Housing data in January gave mixed signals on the direction for the year. Closing activity for existing home sales shot up to a decade-high of 5.69 million units at an annualized pace, but pending contracts fell to their lowest level in 12 months. For the whole of 2017, I expect existing home sales to reach… Continue Reading Housing Demand over the Next Decade
By a vote of 58-41, the U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Ben Carson today as the next Secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. National Association of Realtors® President William E. Brown laid out the challenges that lie ahead, saying Realtors® look forward to working with Secretary Carson to advance home ownership and real estate investment… Continue Reading Ben Carson Confirmed as HUD Secretary
Economic activity continued on an upward trend in the last quarter of 2016, but at a slower pace, as the first estimate of real gross domestic product (GDP) from the Bureau of Economic Analysis documented. Preliminary figures indicated that GDP rose at an annual rate of 1.9 percent, on par with the average 1.9 percent… Continue Reading Solid Demand Drives Office Vacancies Lower in the Fourth Quarter of 2016
You probably know that how you react to a post on Facebook affects what appears in your News Feed. But do you know *how* your reactions do this? Facebook has come clean about what counts for what. For some tech observers, 3D printing is a bit gimmicky. For true believers, there isn’t a problem it… Continue Reading How Your Reactions on Facebook Shape Your Timeline, 3D Printed Houses Are Now a Reality, and More in Five for Wednesday
In the monthly REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey, the National Association of REALTORS® asks members “For the last house that you closed in the past month, how long was it on the market from listing time to the time the seller accepted the buyer’s offer?” Properties stayed on the market for fewer days in January 2017… Continue Reading Properties Typically Sold Faster in January 2017 as Demand Outpaces Supply
Field Guides are one-stop resource packages on dozens of subjects of interest to REALTORS®. On each page you’ll find links to articles, books, web sites, statistics, and other material on each subject. The list of the most-used field guides from Information Central for the month of February 2017 was released today: Field Guide to Quick Real… Continue Reading Top Field Guides for February 2017
Brandon Doyle By Brandon Doyle Clients are the cornerstone of any successful enterprise, and this is particularly true in real estate, a business where relationships are central. Demonstrating your gratitude to past and present clientele has the potential to up your referrals, expand your database, and create face-to-face time with your business’s bread and butter:… Continue Reading How to Throw a Memorable Client Appreciation Event
The results are in! NAR surveyed thousands of consumers, real estate agents, and industry professionals on interior, exterior, and outdoor remodeling projects. The projects listed below are the best outdoor features that can get you the biggest bang for your buck when it comes time to list on the market. Outdoor Remodeling Features Curb appeal… Continue Reading Attention Sellers: Remodeling Projects to Increase Your Sales Price – Part 3
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 December reached a new high and is up 5.8 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: December Owners’ Gains Forecast
The following is NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun’s reaction to this morning’s S&P/Case-Shiller index national home-price index reading for December: “Rising mortgage rates should not be boosting home prices, yet home values accelerated with a 5.8% annual gain in December (according to the S&P/Case-Shiller home price measurement). Price gains had been a tad lower in the… Continue Reading Instant Reaction: S&P/Case-Shiller Index