Beyond the Buildings

AI is becoming more involved in the homebuying process, but disconnected systems are leaving buyers confused and looking to people in order to rebuild trust throughout the process. - Buyers are entering the homebuying process stressed and looking for guidance. Technology has promised speed, but it hasn’t delivered confidence. - Trust in technology doesn’t map neatly to age or buyer stage. It has t...

Mortgage fraud cases haven't surged dramatically, but subtle shifts in tactics and technologies are reshaping the industry. - Under the umbrella of purchase fraud, transaction fraud risk, such as undisclosed agreements between the parties and down payment fraud, is making waves. - While New York has long been the top state for fraud risk, California ranks in third-place, but the Golden State did s...

In the second episode of Beyond the Buildings' three-part sustainability series with Cotality Australia, guest host Eliza Owen delves into this often-overlooked but increasingly pressing issue: energy efficiency in Australian homes.   But why is energy efficiency coming into the public conversation now? And what’s driving this shift?   To unpack these questions, Owen is joined by two industry lead...

The ripple effects of unaffordable—or unavailable—insurance reaches beyond individual households and is distorting entire housing markets. — In the U.S. and Australia, increasing natural disasters are putting pressure on governments and homeowners to find safe and affordable housing solutions. —Data is providing key insights to help identify and prioritize mitigation measures for particularly vuln...

This episode of Beyond the Buildings host Maiclaire Bolton Smith and Cotality’s Assistant Vice President of Product Marketing Tom Larsen explore the escalating crisis in homeowners insurance, revealing why premiums are rising and what it means for homeowners and insurers nationwide. Discover why some states are hit harder than others, how government insurance programs can remain sustainable, and w...

Florida’s proposal to eliminate property taxes sounds like a radical affordability solution — but what would it actually cost? In this episode, Maiclaire Bolton Smith and Chay Halbert unpack the financial, political, and social tradeoffs behind this bold move. • Eliminating property taxes would gut funding for schools and public services, forcing states to consider more inconsistent funding altern...

CoreLogic rebranded as Cotality, and the company’s CEO Patrick Dodd explains why now was the right time to make the change. - The transition from CoreLogic to Cotality wasn’t just a rebrand, it was transformation with purpose. - What happens when a legacy powerhouse hits refresh? Beyond better serving client needs and adapt to changing market dynamics, this rebrand better showcases what this compa...

Gen Z is entering the housing market and encountering challenges both familiar and unfamiliar to previous generations. - High mortgage rates and home prices are forcing many to explore alternative markets and creative strategies like house hacking. - Tech tools and digital platforms are central to how Gen Z researches, finances, and navigates homebuying decisions. - This generation is redefining o...

For years homeowners’ insurance was just there. It was a safety net in the background, ready to catch someone when disaster struck. But now, that net is fraying, and homeowners are scrambling to understand why coverage is becoming so expensive — or in some areas, nearly impossible to obtain. Homeowners across the country — especially in wildfire-prone states like California — are seeing their prem...

As the U.S. waits for the final decision on the fresh tariffs imposed on Canadian, Mexican, and Chinese imports, the housing industry is bracing for the impact of this policy decision. With material costs already a growing concern, these new trade policies could send ripples through supply chains, development timelines, and affordability. Tariffs on steel, lumber, concrete and other key building m...

From Capitol Hill to the mortgage industry, AI is everywhere. It’s even finding its way into the halls of government. But while AI promises innovation, it’s also raising a ton of questions—especially for policymakers. Last year, Congress introduced over 350 AI-related bills, and while many of these bills simply served to spark debate, it’s clear that lawmakers are considering everything from data...

January’s wildfires in Los Angeles will leave scares. Even those whose homes seem to be structurally sound may actually be hiding severe damage that will only be uncovered as LA begins to recover and rebuild.   Garret Gray, CoreLogic’s President of Global Insurance Solutions is one such case. Following a harrowing race against time to evacuate the threatened area with his family, Garret prior...

