® Monthly Rental Report released today. In August 2023, the cost of buying a starter home in the top 50 metros was $1,111 (60.3%) higher than renting in those markets on average. "Rents have registered steady declines for the past four months and, while they remain well above pre-pandemic levels, when you factor in the impact of record-high mortgage rates and high home prices, it's understandable that many would-be homebuyers are choosing to remain on the sidelines," said Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com®. "The downward trend in rental prices reduces the sense of urgency, giving renters more time to save for a home. In the period ahead as rents soften, we expect more households will remain renters for longer." August 2023 Rental Metrics – National Nationally, rents drop for fourth straight month, while homebuying costs increase Median rents for 0-2 bedroom units declined consistently year-over-year for the past four months which, when combined with mortgage rates hovering above 7% and a low enough supply to drive prices up despite subdued demand, tipped the scales further in favor of renting. In August, homeownership costs exceeded renters' monthly costs by nearly $300 compared with the start of the year. August marked the fourth month of year-over-year rent declines in a row for 0-2 bedroom properties, which overall are down -0.6% year-over-year. Rents dropped -0.7% for 2-bedrooms, -0.5% for 1-bedrooms, and -0.2% for studios. Specifically, the median asking rent in the 50 largest metros dipped to $1,752, down $7 from last month and down $25 from the peak in July 2022. However, median rents remain $336 (23.7%) higher than the same time in 2019, prior to the pandemic. In the majority of the largest U.S. metros, though, renting a starter home remains more affordable than buying one. During the past 12 months, with an average 30-year fixed mortgage rate jumping from 5.22% to 7.07%, the cost to buy a starter home in markets that favor renting climbed at an average rate of 21.4%, increasing from $2,500 to $2,959. Renting beats buying in nearly all major metros, and the advantage is increasing In August, renting was more affordable than buying a starter home in 47 of the 50 largest metros, up from 45 during the same time last year. Declining rents and the increasing costs of buying a home contributed to the jump in savings from renting. While skyrocketing mortgage rates pushed up the cost of taking on a mortgage, climbing home prices expanded the base of mortgages as well, making buying even less affordable compared to renting. The advantage of renting continues to grow in all rent-favoring markets. In the top 10 metros that favor renting over buying, most of which have a higher concentration of tech workers and high earners, both the average cost to rent and to buy are higher than the national average. Austin, Texas topped the list of markets that favor renting, where the monthly cost of buying a starter home was $3,946 – 136.3% more than the monthly rent – for a monthly savings of $2,276. Meanwhile, Baltimore and St. Louis flipped from buy-favoring to rent-favoring markets during the past 12 months. In August 2023, the monthly savings in rent-favoring markets were $483 higher compared to the prior year. The median asking rent declined -0.5% year-over-year in rent-favoring markets, a trend significantly different from 12 months ago. In these markets, the monthly cost of buying a starter home in August 2023 was $2,959, which is $1,183 or an average of 64.3% higher than the cost of renting. Comparatively, in August 2022 buying a starter home in rent-favoring markets cost an additional $700 (36.2%) more than renting. San Jose saw the most substantial surge in savings when comparing renting and buying. In August 2023, renting a starter home in San Jose yielded monthly savings of $3,214, a significant increase from the $1,964 saved last year. Indianapolis, however, saw the largest percentage increase in savings from renting. In August 2023, renting a starter home in Indianapolis would save renters $431 compared to buying, ten times the savings seen 12 months ago ($43). In markets favoring buying, the advantage is shrinking In August 2023, only three of the top 50 U.S. metros favored buying starter homes rather than renting: Birmingham, Ala., Memphis, Tenn., and Pittsburgh; however, the cost-benefits of buying have decreased since the same time last year. In buy-favoring markets, the monthly cost of buying a starter home was $29 cheaper on average, or -2.1% lower than the cost of renting, a significant decrease from the savings of $192 in the same time last year. In particular, the savings from buying a starter home instead of renting dropped from $434 to $43 in Memphis, $282 to $6 in Birmingham, and $139 to $39 in Pittsburgh over the past 12 months. As the benefit of buying diminishes in these markets, prospective homebuyers will need to consider all trade offs when deciding whether to buy or continue renting. This is particularly important given that today's elevated mortgage rates and still-high home prices pose substantial challenges for would-be buyers. To help homebuyers better understand their options, as part of its RealCost set of tools, Realtor.com® offers a free rent or buy calculator, which estimates how long a new homebuyer would need to remain in their home for buying to make more financial sense than renting. "As we noted in our July Rental Trends report, seasonality and recent momentum in the rental market make it very unlikely the market will see a new peak rent in 2023," said Jiayi Xu, Economist at Realtor.com®. "Still, rents remain well above pre-pandemic levels, contributing to ongoing affordability concerns for renters, regardless of whether they plan to rent or buy in the months ahead." Top 10 Metros that Favor Renting over Buying in August 2023 Rental Data – 50 Largest Metropolitan Areas – August 2023 Methodology Rental data as of August for studio, 1-bedroom, or 2-bedroom units advertised as for-rent on Realtor.com®. Rental units include apartments as well as private rentals (condos, townhomes, single-family homes). We use rental sources that reliably report data each month within the top 50 largest metropolitan areas. Realtor.com® began publishing regular monthly rental trends reports in October 2020 with data history stretching back to March 2019. The monthly cost of buying a home was calculated by averaging the median listing prices of studio, 1-bed, and 2-bed homes, weighted by the number of listings, in each housing market. Monthly buying costs assume a 7% down payment, with a mortgage rate of 7.07%, and include taxes, insurance and HOA fees. With the release of its July rent report, Realtor.com® incorporated a new and improved methodology for capturing and reporting more comprehensive rental listing trends and metrics. The new methodology is expected to yield a cleaner, more representative and more consistent measurement of rental listings and trends at both the national and local level. The methodology has been adjusted to better represent the true cost of primary housing for renters. Most areas across the country will see minor changes with a smaller handful of areas seeing larger updates. As a result of these changes, the rental data released since July 2023 will not be directly comparable with previous releases and Realtor.com® economics blog posts. However, future data releases, including historical data, will consistently apply the new methodology. About Realtor.com® Realtor.com® is an open real estate marketplace built for everyone. Realtor.com® pioneered the world of digital real estate more than 25 years ago. Today, through its website and mobile apps, Realtor.com® is a trusted guide for consumers, empowering more people to find their way home by breaking down barriers, helping them make the right connections, and creating confidence through expert insights and guidance. For professionals, Realtor.com® is a trusted partner for business growth, offering consumer connections and branding solutions that help them succeed in today's on-demand world. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. For more information, visit Realtor.com.

Local Logic and Plunk Partner to Enhance Data Insights for Residential Real Estate
Location intelligence leader to combine insights with AI-powered home analytics platform to provide the most comprehensive property analysis for the US residential real estate market MONTREAL, Sept. 12, 2023 -- Local Logic, a location intelligence leader that quantifies location at scale to shape smarter developments and more sustainable cities, today announced a partnership with Plunk, a company bringing advanced analytics to residential real estate for more confident investing in the largest asset class in the world. In an increasingly competitive market, the data and insights from this partnership will enable real estate investors, agents, and homeowners to accelerate and improve purchasing decisions. Plunk's AI-powered home analytics platform aims to transform the real estate market by offering real-time insights into home valuation, risk assessment, and remodeling possibilities. Local Logic's core offering provides crucial and often overlooked information on the property's location, including historical and demographic insights. Combined, this synergistic partnership will provide users with all the information on the property and its location to drive better decision-making for investors and home buyers and create a more efficient workflow for agents. "Real-time data and localized market insights play a crucial role to investors, homeowners, and real estate professionals," shares Brian Lent, co-founder and CEO of Plunk. "Plunk and Local Logic strive to fully power the residential market with the information it needs to grow exponentially. Combining our efforts will drive a new level of innovation in the industry." Local Logic has a reputation for partnering with some of the most prestigious tech vendors in the residential real estate industry, such as Black Knight, Constellation1, CoreLogic, Inside Real Estate, and MoxiCloud. As a leading insights provider for the real estate industry, Local Logic brings in unparalleled expertise and granularity. "Plunk has created industry-leading data solutions in the residential space," says Vincent-Charles Hodder, co-founder and CEO of Local Logic. "This partnership will further drive our mission to empower end-users with the technology and insights they need to make better-informed real estate decisions." This partnership comes off the heels of a $13 million Series B financing round with the primary goal of further quantifying the role that location plays in the success of real estate investments and arming investors with definitive data that will enable them to make the best possible decisions. Additionally, Local Logic plans to continue expanding strategic partnerships with broker sites and MLS organizations to further impact residential real estate decision-making. For more information on Local Logic's solutions, please visit locallogic.co. About Plunk Plunk is the first AI-powered, real-time home analytics platform leveraging next-generation applications of Artificial Intelligence, machine learning and image analysis to revolutionize the way homeowners, real estate professionals and investors value and invest in residential real estate. For more information, please visit www.getplunk.com. About Local Logic Local Logic is a location intelligence platform that digitizes the built world for consumers, investors, developers, and governments – delivering unrivaled clarity and actionable insights capable of creating more sustainable, equitable cities. With more than 75 billion unique data points – the largest unique location data set in the U.S. and Canada – the platform creates a digital twin of cities, quantifying the built world and offering predictive, precise analytics to inform the present and future of over 250 million individual addresses.

Elevated Home Prices and Mortgage Rates, Limited Inventory are Home Buying Barriers, According to Realtors and Prospective Home Buyers Across Races and Ethnicities
WASHINGTON (September 14, 2023) -- The current real estate market's high home prices and mortgage rates, as well as limited inventory, are the top reasons that Realtors® and prospective home buyers across races and ethnicities cite as barriers to purchasing a home, according to two new reports from the National Association of Realtors®. In partnership with Morning Consult, NAR's 2023 Experiences & Barriers of Prospective Home Buyers Across Races/Ethnicities report surveyed White, Hispanic/Latino(a), Black and Asian prospective home buyers about their experiences. NAR's 2023 Experiences & Barriers of Prospective Home Buyers: Member Study surveyed Realtors® who focus on residential real estate regarding the latest buyer with whom they worked who has not yet purchased a home, and it compares findings with the consumer study. "Home buyers face the most difficult affordability conditions in nearly 40 years due to limited inventory and rising mortgage interest rates," said Jessica Lautz, NAR's deputy chief economist and vice president of research. "The impact is exacerbated among first-time buyers who are more likely to be from underrepresented segments of the population." Among prospective home buyers, Asian (27%), Hispanic (24%), Black (20%) and White (15%) respondents say the main reason they have not yet bought a home is because they are waiting for prices to drop. White respondents (15%) are just as likely to say it is because they are waiting for mortgage rates to drop. Additional market-related reasons that prospective home buyers cite as barriers include waiting for mortgage rates to decline (18% - 25% of all four groups) and not enough available homes within their budget (19% - 24% of all four groups). The top three reasons why Realtors® say buyers have not yet purchased homes are the same as reported by consumers: not enough homes available for purchase in buyers' budgets (34%), buyers are waiting for mortgage rates to drop as higher prices affect affordability (18%) and buyers are waiting for prices to drop (9%). These three factors greatly impact affordability since limited inventory drives up home prices and higher rates increase monthly mortgage payments. Saving for a competitive home down payment is also a primary obstacle for prospective home buyers (6% - 9% of all four groups). In terms of what holds them back from saving for a sufficient down payment, prospective home buyers across races and ethnicities cite as barriers current rent/mortgage payments (43% - 56% of all four groups) and credit card payments (38% - 57% of all four groups). Despite this, awareness about existing down payment assistance programs is low among prospective buyers saving for down payments. Only 8% - 15% of all four groups applied for these programs, 20% - 33% considered but did not apply to these programs, 21% - 32% did not consider these programs, and one-third (30% - 33% of all four groups) say that they are not aware of these assistance programs. For prospective home buyers who are aware of down payment assistance programs, the primary reason they did not apply for them is because they did not know enough about the programs (44% - 58% of all four groups). Likewise, more than half of Realtors® (53%) say that at least one issue is holding their latest buyer back from saving a competitive down payment: most likely current rent or mortgage payments (23%) or credit card balances or payments (17%). Further, only 23% of Realtors® say that their buyers experiencing these challenges have applied for down payment assistance programs. This is most likely because their income is too high (30%), they did not know enough about the programs (19%), or they are worried about the competitiveness of their offers in multiple-bid situations (17%). "Down payment assistance programs often fly under the radar for potential home buyers. Using programs – like FHA, VA or USDA loans – can make homeownership more attainable. Experts, such as agents who are Realtors®, can educate potential buyers about these programs. Doing so will bring in more first-time buyers and narrow the racial homeownership gap," added Lautz. Discrimination also plays a role in the homebuying process. About one in six (13% - 16% of all four groups) prospective home buyers across races and ethnicities report facing discrimination. More than half of Black (63%), Asian (60%) and Hispanic (52%) prospective home buyers who report this say it was due to their race or ethnicity. Of these, the largest proportions of every group are most likely to report that this discrimination manifests in steering toward or away from specific neighborhoods (36% - 51% of all four groups) and more strict requirements (32% - 48% of all four groups). Despite all of this, most discrimination during the homebuying process goes unreported: 47% - 81% who describe it did not report it to a government agency or legal aid organization. Interestingly, only 1% of Realtors® who took the survey report that their buyers experienced discrimination during the homebuying process, while 13% are not sure. Those reporting discrimination are most likely to say this is based on race or ethnicity and lay this at the feet of lenders, saying that buyers experienced this in the type of loan product offered (43%) or that buyers did not receive a call back from lender(s) (29%). Of those who report discrimination, 57% report it based on race, 29% report it based on age and 21% report it based on familial status (including marriage or parental status). Just 7% say that the buyer reported the discrimination, which was on the basis of either race or religion or both, to a government agency or legal aid organization. To help address discriminatory practices in real estate, NAR offers several resources to its members, including Fairhaven, an interactive training simulation based on real fair housing cases; Bias Override, an implicit bias training course with practical tips to override bias; At Home With Diversity, a certification course aimed at serving diverse consumers; and a confidential voluntary self-testing program for brokerages to assess agents' compliance with fair housing laws. In Washington, NAR advocates for strong fair housing and fair lending enforcement, and policies aimed at closing homeownership gaps among demographic groups. About the National Association of Realtors® The National Association of Realtors® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The term Realtor® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

