A voice assistant is a voice assistant is a voice assistant…or is it? Here’s a pretty solid roundup of how Siri, Google Assistant, and (new kid on the block) Bixby work and what they’re best at. The Meiuz Pro 7 isn’t the first phone to feature a second screen on the back of the phone,… Continue Reading Siri vs. Google Assistant vs. Bixby, Another Two-Sided Phone, and More in Five for Wednesday
According to a new survey from the National Association of REALTORS®, 71 percent of Americans believe that now is a good time to sell their home. This is an increase from 69 percent last quarter and 61 percent last year. The growing confidence in sellers will hopefully lead to more housing inventory later this year,… Continue Reading Story Idea – Homeowners Are Finally Ready to Sell
Do you scan the paper to find open houses while you are drinking your Sunday coffee? Despite all the changes technology has made in the housing market, the Sunday open house has undoubtedly been a tradition in real estate industry. In fact, it is a tradition that is still alive and growing, as Google search… Continue Reading ‘Open House:’ A Tradition Still Alive and Growing
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Index shows that U.S. prices of single-family homes continue to rise. The national index level in May reached a new high and is up 5.6 percent from a year earlier. But what does this mean for homeowners? Home prices affect the wealth of homeowners. As the price of housing increases,… Continue Reading Instant Reaction: May Owners’ Gains Forecast
WASHINGTON (July 24, 2017) — Existing-home sales slipped in June as low supply kept homes selling at a near record pace but ultimately ended up muting overall activity, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Only the Midwest saw an increase in sales last month. Total existing-home sales1, https://www.nar.realtor/topics/existing-home-sales, which are completed transactions that include… Continue Reading Existing-Home Sales Retreat 1.8 Percent in June
The 1.8 percent decline in existing-home sales in June should come as no surprise if you closely follow NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index, which have declined for three straight months. Activity has been weaker lately because prospective buyers continue to struggle overcoming the severely restricted inventory conditions and consequent run-up in home prices. As NAR… Continue Reading An Early Summer Cooldown for Housing
Photo courtesy Shannon Dittmann Article Submitted by Fixr.com The basement doesn’t just have to be a space to throw all of that extra storage. Show it as usable space, and it may even help you increase the value of the home. Basement remodels typically recoup about 70 percent of their costs at time of resale, which can… Continue Reading 5 Ideas to Increase the Value of a Basement
Libraries, technology, home buying and selling, side hustles, innovation, social media, and fandom. Have you ever seen a more beautiful library? It’s always fun to see what past generations expected for the future. At the height of summer, it’s hard to imagine being without the luxury of air conditioning. Necessity is the mother of invention!… Continue Reading What We’re Reading: July 17-21
WASHINGTON (July 20, 2017) – The National Association of Realtors® today said that significant improvements to the “21st Century Flood Reform Act,” key legislation aimed at strengthening and reauthorizing the National Flood Insurance Program, have cleared the way for endorsement of the bill. Among the changes, Realtors® support the House Financial Services Committee’s commitment to retaining… Continue Reading Realtors®, House Financial Services Committee Reach Agreement to Move Key Flood Insurance Legislation Forward
Meet the real estate tech companies providing promising tools to brokers, agents, and their clients. NAR and Second Century Ventures recently announced the new REach® Class of 2017, featuring a roster of startups focused on security, process digitization, information transfer, and more. Learn about this year’s class: Adwerx: A digital advertising company for real estate… Continue Reading Tech Companies You Need to Know