Milestones, the all-in-one home management solution specifically designed for consumers to buy, move, own, sell, manage, and access mortgage services for their home seamlessly in one centralized portal, has announced its strategic alliance with FinLocker, a pioneer in digital, consumer-permissioned personal financial fitness tools focused on homeownership. This partnership will provide mortgage lenders with an end-to-end engagement solution to attract, nurture, and retain homebuyers and ensure their consumers have a smooth transition from initial interest, through the preparation for a mortgage, to closing and beyond.
FinLocker provides mortgage lenders and their originators with a hyper-personalized engagement platform to attract early-journey homebuyers to their business and nurtures them with personalized data-driven journeys using the financial tools and education embedded in the platform to achieve mortgage readiness and sustain homeownership.
Milestones complement this approach by guiding these educated leads throughout the decade-long journey of homeownership with online home management portals “hubs” that deliver a wide array of home services, such as home service providers, home value insights, home maintenance tasks, home document storage, and much more.
Together, this comprehensive solution will revolutionize the way consumers navigate the complex journey of homeownership by educating and empowering them from planning to closing, resulting in increased customer retention, and reduced customer acquisition costs for mortgage lenders.
“FinLocker is excited to partner with Milestones as the platform provides an extension of our financial fitness platform to prepare first-time homebuyers to qualify for a mortgage,” said Brian Vieaux, President and COO of FinLocker. “Mortgage lenders who use Milestones will now have an all-encompassing solution to attract, engage, nurture, retain and reactivate clients in their database.”
FinLocker and Milestones combined boast a myriad of features catering to both pre and post-transaction stages, ensuring a holistic and supportive homeownership experience.
Pre-transaction
Credit monitoring and credit score-building tools
Goal setting and budgeting for down payment saving and debt reduction
Financial Education
Homebuyer mortgage readiness assessment and guidance
Home Search
Streamlined mortgage application management
Post-transaction
Home Education Knowledge Base
Home Value and Home Equity Monitoring
Home Maintenance Task Reminders
Suggested Home Improvements to Build Equity
Home Document Storage
Home Services Vendor Marketplace
About FinLocker Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, FinLocker provides a secure financial fitness app that aggregates and analyzes a consumer’s financial data to offer personalized journeys to build and monitor their credit, manage their financial accounts, receive their net worth and cash flow analysis, create goals, save and budget to achieve loan eligibility for a mortgage and other financial goals.
Within the FinLocker app, consumers can take a readiness assessment before applying for a mortgage, begin their property search, and securely store personal and financial documents, which can be shared with a lender directly from the app to start their loan application. Mortgage lenders and financial service providers use their white-labeled FinLocker to generate and convert leads, gain market share, cross-sell value-added products, reduce loan processing costs, decrease risk, and create customers for life. For more information, visit FinLocker.com.
About Milestones Milestones is a homeownership solution that delivers personalized client portals (“hubs”) specifically designed to engage consumers at every stage of the decade-long homeownership journey – from buying, selling, moving, and managing a home. Milestones hubs give consumers access to a wide array of home service providers, insights into home value, and much more, positioning real estate professionals to stay connected, educate, and add value to create forever clients. Learn more at Milestones.ai.
Media Contact: Monika Sollee for Milestones [email protected]
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The Florida housing market in September and the third quarter (3Q) of 2023 showed signs of stabilization in statewide median prices and improved inventory levels compared to the previous year, according to the latest housing data from Florida Realtors®.
“Florida continues to draw new residents, and the dollar volume of single-family home sales in September was up 14.1% year-over-year to $12.2 billion dollars. Over that same timeframe, closed sales of single-family homes rose 6.1%. The Florida market remains strong in the face of higher mortgage rates, and first-time buyers are finding greater selections and less competition than they’ve seen in years.”
Florida Realtors® President G. Mike McGraw
Despite higher mortgage rates, the Florida market remains strong, offering more choices and less competition for first-time buyers.
In September 2023, closed sales of existing single-family homes statewide reached 21,335, a 6.1% increase from the previous year. Existing condo-townhouse sales, on the other hand, totalled 8,387, a slight decrease of 0.2% compared to September 2022.
During the 3Q of 2023, statewide existing single-family home sales declined by 3.2% from the previous year, totalling 66,450. Existing condo-townhouse sales also decreased by 5.8% year-over-year, totaling 26,129. It’s important to note that closed sales may occur from 30 to 90 days after sales contracts are written.
Florida Realtors Chief Economist Dr. Brad O’Connor noted some positive signs as the market entered the fall season:
“In September, closed sales of single-family homes were up for the first time compared to a year ago, rising by over 6%. Closed sales of townhouses and condos in 2023 have been converging with their 2022 levels as well. We were still down in September year over year, but by a fraction of 1%.”