Delta Media launches DeltaNET 7, real estate's most customizable, automated, AI-powered CRM-based digital marketing platform
Canton, Ohio -- September 12, 2023 - Delta Media Group, one of America's largest technology solutions providers for real estate brokerages, announces the launch of one of the industry's most advanced CRM-based, all-in-one digital marketing platform. The new "made for mobile" DeltaNET 7 leverages artificial intelligence and automation with unmatched brokerage and user-level customization. "By simplifying nearly 30 years' worth of features combined with the reinvestment of over $40 million, DeltaNET 7 takes the all-in-one brokerage solution to the next level by avoiding sacrificing functionality for simplicity," said Michael Minard, CEO and owner of Delta Media Group. "DeltaNET 7 is more simple, more automated, and even more customizable for real estate brokerages and its agents than ever before. It's true customization – not just an off-the-self white-label solution. Most importantly, it's agent-friendly and made for mobile," Minard added. For the first time, large real estate brokerages can create and design their own custom-branded platform to meet individual needs based on specific roles, ranging from agents to admins to other support staff. In addition, the DeltaNET 7, which recently began rolling out to brokerages, uniquely allows ultra-personalization that features down-to-the-button design and navigation that brokerages can fully control to amplify their brand. "What we appreciate the most about DeltaNET 7 is the hyper-customization," said Travis Guillory, Chinowth & Cohen, Oklahoma's largest independent real estate company with 14 offices across the state and 700-plus Realtors. "We were able to visually and functionally customize DeltaNET 7 to fit our needs and look more appealing to our agents. This has resulted in a huge increase in engagement company-wide," he added. Delta Media Group, the only real estate technology offering a written "no sell guarantee" to its customers, fuels the marketing platform used by nearly a dozen of the top 100 (or number of the largest top) most innovative real estate brokerages in the US. Family-owned and profitable for nearly 30 years. DeltaNET 7 is fully integrated with Delta Custom Websites with industry-leading SEO software. In addition, it offers a new customizable Delta Academy online training & education system as well as a full stack of digital marketing tools, including its one-click CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) machine Delta Pitch. DeltaNET 7 also features Social Connector for agent social media automation, Local Showings, Properties in Motion, and Open House Connector. "We've seen a new-found excitement for the platform amongst our agents as they embrace the vastly improved CRM and its simple integrations to core tools like MCFL, Market Watch Reports and the aptly named regeneration of Delta Create" said Brett Williford, Realtor/Manager, Irongate Inc., Realtors, an industry-leading brokerage based in Dayton, Ohio. Williford added, "The new dashboard and navigation systems are simple to use, streamlined, and logical. The learning curve is small, the benefits are big and dynamic," Front and center in DeltaNET 7 is its "My Customer For Life" marketing tool, a dynamic, AI-driven email newsletter featuring new, unique content each week. With a stunning 60% click-through rate, content automatically customizes to the user's interest based on engagement. In addition, brokerages can customize all major elements of the newsletter for customized branding and individual agent information. Built on top of Delta's new AI platform, Delta Pitch allows agents to create a complete CMA in as little as one-click but also doubles as a presentation builder. It instantly provides all relevant properties and essential information in an interactive flipbook. Delta Pitch also creates a new lead generation opportunity for brokerages. When consumers visit their Delta-powered website and enter a property address through the AVM, consumers can automatically get a CMA based on current listings in their area. DeltaNET 7 features a unified brand identity, so all internal tools look and feel the same. For example, brokerages can create custom dashboards showing agents their daily scheduled activities. In addition, brokerages can gain insight into agent CRM use and lead processing - automatically - based on the agent's customer activity. DeltaNET 7's AI also remembers individual preferences. For example, when agents return to the system, they will see information on the last contact opened. Another significant new brokerage feature is DeltaNET Academy, an agent training center. The new integrated Academy empowers brokerages to offer customized and personalized training courses and deliver class schedules to agents. Delta Media Group, Inc., located in Canton, Ohio, is a leading and trusted technology partner for many of the best-known real estate brands, including over 80 LeadingRE Affiliates and more than 50 top-ranked brokerages nationwide. Discover more at deltamediagroup.com.

Realtor.com Now Offers Airbnb Host Estimates
Learn how much you can potentially make by hosting one room or your whole house on Airbnb SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 7, 2023 -- Short-term rental popularity is on the rise, in fact, 39% of homeowners have or would consider renting out part of their primary home, according to a new survey from Realtor.com® and CensusWide. To help consumers better understand their home's potential value, Realtor.com® today announced the addition of potential short-term rental income estimates from Airbnb in their My Home dashboard. This first-of-its-kind integration empowers homeowners with possible earnings estimates for hosting one room or their whole house. Among those surveyed, 23% of homeowners have rented out their home before or plan to rent part of their home out in the future, and 16% would consider it. Their reasons to rent are largely financial, with one-third (34%) of those renting or planning to rent out their home doing so to save money for a home purchase with a higher mortgage rate, to prepare for potential upswings in a variable mortgage (29%), or to help pay their current mortgage (21%). Whether looking to rent their home out and earn extra money while away on vacation, or renting out an extra room to help with mortgage payments, homeowners can now easily access information about how much they can potentially earn by hosting their space on Airbnb in the Realtor.com® My Home dashboard. Uncovering the short-term rental earning potential of a home can also help homeowners evaluate if it's a good idea to rent out their current home as an alternative to selling it. Looking to the future, 60% of surveyed homeowners would consider renting out their current home rather than selling if/when they look to buy or rent somewhere else. Most cited financial reasons as the motivator: 21% saying it'd be great to have extra income from a renter, and 19% would do so to maintain the home equity they've already built. To get started with the tool, homeowners can simply input their address in the Realtor.com® My Home dashboard to claim their home. They can then view their potential earnings from hosting on Airbnb in the Host or Rent tab of the dashboard. The interactive tool can be adjusted for renting a private room or all of the home; estimated earnings for a seven-day rental are based on Airbnb data from similar listings in the ZIP code. "Short-term rentals are a great way to help with some of the costs of homeownership – renting out their house for a couple days or weeks out of the year when it's not in use could generate extra income that can be put toward the mortgage, maintenance, or even help cover the cost of a vacation," said Mausam Bhatt, chief product officer, Realtor.com®. "By arming homeowners with information about how much they could potentially make by renting a room or their whole home on Airbnb, Realtor.com® is helping them better understand their options and in turn make more informed decisions about their home." The Airbnb integration will make the Realtor.com® My Home dashboard even more valuable for current homeowners who can also manage their home's details, track their home's value with up to three valuation estimates, explore their equity and discover how their home compares to others nearby, as well as see recently sold homes in their area and compare top local real estate agents. The ability to host and a homeowners' actual earnings will depend on local laws, availability, rental price, and demand in their area. The earnings estimates aren't a valuation or appraisal of your home. To get started exploring their home's potential rental income, homeowners visit realtor.com/myhome. About Realtor.com® Realtor.com® is an open real estate marketplace built for everyone. Realtor.com® pioneered the world of digital real estate more than 25 years ago. Today, through its website and mobile apps, Realtor.com® is a trusted guide for consumers, empowering more people to find their way home by breaking down barriers, helping them make the right connections, and creating confidence through expert insights and guidance. For professionals, Realtor.com® is a trusted partner for business growth, offering consumer connections and branding solutions that help them succeed in today's on-demand world. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. For more information, visit Realtor.com. About Airbnb Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 4 million Hosts who have welcomed over 1.5 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, Hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

NAR Celebrates 2023 Good Neighbor Awards Finalists for Community Dedication
WASHINGTON (August 31, 2023) -- The National Association of Realtors® today announced the 10 finalists for its 2023 Good Neighbor Awards, which honor NAR members who make an extraordinary difference in their communities through volunteer work. Now in its 24th year, the Good Neighbor Awards recognize volunteers who donate time, money and passion to enrich the lives of people in their communities. "Each year, the Good Neighbor Awards serve as a poignant reminder of the heart and soul of our real estate community," said NAR President Tracy Kasper. "It's not just about buying or selling properties; it's about investing in the places we call home. These finalists exemplify the essence of what it means to be a good neighbor, turning their passion and dedication into real-world change." Five winners will each receive a $10,000 grant and national media exposure for their charity, including a feature in the fall issue of REALTOR® Magazine. The winners will also be honored in November during NAR NXT, The REALTOR® Experience, in Anaheim, California. Five honorable mentions will receive $2,500 grants. Starting now, the public can vote for their favorite Good Neighbor finalists. The top three vote-getters will be recognized as Web Choice Favorites, the winner will take home $2,500, and the second- and third-place finishers will each receive $1,250, funded by Realtor.com®. Cast your vote at realtor.com/goodneighbor between August 31 and October 1. Both the winners, as determined by judges, and the Web Choice Favorites, determined by online voting, will be announced on October 5. The 10 NAR Good Neighbor Awards finalists are as follows: Debbie Arakaki, Compass, Lahaina, Hawaii  In the state with the nation's highest food costs, Debbie Arakaki has raised funds to provide more than one million meals through the Maui Food Bank. Since 2015, Arakaki has rallied the real estate community to host food drives, run fundraisers and volunteer for food-packing events. Now, in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires, she is amping up her efforts to help thousands of families who lost their homes. She and a group of other long-time Maui residents created the Maui Pono Foundation to provide immediate funds to neighbors in need. Betsy Brint, @properties, Highland Park, Illinois A 10-year volunteer with the Highland Park Community Foundation, Betsy Brint led the response after a mass shooting occurred at the 2022 Independence Day Parade in her hometown. She oversaw the distribution of $5.8 million to the families of the deceased, injured victims and nonprofit organizations that provide mental health, legal and other services to community members affected by the shooting. Karen DeMarco, Coldwell Banker Residential Realty, Tenafly, New Jersey Karen DeMarco was inspired by her community's support during her battle with breast cancer and decided to pay it forward. Within three years, DeMarco went from cooking meals in her kitchen to co-founding The Food Brigade, a food pantry network that has provided more than 1,700 tons of food to tens of thousands of people in three New Jersey counties. Rick Furnish, Landmark Realty & Development Co., Spearfish, South Dakota A foster parent and adoptive parent, Rick Furnish brought America's Kids Belong to South Dakota and created a collaborative relationship between the state, faith community, local businesses and the arts community to improve outcomes for kids in the foster care system. He launched "I Belong" videos, which have given nearly 150 kids a voice as they wait to be adopted. Furnish has also spent 20 years volunteering with Hope Ranch International. Kasia Maslanka, Douglas Elliman, Fort Lauderdale, Florida Kasia Maslanka co-founded Morningday Community Solutions to redirect overstocked or returned excess merchandise from retail businesses to nonprofits and people who need it. Over 13 years, they've saved nonprofits $9 million in spending and have diverted over 400 tons of unused products from landfills each year. Jed Nilson, Nilson Homes, Ogden, Utah Jed Nilson has built 15 homes through the Northern Wasatch Association of REALTORS®' Have a Heart Foundation, which sells the homes to families in need at a deep discount. His company, subcontractors and suppliers have donated millions of dollars in labor and supplies to make these dream homes a reality. Nilson is also building a resource center for the nonprofit Encircle to support LGBTQ+ youth and families. Irene Sawyer, Keller Williams High Country, Boone, North Carolina A breast cancer survivor, Irene Sawyer founded the High Country Breast Cancer Foundation, which eases the burden of medical bills for cancer patients. The nonprofit funds wigs, mastectomy bras, breast prostheses and other cancer-related garments. They also contribute to the college funds of surviving children and have brought a mammogram bus to the area for the first time. Sandra Shank, Tag Ventures Real Estate Services Co., Palm Coast, Florida In 2003, Sandra Shank opened Abundant Life Ministries–Hope House Inc. to give troubled teenage boys in Florida's foster care system a supportive foundation. For 20 years, she has housed and mentored 300 of the most vulnerable boys and now plans to break ground on an affordable housing project to provide holistic care for troubled families. Steven Sharpe, Keller Williams Realty, Chattanooga, Tennessee Steven Sharpe co-founded Camp Horizon with his wife, Lindsey, to offer a summer camp experience to kids who have physical disabilities like paralysis, spina bifida or cerebral palsy. Since 2005, the camp has engaged more than 500 kids in accessible activities such as canoeing, horseback riding and fishing. To ensure the children's happiness and safety, the camp has more than 50 volunteer counselors, many with medical training. Anita and Jay Sherley, Big Sky Brokers LLC, Helena, Montana Anita and Jay Sherley provide stable housing and mentoring to at-risk young men and women, many of whom are homeless, recently released from jail or too old for foster care. In the 16 years since they founded Life Houses Inc., the Sherleys have helped more than 200 at-risk young adults build life skills to transition to productive, goal-oriented lives of purpose. NAR's Good Neighbor Awards are supported by primary sponsor Realtor.com® as well as the Center for REALTOR® Development. "We continue to be inspired by the positive change the Good Neighbor Award finalists are making in their communities across the country," said Realtor.com® CMO Mickey Neuberger. "They serve as role models not just for their fellow real estate agents, but for everyone else who comes in contact with them. Realtor.com® is once again proud to recognize the differences they're making." Nominees were judged on their personal contribution of time as well as financial and material contributions to benefit their cause. Realtor.com® is an open real estate marketplace built for everyone. Realtor.com® pioneered the world of digital real estate more than 25 years ago. Today, through its website and mobile apps, Realtor.com® is a trusted guide for consumers, empowering more people to find their way home by breaking down barriers, helping them make the right connections, and creating confidence through expert insights and guidance. For professionals, Realtor.com® is a trusted partner for business growth, offering consumer connections and branding solutions that help them succeed in today's on-demand world. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. For more information, visit Realtor.com®. The Center for REALTOR® Development (CRD), a wholly owned subsidiary of NAR, is devoted to lifelong learning, career advancement, and specialized credentials for real estate professionals. With 10+ designations and certifications, over 100 microcourses, learning pathways, an award-winning podcast, and educational events, there is a learning experience for every real estate professional. Learn more at crd.realtor. The National Association of Realtors® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The term Realtor® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

