Edina, Minn. is one of the few suburbs I could see myself living in. It has decent public transportation, boutique storefronts, independent restaurants—and for an extra dose of kitsch—the first indoor shopping mall in America. It’s one of those old-growth ‘burbs, where the houses have character and the streets have sidewalks. Alas, it also has… Continue Reading No Sunset on Housing History
NAR released a summary of existing-home sales data showing that housing market activity this January fell 3.2 percent from last month and dipped 4.8 percent from last year. January’s existing home sales reached 5.3 million seasonally adjusted annual rate. The national median existing-home price for all housing types was $240,500 in January, up 5.8 percent… Continue Reading January 2018 Existing-Home Sales
Design, Olympics, history, strategy, and focus. Apple’s new campus might be beautiful, but its occupants face challenges. Tiny house designs maximize use of space, but you don’t need to live in a tiny house to apply their ideas. Guys, this hotel is literally an arctic circle. Stròlic Furlàn – Davide Gabino/flickr/2014 3-D printed housing? Of… Continue Reading What We’re Reading: February 19-23
By NAR’s REALTOR Benefits® team You have many choices to make as a real estate professional—especially when it comes to investing in yourself and your new business. NAR’s REALTOR Benefits® Program is designed with you in mind, offering savings and unique offers on products and services just for REALTORS®. With more than 30 carefully selected… Continue Reading 3 Tech Benefits Helping New NAR Members Get Started
The REALTORS® Confidence Index (RCI) survey[1] gathers monthly information from REALTORS® about local real estate market conditions, characteristics of buyers and sellers, and issues affecting homeownership and real estate transactions.[2] This report presents key results about market transactions from January 2018. View and download the full report here. Market Conditions and Expectations The REALTORS® Buyer… Continue Reading REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey: January 2018 Highlights
Here is some insight on how Americans can invest their tax return and how first-time home buyers may look to invest long term. One of the major hurdles for potential home buyers is the downpayment. With a sizable tax refund, the average American would have a sizeable or partial downpayment depending on which region or… Continue Reading Using Tax Refund for a Downpayment
NAR’s yearlong commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act is underway. The legislation, which first passed in 1968, prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status and national origin. For decades, Realtors® have raised awareness and supported a free, open market that embraces fairness and equal opportunity for all buyers… Continue Reading 50 years of Fair Housing Commemorated
Real estate practitioners entering into marketing service agreements with lenders, title companies, and other settlement service providers is a well-established practice, but a recent court decision shows why you have to structure these agreements the right way. An appellate court just ruled that it’s okay for a mortgage lender to refer business to mortgage insurers… Continue Reading What’s the Right Way to Structure a Marketing Service Agreement?
By Patti Stern, PJ & Co. Staging and Interior Decorating The new year and the upcoming spring season brings with it a fresh outlook and new beginnings. What will prospective home buyers be thinking about while searching for their new “happy place”? For sellers preparing their homes to sell this spring, that means engaging buyers… Continue Reading Styling Tips to ‘Wow’ Spring-Time Home Buyers
In the spirit of President’s Day we can use data from the 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers to see how the typical home differs from the White House. Typical Home Purchased in the U.S. 85% of buyers purchased a previously owned home, with 83% of buyers choosing a detached single-family home. Looking by first-time and… Continue Reading President’s Day 2018: How Does the White House Compare to the Average Home?