Fla. Sept. Report: Single-Family Sales Up 6.1%
In September, the statewide median sales price for existing single-family homes reached $409,243, a 1.3% increase from the previous year. Condo-townhouse units had a median price of $324,990, reflecting a 5.8% increase compared to September 2022.
For the 3Q of 2023, the median sales price for single-family homes in Florida was $414,000, showing a 1.0% increase over the second quarter of 2022. The median sales price for condo-townhouses during the same period was $320,545, reflecting a 5.8% year-over-year increase.
O’Connor mentioned that new listings have been at their lowest level in several years in 2023, but in recent months, they’ve been closer to pre-pandemic levels. In fact, September’s new single-family listings exceeded the number from the same month in 2019, marking an 8% increase compared to the previous year.
While there is more active inventory at the end of September compared to the beginning, Florida still has a lower inventory of single-family homes than in 2019 before the pandemic. The state had a 3.2-month supply of single-family existing homes in September, a 28% increase year-over-year. Condo-townhouse units had a 4.1-month supply, reflecting a significant 78.3% increase compared to the previous year.
For the full statewide housing activity reports, interested parties can visit the Florida Realtors Newsroom or access the September 2023 and 3Q 2023 data report PDFs under Market Data.
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Mihaela Lica Butler is senior partner at Pamil Visions PR. She is a widely cited authority on public relations issues, with an experience of over 25 years in online PR, marketing, and SEO.She covers startups, online marketing, social media, SEO, and other topics of interest for Realty Biz News.
The District of Colombia has sued RealPage and fourteen of the largest landlords in DC for unlawfully conspiring to use RealPage’s Revenue Management (RM) software to inflate rents for tens of thousands of apartments in the District.
Besides RealPage, the Defendant Landlords mentioned in the lawsuit filed in DC Superior Court include Avenue5 Residential, LLC; AvalonBay Communities, Inc.; Bell Partners, Inc.; Bozzuto Management Company; Camden Development, Inc.; Equity Residential Management, LLC; Gables Residential Services, Inc.; Greystar Management Services, LP; Highmark Residential, LLC; JBG Associates, LLC; Mid-America Apartments, LP; Paradigm Management II, LP; UDR, Inc.; and William C. Smith & Co., Inc.
RealPage promotes three revenue management products: YieldStar, LRO, and AIRM. These products share the same functionality as they utilize algorithms powered by RealPage’s extensive data repositories accessible to all three products. RealPage’s RM Software enables clients to optimize rental prices to achieve the highest possible yield or a combination of rent and occupancy for each property. Simply put, these products employ statistical models that analyze data, including proprietary and non-public information, to estimate the supply and demand for specific types of multifamily housing in particular geographic areas. Based on this analysis, the products generate optimal rental prices that maximize the landlord’s revenue. All these actions constitute unreasonable and unlawful restraints of trade in violation of the District of Columbia Antitrust Act, DC Code § 28-4502. The lawsuit demands maximum civil penalties as provided by the DC Antitrust Act.
Instead of competing on price, Defendant Landlords have delegated their price-setting authority to RealPage, creating a centralized system. Additionally, Defendant Landlords have agreed in writing to share competitively sensitive data with RealPage, allowing them to monitor and enforce compliance with the agreed-upon rents set by the RM Software.
This scheme extends beyond the District, as many of the largest providers of multifamily housing in the nation have also joined this rent-setting cartel and adopted RealPage’s RM Software. However, the scheme’s impact is particularly significant in the DC metropolitan area.
Defendant Landlords are among the largest providers of multifamily housing in the District, and RealPage’s RM Software is used to set rents for over 90% of units in large buildings with 50 or more units. Even when considering the broader multifamily housing market, the scope of this misconduct remains significant, with RealPage’s RM Software used to set rents at over 50,000 units in the District.
The consequences of the Defendants’ anticompetitive scheme are widespread and severe. To entice more landlords to join their cartel, Defendants have publicly advertised that participating landlords can increase their revenue (rents) by 2-7%, resulting in millions of dollars in wrongfully inflated rents over the past four years alone.
Defendants achieve these results by limiting market competition. Instead of competing on price to attract renters, they conspire to share information, restrict supply, and drive up rents. In a competitive market, competitors would keep their pricing strategies confidential. However, Defendants understand that recruiting more participants to their anticompetitive scheme strengthens their ability to extract unlawfully higher rents, as they trust that their competitors will not drastically undercut their prices.
The rising cost of housing is a challenge for District residents, particularly as most of the city’s population consists of renters. In recent years, renters in the District have faced staggering rent increases, with approximately a quarter of renters spending over 50% of their income on rent.
The Defendants’ anticompetitive agreement has worsened the affordable housing crisis in DC, causing numerous District renters to overpay for rent month after month. Housing is a fundamental necessity, and by demanding unlawfully high cartel rents, Defendants have inflicted significant harm on neighbourhoods across the District. Every dollar of increased rent that the cartel unlawfully extracts from District renters contributes to widening wealth gaps, forces residents to make sacrifices in other areas of their lives, and pushes them out of a District whose housing is increasingly unaffordable.