Zombie Foreclosures Hold Steady During Third Quarter, Still with Minimal Impact Around Most of U.S.
Count of Vacant Homes in Foreclosure Increases for Sixth Straight Quarter; Zombie Properties Increase as Foreclosure Activity Keeps Growing; But Portion of Homes Nationwide That are Empty in Foreclosure Remains Just One in 11,600 IRVINE, CA - Aug. 24, 2023 -- ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property, and real estate data, today released its third-quarter 2023 Vacant Property and Zombie Foreclosure Report showing that 1.3 million (1,277,612) residential properties in the United States are vacant. That figure represents 1.3 percent, or one in 79 homes, across the nation – the same as in the second quarter of this year. The report analyzes publicly recorded real estate data collected by ATTOM — including foreclosure status, equity and owner-occupancy status — matched against monthly updated vacancy data. (See full methodology below). Vacancy data is available for U.S. residential properties here. The report also reveals that 315,425 residential properties in the U.S. are in the process of foreclosure in the third quarter of this year, up 1.3 percent from the second quarter of 2023 and up 16.6 percent from the third quarter of 2022. A growing number of homeowners have faced possible foreclosure since a nationwide moratorium on lenders pursuing delinquent homeowners, imposed after the Coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020, was lifted in the middle of 2021. Among those pre-foreclosure properties, about 8,800 sit vacant as zombie foreclosures (pre-foreclosure properties abandoned by owners) in the third quarter of 2023. That figure is up slightly from the prior quarter, by 0.3 percent, and up 13.9 percent from a year ago. The latest increase marks the sixth straight quarterly gain. However, it was one of the smallest of the recent increases and continued to leave zombie foreclosures representing just a tiny fraction of the nation's total stock of 101.6 million residential properties. "Zombie foreclosures again are ticking up a tiny bit this quarter, tracking along with a small rise in overall foreclosure activity around the country. That's to be expected, as a handful of homeowners who can't catch up on overdue mortgage payments just walk away from their properties," said Rob Barber, CEO for ATTOM. "But the big picture remains the same. Abandoned properties pose almost none of the blight threats they brought a decade ago when far more homeowners were throwing in the towel after the Great Recession of the late 2000s.." The lack of zombie foreclosures throughout most of the country continues to stand out as one of the most significant effects of the U.S. housing market boom that has more than doubled the national median home value since 2012. The price runup resumed in the second quarter of this year after temporarily stalling in the second half of 2022, pushing the median single-family home price up another 10 percent nationwide and raising values in almost all major housing markets around the country. That resumed an upward path of home equity and home-selling profits, giving delinquent homeowners ever more incentive and options to stay out of foreclosure. "With a few exceptions – most notably New York City and Miami – lower-end markets still have the highest portions of zombie homes. That reflects larger portions of households with limited financial resources to avoid foreclosure," Barber said. "Those areas are likely at higher risk for issues related to zombie foreclosure if the overall housing market turns back downward." Zombie foreclosures tick upward again but still posing few problems A total of 8,782 residential properties facing possible foreclosure have been vacated by their owners nationwide in the third quarter of 2023, up from 8,752 in the second quarter of 2023 and from 7,707 in the third quarter of 2022. The number of zombie properties has grown quarterly in 19 states and annually in 28. While most neighborhoods around the U.S. have few or no zombie foreclosures, the biggest increases from the second quarter of 2023 to the third quarter of 2023 in states with at least 50 zombie properties are in Missouri (zombie properties up 51 percent, from 35 to 53), Maryland (up 22 percent, from 188 to 229), Oklahoma (up 15 percent, from 173 to 199), Connecticut (up 13 percent, from 77 to 87) and Pennsylvania (up 11 percent, from 401 to 446). The largest decreases among states with at least 50 zombie foreclosures are in Texas (zombie properties down 33 percent, from 168 to 112), Michigan (down 12 percent, from 59 to 52), Georgia (down 11 percent, from 95 to 85), Kentucky (down 9 percent, from 58 to 53) and Nevada (down 8 percent, from 108 to 99). Overall vacancy rates unchanged The vacancy rate for all residential properties in the U.S. has remained virtually the same for the fifth quarter in a row. It now stands at 1.26 percent (one in 79 properties), almost matching the 1.27 percent rate in the second quarter of 2023 and 1.28 percent in the third quarter of last year (one in 78). States with the largest vacancy rates for all residential properties are Oklahoma (2.26 percent, or one in 44, during the third quarter of this year), Kansas (2.13 percent, or one in 47), Alabama (2.03 percent, or one in 49), Indiana (2.02 percent, or one in 49) and West Virginia (2 percent, or one in 50). Those with the smallest overall vacancy rates are New Jersey (0.33 percent, or one in 308, in the third quarter of this year), New Hampshire (0.33 percent, or one in 301), Vermont (0.39 percent, or one in 259), Idaho (0.43 percent, or one in 230) and North Dakota (0.64 percent, or one in 155). Other high-level findings from the third quarter of 2023: Among 166 metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S. with at least 100,000 residential properties in the third quarter of 2023, those with at least 100 properties facing possible foreclosure and the highest zombie foreclosure rates are Cedar Rapids, IA (12.5 percent of properties in the foreclosure process are vacant); Peoria, IL (10.8 percent); Indianapolis IN (8.9 percent); Fort Wayne, IN (8.8 percent) and Youngstown, OH (8.3 percent). Aside from Indianapolis, the highest zombie-foreclosure rates in major metro areas with at least 500,000 residential properties and at least 100 homes facing foreclosure in the third quarter of 2023 are in Cleveland, OH (7 percent of homes in the foreclosure process are vacant); St. Louis, MO (6.5 percent); Baltimore, MD (5.8 percent) and Pittsburgh, PA (5.7 percent). Among the 23.4 million investor-owned homes throughout the U.S. in the third quarter of 2023, about 836,000 are vacant, or 3.6 percent. The highest levels of vacant investor-owned homes are in Indiana (6.9 percent vacant), Oklahoma (6.2 percent), Alabama (6.1 percent), Illinois (6 percent) and Ohio (5.9 percent). Among the roughly 14,800 foreclosed, bank-owned homes in the U.S. during the third quarter of 2023, 15.8 percent are vacant. In states with at least 50 bank-owned homes, the largest vacancy rates are in Kansas (30.4 percent vacant), Iowa (26.6 percent vacant), Ohio (26.1 percent), Michigan (25.9 percent) and Indiana (22.6 percent). The highest zombie-foreclosure rates in U.S. counties with at least 500 properties in the foreclosure process during the third quarter of 2023 are in Peoria County, IL (12.3 percent zombie foreclosures); Baltimore County, MD (12.2 percent); Marion County (Indianapolis), IN (12.1 percent); Broome County (Binghamton), NY (11.7 percent) and Lake County, IN (outside Chicago, IL) (9.4 percent). Among 435 counties with at least 50,000 residential properties in the third quarter of 2023, zombie foreclosures represent the highest portion of all homes in Broome County (Binghamton), NY (one of every 579 properties); Peoria County, IL (one of every 1,003); Suffolk County, NY (eastern Long Island) (one of every 1,132); Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), OH (one of every 1,144) and Tazewell County, IL (outside Peoria) (one of every 1,181). Among zip codes with enough data to analyze, 45 of the 50 with the largest portions of overall homes in zombie status are in New York, Ohio and Illinois, including seven in Cleveland, OH. The largest ratios are in zip codes 10993 in Rockland County (West Haverstraw), NY (one in 191 homes); 73554 in Greer County (Mangum), OK (one in 222); 44108 in Cleveland, OH (one in 255); 44127 in Cleveland, OH (one in 270) and 13754 in Broome County (Deposit), NY (one in 286). Report Methodology ATTOM analyzed county tax assessor data for about 101 million residential properties for vacancy, broken down by foreclosure status and owner-occupancy status. Only metropolitan statistical areas with at least 100,000 residential properties and counties with at least 50,000 residential properties were included in the analysis. Vacancy data is available at Marketing Lists – Property & Homeowners Lists | ATTOM (attomdata.com). About ATTOM ATTOM provides premium property data to power products that improve transparency, innovation, efficiency and disruption in a data-driven economy. ATTOM multi-sources property tax, deed, mortgage, foreclosure, environmental risk, natural hazard, and neighborhood data for more than 155 million U.S. residential and commercial properties covering 99 percent of the nation's population. A rigorous data management process involving more than 20 steps validates, standardizes, and enhances the real estate data collected by ATTOM, assigning each property record with a persistent, unique ID — the ATTOM ID. The 30TB ATTOM Data Warehouse fuels innovation in many industries including mortgage, real estate, insurance, marketing, government and more through flexible data delivery solutions that include bulk file licenses, property data APIs, real estate market trends, property navigator and more. Also, introducing our newest innovative solution, that offers immediate access and streamlines data management – ATTOM Cloud.

Zillow Home Loans offers a 1% down payment option, opening homeownership to more borrowers
This program can reduce the time needed to save for a down payment and provide another option for those who are otherwise ready to take on a mortgage payment SEATTLE, Aug. 24, 2023 -- Zillow Home Loans announced its 1% Down Payment program to allow eligible home buyers to pay as little as 1% down on their next home purchase. This program is initially being offered on properties located in Arizona, with plans to expand to additional markets. With the 1% Down Payment program, borrowers who qualify can now save just 1% to cover their portion of the down payment and Zillow Home Loans will contribute an additional 2% at closing. The 1% Down Payment program can reduce the time eligible home buyers need to save and open homeownership to those who are otherwise ready to take on a mortgage. Most markets are in the midst of an affordability crisis, and saving for a down payment remains one of the biggest barriers for many potential home buyers. This is especially true for first-time buyers, who are often paying high rents. Typical asking rent nationwide is $2,062, or 3.6% higher than one year ago and up 31% since the start of the pandemic. (The typical rent in the U.S. in February 2020 was $1,597.) The combination of record-breaking home price appreciation and rising interest rates means a majority of first-time buyers (64%) are putting down less than 20%, and one-quarter of first-time buyers are putting down 5% or less. Zillow Home Loans' 1% Down Payment program lowers the down payment barrier and increases access to the housing market for eligible borrowers. An analysis by Zillow Home Loans' shows that by reducing the down payment burden to 1% of the purchase price, a home buyer looking to purchase a $275,000 home in Phoenix, Arizona, who makes 80% of their area's median income and saves 5% of their income would need only 11 months to save for the down payment. By comparison, the same buyer who needed to save 3% of the purchase price would require two and half years (31 months) to save that amount. "For those who can afford higher rent payments but have been held back by the upfront costs associated with homeownership, down payment assistance can help to lower the barrier to entry and make the dream of owning a home a reality," said Zillow Home Loans' senior macroeconomist Orphe Divounguy. "The rapid rise in rents and home values means many renters who are already paying high monthly housing costs may not have enough saved up for a large down payment, and these types of programs are welcome innovations in lowering the potential barriers to homeownership for those who qualify." Home buyers looking to purchase in the next year should take steps to research and prepare for getting a mortgage as they start on their home-financing journey. Among those steps: Understand your credit profile: Credit scores are key to getting approved for a mortgage, but for many home buyers, understanding credit is complex. Improve your credit score: Once buyers familiarize themselves with what's in their credit report, they can take steps to pay down existing debts, pay bills on time, and review their credit report and dispute possible errors. Avoid closing accounts: Don't close an account to remove it from your report. Those accounts aren't automatically removed and will continue to show up on your report. Hold off on financing large new purchases: Wait to make purchases that need to be financed, such as a car, until after you close on a home. This type of purchase will impact your debt-to-income ratio, which will negatively affect the amount of home loan you qualify for. Determine what affordability looks like: Once buyers have a good understanding of their credit report and their credit score is at least 620 (generally the lowest score accepted by mortgage lenders) it's time to understand how much home they can afford. Use Zillow's mortgage affordability calculator to customize payment details. Zillow Home Loans' 1% Down Payment program is currently available to eligible borrowers in Arizona, with plans to expand. Through the 1% Down Payment program, Zillow Home Loans will pay 2% of the down payment for eligible borrowers. The 2% is paid through closing and not as a payment to the borrower. Interested applicants should call 1-833-372-1449 to speak with a Zillow Home Loans representative to learn more about the program and determine if it's the right fit for their circumstances. About Zillow Group Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make it easier to unlock life's next chapter. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow® and its affiliates offer customers an on-demand experience for selling, buying, renting, or financing with transparency and ease. Zillow Group's affiliates and subsidiaries include Zillow®; Zillow Premier Agent®; Zillow Home Loans™; Trulia®; Out East®; StreetEasy®; HotPads®; and ShowingTime+™, which houses ShowingTime®, Bridge Interactive®, and dotloop®. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

Triple-I and NAR Release Homebuyers Handbook
NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 2023 -- To educate prospective homebuyers about their property insurance needs, the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) today released a Homebuyers Insurance Handbook. "Now more than ever, given increased climate risk as well as economic and inflationary challenges, homebuyers need tools to help them make informed decisions to better manage what is often their largest individual investment," said Sean Kevelighan, CEO, Triple-I. "Having the right type and amount of insurance provides critical safe keeping to homes, and so by Triple-I teaming up with the National Association of REALTORS®, we will empower even more consumers with key insights during a most important transaction." Purchasing a home can be an exciting event that can also come with new responsibilities and questions, especially for first-time buyers. The Handbook's readers will discover information on making sense of these concerns in line with their financial goals. "The Homebuyers Insurance Handbook clearly explains how purchasing a homeowners insurance policy with the right type and amount of coverage protects a homeowner's investment and financial future," stated Kenny Parcell, president, NAR. "This eight-page Handbook includes the essential information a prospective homebuyer needs to prepare for a conversation with their insurance professional." For instance, the amount of coverage for the home itself should be based on what it would cost to rebuild the structure in the event of a total loss, in its current location, with comparable construction materials–at prices that may be affected by disaster-related demand surges or inflation. Protection to rebuild a home's structure is typically listed as dwelling coverage. Once the home's dwelling coverage limit has been established, personal property coverage usually equals 50% to 70% of that number. Also, to be covered for property damage caused by either floods or earthquakes, a homebuyer must purchase separate policies because both perils are excluded in a standard homeowners insurance policy, the Handbook notes. The Handbook says these are the six ways to get the right amount of homeowners insurance: Raise your deductible in exchange for a lower premium Ask about discounts and bundle options Make your home more disaster-resilient Don't confuse the total amount you pay for your house with its rebuilding costs Review your insurance coverage annually after you've purchased the home Keep in mind an insurer's value also includes the services it provides to policyholders The National Association of REALTORS® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The term REALTOR® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

NAR Announces 12 Tech Startups for iOi Summit's Pitch Battle
CHICAGO (August 8, 2023) – The National Association of Realtors® has announced the 12 companies participating in the Innovation, Opportunity & Investment (iOi) Summit's "Pitch Battle" competition from August 29–30 in Miami. NAR's venture capital arm, Second Century Ventures, will present the Pitch Battle competition, where each entrant will conduct a live, four-minute pitch about its product or service followed by a four-minute, rapid-fire question-and-answer session from a panel of judges. Contestants must present a compelling case for their new tech innovations or services and explain how it will improve the real estate industry. "The iOi Summit is about discovering the next big thing in real estate tech as we continue working to foster a culture of innovation and inclusivity," said NAR CEO and SCV President Bob Goldberg. "We are thrilled to see how the next generation of outstanding tech companies will leverage this platform to present their innovations." The Pitch Battle contestants include the following: Accacia: An AI-enabled SAAS platform for real estate owners, asset managers, investors and operators to measure their carbon footprint and design their decarbonization journeys. Highnote: A presentation platform that elevates how agents win deals with intuitive drag-and-drop, real-time notifications and a new AI assistant. Instacard: The digital business card for real estate professionals. Koggi: Connects real estate developers, buyers and financial institutions to simplify home financing throughout Latin America. ListAssist: An AI business specializing in real estate solutions which empower agents to focus on people, not process. Productive.ai: All you need to do is talk, with AI-enhanced call features that automatically summarize your conversations, create notes, tasks, calendar events and will even log everything to your CRM. Propify: Unified API for property management software that helps proptech companies launch integrations faster, reduce development costs and win more sales. Rechat: An app that provides real estate brokers and agents with a lead-to-close solution that includes a comprehensive marketing suite, CRM and mobile transactions. Rila: The modern real estate network that helps home seekers connect with agents' amazing properties by using AI to personalize their home discovery experience. Style to Design: A tech tool that empowers agents to seize opportunities with buyers, sellers, investors and builders by leveraging innovative reality renovations with staging and design features. Tongo: Like a business line of credit for agents, but better, to stabilize cash flows and grow. Work & Mother: A wellness tech company transforming the modern workplace with the necessary physical and digital support required to retain working parents. The winner will be awarded $15,000, a booth at NAR's annual conference in November (NAR NXT) and the opportunity to present iOi's 2024 Pitch Battle winner. "Each of these 12 startups offers something unique to our industry," said David Conroy, NAR's director of emerging technology. "Regardless of the outcome, each participating company is contributing to real estate technology's evolution, and that's a victory in itself." Learn more about the Pitch Battle and register to attend the iOi Summit at ioisummit.realtor. The National Association of Realtors® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The term Realtor® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

