Michael Crist

In a monthly survey of REALTORS®, respondents are asked “Compared to the same month last year, how would you rate the past month’s traffic in neighborhood(s) or area(s) where you make most of your sales?” Respondents rate buyer traffic as “Stronger” (100), “Stable” (50), or “Weaker” (0) and the responses are compiled into a diffusion… Continue Reading Strong Employment Growth Continues to Underpin Homebuyer Demand in March 2018

The following is NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun’s reaction to this morning’s S&P/Case-Shiller release on February home prices: “There is no let-up to rising home prices. The Case-Shiller Index and National Association of Realtors® median home price both show gains of roughly double the average wage growth. Even as the tightening job market is starting to boost… Continue Reading Instant Reaction: Q1 Homeownership Rate and S&P/Case-Shiller

The REALTORS® Confidence Index (RCI) survey gathers monthly information from REALTORS® about local real estate market conditions, characteristics of buyers and sellers, and issues affecting homeownership and real estate transactions.[1] This report presents key results about market transactions from March 2018. View and download the full report here. [2] Market Conditions and Expectations The REALTORS®… Continue Reading REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey: March 2018 Highlights

It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to be evicted, perhaps because the impacts of evictions are so wide-ranging. Household items are put on the curb and lost if the evictee can’t afford a storage unit. Having an eviction on one’s record makes it harder to rent a decent place to live. Constant movement to… Continue Reading What It’s Like to be Evicted

After two straight months of declines, existing home sales climbed 1.1 percent in March but it was a familiar story as low inventory and high prices kept sales activity to a level lower than a year ago, according to NAR. As NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun explained during this morning’s press conference, gains last month… Continue Reading Existing Home Sales Grew Slightly in March; Supply Shortage Continues

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine Want to add some greenery or a garden to a backyard but tight on space? Try a vertical garden. By going up with your plants instead of spreading them out, you’ll be able to squeeze a garden in even the smallest of spots. Vertical gardens are considered a hot… Continue Reading Hot Home Trend: Vertical Gardens