The Attorney General is bringing this action in his parens patriae capacity to seek treble damages for the harm inflicted on District renters, along with civil penalties and allow to the District of Columbia its costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees; and k. Order any additional relief the Court deems just and proper.
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Mihaela Lica Butler is senior partner at Pamil Visions PR. She is a widely cited authority on public relations issues, with an experience of over 25 years in online PR, marketing, and SEO.She covers startups, online marketing, social media, SEO, and other topics of interest for Realty Biz News.
Real estate professionals from RE/MAX Real Estate Solutions will soon host their 12th Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive to support local community organizations in the neighborhoods where they work and live. This year, the need for help is more significant than ever as the food banks serve more families. Agents will accept food and check donations from October 16th to November 15th, 2023.
Ben Hess and affiliated agents are leading the 12th Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive at each of their three offices. The food drive will benefit local community support organizations in the neighborhoods where the agents work and live:
The North Hills Office of RE/MAX Real Estate Solutions, located at 1014 Perry Highway, Ross Township, PA 15237, supports the North Hills Food Bank. Donations in the form of checks should be made payable directly to the North Hills Food Bank.
The Lawrenceville Office of RE/MAX Real Estate Solutions, located at 4020 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201, supports Our Lady of the Angels Food Pantry. Donations in the form of checks should be made payable directly to Our Lady of the Angels Food Pantry.
The West Hills Office of RE/MAX Real Estate Solutions, located at 2000 Cliff Mine Rd, Pittsburgh, PA 15275, supports the West Hills Food Pantry. Donations in the form of checks should be made payable directly to the West Hills Food Pantry.
Agents from the three offices will accept food and check donations from October 16th to November 15th, 2023.
Currently Needed Items:
Orange, Apple, and Cranberry Juice
Canned Black, Garbanzo, Kidney, and Navy Beans
Canned Beets, Carrots, Pumpkin, and Sauerkraut
Canned White Potatoes and Yams
Dry Noodles and Macaroni
Saltines, Ritz or Wheat Crackers, and Cookies
Gravy and Broth in Cans
Manwich, Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Mustard, and Salad Dressing
Plain Tomato Sauce, Paste, and Diced or Crushed Tomatoes
Boxed Potatoes – Scalloped, Au Gratin, or Instant Mashed
Oil, Flour, and Sugar (1 lb. or 2 lb. size)
Cake Mix and Frosting
Jell-O and Pudding
Canned Applesauce (No squeeze, individual cups, or large jars)
Tea and Coffee (Ground – no whole beans or Keurig Cups)
Plain Water – not flavored or sparkling
Toiletries – Hand Soap, Deodorant, Shampoo, Toothbrush/Toothpaste, personal items
Laundry Detergent and Cleaning Supplies (Windex, Comet, Pine-Sol, etc.)
In addition to the Thanksgiving Food Drive, all RE/MAX Real Estate Solutions offices participate in the Children’s Miracle Network “Miracle Offices” Program (CMN). Agents voluntarily donate some of their commissions to CMN, benefiting the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Since 1992, RE/MAX agents have donated over $200 million to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals®. Every dollar donated stays local.
RE/MAX Real Estate Solutions is a franchise of RE/MAX, LLC, a global real estate organization with over 140,000 sales associates in 115+ countries.
Find me on:
Mihaela Lica Butler is senior partner at Pamil Visions PR. She is a widely cited authority on public relations issues, with an experience of over 25 years in online PR, marketing, and SEO.She covers startups, online marketing, social media, SEO, and other topics of interest for Realty Biz News.
Biggerpockets’ David Greene joins us on today’s podcast to discuss his latest book, Pillars of Wealth. Hear how to make, save, and invest your money in order to hit financial freedom faster. David shares several insights on building wealth, including why incompetence could be holding you back from success. David and Shelby also discuss inflation, the current state of the economy, and the way winners think. Don’t miss it!
Listen to today’s show and learn:
About David Greene and Pillars of Wealth [2:25]
A helpful tip for increasing motivation [7:45]
Why it doesn’t take super smarts to be financially savvy [10:25]
How David Greene got into real estate [11:24]
How incompetence is holding you back from success [13:28]
David Greene’s DISC profile [15:38]
How to get better at social media and being social [16:38]
Why defense matters when it comes to getting rich [18:42]
The first step to becoming wealthy [21:06]
Tracking your real estate marketing budget and net earnings [23:07]
David Greene’s thoughts on inflation and the economy [25:26]
Preparing for a major recession [29:07]
Building skills in order to build wealth [31:13]
What leadership is and why leaders make more money [33:24]
How winners think [35:19]
Giving your best and getting excellence in return [36:53]
Why most real estate agents aren’t what the market wants [41:55]
Hacks for getting more energy to get more done [48:08]
The easy button: deceptive information on success [49:56]
The good news [54:06]
Applying your work-out work ethic to work [54:30]
Where to find and follow David Greene [55:77]
David Greene
David Greene is a real estate broker and and co-host of the BiggerPockets Real estate podcast. The author of best selling books “Long Distance Real Estate Investing”, “Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat”, and “Sold: Every Real Estate Agents Guide to Building a Profitable Business”, David is a nationally recognized authority on real estate, and has been featured on CNN, Forbes, and HGTV as well as over 25 different real estate podcasts. A licensed real estate broker and lender, David runs “The David Greene Team”, a top producing real estate company in Keller Williams where he has won multiple awards for production. An active real estate investor, David owns properties of various asset classes across the country.
