Jul 18
Expensive Items New Homeowners Buy Furniture, appliances, and remodeling projects are among the biggest expenses for new homeowners, who spend an average of $10,600 in the first year of home ownership, according to a recent analysis by the National Association of Home Builders. New owners spend an average of $3,778 on furnishings alone, …
Jul 17
Is Amazon Getting Into Real Estate? Online shoppers may have been too busy sorting through the deals on Amazon Prime Day this week to notice a “Hire a REALTOR®” page launched within the site. The web page was tucked within Amazon’s Home and Business Services section, where visitors can receive quotes from professionals on services …
Jul 14
Faulty Solar Installs Cause Leaky Roofs Rooftop solar power installations are booming, says Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. The panels may have a more affordable price tag than in previous years, but the installations are coming with another price: leaky roofs. The Solar Energy Industries Association says …
Jul 13
Common Home Buyer Slip-Ups Real estate professionals see a lot of dumb reasons why home buyers ultimately end up losing out on a deal. Practitioners recently shared some of the more common mistakes with realtor.com®, including ways to correct the situation: 1. Shopping outside their price range. “It sounds obvious, but some home buyers …
Jul 12
Ways to Make Counteroffers Easier No matter if your client is buying or selling, counteroffers can pose sticky negotiations from both sides. Here are three tips for successfully responding to counteroffers from Desare Kohn-Laski, broker-owner of Skye Louis Realty in Coconut Creek, Fla. 1. Ask for something in return. Sellers and buyers alike should remember that …
Jul 11
Home Buyers Shouldn’t Overlook After moving in, buyers will discover a lot about their new home—but they may wish they had paid closer attention to some items before signing the sale contract. Help your clients avoid regrets by guiding them to assess a property carefully before purchasing it. Realtor.com® advises giving particular consideration to …
Jul 10
True Impact of Home Staging Sixty-two percent of listing agents say professional staging decreases the amount of time a home spends on the market, while 40 percent of buyer’s agents say their clients are more willing to walk through a home that has been staged, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2017 Profile of …
Jul 07
Renovations That Cause Neighborhood Feuds Homeowners doing renovations can develop feuds with their neighbors if they’re not cognizant of how work on the project affects the rest of the neighborhood. After all, one homeowner’s upgrade could be another’s downgrade. Realtor.com® recently ticked off common home improvement spats. Additions that block views. Large additions that block …
Jul 05
Mortgage Rates Hit Another Low for 2017 Interest rates for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage took another dip this week, setting a new low for 2017, Freddie Mac reported in its weekly mortgage market survey. “The 30-year mortgage rate fell 2 basis points to 3.88 percent this week,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “However, …
Jun 30
Take your chances… Buyers Make Offers Sight Unseen The number of buyers making offers sight unseen—meaning they haven’t physically visited the property—is on the rise, according to a survey of recent home buyers conducted by real estate brokerage Redfin. Thirty-three percent of respondents in 11 major markets say they made an offer on at …
Jun 29
Owners Are Missing Out on Savings Nearly 4.5 million borrowers are eligible to refinance and could lock in savings on their monthly mortgage payments but have not taken advantage, according to a new report from Black Knight Financial Services. The average borrower stands to save $260 a month. Nearly 700,000 borrowers could save …
Jun 28
Lenders Easing Up Credit Standards More mortgage lenders are reporting that they have lowered their credit standards and expect to continue to do so in the coming months, according to Fannie Mae’s second-quarter 2017 Mortgage Lender Sentiment Survey. The share of lenders reporting they have eased mortgage credit standards over the prior three …
