U.S. Home Prices Grew 0.4% in February, the Slowest Pace Since July

Mark WorleyNotes

Home prices grew 0.4% month over month in February, the slowest pace since July 2024. On a year-over-year basis, home prices rose 5.1%.  It was the 10th consecutive month that annual growth had slowed. Eight of the 50 most populous U.S. metros—nearly all in Florida and Texas—recorded a drop in home prices year over year, led by Tampa  (-6%). U.S. home prices grew 0.4% from a month earlier in February on a seasonally adjusted basis, equal to the slowest pace since July 2024. Home prices were up 5.1% on a year-over-year basis—the slowest pace since August 2023. This is according to the Redfin Home Price Index (RHPI), which uses the repeat-sales pricing method to calculate seasonally adjusted changes in prices of single-family homes. The RHPI measures sale prices of homes that sold during a given period, and how those prices have changed since the last time those same homes sold. …

A Comprehensive Guide to Points of Interest (POI) Data

ATTOM TeamReal Estate

Points of interest data go beyond a pin on Google Maps with an accompanying list of local landmarks like restaurants, grocery stores, and metro stations. While consumers rely on mapping technology and GPS to navigate life on our mobile devices, businesses are using POI data just as extensively to make operational, marketing, and investment decisions. This guide explores point of interest (POI) data, how they are generated and integrate with location data, and how every industry uses POI data for strategic decision-making. What Are Points of Interest (POI) Data? A point of interest (POI) is a landscape or geographic feature displayed digitally on a map, such as a restaurant, school, hospital, neighborhood, park, or transportation hub. POI data are most recognizable for their use with geographic information systems (GIS), mapping tools, and GPS navigation systems. For example, if you’re traveling by car, you might use your GPS to locate restaurants …

Top 10 COUNTIES for Buying Single-Family Rentals in 2025

Megan HuntReal Estate

According to ATTOM’s newly released Q1 2025 Single-Family Rental Market Report, the projected annual gross rental yield for three-bedroom properties across 361 analyzed counties will be 7.45% in 2025. This represents a slight decrease from the 2024 average of 7.52% in the same markets. Rental yields are expected to decline in nearly 60% of these counties from 2024 to 2025, following a period of growth in a small majority of counties between 2023 and 2024. WATCH: ATTOM #figuresfriday- Top 10 COUNTIES for Buying Single-Family Rentals in 2025 According to the report, landlords are seeing declining investment returns as home prices outpace rent growth in slightly more than half of the country. Between 2024 and 2025, median single-family home prices increased faster than median rents for three-bedroom properties in 54% of the analyzed markets. These price-rent gaps—often exceeding three percentage points—have contributed to a decline in rental yields. ATTOM’s latest single-family …

Redfin Becomes 140+ Agents Stronger in February

Jason AleemNotes

The housing market is heating up, and Redfin agents are zeroed in on helping buyers and sellers navigate their 2025 moves. And thanks to our amazing recruiters’ efforts, team Redfin is now more than 140 agents stronger! Please join me in giving a warm welcome to all the Newfins who joined us in February! Redfin agent Brian Wilson One new agent I’m really excited about is Brian Wilson, who joins our Virginia team from eXp. Brian started his real estate career in the early 2000s with the real estate tech boom, and has since racked up nearly 1,500 deals and $800 million in sales volume. Brian says that while he’s appreciated Redfin’s technology platform for years, the Redfin Next model and services like Redfin Premier made it a game-changer for his business. “I’m a numbers guy, and Redfin Next made the numbers work for me,” Brian said. “Aside from that, …

Home Prices Are Rising Fast in the Midwest

Lily KatzNotes

Milwaukee’s median sale price jumped 20% year over year in February—a bigger increase than any other major metro. Detroit also saw a double-digit gain. A housing shortage is prompting buyers to bid up prices. Nationwide, home prices rose 3% year over year, while pending sales fell the most since 2023. The typical U.S. home that sold last month was on the market for 54 days—the longest for any February since 2020. The Midwest is home to three of the five metro areas where home prices are rising fastest. In Milwaukee, the median home sale price rose a record 20% year over year in February to $330,000—the biggest jump among the 50 most populous metros. Next came Detroit (12.5%), Nassau County, NY (11.7%), San Jose, CA (11.1%) and Cleveland (10%). Nationwide, the median home sale price climbed 3.2% to $425,421—the slowest growth in six months. That coincided with a slowdown in …