Imagine a world where every piece of property tells a story—where every plot of land, building permit, and insurance claim contributes to a dynamic narrative that evolves over time. In the first episode of Season 5 of Core Conversations, you are invited you to step beyond the ordinary view of properties as an amalgamation of square footage and floor plans to uncover the living, breathing essence o...

As 2024 slides into 2025, those who have been following the housing market know that there is a lot to unpack from the year. Home affordability, when adjusted for inflation, has reached its lowest point in decades. Inventory trends are diverging across the nation. Generational dynamics are influencing how people are buying homes. But even if the trends that made 2024 so noteworthy are understood,...

The appraisal industry is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades, blending innovation with tradition to reshape how appraisers value real estate. As the appraisal industry enters a new era driven by technology and changing consumer expectations, advancements like AI-powered valuation tools, as well as desktop and hybrid appraisals may provide an avenue for the industry to offer...

As the U.S. looks ahead to Donald Trump once again taking office in January, the real estate and housing industry is watching closely. Given Trump’s previous term and recent rhetoric on the campaign trail, when the president-elect returns to the White House on January 20, the property market landscape could shift dramatically. A Trump administration has historically leaned toward deregulation, fav...

From soaring mortgage rates to climate risks, the economic landscape of buying a home is filled with uncertainties that could terrify even the most seasoned investor. Whether it’s government policies or technological innovations, there are a wide variety of external factors that wield immense influence over the trajectory of the property market. As investors, homeowners, and property professionals...

In recent years, cybercrime has surged across nearly every industry, with real estate emerging as a prime target for hackers. The shift toward digital transactions, coupled with the sensitive nature of real estate data, has made the sector a lucrative focus for cybercriminals. From wire fraud to data breaches, the threats are evolving, posing significant risks to real estate agents, brokers, title...

Over the next few years, it's estimated that nearly a trillion dollars will be spent on data centers, semiconductors, and power grid upgrades. And this is all just to meet the growing computational needs of AI technologies. In fact, industry estimates suggest that global data center capacity could double by 2030, but this growth is far from straightforward. As AI technologies like generative AI co...

Affordability remains a persistent challenge in the U.S. housing market. With increasing concerns over housing costs, particularly post-pandemic, the affordability crisis has grown to affect millions of households across the country. With nearly one-third of American households now considered cost burdened, the crisis has reached national prominence, even making its way into recent presidential ad...

As cities across the country grapple with the rise of platforms like Airbnb and VRBO, the implications for the property industry are becoming more complex. How do you accurately value a property that doubles as a business? What happens when local regulations change? Despite the lingering questions in the industry, the rising demand for vacation homes and the allure of short-term rental platforms h...

Extreme heat doesn’t just challenge our physical endurance; it has a ripple effect on nearly every aspect of our lives. From contributing to the intensification of natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires to affecting property values, insurance risks, and even migration patterns, rising temperatures are worth paying attention to. As natural disasters continue to accelerate in pace and inten...

Have you ever wondered what happens to communities when climate change forces people to move? The economic and social ramifications are both complex and far-reaching. From community fragmentation to insurers potentially refusing coverage in high-risk areas, there are profound consequences stemming from not adapting to a climate in which natural disasters are accelerating. Dr. Kaitlin Raimi, an ass...

Ever wondered how a hurricane might impact the financial sector, or why granular data on property locations is essential? Curious about how these findings might influence future governmental policies and corporate risk management strategies? The Federal Reserve Board (FRB) was too. This year, the FRB asked six major U.S. banks to scrutinize their resilience to physical climate risks. This pilot st...

As the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season approaches, the climate signals are anything but typical. The transition from El Niño to La Niña and unprecedented sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic have meteorologists and communities paying close attention to the potential severity and frequency of this year's hurricane potential. Warmer ocean temperatures can fuel more intense hurricanes that cause w...