Courtside Moms and Revive Partner to Provide Pro Basketball Rookies with Real Estate Investment Insight
IRVINE, Calif. — July 31, 2023 — In a world where professional athletes are often propelled into financial decisions far beyond their years, guidance from trusted family members and experienced professionals can be a game-changer. Recognizing this need, Courtside Moms, an organization dedicated to equipping the mothers of NBA and WNBA players with vital resources, teamed up with Revive for "A Moment for Moms" – an event aimed at fostering financial knowledge and empowering these families to make savvy financial, tax and investment choices. Courtside Moms recognizes that when athletes begin their professional careers, they and their families often find themselves navigating an intricate landscape of investments and asset management. Revive's participation, along with other tax and investment experts, was designed to ensure these families are prepared to handle these complexities. Michael Alladawi, founder and CEO of Revive Real Estate and a highly recognized presale renovation specialist, served as a lead panelist at this July event in Las Vegas. By sharing his knowledge and real estate investment expertise, he put a spotlight on how presale home renovations help maximize profits. Alladawi notes that people often undervalue their homes, typically leaving between 15 and 20 percent of potential profits untapped when selling them. Alladawi notes Revive is changing this narrative. "Becoming a professional athlete in the NBA or WNBA is a life-changing event, not only for the player but their entire family," said Alladawi. "To have the opportunity to inform and educate these players at the beginning of their careers – and their moms – about real estate and ways to maximize their property investments is truly a groundbreaking approach, and we hope other professional sports follow the path that Courtside Moms has pioneered." Revive research show that its sellers earn, on average, $186,000 in additional profits, with the ROI from Revive averaging 2.5x the original cost of the upgrades. Revive has assisted over 2,000 home sellers to date, creating over $70 million in additional wealth. Daynia La-Force, a leader of Courtside Moms, expressed gratitude for the support from Revive. "This event came to fruition thanks to Revive Real Estate's generous support. Working with Michael Alladawi and his team was an incredible experience. We believe their shared vision and outstanding community work made this partnership a perfect match." Wendy Sparks, creator of the Court-Side Moms Podcast, lauded Revive's efforts, saying, "Collaborating with Revive Real Estate instilled a strong sense of unity. Their commitment enabled us to seize a teaching moment and impart crucial information on initiatives vital to the success of our event." Rod Watson, Founder of Distinct Concierge and cohost of the event, echoed Sparks' sentiments, "Their unwavering commitment and involvement helped us seize a teaching moment and impart crucial information." Revive's participation in the Courtside Moms event underlies the company's steadfast commitment to one of its core values: to help homeowners create more wealth. "By contributing to successful events like 'A Moment for Moms,' Revive strives to guide homeowners and their agents to greater profits and success, one presale renovation at a time," said Alladawi. Pictured above (L to R): Janice Wofford, mother of Lou Williams, recently retired, and Michael Alladawi, Revive CEO and co-founder. Photos and video of the Courtside Moms event can be found here. About Revive Revive Real Estate's mission is to guide home sellers through presale renovations without upfront costs. By providing access to Revive's network of top contractors, home sellers gain an average of $186,000 in additional profit when selling their homes. Revive homes sell for more and help sellers move ahead by maximizing their sales value. Revive is last year's iOi Summit Pitch Battle winner. Learn more at www.revive.realestate.

DocuSign Launches New AI-Powered ID Verification Solution
New DocuSign feature applies AI to live video selfies to make process more convenient & prevent identity spoofing and deep-fakes SAN FRANCISCO, July 25, 2023 -- DocuSign today announced the launch of its enhanced identity verification offering, Liveness Detection for ID Verification. Part of DocuSign's Identify portfolio, this new feature uses artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled biometric checks to confirm signers are who they say they are, are physically present at signing and that their IDs are valid. Identity verification is essential to establishing a trust relationship. Traditionally, it has been a cumbersome, in-person process. Using Liveness Detection for ID Verification, businesses can now easily, securely and remotely prevent the use of fake documents and the use of deep fakes or pre-recordings, as well as prevent identity spoofing. The global solution provides a critical capability for companies adopting identity-proofing as part of their onboarding workflows that improve trust, compliance and simplify the user experience. AI-enabled Liveness Detection for ID Verification delivers on our commitment to provide a secure intelligent agreement process. "At DocuSign, we don't believe in the false trade-off between either efficiency or risk," said Inhi Cho Suh, DocuSign President of Product & Technology. "We're infusing our entire product suite with AI to provide global customers with frictionless experiences that are smarter, easier and more trusted. Liveness Detection for ID Verification applies the power of artificial intelligence to live video selfies to provide the equivalent of face-to-face security without the inconvenience of showing up in person." Developed in partnership with Onfido, a global leader in automated identity verification, the new feature is tightly integrated with DocuSign's popular eSignature workflow, eliminating the need for users to use multiple platforms to complete secure agreements. The feature applies AI to live video selfies – taken by signers – to confirm that the signer taking the video matches the photo on their ID and that the face on the provided ID and the face in the selfie video match. Liveness Detection for ID Verification also confirms that there has been no spoofing detected, that the user was not using a fake webcam or an emulator, and that the signer is physically present at the time the video selfie was taken. "With instances of identity fraud on the rise, it's never been more essential for businesses to ensure that their online customers are who they say they are," said Mike Tuchen, Chief Executive Officer of Onfido. "We're excited to partner with DocuSign, which aligns with our goal of preventing fraud while simplifying the identity verification process for organizations across the globe." This enhancement to DocuSign's ID Verification solution is another step in the company's use of AI to strengthen its suite of agreement products. DocuSign recently announced the launch of Agreement Summarization, enabled by an integration with Azure's OpenAI Service, which simplifies the document review process by using AI to automatically surface the most critical components of a document, enabling signers to get a better grasp on key information in their agreement before they sign. This allows them to make more informed decisions faster, saving time in the review process. Pricing and Availability: Liveness Detection for ID Verification is available globally and is offered to all existing ID Verification or ID Verification Premier customers. About DocuSign DocuSign redefines how the world comes together and agrees, making agreements smarter, easier and more trusted. As part of its industry leading product lineup, DocuSign offers eSignature, the world's #1 way to sign electronically on practically any device, from almost anywhere, at any time. Today, over 1 million customers and more than a billion users in over 180 countries use DocuSign products and solutions to accelerate the process of doing business and simplify people's lives. For more information visit http://www.docusign.com.

Adwerx Empowers Top Producers with Highly-Effective Digital Branding and Nurture Campaigns
Newly launched Top Performer Packages provide high producing real estate and mortgage professionals with enhanced advertising techniques DURHAM, N.C., July 25, 2023 — Adwerx, the preferred digital advertising platform to hundreds of the nation's top real estate and mortgage companies, announces the launch of its Top Performer Packages, a solution designed specifically with leading professionals in mind to increase their productivity and scale efficiency. Based on insights gathered from over a decade of working with many of the top real estate agents and mortgage originators in the U.S., the new packages are specifically designed to meet the needs of top producers, providing an ideal mix of brand building to help maintain their leadership positions, and nurture campaigns to engage their key referral sources. "Adwerx has been helping individuals and enterprises grow their businesses for years," said Michael Collins, CEO of Adwerx. "Savvy top producers were already purchasing from our suite of services to run brand and nurture campaigns, but we really needed a one-stop, strategic solution that did this for them. Using our proven technology, we developed an integrated ad strategy for top performing professionals that comes with dedicated onboarding, enhanced ad templates and reporting and a committed Premier Support team." These innovative packages empower top agents, loan officers, and other market leaders to expand their advertising strategies with easy-to-execute, pre-built campaigns that run on the most widely viewed websites, mobile apps, social media platforms and Streaming TV networks. Nurture: Because up to 75% of business comes from repeat clients and referrals, packages keep producers consistently engaged with their Sphere of Influence. Engage: Research suggests a consumer needs to see an ad 7-8 times before it resonates. Packages include a minimum of 50,000 impressions per month to establish the producer as the go-to resource for real estate or mortgage lending. Innovate: Traditionally, TV advertising has only been used by the world's biggest brands, due to the high costs associated. With Adwerx, Top Performers can now target qualified prospects directly with personalized commercials on streaming TV services, giving them unprecedented access to premium TV as a marketing channel. Scale efficiency: Adwerx streamlines a complicated and time-consuming marketing process, allowing agents and loan officers to focus their time on high-value activities like guiding clients through the transaction. "Working with Adwerx has been a game changer," said Aimee Siers, Realtor at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Commonwealth Real Estate. "Through Adwerx, I not only promote my listings but also increase my online brand awareness. Adwerx gives me the ability to reach my sphere and market to my key neighborhoods by delivering my message on all the important online channels. Adwerx is the perfect solution for any busy top producing agent who needs to build their online presence." "We are committed to helping our clients establish trust, build credibility and become leaders in their respective markets," added Collins. "Our Top Performer Packages empower real estate and mortgage professionals to elevate their advertising game and achieve exceptional results." To learn more about Adwerx's Top Performer Packages and how they can enhance your advertising strategy, visit www.adwerx.com/ad-packages. About Adwerx Adwerx is an industry-leading digital advertising automation platform that provides personalized, hyper-targeted, and fully-automated digital advertising solutions for real estate and mortgage companies. Scalable for businesses of any size, Adwerx executes advertising with the power needed for large enterprises and the simplicity expected for an individual agent. As a trusted partner to thousands of real estate and mortgage firms and their top producers, Adwerx enables its customers to stay ahead of the competition by reaching new audiences and nurturing existing relationships. For more information about Adwerx and its suite of digital advertising solutions, visit www.adwerx.com.

HomeZada's New AI Chat Assistant Gives Homeowners More Power to Manage their Home
EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. -- Imagine the hundreds of questions that the average U.S. homeowner asks designers, architects, contractors, remodelers, maintenance and cleaning experts, mortgage and insurance brokers, home-financing specialists and others during the course of owning a home. Now imagine if you could get those questions answered instantaneously by the most-recognized experts in the home space and then delivered instantly to your personal device to allow you to make the best, fastest decisions possible. HomeZada, the world's first and only fully integrated, cloud-based platform dedicated to digital home management, is harnessing the unique power of AI to do just that. The platform is adding the AI Chat Assistant "Zada" to its all-in-one suite of apps designed to help homeowners simplify the ownership, maintenance, management and equity growth of what is for most their single-largest investment. According to HomeZada co-founder John Bodrozic, the new Zada AI Chat Assistant provides homeowners with the knowledge to answer any question about home maintenance, home remodels, home products and services, home insurance, home finances and the real estate process. He says it represents the most innovative upgrade to the HomeZada platform since it pioneered the digital home management space in 2012. "HomeZada's mission is to allow homeowners to access all of the data about their largest financial asset in one place," said Bodrozic. "Integrating Zada AI Chat with HomeZada's already-robust blend of unique apps, content and data gives our customers even more of the latest information they need to maximize the value of their homes and save money, time, stress and impact on the environment." Bodrozic says that homeowners spend considerable time looking for answers on remodel and renovation projects; product and brand comparisons; architect, contractor and designer searches; and how-to questions about new installations, maintenance and repairs. First-time buyers are most interested in home finances, insurance and the overall home-buying process – and a typical internet search for these topics leads to results that are often cluttered with irrelevant links and an unorganized cluster of saved bookmarks in the browser. "The new Zada Home AI assistant was integrated into the secure HomeZada application specifically to allow homeowners to ask complex homeownership questions that will empower them to better manage, maintain, protect and improve their homes." HomeZada customers can use "Zada" to accomplish the following: Engage in an interactive, two-way conversation about any home and residential real estate-related subject Answer questions about home management in a clean and clutter-free user interface Provide a long-threaded conversation that remembers previous questions and answers, allowing homeowners to explore answers at a deeper level than search engines Suggest additional questions with every answer Integrates with maintenance tasks to provide "How to…" instructions for every task Offer a remodel template with an automated budget range for each project item Provide a customized list of product and brand options for every remodel Save all questions and answers and link the chats to specific tasks and projects Allow previous chats to be searched to allow homeowners to aggregate their collective home research and knowledge in one place. Consistent with the nature of AI, HomeZada is committed to continually upgrading its AI Chat Assistant and other platform capabilities to give homeowners the latest information to allow them to make the best decisions possible about their homes. For a how-to video about HomeZada, go here. To see how HomeZada integrates its Home AI Chat Assistant into its suite of home management services, click here. About HomeZada HomeZada is the home industry's first and only fully integrated, cloud-based platform dedicated to digital home management. Created by project management pros in 2012 who wanted a similar, all-encompassing digital platform for their home, the Northern California company offers an all-in-one suite of apps able to schedule maintenance and repairs, streamline remodeling projects, document inventory for insurance purposes and manage all finances associated with the home. For the homeowner, the result is maximum property value and peace of mind and a significant savings of time, money, personal stress, and impact on the environment. For information, visit https://www.homezada.com.