Related Links and Resources:
It might go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway: We really value listeners like you. We’re constantly working to improve the show, so why not leave us a review? If you love the content and can’t stand the thought of missing the nuggets our Rockstar guests share every week, please subscribe; it’ll get you instant access to our latest episodes and is the best way to support your favorite real estate podcast. Have questions? Suggestions? Want to say hi? Shoot me a message via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Email.
The Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) today released its annual A-List which honors 162 individual real estate agents and 83 teams for outstanding production in 2022, along with 36 mortgage professionals. The A-List honorees, all AREAA members, generated more $15.4 billion in sales volume from 20,472 transaction sides in 2022. A-List honorees will be recognized at AREAA’s National Convention on October 12-14 in Chicago.
The list of real estate agents and teams on the A-List was produced again by leading-industry observer RealTrends in partnership with Bank of America. AREAA honored 167 individual agents and teams a year ago.
Shirley Gary of Ansley Christie’s Real Estate generated 263 transaction sides in 2022 to lead all individual sales professionals on the A-List. She was listed 22nd in the nation on RealTrends’ “The Thousand.”Danielle Moy (204 sides) with @Properties in Orland Park, Ill., Eric Delgado (201) with Keller Williams Encino Sherman Oaks in Encino, Calif., Meghan Clarkson (140) with Long & Foster Real Estate in Chincoteague Island, Va., and Stephanie Vitacco (137.5) with Equity Union in Encino, Calif. followed on the sides list.
Tracy Allen of Coldwell Banker Realty in Honolulu, Hawaii, generated $200.92 million in 2022 volume to lead the A-List. She was 77th in RealTrends’ “The Thousand.”, Gary ($191.42 million) was second followed by Vitacco ($180.47 million), Delgado ($147.64 million), and Zar Zanganeh with The Agency Las Vegas ($112.28 million).
Long Doan’s Realty Group in Minneapolis, Minn., repeated as the top team on the A-List team transaction sides list with 4,412 in 2022. The Advanced Super Team (2,893 sides) led by Calvin Gong in Arcadia, Calif., was second followed by Kenny Truong’s Fast Real Estate (977) with eXp in Oakland, Calif., Kyle Yeatman’s Yeatman Group (919.23) with Long & Foster Real Estate in Midlothian, Va., and Momentum Realty (482), led by Michael Ramos, in San Jose, Calif.
The Advanced Super Team earned top honors in sales volume, generating $2.69 billion in 2022, followed by the Realty Group with $1.5 billion. The next three highest-earners in sales volume were Fast Real Estate ($755.9 million), Andy Tse’s Intero Real Estate Services in Saratoga, Calif. ($712.3 million), and the Yeatman Group ($413.1 million).
For the second straight year, Shashank Shekhar, the founder and CEO of InstaMortgage in San Jose, Calif., was the top loan originator by mortgage units with 400 closed mortgages in 2022. Leading the A-List in mortgage volume was Joanna Yu of US Bank in Los Altos Hills, Calif., with 244.3 million in volume, marking her second straight year leading in her respective category.
“AREAA’s A-List is eagerly anticipated each year,” said AREAA President Kurt Nishimura. “This list not only gives us insight into the growth and success of our members, but it also shows the full impact that AANHPI real estate professionals have on the industry. This professionalism within our AREAA membership is widely known within the real estate industry. This group is a major reason why. Their production is awe-inspiring.”
The A-List was developed using these criteria:
RealTrends identified honorees by cross-tabulating AREAA membership with those on its RealTrends + Tom Ferry America’s Best Real Estate Professionals list.
AREAAallowed for individual submissions allowing individual agents who generated at least 15 transaction sides or $6 million in sales volume in 2022 to be recognized.
Teams needed at least 25 transaction sides and $9 million in sales volume. The team lead must be an AREAA member.
The list of loan officers was generated through self-submissions directly to AREAA.
