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WASHINGTON (October 5, 2016) — Realtors® raised concerns earlier this year when the Federal Housing Administration’s “Single Family Housing Policy Handbook” included new requirements for appraisers to operate and physically observe appliances on a property during the completion of an appraisal. This inspector-type role far exceeded previously understood appraiser duties and... Read MorePowered by WPeMatico

With the announcement of 5 new products, Google is (finally) getting serious about hardware. Facebook is rolling out “Secret Conversations” to their Messenger service; you and someone else who has opted into using it can now have device-to-device encrypted chats. Those who said 2016 will be the breakout year for VR are looking pretty wise… Continue Reading Google Gets Serious About Hardware (and Hardware and Hardware and…), Plus Four More Items in Five for Wednesday

In view of the upcoming presidential elections, Washington, DC is getting ready to welcome the administration of the next president. But what does this mean for local housing market? Do elections affect housing market in the area? Let’s take a closer look at the single family existing home sales in the following areas in the… Continue Reading Do Elections Affect the Housing Market in Washington, DC?

When real estate pros talk to clients about decluttering their homes, they might not realize what they’re getting into. In fact, getting rid of stuff can be painful, even for those who aren’t hoarders or recent widows. It’s the normal, everyday resistance to purging our belongings that attracts Christy Diane Farr to the world of… Continue Reading Recognizing Clutter for What It Is

It’s the witching month once again, and as Halloween approaches, now’s the time to tell tales of ghosts, goblins, and ghouls. But some scary stories aren’t fake — and real estate professionals have some of the creepiest anecdotes. Anything can happen when you’re out in the field, and we’ve heard horrifying tales of vacant properties… Continue Reading True Tales of Terror in Real Estate: In the Darkness, I Heard a Voice Say, ‘Come In’

In reporting on their last contract that went into settlement or was terminated over the period June–August 2016, respondents indicated that 64 percent of contracts were settled on time, 30 percent had delayed settlement, and six percent were terminated, according to the August 2016 REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey Report. Among contracts that had a delayed… Continue Reading 64 Percent of Contracts Were Settled on Time

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s “Know Before You Owe” rules went into effect one year ago today, and according to fresh survey data from the National Association of Realtors®, there’s still work ahead to get it right. “Looking back at the first year of Know Before You Owe, we saw a solid mix of challenges… Continue Reading Realtors® Mark Know Before You Owe Anniversary with Survey Showing Challenges Remain:

A year after implementation of the Know Before You Owe rule, many REALTORS® expressed both support, but also frustration. The TILA-RESPA Integrated Documentation (TRID) or Know Before You Owe rule went into effect on October 3rd 2015. In early September, NAR Research surveyed nearly 2,500 REALTORS® to get their perspective on the impact of Know… Continue Reading TRID: A Year Later