Michael Crist

On Tuesday May 14th, Amanda Riggs, Research Survey Analyst, presented the results of the 2019 REALTORS® and Sustainability Report to the Sustainability Advisory Group at the 2019 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings and Expo.   The report was started in 2017, and the goal was to survey NAR members on their knowledge and interaction with sustainability practices… Continue Reading Research Behind the Scenes at the 2019 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings and Expo: Sustainability Advisory Group

With economic conditions working in favor of homebuyers, REALTORS® reported an uptick in homebuying traffic in March 2019 compared to one year ago, according to NAR’s March  2019 REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey.[1] Low mortgage rate, a record low unemployment rate since 1953,  sustained job creation of more than 2 million per year since 2012, and… Continue Reading Homebuying Continues to Pick Up in March 2019 Amid Favorable Economic Conditions

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey In a throwback to the 1980s, neon colors are popping up in more home decor. The flashiness of neon colors is a sure-fire way to brighten up your home’s interior, and the way fluorescents are being worked into a room isn’t as nauseating as you might at first imagine. Adding in neon-green… Continue Reading Neon Colors in Staging?! You’ll Be Surprised How Much You Like It

At the national level, housing affordability is down from last month but up from a year ago. Mortgage rates were down from last month at 4.51 percent this March, and down 2.6 percent compared to 4.63 percent a year ago. Housing affordability inclined from a year ago in March moving the index up modestly 0.1… Continue Reading March 2019 Housing Affordability Index

Starbucks in an unexpected location, scam phone calls, the new Royal baby, and much more, compiled by Anne-Marie Siudzinski, Senior Library Information Specialist. Scam warning: ignore that one-ring phone call. Ooops! Here is what HBO has to say about this gaffe. Guarding your digital privacy. Who is your favorite minor Star Wars character?  We can’t… Continue Reading What We’re Reading: May 6-May 10

By Sarah Anderson, VHT Studios Let’s face it: Moms work hard! Besides juggling their own work schedule, they are integral to keeping the family on track, from changing diapers to helping with homework to shuttling kids to and from school and assorted extracurricular activities. Because of that, when moms are looking for a property, they… Continue Reading Get on Mom’s Good Side: Staging Fit for the Female of the House

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine The speckled, spotted styles of granite countertops that have dominated kitchen design in recent years are moving out of the mainstream. In fact, those brown speckled granite countertops may even start to now age kitchens. Instead, countertops are blending in more to the kitchen design. A polished, solid colored… Continue Reading Hot Home Trend: Countertops Making Waves

By Drew Heasley I want to share some smart and efficient ways to spend your precious marketing dollars, as well as some tips for avoiding high-cost, low-producing marketing. The key is to find the marketing plan that works for you and stick with it. 1. Don’t sign a contract for a marketing program. You should… Continue Reading 4 Real Estate Marketing Dos and Don’ts

 Yeti footprints, traffic reports from London, a colorful incineration facility and much more, compiled by Anne-Marie Siudzinski, Senior Library Information Specialist. Is this whale a Russian spy?  Possibly. Obsessed by GoT?  Try this new fantasy league app. Buy a condo in Vancouver and get free avo toast for a year. Marco Verch/flickr/2018 A very snazzy… Continue Reading What We’re Reading: April 29-May 3

The following is NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun’s reaction to this morning’s U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report on the employment situation in April: “Fantastic news on the jobs market as abundant job openings are getting filled. Such conditions boost consumer confidence which further feeds the economy. Despite the hefty 263,000 net new job creation… Continue Reading Instant Reaction: NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun on April Jobs Report