New Zillow tool helps renters avoid unexpected costs
Zillow introduces the Cost of Renting Summary to bring transparency to rental expenses SEATTLE, July 19, 2023 -- Zillow's new Cost of Renting Summary gives renters clear insight into the financial obligations of renting, making it easier than ever to understand the costs involved. This feature is now available on all detail pages for rental multifamily buildings across the Zillow app and website. The Cost of Renting Summary was purposely built to empower the average monthly 28 million unique visitors to Zillow Rentals1 with the information they need to make informed decisions throughout their housing journey. According to Zillow's Consumer Housing Trends Report (CHTR), 80% of renters said staying within their initial budget is highly important — more than any other factor in choosing a home. However, many renters may not be aware that their budget needs to account for more than just the monthly rent. Zillow's latest CHTR report shows that the typical security deposit for renters who paid one was between $500 and $999. And for renters who paid an application fee, the typical amount was between $40 and $59. These onetime fees and any ongoing monthly charges can quickly add up, potentially pushing renters beyond their desired budget range. The new feature was recognized today by the White House in an announcement outlining President Biden's efforts to lower costs for renters. The Administration's commitment to promoting transparent pricing aligns perfectly with Zillow's mission to bring clarity to renters. The recognition is part of a long partnership with the White House, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and policy makers to highlight Zillow's pro-consumer products and economic research. "Renters should feel financially confident when applying for an apartment, no surprises included," said Christopher Roberts, senior vice president and general manager of Zillow Rentals. "Transparency is at the core of our commitment to renters, and tools like the Cost of Renting Summary provide them with the comprehensive data to navigate the housing market and discover the perfect home within their budget." The Cost of Renting Summary leverages available data provided by Zillow's multifamily partners to preload the tool with information about monthly costs, such as rent, parking fees and pet fees, as well as onetime expenses like security deposits, application fees and administration fees. Now renters can view the total cost of renting a specific unit they are interested in directly on the building's detail page, making it easier to assess affordability. Zillow will continue to enhance the tool to enable renters to customize the data themselves with more details, such as utilities and cable/internet, enabling them to tailor the cost summary to their specific needs, giving them a more personalized experience. The Cost of Renting Summary is one of many products Zillow offers to create ease, address inequities and help renters save money. Others include: Universal applications: Zillow offers a streamlined online application process for both renters and housing providers. For a flat fee, renters can use a single form to apply to multiple participating properties on Zillow within 30 days. This saves renters time and money, as they no longer need to pay multiple application fees. The "soft" credit-pull feature allows landlords to check credit without impacting renters' credit scores. Fair housing resources: Rental listings on Zillow display available local legal protections, such as source-of-income and LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination laws. This ensures that renters are aware of their rights and helps housing providers understand their legal obligations. Anti-discrimination tools: Zillow utilizes technology to screen new rental listings and filter for discriminatory content based on federal, state and local fair housing laws, including source-of-income and other anti-discrimination laws. Housing Connector: Zillow has partnered with Housing Connector to connect clients experiencing homelessness with available and affordable rental housing. This program has created a network of more than 73,000 rental units and has housed 5,000 people since its launch in 2020. Help for renters to unlock homeownership: Zillow displays down payment assistance information on eligible for-sale home listings to help renters in their journey toward homeownership. A feature for veterans allows them to search for condos that accept Veterans Affairs loans, expanding affordable homeownership options. Zillow also provides buyers with an easy-to-use affordability calculator found on the Home Loans tab on Zillow's homepage, helping them determine their budget and connect with a loan officer to assess both their qualified mortgage amount and what they're comfortable paying. Zillow is committed to developing innovative products and supporting policies that break down barriers in the rental market to enhance ease and transparency, creating a more pro-consumer market that is fair and accessible, and offers abundant housing options for all. About Zillow Group Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow and its affiliates help people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, great partners, and easier buying, selling, financing and renting experiences. Zillow Group's affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®; Zillow Premier Agent®; Zillow Home Loans℠; Zillow Closing Services℠; Trulia®; Out East®; StreetEasy®; HotPads®; and ShowingTime+℠, which includes ShowingTime®, Bridge Interactive®, and dotloop®.

Home values reach new peak as owners hang on to houses
SEATTLE, July 12, 2023 -- The typical home value eclipsed $350,000 for the first time ever as healthy demand from buyers continues to collide with reluctant sellers, according to the latest Zillow® Market Report. "Home buyers have persisted this spring despite daunting affordability challenges and record-low inventory," said Jeff Tucker, senior economist at Zillow. "Demand typically begins to ease in the summer, and there are signs that competition is waning, but large price declines are unlikely until more homeowners list their homes for sale." The typical U.S. home value climbed 1.4% from May to June, continuing a four-month hot streak. The new peak of $350,213 is almost 1% higher than last June and barely edges out the previous Zillow Home Value Index record set in July 2022. From hot spots to soft spots: Local home value trends Affordability remains the key to market strength, as lower-priced metro areas posted the largest monthly gains; Chicago, Buffalo, New Orleans and Hartford all notched 2.1% monthly growth, with Detroit close behind at 2%. Those markets all have typical home values lower than the national average. As in May, home values rose from the previous month in all 50 of the largest metro areas. The slowest monthly growth was in Austin (0.4%), followed by Jacksonville, Memphis, San Antonio and Birmingham, which all saw 0.8% increases. Drought of new listings intensifies The flow of new homes for sale ticked up 2.4% month over month, but the annual deficit deepened, now standing at 28% fewer listings than a year ago. June is usually one of the best months for fresh inventory, but this year only 376,500 new listings arrived on the market. That's closer to levels seen in the slower months of February and October than to average new listings in June (505,100), according to Zillow data reaching back to 2018. A lack of new listings has dogged the housing market for nearly a year, and higher mortgage rates remain the chief suspect. Rates at 6.8% this week (the highest since November, up from 5.1% a year ago and 3% two years ago) make it especially costly for homeowners — most of whom have a mortgage well below today's rates — to borrow for their next home purchase. Another explanation could be that homeowners are holding out for higher prices. Home values have steadily increased since January in much of the country, but remain below peaks reached last summer in many markets. "It could be that some homeowners have been waiting until prices set new highs in their market before opting to cash in their chips," Tucker said. The total pool of existing homes for sale is lower than any June since at least 2018. It's down 10% from last year and a tremendous 45% below June 2019. Drop-off in demand means less competition for buyers Potential buyers could see some slight relief on the horizon, as a few metrics indicate demand and competition are cooling. Sales measured by newly pending listings dipped almost 5% from May to June, following seasonal trends seen in 2022 and before the pandemic, when accepted offers crested in May. Listings also lasted longer in June, 11 days before the typical listing went pending, compared to 10 in May. But that's still a much faster market than in 2019, when listings went pending in 21 days. Rent growth is back to normal Zillow's latest monthly rent report shows rent growth is back to pre-pandemic norms for this time of year, about 0.6% per month. San Diego overtook San Francisco as the third-most-expensive place to rent. * Table ordered by market size About Zillow Group Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow and its affiliates help people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, great partners, and easier buying, selling, financing and renting experiences. Zillow Group's affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®; Zillow Premier Agent®; Zillow Home Loans℠; Trulia®; Out East®; StreetEasy®; HotPads®; and ShowingTime+℠, which includes ShowingTime®, Bridge Interactive®, and dotloop®. All marks herein are owned by MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). © 2023 MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate.

NAR Introduces New Podcast Underscoring Importance of Realtor Safety
'Drive With NAR: The Safety Series' will be hosted by former real estate agent, topic expert Tracey Hawkins WASHINGTON (July 6, 2023) – The National Association of REALTORS® announced today the upcoming launch of a new podcast, Drive with NAR: The Safety Series, set to debut on July 17. This monthly series is the second installment in the member-facing "Drive with NAR" podcast channel, an extension of the REALTOR® Magazine brand. Guided by a mission to empower real estate professionals in their lives and businesses, Drive With NAR: The Safety Series will highlight real-life experiences, safety tips and expert insights to help NAR members recognize and combat inherent threats in the marketplace. The podcast will be hosted by Tracey Hawkins, a renowned safety expert and former real estate agent with nearly 30 years of experience advocating for safety in the real estate profession. "I'm proud to use my platform to inspire actionable change in our field," Hawkins said. "I've been called an innovator because I bring enthusiasm and a different perspective to safety conversations. My goal is to reach every NAR member and help strengthen the safety culture in the industry to ensure we are learning from and adapting to our colleagues' experiences." Listeners will gain valuable insights from Hawkins, guest experts and fellow Realtors®, as well as practical tips to incorporate safety best practices into their businesses. "Tracey Hawkins brings a wealth of knowledge, unwavering dedication and profound understanding of safety in the real estate profession," said Jen Hajigeorgiou, director of content strategy at NAR. "Her expertise will undoubtedly help equip real estate agents with tools and knowledge that could one day save their lives." The National Association of Realtors® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The term Realtor® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

SentriLock Launches New Offer Comparison Tool
SentriLock announced a new SentriKey Showing Service® feature, Offer Comparison, designed to increase listing agent productivity. The days of using spreadsheets to evaluate incoming offers and look at side-by-side comparisons are in the past. The new feature streamlines this process, so you can review all offers in one place, and easily share those offers with your clients. Benefits for agents: Saves time for listing agents and showing agents with an easy-to-use tool for adding offer proposals. Allows listing agents to evaluate offers efficiently using the side-by-side offer comparison tool. Enables a comprehensive "net view" of approximately how much cash the seller would receive from a specific offer. To learn more about these great features and how they can help you, check out this video: Offer Comparison is available on the Professional Tier of the SentriKey Showing Service®. To learn how you can add on this time-saving feature, contact your association. To view the original post, visit the SentriLock blog.

Home Prices Post Their First Annual Decline Since Before 2017
In June, median home prices slipped -0.9% year over year as new listings of homes for sale dipped 25.7% annually and fell below their previous pandemic lows SANTA CLARA, Calif., June 29, 2023 -- The U.S. median home listing price slipped -0.9% annually in June, posting the first yearly decline since 2017, the start of Realtor.com®'s trends data, according to its June Monthly Housing Trends Report released today. At the same time, while home shoppers had more homes to choose from this month, improvement stalled as the active inventory growth rate slowed for the fourth month in a row (+7.1%) and came in well below May's +21.5% rate. "While home asking prices grew seasonally, price gains have been weakening since last summer as rising mortgage rates have added to ongoing affordability challenges and further cooled buyer demand, so the first year-over-year decline in median list prices this month wasn't unexpected. While this could feel like a welcome relief for buyers, our revised 2023 outlook expects only a modest drop in home prices of 0.6% for the year. This may not be enough to noticeably bring down costs until the end of the year as inflation and rates start to fall too," said Danielle Hale, Chief Economist for Realtor.com®. "Fewer potential sellers opting to list their home because of the mortgage rate lock-in effect continues to be a drag on the market. Fortunately, for those willing to make a move, falling prices won't erase the substantial price gains seen the past few years, and most will likely have enough equity to come out ahead." What it means for homebuyers, sellers, and the housing market Affordability has evolved into an increasingly important factor in home purchase decisions, and a drop in home listing prices creates potential opportunities for buyers, especially with some creativity. "If buyers see homes sitting on the market for a while that haven't received many good offers, there may be some opportunities for further negotiations. It never hurts to ask a seller if they would be willing to reduce their price a little, contribute to closing costs, or even buy down their mortgage rate," said Realtor.com® Executive News Editor Clare Trapasso. "While this likely won't work for the well-located, move-in ready homes oozing curb appeal, buyers may want to take another look at homes that may need a little work. Sometimes a coat of paint and minor work can make a big difference." June 2023 Housing Metrics – National   Home asking prices see first annual decline as high borrowing costs create barriers Recent near-record high mortgage rates and still-high listing prices continue to create affordability challenges for homebuyers, which is putting downward pressure on home list prices, which slipped annually in June for the first time since 2017. Despite high borrowing costs and a low inventory of homes to choose from in the market, homebuying sentiment continues to improve in recent months, and a new survey from Realtor.com® and Censuswide found that the vast majority of respondents, nearly 9 in 10 of those shopping, still hope to make a home purchase happen this year. In June, the U.S. median list price grew to $445,000, up from $441,000 in May but down slightly (-0.9%) from June 2022's record high of $449,000. Northeastern metros had the highest growth rate in active listing prices, with an average increase of 11.7% over the past year. Prices in Cincinnati, Ohio (+20.0%), Rochester, N.Y. (+19.6%), and Los Angeles (+17.7%) saw the biggest increases among large metros. However, in each of these metros the mix of inventory changed and larger, more expensive homes were listed for sale in June compared to the previous year. Among the 50 largest U.S. metros, 15 out of the largest 50 markets saw their median list price decline. The greatest price declines were seen in Texas metros: Austin (-6.8% year over year), Houston (-5.1%), and Raleigh, N.C. (-4.2%). Nationally, the share of homes with price reductions was mostly flat in June, decreasing slightly from 14.7% last June to 14.1% this year. Among the largest metros, the largest increases in the percentage of homes with price reductions compared to last year were in San Antonio, Texas (+8.3 percentage points), Memphis, Tenn. (+6.3 pp) and Jacksonville, Fla. (+4.7 pp). Buyers short on options as active inventory declines in many areas There continues to be an ongoing lack of homes for sale as potential sellers with near-record equity take a wait-and-see approach and buyers compete over the remaining available homes for sale. In June, the growth in the number of active homes for sale slowed for the fourth month in a row, and growth stalled completely in the final week of June, with the number of active homes for sale slipping below (-0.3%) year ago levels for the first time in a year (59 weeks). New listings to the market have been scarce this year too – the pace of new listings year-to-date is even lower (-16.4%) than in the first half of 2020, when the real estate market was still contending with pandemic-era closures, restrictions, and uncertainties – highlighting just how short on options buyers are in today's market. Nationally, active inventory grew 7.1% year over year in June, but slowed for the fourth month in a row, registering less than half of May's 21.5% rate. On average, active inventory in June was 50.6% below pre-pandemic 2017–2019 levels. Both pending listings (-16.7%), or homes under contract, and newly listed homes (-25.7%) declined year over year. The number of homes newly-listed for sale declined at a faster rate in June than May's 22.7% decrease. Among the 50 largest metros, inventory growth is being driven almost exclusively by the South, which saw the most growth (+24.1%) in homes for sale compared to last June, led by San Antonio (+65.7%), Nashville, Tenn. (63.3%) and New Orleans (60.0%). All other regions saw declining annual growth in active inventory in June. Active inventory decreased in 28 out of 50 of the largest metros compared to last year. Western markets reported the largest yearly declines, with the top three in California metros: San Jose, (-44.1%), San Diego (-35.9%), and Sacramento (-33.4%). In June, none of the 50 largest metro areas saw new listings increase over last year. Homes continue to linger longer on the market, giving buyers more time to search Despite a significant slowing from the frenzied pace of the past couple years, in most areas of the country, the housing market continues to move quicker than it did in the pre-pandemic era, with homes today selling more than a week faster on average than in pre-pandemic June 2017-2019. The typical home spent 43 days on market in June, 14 days longer than this time last year, but 10 fewer days than they typically did in the average June 2017–2019. Across the 50 largest U.S. metros, in June the typical home spent 44 days on the market, 13 days more than the previous June. This trend was seen across all regions, with larger metros in the South seeing the greatest increase (+15 days), followed by the West (+9 days), Northeast (+7 days) and Midwest (+6 days). Homes in Western metros were also spending one more day on the market than pre-pandemic times, but in all other regions homes were still selling more quickly. All of the 50 largest metros saw an increase in time on market compared to the previous year. Time on market increased the most in Raleigh, N.C. (+26 days), Austin, Texas (+25 days), and Miami (+25 days). June 2023 Housing Overview by Top 50 Largest Metros   *Some Las Vegas listing metrics have been excluded while data is under review. Methodology Realtor.com® housing data as of June 2023. Listings include the active inventory of existing single-family homes and condos/townhomes/rowhomes/co-ops for the given level of geography on Realtor.com®; new construction is excluded unless listed via an MLS that provides listing data to Realtor.com®. Realtor.com® data history goes back to July 2016. 50 largest U.S. metropolitan areas as defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). About Realtor.com® Realtor.com® is an open real estate marketplace built for everyone. Realtor.com® pioneered the world of digital real estate more than 25 years ago. Today, through its website and mobile apps, Realtor.com® is a trusted guide for consumers, empowering more people to find their way home by breaking down barriers, helping them make the right connections, and creating confidence through expert insights and guidance. For professionals, Realtor.com® is a trusted partner for business growth, offering consumer connections and branding solutions that help them succeed in today's on-demand world. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. For more information, visit Realtor.com®.

