This month in real estate news revolves around tech and forces that are impacting the market right now, from climate change to interest rates. The tech industry has been eyeing the real estate world for a few decades now, but real disruption didn’t begin until about five years ago with services and sites that threatened to take the agent out of the home purchase. It hasn’t, but what’s grown out of the exploration of tech are several innovations that make home buying easier and faster.  

Climate Change Risk Showing up in Real Estate

Rising seas, unpredictable weather patterns, and super storms are adding up in the real estate industry, and home buyers and real estate investors alike are starting to think about the impact of more intense weather when buying all kinds of properties.  

How to Make a Strong Offer in Oregon’s Seller’s Market

In a sellers' market it's not unusual for a property that meets the latest buyer trends and desires to attract multiple offers. This is where it becomes crucial for a buyer to write a strong purchase offer and put their best foot forward.

AR Poised to be a Market Disruptor

Add augmented reality to the list of tools that will help buyers visualize themselves in a property. But how are home sellers using it, when should you use it, and how can it p your home price or how long it takes to sell?

Real Estate Tech Company Arrives in Portland

Launched in 2014, Opendoor streamlines the buying and selling of houses by cutting out the need for real estate agents. Sellers log on to the Opendoor app and fill out some questions about their property; then, within 48 hours, Opendoor presents an offer based on market rates.

Major Title Company Breached; Hundreds of Millions of Titles Leaked

The digitized records—including bank account numbers and statements, mortgage and tax records, Social Security numbers, wire transaction receipts, and drivers license images—were available without authentication to anyone with a Web browser.

New Tech Platform Automates Real Estate transactions

The system includes digitized purchase offers, escrow documents, and closing agreements for brokers and clients — all of which is traditionally done manually via fax or mail. The FlareAgent platform reportedly allows changes to real estate documents be made quickly, eliminating time spent fixing errors or changes. The only thing that doesn’t go through FlareAgent is the money changing hands.

With 2019 Interest Rates at a Low, Here’s How to Decide Whether to Buy or Refinance

While refinance activity appears to be on the increase, people are refinancing their home loans at a much slower pace than during the refinance boom between 2014 and 2017. But how do you decide whether it’s better to just refinance your current home or buy a new one?