The top 50 in each real estate category and top 30 in the mortgage categories follow. Click here for the full list of the 2023 A-List:
Individual Real Estate Agents Sides
Rank
Name
Company
City, State
Sides
1
Shirley Gary
Ansley Christie’s Real Estate
Atlanta, GA
263
2
Danielle Moy
@properties
Orland Park , IL
204
3
Eric Delgado
Keller Williams Encino Sherman Oaks
Encino, CA
201
4
Meghan O Clarkson
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Chincoteague Island, VA
140
5
Stephanie Vitacco
Equity Union
Encino, CA
137.5
6
Soomin Kim
eXp Realty
Liberty Hill, TX
114
7
Anthony Domathoti
EXIT Realty Premium
Bronx, NY
88
8
Oscar Garcia
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Carolina Premier Properties
Wilmington, NC
83
9
Sairavi Suribhotla
Real People Realty
Bolingbrook, IL
81
10
Karen Sorenson
RE/MAX Newport Elite
Racine, WI
79
11
Randy Hatada
XPand Realty & Property Management
Las Vegas, NV
78
12
Christine Do
Keller Williams Realty Easton
Easton, MA
76.8
13
Ruth Manzano Javier
Five Star Realty, Inc.
Ewa Beach, HI
72.9
14
Peter Luu
eXp Realty
Orlando, FL
68.5
15
Dane Gates
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Premier Properties
The Woodlands, TX
62
T16
Zar Zanganeh
The Agency Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
61
T16
Blair Myers
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers
The Delawalla Group – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida
Watersound, FL
$71,962,318
25
Tadashi Kondo
The Kondo Group – Compass
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
$63,790,989
26
Peter Au/Alice Schroeder
Avant Team – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties
Irvine, CA
$62,433,779
27
Tim Hur/Helen Nguyen
Point Honors and Associates, Realtors®
Atlanta, GA
$62,332,861
28
Clay Byrne
Byrne Real Estate Group – Keller Williams
Austin, TX
$61,542,826
29
Kayla Lee
Kayla Lee Team
New York, NY
$61,008,822
30
Lily Do
Lily Cai Do – Compass
Contra Costa, CA
$60,744,200
31
Kenneth Er
The Er Group – Compass
Oakland, CA
$60,075,330
32
Crystal Florida
Crystal Florida and Associates – Compass
Oakland, CA
$58,906,773
33
Andrew Peters
The Peters Team – Keller Williams
Peachtree Corners, GA
$57,871,883
34
Amy Kong
Trust Real Estate – SIDE
San Bruno, CA
$55,428,400
35
Connie Van
Connie Van Real Estate Group – Keller Williams
Elk Grove, CA
$54,863,093
36
Dave + Amy Chung
The Dave + Amy Chung Team – Compass
Chicago, IL
$54,105,965
37
Phat Nguyen/Julie Phan
Team Affinity
Orlando, FL
$51,309,695
38
Dave & Liz Goodchild
The Goodchild Team – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Starck Realty
Palatine, IL
$51,058,667
39
Wailani O’Herlihy
The O’Herlihy Group – Sotheby’s International Realty
Malibu, CA
$46,935,962
40
Charan Bajwa
Team Charan Bajwa – RE/MAX
Monmouth Junction, NJ
$45,093,166
41
Scottee Downing
Downing + Ivicic Group – Compass
Austin, TX
$44,578,171
42
Ivona Kutermankiewicz
IKGroup – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago
Chicago, IL
$44,548,542
43
Garrick Yan
Garrick Yan Group – eXp
San Leandro, CA
$42,474,639
44
Smitha Ramchandani
SR Real Estate Group – LeadingRE
Summit, NJ
$41,150,687
45
Michael Saladino
The Saladino Sells Team – Keller Williams
Chicago, IL
$41,106,129
46
Amy Duong Kim
Duong Kim Global – Compass
Chicago, IL
$38,797,886
47
Lisa Nguyen
The International Group at RE/MAX Professionals – RE/MAX
Lakewood, CO
$38,592,985
48
Janet Moore
Tampa Lux Group – Premier Sotheby’s International Realty
Tampa, FL
$35,988,627
49
Yassi Jazayeri
Yassi & Associates – Keller Williams
Bellevue, WA
$35,341,644
50
Jamie Younger
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
Richmond, VA
$34,789,290
Top Loan Originators by Mortgage Units
Rank
Full Name
Company
City, State
# Closed Mortgages
1
Shashank Shekhar
InstaMortgage Inc
San Jose, CA
400
2
Karen Chiu
New American Funding
San Marino, CA
297
3
James Chen
Citizens Bank
Roslyn, NY
261
4
Nathan Sibbet
loanDepot
Sacramento, CA
256
5
Viral Vora
PNC Bank
Cupertino, CA
211
6
Tyler (Tu Ba) Nguyen
Bluegrey Mortgage
Tampa, FL
206
7
Judy Sakata
Sakata Mortgage dba of 247 Mortgage Loan LLC
Houston, TX
198
8
Joanna Yu
US bank
Los Altos Hills, CA
190
9
Choe Hung
US bank
Pasadena, CA
188
10
Kevin Oto
Green Haven Capital Inc.
