NAR

The 2017 Member Profile is out—let’s take a closer look at the demographics of the NAR membership this year. Sixty-three percent of members are female, that’s two thirds of all agents. As years of experience increase, so does the presence of men. With 16 years of experience or more, 40 percent are male. Appraisers are… Continue Reading 2017 Member Profile: Demographics of Real Estate Agents Examined Up Close

The following is NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun’s reaction to this morning’s U.S. Commerce Department report on April residential construction:  “With housing starts declining in April, inventory shortages will continue for a longer period of time. The intensifying housing shortage will push up home prices and rents, and easily above wage growth and the broad… Continue Reading Instant Reaction: April Housing Starts

WASHINGTON (May 15, 2017) — The strongest quarterly sales pace in exactly a decade put significant downward pressure on inventory levels and caused price growth to further accelerate during the first three months of 2017, according to the latest quarterly report by the National Association of Realtors®. Metro home prices have now accelerated for three… Continue Reading Metro Home-Price Growth Heats Up 6.9 Percent in First Quarter

Washington’s airports and roadways are beginning to jam up more than usual starting today as nearly 10,000 Realtors® descend upon the nation’s capital for the 2017 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo at the Marriott Wardman Park. There are a plethora of noteworthy sessions at this year’s conference on many timely subjects, including tax reform, flood… Continue Reading This Week: The REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo

It’s no surprise today’s first quarter metro price report revealed that prices accelerated for the third straight quarter. That’s what happens when sales are strong and inventories remain near record lows. What is amazing is just how fast some metro areas are moving. Seventeen percent of markets saw double-digit appreciation last quarter and many hovered just… Continue Reading Low Inventory Spurs Faster Price Growth in First Quarter

In the last several years, the percent of NAR members that identify as Hispanic and Latino have steadily increased. Hispanic and Latino members have for many years made up the largest racial and ethnic composition after Caucasian members. In the 2017 Member Profile, we see that trend continue. In 2017, nine percent of all members… Continue Reading Young Hispanic and Latino Membership on the Rise at NAR

Homes with solar panels tend to sell for higher prices than comparable homes with conventional energy, studies show. One study, released two years ago by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, found solar homes selling for a 15 percent premium. But selling these homes can require extra preparation if you’re an agent in the transaction. The biggest… Continue Reading Solar Boosts Home Values But Selling Can Be a Trial

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine Wood paneling is back, but we’re not talking about he 1960s version that you may still be peeling down from some of your listings. Instead, today’s wood paneling trend is being used as an accent wall, instead of a complete cover of an entire room. For example, wood panels in… Continue Reading The Wood Paneling Trend Is Back With a Twist

WASHINGTON (May 12, 2017) – When inventory is low, home prices tend to go up. Attempting to purchase a house in this type of market can make the already complex process of buying a home even more overwhelming. To help buyers successfully get through the buying process in a tight inventory market with as little… Continue Reading 5 Tips for Buyers in a Tight Housing Market

At the national level, housing affordability is down from last month and down from a year ago. Mortgage rates increased to 4.28 percent this March, up compared to 3.87 percent a year ago. Housing affordability declined from a year ago in March moving the index down 8.2 percent from 172.3 to 158.2. The median sales… Continue Reading March 2017 Housing Affordability Index