The new top 3 rules of real estate: Speed. Speed. Speed (2024)

Owning a home is the American dream. So why has the mortgage process always been such a nightmare?

For agents, coaching buyers through the mortgage process requires their own special skill set. It can add stress, extra communication, and unexpected delays, all while you’re also ensuring appraisals, inspections, and title are clear to close. Needless to say, the mortgage experience can often feel like a nightmare for the buyer and their agent — and a long one at that.

Meanwhile, modern homebuyers expect a faster, more tech-forward approach. While 97% of Americans own a smartphone and 82% of households are Amazon Prime members, it still takes an average of 51 days to close a mortgage. After finding a home and locking in a rate, buyers spend weeks in limbo, not sure if the loan will fall through at the last second. These kinds of last-minute curveballs are terrible for buyers and agents alike — causing delays, extra costs, and in the worst-case scenarios, losing out on the house.

Sure, location is still important. But, we hear from agents across the country that the new top 3 rules of real estate are: Speed. Speed. Speed.

According to Bankrate, millennials are now the largest demographic of homebuyers of any generation. And they don’t want to close on a home in 51 days — they expect things now. And the expectation is reflected in the rise of more digital lenders than ever before. The best digital lenders can now match the experience of working with an expert team at a traditional lender, while also offering tools and technology to give agents and their buyers an edge in the buying process. Talk about a win-win.

“The Jason Mitchell Group embraced the real estate innovation wave years ago by growing our relationship with digital lenders like Better,” reports Jason Mitchell, founder of The Jason Mitchell Group, a RealTrends top 5 ranked Mega Team. “We understand that adjusting our approach to what the customer expects is how we maintain our edge in the marketplace. And what customers expect now from their mortgage lender is what the Better Team has been providing our clients for years: speed, convenience, simplicity, and service.”

Close more clients in less time

Digital lenders are investing in technology that streamlines the entire mortgage process, which helps your clients shop confidently and close more quickly. For example, Better Mortgage has just launched One Day Mortgage¹, taking your clients from rate lock to Commitment Letter in 24 hours — even on the weekends.

Pre-approval in minutes, edit on the fly

With an online dashboard, your clients can also get pre-approved in minutes, then update those pre-approval letters to make different kinds of offers. Plus, a digital lender allows your clients to lock a rate online, day or night. This kind of speed and flexibility is unmatched in the traditional mortgage industry and is a direct reflection of the investments digital lenders are making to improve the mortgage experience for buyers and agents alike.

Ground-breaking tech backed by an expert team

Digital lenders are redefining what it means to be local: speed and convenience that’s available in every state, paired with an expert team that’s available 24/7. Fast responses mean fast mortgages. Modern homebuyers don’t want to get a loan during banking hours — they want to be able to access the calculators to help them shop confidently, and then text a loan expert if they have questions. And that’s exactly the kind of support a great digital lender can provide.

The pandemic forced the real estate industry to adapt to new changes: remote viewings, virtual appraisals, and homebuyers who are hungry for a faster, easier loan experience. And those changes are here to stay.

Better is on a mission to make homeownership faster, easier, and just plain better for all Americans — which is why Better Mortgage has just launched One Day Mortgage¹. Since its founding in 2015, Better has originated over $100 billion in home loans, entirely online. Plus over $38 billion in insurance, and over $3 billion in real estate transactions, all entirely online and commission-free.

¹Terms apply. One Day Mortgage lets qualified customers receive a conditional underwriting decision within 24 hours of rate lock, which does not guarantee final underwriting approval. Better Mortgage Corp. NMLS #330511

The new top 3 rules of real estate: Speed. Speed. Speed (2024)

FAQs

Why does it take 30 days to close? ›

Closing can take around 30 days or more due to various factors involved in the process, including loan approval, appraisal, title search, and coordination between multiple parties.

What is considered a strong offer on a house? ›

There's no reliable formula here. Typically, a low-ball offer is at least 15% to 20% lower than the asking price: offering $240,000 on a home valued at $300,000, for example. But sometimes a seller may be asking too much. If you can back up your offer with market data, you're making a serious offer.

How do I choose the best offer on my house? ›

How To Choose An Offer On Your House: 6 Steps For Sellers
  1. Discuss The Perfect Purchase Price With Your REALTOR. ® ...
  2. Assess Any Contingencies In The Offer. ...
  3. Plan Out An Ideal Time Frame. ...
  4. Review The Potential Buyer's Financing. ...
  5. Figure Out Who Is Paying Closing Costs. ...
  6. Use The Earnest Money As A Tiebreaker.
Sep 1, 2022

What's the fastest you can close on a house? ›

It is technically possible to close on a home in 30 days, or even less, particularly if you are paying all-cash rather than getting a mortgage or dealing with a homebuying company or iBuyer. But in general, according to data from ICE Mortgage Technology it takes about 44 days to close on a home.

Can I offer 20k less on a house? ›

“The rule I've always followed is to never go more than 25% below the listed price,” he says. “Chances are, after fees, commission, and sentimental value, the sellers are already hurting. If you dip below that point, they may disregard your offer entirely.”

What happens when there are 2 offers on a house? ›

Sellers can accept the “best” offer; they can inform all potential purchasers that other offers are “on the table”; they can “counter” one offer while putting the other offers to the side awaiting a decision on the counter-offer; or they can “counter” one offer and reject the others.

What is considered a lowball offer? ›

By definition, a lowball offer is an offer that is significantly below market value. This is where the problem can start — in practice, agents and their clients consider a an offer to be a lowball if it's significantly below the asking price.

What is an acceptable first offer on a house? ›

Typically, a lowball offer is considered to be at least 20% below the asking price. If you're offering 10% below, the property should be in a good condition but may just need some cosmetic work done. The goal of offering 10% below the asking price is to use those extra funds to cover the repairs.

Should you offer full price on a house? ›

How much you should offer on a house will largely depend on the market conditions in the area. If there are more homes than buyers, making a lower offer may be acceptable. But if there are more buyers than homes for sale, you may need to offer a higher amount to encourage the seller to accept your bid.

How much do sellers usually come down on a house? ›

The amount you may want to reduce your home's asking price depends on many factors, including the median price in your area, what comparable homes nearby are selling for and the length of time the home has been on the market. According to a Zillow study, the average price cut is 2.9 percent of the list price.

Is it hard to close in 30 days? ›

Closing in 30 days is ideal, but it's usually only possible if the buyer's financial readiness isn't a barrier and no issues are discovered during the appraisal and inspection of the seller's home.

Why is my closing taking so long? ›

There are issues with the title. One of the most common causes of closing delays is an issue with the title report. The sale cannot go through unless there is confirmation that the home has a clean title. There are issues with the buyer's credit report or credit score.

What is a normal time frame to close on a house? ›

Typical Closing Times: By Loan Type
Loan TypeTime to Close (Days)
Conventional Purchase47
Conventional Refinance35
FHA Purchase47
FHA Refinance32
2 more rows
Jan 10, 2024

What takes the longest to close on a house? ›

Closing Time Lines by Mortgage Type

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans take a bit longer to close due to additional documentation requirements. They take an average of 62 days to close.

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