Sacramento, CA
177
11
Ha Le Dao
DHI Mortgage
Sacramento, CA
146
12
An Le
Lifestyle Home Lending
Southlake, TX
141
13
Sunny (Meixu) Duan
Citi
Rockville, MD
118
14
Jasmine Cheng
US bank
Union City, CA
110
15
Michelle Kim
HSBC
Los Angeles, CA
102
16
Caroline Ke Liu
US bank
San Francisco, CA
101
17
Patrick Ly
Union Home Mortgage
Leesburg, VA
82
18
Daniel Dai
Lemonbrew Lending
Edison, NJ
81
19
Nick Chee Seng Leong
HSBC
Whitestone, NY
79
20
Anne Wiker
US bank
San Diego, CA
78
21
Jennifer Yang
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
Torrance, CA
76
22
Meinoh Kim
BluPrint Home Loans
Fairfield, CA
75
23
Hai David Le
US bank
Fairfax, VA
72
24
Greg Louie
GFL Capital Mortgage, Inc
Henderson, NV
71
25
Sunny Kumar
US bank
San Diego, CA
70
26
Ray Zeng
HSBC
New York, NY
69
T27
Gennaro Bizzarro
HSBC
Yonkers, NY
68
T27
Aileen Hom
Wells Fargo Private Bank
San Mateo, CA
68
29
Kamal Sohal
Chase bank
Sacramento, CA
67
30
Bopha Phang
loanDepot
Stockton, CA
65
Top Loan Originators by Mortgage Volume
Rank
Full Name
Company
City, State
Volume Closed Mortgages
1
Joanna Yu
US bank
Los Altos Hills, CA
$244,307,535
2
Viral Vora
PNC Bank
Cupertino, CA
$221,839,038
3
Shashank Shekhar
InstaMortgage Inc
San Jose, CA
$187,048,281
4
James Chen
Citizens Bank
Roslyn, NY
$178,391,673
5
Gennaro Bizzarro
HSBC
Yonkers, NY
$175,517,864
6
Karen Chiu
New American Funding
San Marino, CA
$165,711,007
7
Choe Hung
US bank
Pasadena, CA
$163,943,064
8
Nathan Sibbet
loanDepot
Sacramento, CA
$124,232,591
9
Caroline Ke Liu
US bank
San Francisco, CA
$118,631,590
10
Michelle Kim
HSBC
Los Angeles, CA
$115,654,558
11
Sunny (Meixu) Duan
Citi
Rockville, MD
$106,094,000
12
Jasmine Cheng
US bank
Union City, CA
$101,242,343
13
Aileen Hom
Wells Fargo Private Bank
San Mateo, CA
$96,474,112
14
Kevin Oto
Green Haven Capital Inc.
Sacramento, CA
$82,155,712
15
Tyler (Tu Ba) Nguyen
Bluegrey Mortgage
Tampa, FL
$75,702,929
16
Jennifer Yang
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
Torrance, CA
$71,624,460
17
Hai David Le
US bank
Fairfax, VA
$70,711,136
18
Ha Le Dao
DHI Mortgage
Sacramento, CA
$70,124,004
19
Sunny Kumar
US bank
San Diego, CA
$66,618,844
20
Ryan Dang
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
San Mateo, CA
$65,306,558
21
Roger Pei
HSBC
San Francisco, CA
$58,714,459
22
Vanessa Liu
HSBC
San Francisco, CA
$57,556,052
23
An Le
Lifestyle Home Lending
Southlake, TX
$54,609,986
24
Judy Sakata
Sakata Mortgage dba of 247 Mortgage Loan LLC
Houston, TX
$49,708,616
25
Dan Anacker
US bank
Bonney Lake, WA
$49,432,542
26
Leena Sankary
US bank
Monrovia, CA
$49,367,062
27
Ray Zeng
HSBC
New York, NY
$45,997,014
28
Meinoh Kim
BluPrint Home Loans
Fairfield, CA
$43,294,216
29
Bobby Saadieh
loanDepot
Morgan Hill, CA
$43,236,251
30
Nick Chee Seng Leong
HSBC
Whitestone, NY
$40,491,013
ABOUT AREAA
Founded in 2003, the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) is a national nonprofit trade organization with more than 18,000 members dedicated to improving the lives of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community through homeownership. Visit areaa.org for more information.
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Google’s generative AI technology will enhance the Google Home app, according to Rick Osterloh, Google’s SVP for Devices & Services, who made the announcement during its Made by Google event in New York on Wednesday, October 4, 2023:
“Along with device updates, we’re also tapping Google’s AI research to create richer user experiences in our apps and services. For instance, we see so many opportunities to bring AI into Google Home, to make your smart home more intuitive and helpful,” Osterloh said.