New NAR Survey Finds Americans Prefer Walkable Communities
WASHINGTON (June 27, 2023) – The National Association of Realtors® released a new survey revealing that Americans living in walkable communities report a higher quality of life. The 2023 Community & Transportation Preferences Survey is a national poll taken every three years to gauge people's partialities regarding their home's location or potential location as well as community attributes they find desirable. "With COVID in our rearview mirror, this study shows that a substantial demand for walkability persists for Americans of all ages," said NAR President Kenny Parcell. "NAR has conducted community preference surveys for over 20 years, providing Realtors® and their communities with valuable information on shifting American lifestyles and migration trends. To help local communities and Realtor® associations improve the places they live, NAR generates this survey and makes the results available to all." Among noteworthy findings of the survey: If deciding today where to live: 79% said being within an easy walk of other places and things, such as shops and parks, is very/somewhat important. 78% of those indicated that they would be willing to pay more to live in a walkable community. 85% said sidewalks and places to walk are very/somewhat important. 65% said having public transport nearby is very/somewhat important. 56% said they would prefer a house with a small yard and be able to walk to places vs. 44% who would prefer a large yard and would need to drive to most places. 53% would prefer an attached dwelling (own or rent a townhouse/condo/apartment) and be able to walk to shops, restaurants, and a short commute to work vs. 47% who would prefer a single-family home (own or rent) and have to drive to shops, restaurants and a longer commute. NAR's biannual Community & Transportation Preferences Survey polls residents in America's 50 largest metropolitan areas. The complete results can be found here. The National Association of Realtors® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The term Realtor® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

Matterport Announces Genesis: A Generative AI Initiative to Transform How Buildings are Designed, Built, and Managed
Combining generative AI and property insights, Matterport's digital twin platform aims to reshape the real estate landscape, optimizing interior design, space utilization, energy efficiency, safety, accessibility and property marketing strategies. Sunnyvale, CA -- Matterport, Inc., today announced Genesis, a new initiative that aims to deliver generative AI across its digital twin platform for customers looking to bolster the efficiency and profitability of their property portfolios worldwide. Genesis combines Matterport's stable of deep learning and computer vision innovations including Cortex AI and Property Intelligence, with generative AI to deliver a new generation of digital twins. They will be dynamic in nature: interiors easily removed, redesigned, and presented in dimensionally accurate 3D. New design concepts, operational layouts, and other space utilization requirements will be quickly evaluated and customized for buildings of any size, residential or commercial. The project builds upon Matterport's decade-long expertise in artificial intelligence and its market-leading 3D spatial data library of more than 30 billion square feet of digitized physical space, to help customers market, manage, and reimagine every type of property across the built world– automatically. "Matterport has been at the forefront of the digital transformation of the built world for more than a decade, fueled by our early advances in artificial intelligence," said RJ Pittman, Chairman and CEO of Matterport. "Genesis is the continuation of that strategy to help Matterport and its partners create transformational digital experiences for properties and improve operations in buildings worldwide." Genesis (patent pending) will incorporate generative AI across our digital twin platform to dramatically improve operating efficiency and the decision-making process in the property sector. The project will combine Matterport's valuable property insights with the ability to automatically enhance the design, layout, and utility of a property in dimensionally accurate, photorealistic 3D. Use cases include: Interior Design & Space Utilization: Helping homeowners, designers, and property managers reimagine a physical space with automated virtual interior design and staging, including making recommendations for how to optimize the use of these spaces. Design & Construction: Making it simpler for homeowners, architects and builders to create more efficient, sustainable and accessible buildings. Energy Efficiency: Providing insights on how to reduce energy consumption in buildings, potentially leading to lower energy bills and a smaller carbon footprint. Maintenance & Repairs: Proactively surfacing the most common maintenance and repair issues for buildings, along with tips on how to prevent them, helping building owners and managers address issues before they become costly problems. Safety & Security: Spotlighting potential safety and security risks for buildings, such as fire hazards or building code violations, along with recommendations for how to address these risks. "Matterport is highly focused on delivering advanced AI capabilities across the digital twin platform to unlock new capabilities and upend how we manage property and space in the built world. This will greatly simplify property marketing, space planning, construction, property management and maintenance for all of our customers, old and new," Pittman added. Matterport has been steadily expanding its AI-first strategy with Cortex AI and Property Intelligence, and the company plans to integrate Genesis innovations across its digital twin platform with early releases expected before the end of 2023. Embracing innovation and customer value through Genesis, Matterport will continue to develop powerful AI to digitize the built world, while helping customers realize new property value for the more than 30 billion square feet of physical space the company has digitized worldwide and counting. About Matterport Matterport, Inc. (Nasdaq: MTTR) is leading the digital transformation of the built world. Our groundbreaking digital twin platform turns buildings into data to make every space more valuable and accessible. Millions of buildings in more than 177 countries have been transformed into immersive Matterport digital twins to improve every part of the building lifecycle from planning, construction, and operations to documentation, appraisal and marketing. Learn more at Matterport.com and visit our Discover page to browse a collection of digital twins captured by our customers.

MoveEasy Rebrands to LiveEasy as It Rolls Out New Platforms for Homeowners and Renters
Updates product integrations for greater B2B accessibility and customization COLUMBUS, OHIO - June 15, 2023 -- LiveEasy (FKA MoveEasy), the nation's leading home services platform, has expanded its reach into new sectors with the rollout of its Homeownership and Rental Dashboards. In addition to its core services, the company has launched an entirely new sector with its Rental Dashboard; and has rolled out its Homeownership Dashboard, which was announced and beta-launched in October 2022, with full functionality to all users. Finally, the company has also launched a major update to how these platforms are integrated with other partners and businesses: with new embeddable, modular tools including widgets and APIs to let clients configure and customize the software as they like. Together, these launches and upgrades bring LiveEasy services to millions of additional consumers and businesses. The company also announced it has changed its name to LiveEasy to better align with the full array of concierge services provided to their expanding client base. While the company has always provided a "lifetime concierge" for every consumer, the new name makes that message more clear, along with the expansion of home dashboards, and the value they can help consumers build while reducing expenses in whatever type of property they call home. "Today, the world of buyers, sellers, renters and homeowners are increasingly intertwined," said LiveEasy founder and CEO Venkatesh Ganapathy. "We've taken the bold and strategic step to bring those all under one roof, serving every American consumer who owns, lives in or rents any type of home. We couldn't be more excited to make this expansion and bring our valued partners in the real estate industry along with us." Making an Impact for Consumers and for Businesses From its launch in 2017, LiveEasy began by offering white label moving concierge services, enabling real estate brokers to offer this service directly to its clients. The Moving Dashboard included products to help new residents access and save money on local services like cable and internet, maintenance and insurance, saving the average household $400 on home services and providing a convenient place to manage their home-related needs. At the same time, the comprehensive array of services and features helps keep the clients and the clients of our brokerages, mortgage lenders, insurance, and property managers engaged with their services, and more likely to become repeat customers, which directly benefits their businesses. LiveEasy is focused on providing unparalleled value for both consumers and the professionals that support them. The company currently has 150k+ real estate agents, which have access to 1 million movers and 5 million homeowners, and from January 2022-June 2023, have saved their clients a collective $9.8 million and 17,000+ hours of labor. Now, with today's major expansion into these new markets, the company is entering an exponentially larger space of offering its services to everyone living in the 190M+ homes and rental units in America with the potential to save them hundreds of millions of dollars on their homes. "In just the last year-plus, we've already helped put nearly $10 million back in Americans' pockets," added Ganapathy. "And at the same time, we're helping them maximize their home's equity potential and build meaningful wealth. And all this happens while actually making their lives easier by bringing all their home-related needs into one convenient platform, while increasing opportunities and revenue for the businesses that support them." Just as it has delivered valuable savings for homeowners and consumers, the company has also generated over $57M in business for its partners. "LiveEasy has saved our clients $1.2+ million in home services costs and 3,400+ hours of time scheduling services," said Rajeev Sajja, SVP Digital Marketing and Innovation for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors. "It has generated more leads for our ancillary services, such as Insurance referrals, than any other partner." With the rollout of the enhanced Homeownership Platform, the launch of the new Renter Platform, and the updated integrations for its Moving Platform, businesses will be able to build on these savings for clients. Additionally, LiveEasy allows for consumers to be entered into their home management system at any time in their home journey, not just at the moment of a move. This allows our brokerage, mortgage and property management partners to deliver lifetime value, and activate leads from their sphere that may have been missed otherwise. Features of the Dashboards The Homeownership and Renter Dashboards retain many of the same core functionalities and features as the Moving Dashboard – offering localized products and services central to their unique living experiences – as well as new, highly customized features. The Homeownership Dashboard centers around wealth building and managing home equity. This includes tools, calculators and built-in loans and finances, even mortgage refinancing, to pay for remodels and renovations. Using LiveEasy, homeowners can see the real-time value of their home, access their mortgage information, and be instantly connected with a live representative to provide mortgage and refinancing advice. It also helps customers project which renovations or home projects will have the greatest impact on their equity, assess their unique HELOC situation, and secure financing and contractors for the project right through the dashboard. Finally, it provides cost-saving features to ensure consumers are getting the best price possible for cable, internet, home security and more, in addition to discounts on home products and services throughout their homeownership journey. The Renter Dashboard similarly offers customized services to renters that streamlines their needs. These include simplifying the move-in process - from reserving elevators, to managing security deposits and pet policies, to scheduling key pickups and walkthroughs - to handling the day-to-day requirements, like scheduling routine visits, maintenance / landscaping appointments and appliance care, and more. Lastly, LiveEasy has expanded the integration options of its products, which will allow more partners than ever to access it and to customize it to their unique needs. With a low-code, easy-to-use interface, the product is now available to B2B partners not only as a fully hosted platform but also as a embeddable, modular set of product widgets (or available via API), thus allowing a host of businesses to take advantage its entire product suite and enabling them to configure and customize the platform as they like. For example, companies that help consumers shop for home insurance and compare prices can utilize just one or two tools from LiveEasy's dashboard, to create tailored, value-add services for end users. This enables our partners to engage with their clients within their own user interface and flow and move from a disconnected experience to a deeper relationship with lifelong connection to their consumer. "Since we launched our Moving Platform in 2017, we've prided ourselves on being innovators in the product space, and thanks to our recent funding led by Moderne Ventures & Travelers Insurance, we've been able to double down on that innovative edge," added LiveEasy's Ganapathy. "We're as committed as ever to building products that will really move the needle for the real estate industry. Today's rollout is just that." With this expansion, LiveEasy intends to be the go-to platform for Americans to manage their home-related expenses and services, gain better visibility into their largest financial asset or to build towards a future home while renting, and connect them with businesses and professionals throughout the lifetime of their home journey. About LiveEasy LiveEasy is the country's first full-service home management concierge platform designed to help the 190 million+ homeowners and renters in the US with all their moving and home management needs. Its various tools makes it easy to access service providers, savings, a dedicated concierge, and more. For partners, LiveEasy is a white-labeled, turnkey solution that enables businesses to customize and brand the platform, so they can offer a true end-to-end home management solution to their clients and develop a lifetime connection with them. Today, LiveEasy partners with a range of businesses including mortgage, insurance, rental, home services, and the largest real estate brokerages in the country representing more than 150,000 agents. For more information, visit LiveEasy.com.

Federal Agencies Propose Interagency Guidance on Reconsiderations of Value for Residential Real Estate Valuation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Five federal regulatory agencies today requested public comment on proposed guidance addressing reconsiderations of value (ROV) for residential real estate transactions. The proposed guidance advises on policies that financial institutions may implement to allow consumers to provide financial institutions with information that may not have been considered during an appraisal or if deficiencies are identified in the original appraisal. ROVs are requests from a financial institution to an appraiser or other preparer of a valuation report to reassess the value of residential real estate. An ROV may be warranted if a consumer provides information to a financial institution about potential deficiencies or other information that may affect the estimated value. The proposed guidance shows how ROVs intersect with appraisal independence requirements and compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The proposed guidance describes how financial institutions may create or enhance their existing ROV processes while remaining consistent with safety and soundness standards, complying with applicable laws and regulations, preserving appraiser independence, and remaining responsive to consumers. Additionally, the proposed guidance would describe the risks of deficient residential real estate valuations and how financial institutions may incorporate ROV processes into established risk management functions. Deficient collateral valuations can contain inaccuracies due to errors, omissions, or discrimination that affect the value conclusion. The proposed guidance would also provide examples of ROV policies and procedures that a financial institution may establish to help identify, address, and mitigate valuation discrimination risk. Comments must be received within 60 days of the proposed guidance's publication in the Federal Register. Read the proposed guidance. Consumers can submit complaints about financial products and services, by visiting the CFPB's website or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372). About the CFPB The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a 21st century agency that helps consumer finance markets work by making rules more effective, by consistently and fairly enforcing those rules, and by empowering consumers to take more control over their economic lives. For more information, visit www.consumerfinance.gov.

Happy Grasshopper Announces Integration with Marigold & Grey
The new partnership allows agents, brokerages, and brands to easily send high quality artisan gifts via the Happy Grasshopper platform TAMPA, Fla. -- Who doesn't love receiving a gift in the mail? Today, Happy Grasshopper, the #1 content platform for agents and brokerages, launches an integration with Marigold & Grey, a full-service artisan gifting company specializing in gift design for corporate events, client and employee appreciation, and life's special occasions. The integration is now available on the dashboard of a current user's Happy Grasshopper account. Marigold & Grey is known for their ability to strike the perfect balance between the creativity and thoughtfulness of a personal gift with the professional polish of a corporate gift, resulting in corporate gift curations that help their clients stand out from the crowd. In addition to their emphasis on aesthetics, they equally value sound logistics and flawless execution. Happy Grasshopper connects the world through conversation, and a great way to start and continue meaningful conversations is through giving someone an amazing gift. This integration will allow all Happy Grasshopper members an additional multi-channel opportunity for connecting with their database. "We're excited to announce our integration with Marigold & Grey, a company that shares our passion for delivering exceptional experiences to clients and customers. As the #1 content platform for agents and brokerages, Happy Grasshopper is always looking for ways to help our users connect with their database and nurture those relationships," said Dan Stewart, CEO of Happy Grasshopper. "With this integration, our members now have an additional multi-channel opportunity to start and continue meaningful conversations with their clients and prospects." Members of the Happy Grasshopper platform will have a category list of curated gift box options to choose from for any occasion. From birthday themed boxes, happy housewarming, holiday snacks, congratulations, get well soon and more, you'll now have the opportunity to honor your past clients and future clients in an exciting new way. With the addition of a handwritten card, these curated gift boxes can be sent to anyone in your database that has a physical address listed. You will also have the option to have your logo added to any of the gift boxes featured on the Happy Grasshopper platform via Marigold & Grey's Add-Your-Own-Logo Program. "We have been helping agents and brokerages stand out from the crowd via artisan gifting since 2014 and are honored to have this incredible opportunity to extend our reach to all Happy Grasshopper members. We look forward to helping members form deeper connections with their clients and prospects, and achieve even greater success." This feature comes after Happy Grasshopper's database of agents, teams, and brokerages asked for a gifting feature, and the company delivered. Marigold & Grey will now provide their thoughtful, high quality client gift box options for every customer in Happy Grasshopper's 37 million contact database. To learn more about the integration, visit happygrasshopper.com. About Happy Grasshopper Happy Grasshopper is a technology-leveraged marketing company that creates and delivers content that fosters conversations with prospects, customers, and others through a variety of media (email, text, ringless voicemail drops, handwritten cards, social media posts, and now gifts!). For more information, visit happygrasshopper.com. About Marigold and Grey Fully woman-owned and led, Marigold & Grey is a full-service artisan gifting business specializing in gift design for corporate events, client and employee appreciation, and life's special occasions. They transform the tedious corporate gifting process into a beautiful, modern, stress-free experience.

