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Amid strong demand compared to homes for sale, REALTORS® reported that properties were typically on the market for 27 days, a shorter time compared to one year ago (30 days) and about the same level during the prior month (26 days), according to the  July 2018 REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey.[1] During the May–July 2018, properties… Continue Reading Homes Typically Sold in 27 Days in July 2018

While the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968 was a moment worth celebrating, it’s also important that we, as Americans and as real estate professionals, look at what’s happened since that historic moment. That’s why Living Apart: How the Government Betrayed a Landmark Civil Rights Law is such an important read. In it,… Continue Reading Fair Housing’s Second Act

Watch Your Back by Roger Eckstine He describes various ways people can be prepared both mentally and physically for altercations, with an emphasis on training yourself to constantly observe your surroundings. Additionally, he suggests emergency devices, personal weaponry, and communication tools to help in dangerous situations. You and your loved ones deserve to feel safe… Continue Reading New Books–September 2018

By Patti Stern, PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating What is the key to staging a home in appealing to a broad demographic?  Presenting a property’s main rooms so buyers can see its true potential beyond what they read in the listing. A room showcased in a way that features the best use of… Continue Reading Before and After Photos: How Staging Can Make a Big Difference

Looking at data from the 2018 Member Profile we recognize REALTORS® for their hard work and successes this Labor Day. Sixty-five percent of REALTORS® are licensed as sales agents, 21 percent as brokers, 15 percent as broker associates, and two percent as appraisers. The majority of REALTORS® specialize in residential brokerage at 70 percent, with commercial brokerage… Continue Reading Labor Day 2018: Celebrating Hard-Working REALTORS®

Conserving plastic objects, why we spend so much money at Target, live like a Hobbit, favorite decorating accessories, and a tomato fight festival. Build your own Hobbit House (Hobbit not included). How long should you sleep? The problems conserving plastic items, such as Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit, the first artificial heart and a lifelike sculpture.  … Continue Reading What We’re Reading: August 27-August 31

Theatrical Projection enhanced by technology to bring genuine American story to life Today, the National Museum of American History’s opens its exhibition, “Within These Walls.” This exhibit will tell the story of over 200 years of American history through a partially reconstructed Georgian-style, two-and-a-half-story timber-framed house that stood from Colonial days through the mid-1960s in… Continue Reading National Museum of American History Opens “Within These Walls” Exhibit with Help from NAR

Amid tight supply, home prices are still increasing although at a slower pace. Nationally, the median price of existing homes sold in July 2018 rose to $269,600, up 4.5% from one year ago, but slower than the 5.7% appreciation in 2017. As another indicator, the median list prices of homes listed on Realtor.com increased in… Continue Reading Prices of Homes for Sale Typically Increased in 81 Percent of Metro Areas in July 2018

NAR released a summary of pending home sales data showing that July’s pending home sales pace was down 0.7 percent last month and fell 2.3 percent from a year ago. Pending sales represent homes that have a signed contract to purchase on them but have yet to close. They tend to lead existing-home sales data… Continue Reading July 2018 Pending Home Sales