He went on to explain the possibilities. Keeping track of what is happening at home if you are on vacation or have a busy week involves much scrolling.
“But generative AI can help with that by sythesizing all that info into a more simple view,” Osterloh explained.
You will soon have access to a simplified overview of recent activity in the Google Home app. This summary will be quick and easy to understand.
The updated version of Google Home will come with built-in generative AI intelligence designed to provide a simplified overview of your smart home activities.
You can also use natural language to ask questions in the Google Home app, presumably with the assistance of the new Assistant with Bard. For example, ask, “Did my package arrive yesterday?” You will be able to find the clip from your Nest doorbell video history quickly and easily.
The Home app will also respond with details in natural language. It will be easy to take action on those insights, too. For instance, asking, “Help me stop missing packages,” could prompt the Google Home app to deliver automation for your devices – for example, to blink your smart lights three times or play a chime whenever your Nest doorbell detects a delivery.
These new and generative AI-enhanced features for the Home app will be available next year for subscribers.
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Mihaela Lica Butler is senior partner at Pamil Visions PR. She is a widely cited authority on public relations issues, with an experience of over 25 years in online PR, marketing, and SEO.She covers startups, online marketing, social media, SEO, and other topics of interest for Realty Biz News.
Forex is a portmanteau of the two words “foreign” and “exchange,” and implies the purchase or sale of one particular currency for another. Although Forex trading might at first glance seem like a form of gambling, the tools, strategies, and skills involved with Forex trading do not rely on chance and sheer luck to the degree they do in gambling activity.
Learning the terminology and basics of Forex trading is like learning any new language. Some of the most important terms in Forex trading include currency pairs, pip, and margin. These are some basic Forex terms that you should know when you are looking to venture in trading. Having a working knowledge of basic Forex terminology is a great way to build a solid foundation for trading.
Pips and their value
In the English language, a pip is another word for a small, hard seed in a fruit. In terms of currency exchange, it has another definition entirely. To answer the question, what is a pip in forex, it is the smallest unit of measurement to denote the change in value of two designated currencies. Pips are price increments that have a value dependent on the particular currency you are trading.
For example, if you are trading between Euros and United States dollars, the pip extends out to four decimals, or .0001. In other words, it is one-hundredth of one percent. However, the value is different for other currencies such as if you are dealing with United States dollars and Japanese yen, where a pip will be worth .01. Pip calculators are valuable tools to help do the math for specific currency pairs.
Currency pairs – major, minor, and exotic
To start off the list, currency pairs are just like the name suggests – they are the two currencies that comprise the exchange rate like GBP/USD, which is the currency pair for British pound sterling and United States dollars.
Another major currency pair is EUR/USD, which is the currency pair for Euros as the official currency of the European Union’s nineteen member states and United States dollars. Major currency pairs are one of the three types of currency pairs in Forex trading, along with minor and exotic.
Margins – what they are
In Forex trading, the margin is the amount of currency that is required for a trader to commence a transaction. As a general rule of thumb, a margin above 100% is considered to be acceptable, but it is better and safer to shoot for a margin that is 200% at the minimum.
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Cecilian Partners, a proptech firm that offers comprehensive digital solutions for home builders and land developers, has successfully raised $11 million in its first institutional equity round led by Resolve Growth Partners. This funding will enable Cecilian to accelerate product innovation, expand its workforce in crucial areas, and further enhance its customer success team.
John Cecilian, Jr., the company’s co-founder and CEO, expressed his excitement and validation upon receiving the term sheet from Resolve Growth Partners:
“This investment transitions us from a ‘scrappy start-up’ to a focused organization positioned to win. We are grateful to the team at Resolve and ready to accomplish meaningful growth and customer expansion.”
Despite a recent decline in early-stage funding, Resolve selected Cecilian Partners after conducting extensive due diligence and evaluating numerous SaaS companies. They were impressed by Cecilian’s impressive revenue growth, proven business model, and a clear path to profitability.
“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with John and the rest of the team at Cecilian Partners to build the category-leading platform for land developers and home builders,” said Resolve co-founder and Managing Partner Chris Rhodes. “This market has traditionally been underserved by technology. Cecilian offers a first-of-its-kind solution to help its customers transform their businesses through digitization and a true partnership approach.”
Since its establishment in 2019, Cecilian Partners has focused on serving the rapidly growing new homes segment in residential real estate. Their innovative software suite streamlines the land and property development process, consolidating data, automating manual tasks, and providing an enhanced customer experience throughout the homebuying journey.
Cecilian’s revenue tripled in the past year, surpassing the typical growth rate for early-stage SaaS companies. Additionally, their client base expanded by 65%. The company now serves builders and developers across multiple states, boasting over 75 clients in Texas and Florida alone, where nearly one-third of all new homes in the US are constructed.