Zumper furthers AI offerings by introducing a plugin for ChatGPT
The new plugin uniquely leverages amenity and local data for its rental search SAN FRANCISCO, June 1, 2023 -- Today, Zumper, North America's largest privately owned rental marketplace, announces a plugin that enables users to discover Zumper listings by conversing directly with ChatGPT. Leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), this innovative tool will help users sort through Zumper's database of over 1 million listings quickly, intuitively and with hyper-personalized results. Developed by OpenAI, ChatGPT is a state-of-the-art language model that can understand and generate text that closely resembles human conversation. Zumper's new ChatGPT plugin is able to respond to inquiries about listings, fine-tune search results based on a variety of preferences, and deliver detailed descriptions of properties. The plugin can also maintain complex, contextual conversations, which ensures a consistent and meaningful dialogue that caters to the unique needs and queries of each user. "By integrating sophisticated models, our goal is to refine and enhance the user experience," said Zumper's Chief Experience Officer Shalin Amin. "We envision a future where the complexities of finding the perfect rental are significantly reduced, and users can quickly and effortlessly access tailored listings that align with their unique preferences and requirements." Other real estate ChatGPT plugins available now only have the ability to narrow searches by city, bedroom count and price. Zumper's ChatGPT plugin can fine-tune searches based on those 3 features and also incorporates amenity and local data on top of that. For example, a user can ask the Zumper ChatGPT plugin to "Find two-bedroom homes with in-unit laundry and hardwood floors in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco that are under $5,000'' and the tool will deliver results directly from Zumper's listing database of over 1 million available rentals. A user can continue to narrow the search by asking things such as the closest parks or supermarkets to each listing as well as asking ChatGPT to weigh the pros and cons. Currently, Zumper's ChatGPT plugin will only show long-term rentals. Users of ChatGPT will need a premium subscription to access the plugin. While users don't need to have a Zumper account to use the plugin, if they want to message or apply to the listings ChatGPT presents, they may want to continue with the account creation process to access the suite of Zumper's renter tools and features. While this plugin represents a significant milestone in Zumper's AI journey, AI and Machine Learning (ML) have been integral to Zumper's products for years. Zumper has integrated advanced technology previously with PowerLeads AI, which uses ML to predict potential property manager leads, and by implementing ML in both its recommendation engine and spam detection tools. Zumper's commitment to integrating AI and ML technologies aims to revolutionize the property rental process, making it more personalized, efficient, and user-friendly than ever before. More advanced features and services that will elevate the rental experience for both renters and property managers alike will continue to be developed in the future. Find more information on Zumper's ChatGPT plugin here. About Zumper Zumper is the largest privately owned rental platform in North America with more than 125 million site visits a year. Zumper is on a mission to make renting a home as easy as booking a hotel. To date, Zumper has raised over $178 million from Kleiner Perkins, Goodwater Capital, Headline, Dawn Capital, and the Blackstone Group. Learn more at www.zumper.com.

Zillow's top markets for college grads offer a balance of opportunity and affordability
Colorado Springs and Spokane named best areas for recent college graduates in new Zillow study analyzing rent-to-income ratio and job prospects SEATTLE, May 24, 2023 -- Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been named Zillow's top market for college grads in 2023, highlighting how, this year, markets with a smaller population, relatively affordable rents and lots of career prospects contribute to a high quality of life for individuals beginning a new phase in their lives. Trailing behind Colorado Springs are Spokane, Washington, and Des Moines, Iowa — two relatively small markets with plenty of job opportunities and lower rents than the national median. To determine the ranking, Zillow created an index combining1 each metropolitan area's rent-to-income ratio, average salary for recent college graduates, job openings and the share of the population in their 20s. The analysis identifies cities that not only provide promising career prospects but also ensure a manageable rent burden for fresh graduates embarking on their next exciting chapter. "Graduating from college and moving to a new city to start your career is a major milestone. For many, it's a reality check when they realize how much of their hard-earned paycheck goes straight to rent," said Anushna Prakash, an economic data analyst at Zillow. "Zillow's top markets for college grads are buzzing with abundant job opportunities, a chance to connect with fellow 20-somethings, and rent prices that allow more freedom to spend on nights out or even start saving for a down payment. They're great places to kick-start life's exciting next chapter." Second-largest markets offer college grads a quality life Both Colorado Springs and Spokane hold the distinction of being the second-largest markets by population in their respective states. These vibrant regions offer abundant job opportunities along with rents that are more affordable than their larger metro counterparts Denver and Seattle. In Colorado Springs, the typical rent is $1,824, compared to $2,031 in Denver. In Spokane, the typical rent is $1,563, compared to $2,223 in Seattle. College graduates flock to these areas, seeking an excellent quality of life, outdoor recreation and economic prospects at a reasonable cost. The two are also college towns, anchored by UC-Colorado Springs and Gonzaga University, respectively, giving them a head start at attracting 20-somethings when many recent graduates stick around to start their careers. Phoenix and Portland are the largest markets on the list Among the top metros, Phoenix and Portland stand out as the largest markets by population size. While their typical rents rank highest on our top-10 list, Portland's generous average salary for recent college grads offsets the higher living costs, ensuring a relatively manageable rent-to-income ratio. Phoenix, on the other hand, takes the crown for its abundance of job opportunities, surpassing all other analyzed metro areas. When combined with factors such as the vibrant population of 20-somethings and favorable rent-to-income ratios, both Phoenix and Portland emerge as exceptional choices for recent graduates seeking a flourishing start to their professional journeys. Peak rental season is in full swing, and new college grads looking to sign a lease only add to the competition for rentals. The rental market can be expensive and competitive, but there are steps first-time renters can take to make the process easier: Search smarter, not harder To save time on in-person tours, renters can take advantage of virtual 3D Home tours and interactive property maps on many apartment listings from the comfort of their own couch and avoid wasting time touring rentals that are not a good fit. Once they decide they want to see something in person, renters can automatically schedule tours in the same way they book restaurant reservations — no need to wait for a response from the property manager. Create a budget and explore options Once they land a job and know their salary, college grads should also do research on their market to better understand what they can expect to pay and if they should negotiate. Zillow has a rental market trends tool showing typical rents, number of available units and market temperature down to the ZIP code. Know a renter's rights Zillow's local legal protections tool provides information about local laws that protect LBGTQ renters from housing discrimination. It also includes information on local laws that prevent housing discrimination based on the source of income used to pay the rent, such as housing vouchers. About Zillow Group Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow and its affiliates help people find and get the home they want by connecting them with digital solutions, great partners, and easier buying, selling, financing and renting experiences. Zillow Group's affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®; Zillow Premier Agent®; Zillow Home Loans℠; Zillow Closing Services℠; Trulia®; Out East®; StreetEasy®; HotPads®; and ShowingTime+℠, which includes ShowingTime®, Bridge Interactive®, and dotloop®.

Adwerx Secures $3 Million in Funding to Fuel Platform Expansion and Accelerate Growth
Adwerx, the leading provider of digital advertising solutions for real estate and mortgage companies and their top producers, announces the successful completion of its latest funding round, raising $3 million. The round was led by Savano Capital Partners and Observatory Capital, with participation from existing investors Grotech Ventures, Bull City Venture Partners, and Alerion Ventures. Notably, Second Century Ventures, the National Association of REALTORS®' strategic venture arm, also participated. The newly secured funds will support Adwerx's strategic initiatives, including the expansion of its automated advertising platform and the fortification of its balance sheet to prepare for accelerated growth in the coming months. "We're thrilled to have the support of the investors who know the company and the industry best," said CEO Michael Collins. "Their backing reaffirms our position as an innovator in the digital advertising space and reflects their confidence in our path forward." The involvement of Second Century Ventures, the National Association of REALTORS®' strategic venture arm, adds significant credibility to Adwerx's vision and strategic direction. Adwerx's previous participation in the REACH technology growth program and continued support from SCV will enable Adwerx to leverage the association's industry expertise and vast network of professionals to further amplify its impact in the real estate sector. "Adwerx has built significant momentum in recent months despite the softness in the real estate and mortgage industries," said Jonathan Perl, General Partner at Observatory Capital. "With the additional capital, new management team and plans for product innovation, we are optimistic about the company's potential." About Adwerx Adwerx is an industry-leading digital advertising automation platform that provides personalized, hyper-targeted, and fully-automated digital advertising solutions for real estate and mortgage companies. Scalable for businesses of any size, Adwerx executes advertising with the power needed for large enterprises and the simplicity expected for an individual agent. As a trusted partner to thousands of real estate and mortgage firms and their top producers, Adwerx enables its customers to stay ahead of the competition by reaching new audiences and nurturing existing relationships. For more information about Adwerx and its suite of digital advertising solutions, visit www.adwerx.com.

Curbio Adds Pay-When-You-Sell Home Staging Services to Help Realtors Reduce Number of Partners Needed to Get Homes Ready for Market
The leading fix-now, pay-when-you-sell home improvement solution makes it easy to repair, update and stage homes without having to pay out of pocket POTOMAC, Md., May 17, 2023 -- Curbio, Inc., the leading pay-at-closing home improvement solution for the real estate industry, today announces the launch of its new home staging service. Real estate agents can leverage Curbio's latest offering to help stage their clients' homes seamlessly with no upfront costs, saving sellers time and helping them make more money. Staging is shown to decrease days on market and increase the price a home sells for. According to the National Association of Realtors, 23% of buyers' agents said that staging a home boosts offers as much as 5% compared to similar homes that weren't staged. Curbio's physical home staging services includes a team of design experts who strategically lay out furniture and decor to highlight and accentuate a home's most appealing assets. Home staging is just one of Curbio's services for agents to leverage. The company offers updates and renovations that get sellers a high ROI for their home – everything from cleaning, painting and organizing to full kitchen remodels and whole-home makeovers. Curbio also recently launched its new inspection repair tool, streamlining the estimate and repair processes for agents following home inspection reports, getting homes to the closing stage faster. Sellers do not pay for Curbio's services until closing – with zero fees or interest. "We are no longer in a hot seller's market, which means buyers are choosier and less willing to pay more for a home that is not move-in ready," said Olivia Mariani, CMO at Curbio. "At Curbio, we are leveraging technology to make it as convenient as possible for agents and their sellers to take the steps that will get them the maximum value for their house – whether that's through home staging, simple updates, major renovations or inspection report repairs." As the licensed and insured general contractor, real estate agents can hand off any pre-listing home improvement projects to Curbio, so that they can sell their listings for top dollar without spending hours on the phone lining up contractors. Pitching Curbio's fix first, pay-when-you-sell service to win listings is also a popular use-case for agents in a tight inventory market. Curbio's recently launched mobile app allows real estate agents to get instant estimates for staging services, pre-listing projects and necessary inspection repairs for current and prospective clients. At the touch of a button, real estate agents can generate an immediate price and ROI estimate for repairs, updates and renovations. Curbio's full-service staging solution is currently available in Washington D.C., Baltimore, Richmond and Philadelphia/South New Jersey markets, with additional market expansions to come. Other markets can work with any stager they choose and use Curbio to pay at closing. For a full list of Curbio's markets, click here. Real estate agents can download Curbio's mobile app through Google Play and the App Store for a free estimate or visit Curbio here. To learn more about Curbio, visit www.curbio.com. About Curbio Curbio is on a mission to help real estate agents fix and update homes before they go on the market, so they sell quickly and for the best price, with zero payment due until closing. Founded in 2017, Curbio has quickly become the largest national home improvement company dedicated to pre-listing repairs, updates, and renovations. Curbio has modernized home improvement with an easy-to-use app that accelerates project timelines by 50%, while removing the delays, uncertainties and other frustrations that have plagued home improvement for decades. Their rapid time to listing, coupled with a turn-key approach and project ROI expertise, has made Curbio the most trusted fix first, pay-at-closing home improvement partner to thousands of realtors and brokerages nationwide, including eXp realty, RE/MAX, HomeServices of America, Long & Foster, @properties and many more.

iGUIDE Enhances Architectural and Design Workflows with New DWG Floor Plan Add-on
WATERLOO, ONTARIO, MAY 9, 2023 – Today, iGUIDE, the leading camera and software platform for capturing and delivering immersive 3D walkthroughs and extensive property data, announces iGUIDE DWG Floor Plans, a DWG file add-on feature that is created from an already processed iGUIDE. A DWG (short for "drawing") file is a proprietary Autodesk format for storing 2D or 3D design data and metadata supported by AutoCAD, Revit, and other drafting software. iGUIDE DWG Floor Plans are intended to provide a head start on architectural, engineering and construction floor plans and as-built and design drawings and enable faster workflows. "As a company committed to providing innovative solutions for the architecture, engineering, construction and facility management industries, we are thrilled to introduce iGUIDE DWG Floor Plans as our latest offering," said Jarrad Morden, COO of Planitar Inc., the makers of iGUIDE. "By leveraging an industry-standard DWG file format, we give our partners a head start in creating their architectural and construction floor plans, and as-built and design drawings. We aim to empower our customers with the tools they need to excel in their business by saving time and cost while receiving improved accuracy over other floor plan workflows. The iGUIDE DWG Floor Plan add-on is another example of the value we're bringing to our target markets." Key features of the DWG Floor Plan: AIA (American Institute of Architects) standard layers Annotations include labels, area totals, objects, dimensions, etc. (Premium only) LOD 200 (level of development) iGUIDE 3D walkthrough: experience the facility virtually "iGUIDE has launched the DWG Floor Plan add-on as part of our continuous efforts to enrich outputs provided by our technology," said Jarrad Morden. "This update follows the release of other offerings like Real Time Tagging and iGUIDE Preview, which uses computer vision and deep learning AI models to deliver virtual tours and interactive floor plans within minutes of completing a property scan. This latest update is intended to improve the workflow of our partners by shortening their design time with the DWG file output." Key takeaways: Take thousands of lidar measurements instantly for improved accuracy A faster rate of capture: Measure properties in minutes, not hours Enhanced speed of delivery: Less than 48 hours instead of 5-10 days Less than half the cost of traditional methods More info here: https://goiguide.com/dwg About iGUIDE Founded in 2013, in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Planitar Inc. is the maker of iGUIDE, a proprietary camera and software platform for capturing and delivering immersive Digital Twins and extensive property data. iGUIDE is the most efficient system to map interior spaces and features accurate floor plans, measurements, and reliable property square footage. By integrating floor plans and visual data, iGUIDE provides an intuitive and practical way to digitally navigate and explore built environments. To learn more about iGUIDE and its services, visit goiguide.com.