More People Are House Hunting and Applying For Mortgages as Rates Decline

Dana AndersonReal Estate

Prospective homebuyers are hitting the pavement as rates drop to their lowest level since mid-December. But that hasn’t yet translated to sales. More house hunters are touring homes as mortgage rates decline. Mortgage-purchase applications rose 7% this week to their highest level since the start of February as weekly average mortgage rates dipped to their lowest level since mid-December.  Google searches of “homes for sale” are up 10% year over year to their highest level since July, and Redfin’s Homebuyer Demand Index–a seasonally adjusted measure of home tours and other buying services from Redfin agents–hit its highest level since the start of the year. The uptick in house hunting hasn’t yet translated to an uptick in home sales. Pending home sales fell 6.1% year over year during the four weeks ending March 9, on par with declines over the last few months.  “Mortgage rates are coming down because the country’s …

ATTOM Ranks Best Counties for Buying Single-Family Rentals in 2025

ATTOM TeamReal Estate

Highest Potential SFR Returns in New York City, Atlantic City, Birmingham, Mobile and Odessa areas; Best Yields Concentrated in Midwest and South, Lowest in West; Rental Profit Margins Decreasing in More Than Half of Nation  IRVINE, Calif. – Mar. 13, 2025 —  ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property data, and real estate analytics, today released its Q1 2025 Single-Family Rental Market report, which ranks the best U.S. markets for buying single-family rental properties in 2025. The report analyzed single-family rental returns in 361 U.S. counties with sufficient rental and home-price data. The analysis for this report incorporated median rents and median home prices collected from ATTOM’s nationwide property database, as well as publicly recorded sales deed data licensed by ATTOM (see full methodology below). The report shows that the annual three-bedroom gross rental yield (annualized median gross rent income divided by median purchase price) among the 361 counties analyzed is projected …

HousingWire Selects CFO David Dam as 2025 Finance Leader

ATTOM TeamReal Estate

Dam recognized among the top talents in corporate finance ensuring their companies remain competitive in a dynamic housing market IRVINE, Calif. – March 10, 2025 – ATTOM, a leading curator of land, property data, and real estate analytics, is pleased to announce that David Dam, Chief Financial Officer for ATTOM, has been named a recipient of the 2025 HousingWire Finance Leaders award, recognizing the leaders who have demonstrated exceptional expertise in financial strategy, capital management, and operational efficiency, helping their organizations navigate an evolving market landscape and drive sustainable growth. Dam is featured on this year’s list of 40 of the most impactful finance executives in the mortgage and real estate industries located on the HousingWire website.  He is selected for playing a critical role in strengthening ATTOM through financial innovation and strategic foresight. This year’s Finance Leaders were selected by HousingWire’s selection committee based on their professional achievements, leadership impact, and …

Rocket is Buying Redfin

Glenn KelmanNotes

Email from Redfin CEO, Glenn Kelman VERY BIG NEWS Redfin, We’ve entered into an agreement for Rocket Companies to buy Redfin in an all-stock deal that values Redfin at $2.4 billion. You probably already know that Rocket pioneered the first completely digital home loan, and that its mission is to “help everyone home,” but that’s only half the story. What’s Small & Special About Redfin Is Big & Exciting at Rocket I visited Rocket’s Detroit headquarters a few times since 2019 because I was trying to figure out how Rocket had started with some of the same culture, hustle and magic of our little company and made it so much bigger. Now, in anticipation of closing this acquisition, I feel sure that Rocket could take all the other good things about Redfin and make them bigger too: our mission, our innovation, our reach, and our commitment to getting the best …

MLSs: Help Your Members Turn Data into Deals 

Real Estate TeamReal Estate

Spring brings a sense of renewal, but for agents, the current market presents many challenges. Inventory is low, prices and interest rates remain high, and the road ahead feels increasingly difficult.   Discover Hidden Value in Realist for Cost-Effective Prospecting In this market, leads are the holy grail. Agents often spend hundreds or even thousands each month generating or purchasing leads that are difficult to convert. Realist® from CoreLogic® offers a smarter approach. Used by over 1 million agents and 150 MLSs/Associations, Realist goes beyond property reports by offering powerful prospecting capabilities. For example:  Looking for motivated sellers? Properties with a “very high” Sell Score are five times more likely to be listed in the next 6 months.   Interested in empty nesters? Ownership Time helps pinpoint homeowners who have been in their homes for 20+ years and might be looking to downsize.   Want to target renters? The Owner-Occupied status helps agents identify …