In addition to securing funding, Cecilian was recognized for its achievements throughout the year. They were included in the HousingWire TECH100 list, honored with a PHL Inno Fire Award, and acknowledged as one of the best places to work in the greater Philadelphia area.
With Resolve’s support, Cecilian will accelerate its pace of product innovation and talent acquisition. They will also benefit from Resolve’s financial expertise and experience in building successful SaaS companies. As part of this strategy, the company’s Board of Directors will undergo restructuring, with Chris Rhodes and Rocco Natalicchio from Resolve joining the board. Stephanie McCarty, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at Taylor Morrison, and Ned Moore, co-founder and CEO of Clutch, will continue to serve on the board, bringing their expertise in real estate development and SaaS markets, respectively.
Stephanie McCarty expressed her belief that Cecilian Partners is well-positioned to drive innovation in the new home construction industry. She highlighted the company’s expansive suite of products, which can address outdated processes and longstanding challenges, ultimately enhancing the experience for customers, builders, and developers.
With Resolve’s investment, Cecilian will rapidly expand its team by hiring key roles in business development, in-house technology and research, customer success, and marketing. These new hires will help capture growth opportunities, drive innovation, improve client support, and increase brand visibility across the country. Over the next 12-15 months, Cecilian plans to increase its workforce by 50%, with additional staff based in Chicago, Dallas, Raleigh, and their headquarters in New Hope, Pennsylvania.
Find me on:
Mihaela Lica Butler is senior partner at Pamil Visions PR. She is a widely cited authority on public relations issues, with an experience of over 25 years in online PR, marketing, and SEO.She covers startups, online marketing, social media, SEO, and other topics of interest for Realty Biz News.
Engel & Völkers today announced its entrance into Castle Pines, CO. Turner Associates, an esteemed local real estate brokerage, will now do business as Engel & Völkers Castle Pines, and continue under the leadership of Travis Turner as its majority license partner and managing broker. For more than a decade, Turner has built a successful real estate business serving the Front Range, offering a comprehensive range of real estate services and specializing in residential, commercial, and investment properties. Joining him in management will be his sister and minority owner Katie Turner, as well as several additional experienced managing brokers. Building upon Turner’s existing success and a reputation for client satisfaction, market knowledge, and professionalism, the new shop will serve as a trusted choice for buyers and sellers in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, and across Colorado’s Front Range.
“Colorado remains a foothold for our expansion in North America,” said Anthony Hitt, president and CEO of Engel & Völkers Americas. “Engel & Völkers’ continued growth in the region is a testament to the brand’s appeal and traction among both clientele and real estate professionals. With a shared commitment to delivering the highest standard of client service, Travis is the right partner to bring Castle Pines and its surrounding communities into the Engel & Völkers’ fold and continue to strengthen our presence in the Rocky Mountains and beyond.”
The real estate market for the Front Range of Colorado is a dynamic and competitive landscape, characterized by strong demand and limited inventory. Castle Pines and Castle Rock attract homebuyers and investors due to the stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop, thriving job opportunities, and outdoor recreational offerings. These markets are known for offering a range of upscale and luxurious properties. Castle Rock features spacious single-family homes, sprawling estates, and upscale townhomes, while Castle Pines is renowned for its exclusive gated communities and high-end custom homes, situated on large lots to offer privacy and a sense of luxury living within a serene and tranquil environment. Residents here enjoy a balance between an active outdoor lifestyle, with activities like hiking, skiing, and mountain biking, and access to world-class dining, shopping, and entertainment.
“As the market for luxury properties continues to evolve, Engel & Völkers’ proven track record and innovative marketing strategies position our team to capitalize on the growing demand for premium properties in Castle Pines and throughout the Front Range,” said Turner. “The Engel & Völkers brand delivers a strong global presence, unrivaled reputation, commitment to excellence, and network of experienced real estate advisors well-versed in the intricacies of luxury transactions. It is my hope that this partnership will energize the luxury real estate scene across the Front Range, foster innovation, elevate service quality, and reinforce our position as a premier destination for luxury living.”
To learn more visit castlepines.evrealestate.com.
About Engel & Völkers
Engel & Völkers is a global luxury real estate brand. Founded in Hamburg, Germany, in 1977, Engel & Völkers draws on its rich European history to deliver a fresh approach to luxury real estate in the Americas with a focus on creating a personalized client experience at every stage of the home buying or selling process for today’s savvy homeowner. Engel & Völkers currently operates approximately 300 shop locations with over 6,500 real estate advisors in the Americas, contributing to the brand’s global network of over 16,600 real estate professionals in more than 30 countries, offering both private and institutional clients a professionally tailored range of luxury services, including real estate and yachting. Committed to exceptional service, Engel & Völkers supports its advisors with an array of premium quality business services; marketing programs and platforms; as well as access to its global network of real estate professionals, property listings, and market data. Each brokerage is independently owned and operated. For more information, visit www.evrealestate.com.
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