Technology

Home sales in January were lower than a year earlier due to tight inventory and higher home prices, according to Re/Max.

To take advantage of changing customer demographics and preferences, lenders must capitalize on digital technology. At the same time, digital technology should work in conjunction with, not as a replacement for, the loan officer.

As a deep freeze grips parts of America in a typically slow season for housing, first-time buyers are flocking to Redfin Corp.'s property tours and classes, signaling their renewed interest in the market.

Rent prices continue to surge like a red tide in the Tampa Bay area — something few welcome.

Donald Klepper-Smith, chief economist and director of research for New Haven, Conn.-based DataCore Partners, cautioned against reading too much into the decline in home sales when comparing 2014 to 2013.

Builders broke ground on fewer residential construction projects in January as demand for single-family homes cooled from an almost seven-year high, signaling the rebound in housing remains uneven.

National credit default rates accelerated in January from recent lows seen last year.

Zillow Inc. completed its acquisition of rival real estate website Trulia Inc. and announced 350 job cuts as the combined company works to integrate operations.

Nationally, the overall denial rate on a conventional loan was 12.4%, Zillow found after studying 2013 data lenders reported under the U.S. Housing Mortgage Disclosure Act.

Zillow Inc.'s quarterly revenue topped estimates and the online real estate marketplace said it anticipates its acquisition of Trulia Inc. will close as early as Tuesday.