By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine Does your listing’s lighting need a contemporary makeover? Edison bulbs may be the answer. These clear glass light bulbs, in which the center is exposed, have a nostalgic-like appearance and let out a nice warm glow. They stand out, instead of allowing your lighting to blend in. Edison bulbs… Continue Reading Hot Home Trend: Edison Bulbs
David Stearrett, director of the Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate at the Federal Emergency Management Administration, led a panel discussion with fellow FEMA staff today at the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo. The panel focused on the importance of the National Flood Insurance Program and steps the agency deems necessary to reduce the… Continue Reading FEMA Officials, Realtors® Participate in Dialogue on National Flood Insurance Program
Technology, science, and rent. Has your home’s tech lost its edge? Or has it reached its pinnacle, replete with parlor walls? If you have a service animal, check new airline policies before booking travel. I saw two pigeons smugly ignoring some hostile architecture last Saturday. Have you noticed hostile designs in your community? Joe/flickr/2017 Is… Continue Reading What We’re Reading: May 14-18
Members of the National Association of REALTORS® Young Professionals Network from across the country convened in Washington, D.C. to advocate for the real estate industry during the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo. As part of the week’s events, about 250 people attended the eighth annual YPN networking reception on May 15 at the Park… Continue Reading YPN Represents in D.C.
Have a home you recently staged that you’d like to show off here at Styled Staged & Sold? Submit your staging photos for consideration, along with three to five of your best spruce-up tips. Contact Melissa Dittmann Tracey at mtracey@realtors.org. Home stager: Cyndi Ryan with Staging Gracefully, Middle River, Md. About the property: A 3-bedroom,… Continue Reading Staged to Sell: View Inside This Rosedale, Md. Home
At the national level, housing affordability is down from last month and down from a year ago. Mortgage rates rose to 4.42 percent this March, up 8.2 percent compared to 4.28 percent a year ago. Housing affordability declined from a year ago in March moving the index down 7.0 percent from 150.4 to 161.7. The… Continue Reading March 2018 Housing Affordability Index
Sunscreen, tech, architecture, meetings, travel, and location. Check your sunscreen ingredients before you go to Hawaii. Amazon and Lennar are pairing up for this smart initiative. Does anyone else type a word out, see the suggested emoji and opt for it instead of the word that took 8 keystrokes? We might be missing the point… Continue Reading What We’re Reading: May 7-11
For fair housing risk management purposes, REALTORS® are reminded to always describe the property not the actual/ideal buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants themselves. Describe the real estate. Even when describing real estate, be careful. Even benign sounding terms can result in issues (e.g. walkable/disability, near Baptist Church/religion, great backyard for kids/familial status). Do not describe the… Continue Reading Leasing/Renting, Fair Housing, Brokerage Policy – Compensation & Areas of Practice
REALTORS® should always use caution and due diligence with any unknown buyers who cold contact the REALTOR® with a desire for a cash deal with a quick close and early occupancy. REALTORS® should require background information such as proper documentation of sufficient available cash and identification. For fair housing risks, best practices can mean that… Continue Reading Safety Alert to All REALTORS(R) Statewide
SCR391 has the AS IS checkbox. SCR310 and SCR300 residential sales agreements define AS IS under the Repair Procedure Section. SCR forms typically convert over time to an AS IS agreement should all the parties "snooze" through their deadlines. An alternative to SCR391: SCR "As Is" using SCR Standard Forms (SCR "As Is" = SCR300… Continue Reading SCR391 AS IS Checkbox