Nov 20
Unwanted Furry Roommates As the weather cools, the risk of unwanted roommates joining your household increases. And I don’t mean your mother-in-law. Rodents such as mice and rats look for entry into houses and apartment buildings in colder weather. They can cause quite a bit of trouble once they have taken up residence by …
Nov 19
Does Your Listing Have Enough Walls? Home owners and businesses have pronounced a strong desire for open floor plans—areas where fewer walls give a greater sense of spaciousness—over the past decade or more. But some British architects are suggesting that the trend may change soon as home owners in the near future require more walls. In a …
Nov 17
New School Tech and Old School Attitude Door knocking is old school. It’s personable, but best practices in real estate are changing with the integration of technology, according to a panel of top agents from around the country speaking at the 2016 REALTORS® Conference & Expo Friday. To help them succeed in the evolving …
Nov 16
Mortgage Rates are Inching Up The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is getting closer to moving over 4 percent, as mortgage rates climb for the second week in a row. Freddie Mac reports that fixed-rate mortgages are rising in anticipation of a possible rate increase by the Federal Reserve and a recent strong jobs report. “A …
Nov 12
One of the Top Fears Holding Renters Back The possibility of losing a down payment is one of the biggest hurdles holding some would-be buyers back, according to a newly released Harris Poll on behalf of ValueInsured Inc. of more than 2,000 Americans. More than three in five renters — 63 percent — …
Nov 11
The Best Times to Post on Social Media Whether teasing up your recent blog post or reaching out to prospects or past clients, your social media outreach should be pegged to the time others are most likely to see it. TruConversion, a company behind a soon-to-debut app to help businesses optimize and track their …
Nov 10
Home Buyer Pet Peeves to Avoid The home may be priced right and in a great location, so why isn’t it selling? Maybe the listing has one of these common buyer turn offs lurking. Coldwell Banker Blue Matter’s blog highlights a few: 1. Covering up potential issues. Masking potential issues – from odors …
Nov 09
Home Sellers Net Highest Profits in 8 Years Rising home prices over the last few years are finally putting more money back into home sellers’ pockets. Home owners who sold during the third quarter saw an average price gain of $40,658 – or 17 percent – from the purchase price of their property – the …
Nov 06
More Home Buyers Bypass Banks for Loans Home buyers increasingly are turning to independent mortgage companies for their loans, not traditional banks. According to data from the Federal Reserve, in 2014, nondepository independent mortgage companies originated 47 percent of completed home-purchase loans and 42 percent of refinance loans – up from 43 percent and …
Nov 05
Paint Mistakes Sellers Should Avoid The wrong paint color can be a big turn-off to potential home buyers. House Beautiful recently highlighted some of the worst mistakes home owners can make when it comes to painting their house, including: 1. Painting a ceiling a flat white color. “I never paint a ceiling dead white …
Nov 04
Amenities Trending With Buyers Several home features are gaining momentum in real estate. Here are four that home shoppers are showing more desire for, according to a recent article at CBSHome.com. You may want to talk these features up in your listings. Energy efficiency. Bigger used to be better in real estate, but …
Nov 03
Persuade Owners to List in the Winter Some home owners may be hesitant to list in the winter, believing the cold-weather season won’t attract many buyers or leave the best impression of their property. But while spring may be the peak home shopping season, owners may be able to snag more for their home …
