It’s hard to believe 2016 is coming to an end. Three things rose over the past year: mortgage rates, existing-home sales and home prices. What’s in store for 2017? Watch my discussion from earlier this week with NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun: Powered by WPeMatico
WASHINGTON (December 28, 2016) — Pending home sales dipped in November to their lowest level in nearly a year as the brisk upswing in mortgage rates and not enough inventory dispirited some would-be buyers, according to the National Association of Realtors. Only the Northeast saw monthly and annual pending sales gains last month. The Pending… Continue Reading Pending Home Sales Backpedal in November
WASHINGTON (December 28, 2016) – After 36 years of service, National Association of Realtors® CEO Dale Stinton will retire from the association in 2017. Chicago-based executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles has been retained to find Stinton’s replacement. Stinton took over as CEO in November 2005. Previously, he served as chief financial officer and chief… Continue Reading NAR CEO Dale Stinton to Retire, Search Firm Retained
In August 1927 REALTORS® from around the country journeyed to Seattle for their 20th annual national convention. Proving that the trip is part of the fun, some of them visited the ranch of famous humorist Will Rogers. On August 3 the Santa Monica and Beverly Hills Realty Boards entertained REALTORS® from Louisiana and Mississippi, including… Continue Reading 1927 REALTORS® Visit Will Rogers at His Ranch
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Index shows that U.S. prices of single-family homes continue to rise. The national index in October reaches a new high while it 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: October Owners’ Gains Forecast
Brandon Doyle By Brandon Doyle In this day and age, it’s likely that a significant contingent of your leads originate online. Since many apps and websites cut out the need to pick up the phone or initiate conversation face-to-face, it’s increasingly common for first-time home buyers and veteran home owners alike to explore their real… Continue Reading A Step-by-Step Guide: Convert Internet Leads to Sales
Photo courtesy: Dunn-Edwards Paints A fresh coat of paint is one of the easiest and most affordable home improvement projects to tackle prior to a home sale that can make a big difference. Sara McLean, color expert and blogger for Dunn-Edwards Paints, offers some of the following tips on how to choose interior colors that will… Continue Reading How to Choose the Right Paint Color
During the Holiday season, homeowners and renters alike are hosting gatherings for family and friends at their residences. Among these gatherings and with the holiday spirit in mind, NAR broke down the frequency at which homeowners and renters host gatherings at their homes by tenure, and also the frequency of gatherings at home by location.… Continue Reading Homeowners More Likely to Host During the Holidays
When deciding on a home to purchase, recent buyers took into consideration a variety of different environmental features. The feature that was most important to buyers was heating and cooling costs. Eighty-four percent of recent buyers found heating and cooling costs to be at least somewhat important when deciding on a home to purchase. Thirty-three… Continue Reading Heating your Home for the Holidays 2016
Winter, biology, travel, archeology, seasonal favorites, technology, and careers. Curious what living on Mars might feel like? Chicagoans can tell you. Snow is showing up in some unexpected places. Very unexpected. It has before, too. James Mann/flickr/2014 Baby brain is a real thing, and it affects women longer than you might have thought. Sounds like… Continue Reading What We’re Reading: December 19-22