planetRE Launches Aelo.Ai, First AI-Driven Virtual Home Staging Platform
Fully Automated Mobile First platform targeted for MLSs, Agents and Builders offers stunning image transformations at lightning speed. SAN JOSE, Calif., May 2, 2023 -- planetRE today announced Aelo.Ai, a fully automated AI driven virtual staging platform empowering agents, builders to allow buyers and prelisted sellers reimagine a variety of home interior or exterior space transformations, all in a matter of seconds using uploaded or live photos. Current market solutions are expensive, slow and low tech; often resorting to sending pictures abroad, using low-cost offshore manual labor. It takes days for each iteration with gross errors. Typically, it can cost agents between $150 to $200 per home for offshore services, with weeks of agonizing wait and reruns. Aelo.ai new technology changes all of that, generating images instantly in seconds and costing cents. The tool has been developed using the most sophisticated computer vision and image processing algorithms to produce stunning results including image changes using natural language. Pictures for most common living spaces, e.g., living, dining, kitchen, bedroom and even outdoor areas like backyard, patio can be used. The target styles offer diverse choices like modern, tropical, vintage etc. Tool can even display cross transforms, e.g., how a large unused dining area, or a spare bedroom inside a home be converted to a usable furnished office space. Transformed pictures are generated in 256, 512 or higher resolutions with minimum 1 to max 12 possible images per click - all in matter of seconds on a mobile phone. Each click generates more stunning and differentiated styles endlessly. Dashboard saves all the work. iOS and Android Apps are planned to be released soon. Aelo.ai can be used standalone or with previously announced AI platform chocolatechips.ai offering first real estate ChatGPT. "This is a killer app for real estate agents," said Subrao Shenoy, CEO of planetRE. "Aelo.ai puts the ultimate AI mobile power and client control in hands of agents during open house or otherwise to reimagine homes with endless new possibilities instantly and close deals faster." About planetRE planetRE is privately held enterprise software company in Silicon Valley, CA. More information about planetRE, chocolatechips.ai and Aelo.ai can be found on www.planetre.com, www.chocolatechips.ai and www.aelo.ai, respectively. planetRE, chocolatechips.ai, Aelo.ai are trademarks. All other registered trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

CFPB Proposes New Consumer Protections for Homeowners Seeking Clean Energy Financing
Proposed rule would guard against unscrupulous practices and prevent unnecessary mortgage foreclosures WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed a rule to implement a Congressional mandate to establish consumer protections for residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) loans. PACE loans, secured by a property tax lien on the borrower's home, are often promoted as a way to finance clean energy improvements such as solar panels. The proposed rule would require lenders to assess a borrower's ability to repay a PACE loan and would provide a framework for how these loans will be treated under the Truth in Lending Act. The CFPB also published a report on residential PACE loans, which found that the loans cause an increase in borrowers falling behind on their mortgage payments, along with other negative credit outcomes. "When unscrupulous companies bait homeowners into unaffordable loans with exaggerated promises of energy bill savings, this can lead to serious financial distress," said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. "We are proposing new rules that would require sensible safeguards on these clean energy loans." Residential PACE loans finance home improvements for borrowers, who pay back the loans through increased property tax payments over time. Eligible upgrades can include energy and water efficiency projects, or projects to prepare homes for natural disasters. From 2014-2020, a majority of PACE loans were for home improvements for natural disaster preparedness. The obligation of paying the loan back through higher property tax payments remains with the property even if the borrower sells the property. Although PACE lending is authorized by local governments, private companies typically administer the programs, which can include marketing of the loans, managing originations, and making the lending decisions. In October 2022, the FTC and State of California sued one of these private PACE administrators, Ygrene Energy Fund Inc., to force it to stop deceptive, coercive, and fraudulent sales practices. Today's proposed rule comes five years after President Trump signed the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act of 2018, which directed the CFPB to prescribe ability-to-repay rules for PACE financing and to apply the civil liability provisions of the Truth in Lending Act for violations. If finalized, the proposed rule would require PACE creditors and PACE companies to consider a consumer's ability to repay when issuing a new PACE loan, and it would amend Regulation Z to address how the Truth in Lending Act applies to PACE transactions. Among other amendments, the proposed rule would adjust disclosure requirements to better fit PACE loans and to help consumers understand the loans' impact on their property tax payments. Public comments on the proposal are due by July 26, 2023, or 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, whichever is later. Read the proposed rule. PACE Financing Report The new CFPB report on the PACE loans highlights the impact these loans have on borrowers' credit outcomes. The report focused on California and Florida as these are the two states where almost all PACE loan activity has occurred to date. Some of the risks to consumers identified in the report include: Higher property taxes: PACE loans increased a homeowner's property taxes by about $2,700 per year on average – an increase of about 88%. Higher interest rates: The average PACE loan had a 7.6% interest rate, which is much higher than average interest rates for home purchase or home equity loans. Increased mortgage delinquencies: In the two years following PACE loan origination, the mortgage delinquency rate for PACE loan borrowers with a pre-existing mortgage increased by 2.5 percentage points. Increased credit card balances: Consumers without a pre-existing mortgage increased their credit card balances in response to acquiring a PACE loan, perhaps accumulating credit card debt in order to make the PACE loan payments. PACE borrowers were more likely to reside in census tracts with higher percentages of Black and Hispanic residents relative to the average for their states. Reforms and regulation of PACE loans in California appear to have substantially reduced the volume of delinquencies compared to the trend in Florida over the same period. Read today's report, Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing and Consumer Financial Outcomes Implementing Rules Mandated by Congress The CFPB is taking action to implement statutes and activate authorities enacted by Congress. Recent actions include: The CFPB recently met a court deadline to finalize rules implementing a required small business lending data collection provision under Section 1071 of the Consumer Financial Protection Act. The CFPB has also started a rulemaking process on personal financial data rights, using a dormant authority under Section 1033 of the Consumer Financial Protection Act that will accelerate the shift to "open banking" in the United States. In June 2022, the CFPB finalized a rule implementing the Debt Bondage Repair Act to mitigate financial consequences for survivors of human trafficking. In February 2022, the CFPB published its outline of a proposal to implement a 2010 law to prevent algorithmic bias in home valuations, and is working closely with other agencies to issue the proposed rule. Consumers can submit complaints about financial products and services by visiting the CFPB's website or by calling (855) 411-CFPB (2372). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a 21st century agency that helps consumer finance markets work by making rules more effective, by consistently and fairly enforcing those rules, and by empowering consumers to take more control over their economic lives. For more information, visit www.consumerfinance.gov.

The Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com Release Spring 2023 Emerging Housing Markets Index Report
Lafayette-West Lafayette, Ind., remains the No. 1 emerging market in America NEW YORK and SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 26, 2023 -- The Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com® today released the WSJ/Realtor.com® Spring 2023 Emerging Housing Markets Index, which revealed Lafayette-West Lafayette, Ind. remains the No. 1 emerging market in America. The index analyzes key housing market data, as well as economic vitality and lifestyle metrics, to surface emerging housing markets that offer a high quality of life and are expected to see future home price appreciation. The Top 20 Emerging Markets for Spring 2023 are: Lafayette-West Lafayette, Ind. Bloomington, Ill. Elkhart-Goshen, Ind. Lebanon, Penn. Fort Wayne, Ind. Topeka, Kan. Sioux City, Iowa-Neb.-S.D. Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa Springfield, Ill. Manchester-Nashua, N.H. Janesville-Beloit, Wisc. Columbus, Ohio La Crosse-Onalaska, Wisc.-Minn. Johnson City, Tenn. Springfield, Ohio Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, N.C. Burlington, N.C. Columbia, Mo. Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Ind. Knoxville, Tenn. Key Trends Among the Spring 2023 Top 20 Emerging Housing Markets: Emerging Markets Offer Relief from High Costs With home prices still elevated and inflation easing but still well above the target level, this quarter's emerging markets lean further into affordability relative to previous quarters. Home list prices in all but two of the top 20 markets are lower than the median-priced U.S. home for sale, which was $424,000 in March. The lowest priced locale on the list, Springfield, Ill., offered 66% savings on the median priced home relative to the national level in March. Demand for Affordability Drives High Price Growth The median price of the typical home for sale is still higher on a year-over-year basis nationwide and this is even truer among the top markets. The average increase in listing price was 29% among the top 20 markets compared to 12% nationally for the 12 months ending in March 2023. All of the top markets saw price growth exceed the national rate. Each market saw double-digit price growth except Springfield, Ohio. Although 17 of the top 20 emerging markets saw an increase in time on market, homes sold on average 12 days faster than the average across the 300 markets ranked for the index (36 vs. 40 days). Additionally, all 20 markets outperformed this national average. Much Smaller Markets with Healthy Economies and Easy Commutes Only one of the top 20 markets has more than a million residents: Columbus, Ohio, although Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa, comes close and Knoxville, Tenn., isn't too far behind. Just two of the top 20 markets had an unemployment rate above the 300-market average (3.6%) and on average unemployment in the top 20 emerging markets was just 3.0%. Even though these areas have few out-of-work job seekers, commutes are relatively easy, clocking in at just over 21 minutes compared to nearly 24 minutes on average across all markets reviewed in the index. Typical wages lagged behind the U.S. with an average weekly wage of $1,106 among the top markets compared to $1,174 among the broader market average. But this roughly 6% gap in wages is made up for in the cost of living differential. Prices in the top emerging markets on average are less than 92% of the national price level, and only one market has prices that are slightly higher than the national average. A Lower, but Growing Share of Out of Market Shopping Interest While some markets like Manchester-Nashua, N.H., and fall 2022 No. 1 market Johnson City, Tenn., attract an outsized share of shoppers from elsewhere, others including Columbus, Ohio, and Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa, rely more on local housing demand. Reflecting the broad trend of willingness to relocate among home shoppers, both the top emerging markets and broader index markets have seen the share of out-of-market shoppers grow more than seven percentage points compared to one year ago with the top emerging markets seeing a somewhat greater increase in out of market shopping share. City Spotlight: Bloomington, Ill. This list's highest-ranked emerging market is Lafayette-West Lafayette, Ind., the same as last quarter in our winter 2023 index. Located just a couple hours west is the No. 2 market of Bloomington, Ill. Home to the corporate headquarters of State Farm Insurance Co., other major Bloomington-Normal employers include Illinois State University and Rivian, a maker of electric trucks that has been ramping up employment in its production facility in the area. The typical home for sale in Bloomington was listed for $339,000, a 20% discount compared to the national median for March. More than half of views to properties in Bloomington come from outside of the metro, with particularly sizable out-of-metro attention from the Chicago area. Returning Markets There are many familiar places on the list of the top 20 emerging markets: 13 members of the winter 2022 list, most notably No. 1, Lafayette-West Lafayette, Ind. This is the second quarter that this market has held the top spot. Among the markets that have remained on our list are the ever-popular southern locales Burlington, N.C., Johnson City, Tenn., and Knoxville, Tenn., as well as the midwestern hotspot of Columbus, Ohio, and various small- to mid-sized midwestern cities that offer affordable housing and low costs of living. Markets Falling Out of the Top 20 Of the seven markets that did not remain on the list from the winter into the spring, five tumbled a bit but remained in the top 50. The two biggest movers, Savannah, Ga., and South Bend, Ind., which fell 61 spots and 102 spots, respectively, remained in the top half of areas studied, ranking 69th and 117th this quarter. The markets that departed the top 20 in our index included two Southern markets of Savannah, Ga., and Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn., as well as Portland-South Portland, Maine, and the midwestern markets of Springfield, Mo., Rapid City, S.D., Milwaukee, Wisc., and South Bend, Ind. As economic conditions have changed since earlier in the year, with mortgage rates rising sharply, these largely affordable markets fell out of favor in exchange for even lower-priced areas. Methodology The ranking evaluates the 300 most populous core-based statistical areas, as measured by the U.S. Census Bureau, and defined by March 2020 delineation standards for eight indicators across two broad categories: real estate market (50%) and economic health and quality of life (50%). Each market is ranked on a scale of 0 to 100 according to the category indicators, and the overall index is based on the weighted sum of these rankings. The real estate market category indicators are: real estate demand (16.6%), based on average pageviews per property; real estate supply (16.6%), based on median days on market for real estate listings, median listing price trend (16.6%). The economic and quality of life category indicators are: unemployment (6.25%); wages (6.251%); regional price parities (6.25%); the share of foreign born (6.25%); small businesses (6.25%); amenities (6.25%), measured as per capita “everyday splurge” stores in an area; commute (6.25%); and estimated effective real estate taxes (6.25%). About the Wall Street Journal The Wall Street Journal is a global news organization that provides leading news, information, commentary and analysis. The Wall Street Journal engages readers across print, digital, mobile, social, podcast and video. Building on its heritage as the preeminent source of global business and financial news, the Journal includes coverage of U.S. & world news, politics, arts, culture, lifestyle, sports, and health. It holds 38 Pulitzer Prizes for outstanding journalism. The Wall Street Journal is published by Dow Jones, a division of News Corp (Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). About Realtor.com® Realtor.com® is an open real estate marketplace built for everyone. Realtor.com® pioneered the world of digital real estate more than 25 years ago. Today, through its website and mobile apps, Realtor.com® is a trusted guide for consumers, empowering more people to find their way home by breaking down barriers, helping them make the right connections, and creating confidence through expert insights and guidance. For professionals, Realtor.com® is a trusted partner for business growth, offering consumer connections and branding solutions that help them succeed in today's on-demand world. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. For more information, visit Realtor.com.

SentriLock and Plunk Partnership Give REALTORS Access to AI-Powered Market Insights
Agents gain instant access to key real estate data and neighborhood metrics through SentriLock mobile app BELLEVUE, Wash., April 25, 2023 -- Plunk, the first real-time analytics platform for residential real estate, announces its new partnership with SentriLock, a leading provider of electronic lockbox solutions for the real estate industry. The partnership provides REALTORS® with AI-powered home valuation and market insights at a critical time when both REALTORS® and their clients work to navigate rapid and unpredictable market shifts. By incorporating Plunk's market data and analytics, REALTORS® will have access to real-time information on real estate trends, property values, and other key market indicators—saving hours of preparation prior to each showing while always having the ability to provide clients with the most accurate and timely information about buying and selling property. "With SentriLock, we reach the nearly half million REALTORS® they serve across North America," said David Bluhm, President and Co-Founder of Plunk. "Plunk empowers REALTORS® to better serve their clients with real-time insights that allow their clients to make more fully informed, confident decisions. By making Plunk's market insights available through SentriLock's mobile app, we're delivering a powerful combination of two fundamental agent tools." "Our partnership with Plunk brings valuable and live market information to our customers," said SentriLock CEO, Scott Fisher. "The integration of Plunk's market data and analytics with our electronic lockbox solutions will provide REALTORS® with the tools they need to better serve their clients and stay competitive and essential in the transaction. As we continue to expand our business into new markets, we want to continually reward our REALTORS® who choose us as their provider by increasing their access to useful business tools within our system." Plunk is available as an upgrade feature to all new and existing customers of SentriLock. About SentriLock SentriLock is the leading provider of electronic lockbox solutions for the real estate industry. The company's products and services are designed to help REALTORS® securely access and manage properties, while providing valuable data and analytics to help them make informed decisions. About Plunk Plunk is the first AI-powered and real-time home analytics platform leveraging next-generation applications of Artificial Intelligence, machine learning and image analysis to revolutionize the way homeowners, real estate professionals, and investors value and invest in residential real estate.