Michael Crist

In what reflects the significant amount of pent-up demand in today’s housing market, existing-home sales surged in November to their strongest pace since December 2006. Good news was also found in November’s pending sales data.  Whether it’s been weakening affordability, low supply or hurricanes, sales have been somewhat sluggish since the summer. That changed last… Continue Reading November Sales Surprise to a Near 11-Year High; Contract Signings Also Rise

Whatever you think of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” which President Donald Trump signed into law just before Christmas, much of it goes away on Dec. 31, 2025, which means many of the changes will revert back to what was in place before the bill was signed unless Congress acts to extend the provisions.… Continue Reading Like the Tax Law? Don’t Like It? Remember, Much of It Expires in 2025

Based on the new tax law, there is no change for capital gains on the sale of a home and deductibility of interest paid for a second home[1]. However, the new law[2] affects the deductibility of mortgage interest and real estate taxes: -          New mortgages are capped at $750,000 for purposes of home mortgage interest… Continue Reading Metro Areas Most Affected by the New Tax Law

  When it came to the YPN Lounge posts that received the most views and engagement in 2017, readers chose those that offer the most nitty-gritty business tips. These business-building articles share first-hand advice written by YPNers for YPNers. This peer-to-peer blog has been going strong since 2009, and as it enters its ninth year… Continue Reading Top 5 Blogs for Boosting Business This Year

By Mary Purcell, MoneyGeek.com Home staging has gone mainstream and is now widely used to make a home more attractive to potential buyers. According to a 2017 survey by the National Association of REALTORS®, a majority of real estate professionals believe staging increases the sale price of the home anywhere from 1 to 15 percent.… Continue Reading The Forecast: 2018 Trends in Staging

Birthdays, entertaining, travel, technology, room, insurance, design, and Christmas. So, if we don’t acknowledge a birthday, then we don’t age, right? We trust Mary Berry when it comes to all things entertaining, so heed her advice on getting people to leave after a party. Are you traveling over the next week? Here’s a guide for… Continue Reading What We’re Reading: December 18-22

In 2017, the time on market plummeted to an all-time low—at just three weeks—to sell a home. Last year, we had seen the time on market to sell a home reach a historical low at just four weeks. In the 30 years that NAR has collected the data for time on market since 1987, the… Continue Reading Drop in Time on Market to Sell a Home

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 November 2017. View and download the full report here. Market Conditions and Expectations The REALTORS® Buyer… Continue Reading REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey: November 2017 Highlights

An overwhelming majority of recent home buyers this year worked with a real estate agent to purchase a home at 87 percent, according to the 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. The top benefits that buyers listed of working with a real estate agent were: First-time buyers (83 percent) were twice as likely to… Continue Reading Benefits of Working with a Real Estate Agent to Buy and Sell a Home

If the latest Star Wars movie inspired you to expand your universe to include more intergalactic adventure, the National Association of REALTORS® has some information on some of the most out-of-this-world cities in America. Powered by WPeMatico