General News - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

How Old Is Your State's Housing Stock?

The nation’s housing stock is quickly aging. The median age of an owner-occupied home rose to 37 years in 2015, up from 31 years a decade ago, according to the latest data from the 2015 American Community Survey. As of 2015, more than half of the housing stock in the U.S. was built prior to 1980. Thirty-eight percent of the homes were built prior to 1970. Meanwhile, homes constructed after 2000 comprise 19 percent of the housing stock.“This h

Read More

Where Land Surpasses Property Values

In some markets, the land is more valuable than the home that stands on it.Case in point, in San Francisco’s Sunset District, a fire destroyed a home for sale leaving it inhabitable. Despite that, last February, the home sold quickly for just under $1 million. Seven months later, the home was transformed into a four-bedroom home and sold for $1.77 million.In San Francisco, land is a premium, and buyers often pay more for the land than the home

Read More

VALENTINE: Give a Unique Gift this Valentine's Day!

Now's the time to start on your own personalized song for your Valentine. Consider this unique gift that y'all will enjoy for a lifetime!Currently on sale for only $49! Includes custom written lyrics along with a vocal and guitar (at minimum) recording burned to CD and framed. Place your order before it's too late!

Read More

The Most, Least Expensive Cars to Insure

Insure.com's data shows the following cars were the most affordable to insure in 2016: Honda Odyssey LX: $1,113 Honda CR-V LX: $1,170 Dodge Grand Caravan AVP 2WD: $1,174 Jeep Patriot Sport 2WD: $1,180 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4WD: $1,181 Jeep Compass Sport 2WD: $1,190 Ford Escape S 2WD: $1,194 Buick Encore Sport Tour 2WD: $1,200 Jeep Cherokee Sport Utility 2WD: $1,203 Nissan Frontier S King Cab Pickup: $1,204On the flip side, these cars were the prici

Read More

REALTORS: 5 Home Design Needs for Your Boomer Clients

The number of home buyers ages 55 and older is expected to grow over the next decade, and builders across the country are ramping up to serve them. At the International Builders' Show in Orlando, Fla., this week, the National Association of Home Builders is educating attendees about how to support the industry's efforts to cater to this segment of the market.In one session, Deryl Patterson, president of Housing Design Matters in Jacksonville, Fl

Read More

Security Firm Issues Fraud Warning to Agents

A security company has issued a warning to real estate professionals about a growing scheme in which criminals are hacking into their emails and sending messages to their clients to wire down payment funds to fraudulent accounts.Information security firm SANS cites an example of the "business email compromise" scheme from an email an agent recently forwarded to the company. The email was a seemingly typical exchange with a potential buyer who exp

Read More

REALTORS: 6 Things Your Buyers Are Stressed About

Do you know the pain points your buyers are most concerned about when it comes to purchasing a home? A new TD Bank survey of 135 real estate professionals nationwide reveals six stressors that are causing their clients the most anxiety: Confusion around paperwork required: 31.85% Unexpected costs: 22.22% Concerns over financing: 21.48% Appraisal and inspection: 11.85% Meeting and closing date: 6.67% Credit approval: 5.93%To better support your cl

Read More

Builders Predict Big Expansion in Construction

Construction of single-family homes is expected to gradually rise this year, as a growing economy, solid employment gains, and rising household formation buoys builders' forecasts.Last year, the National Association of Home Builders projected 1.16 million total housing starts in 2016, which was up nearly 5 percent from the previous year. Now NAHB is forecasting a 10 percent increase in single-family production for 2017 and a 12 percent rise for 2

Read More

STUDY: Kitchen Renos Lead to Healthier Habits

Many homeowners who remodel their kitchen tend to develop healthier lifestyles, according to the 2017 Houzz Kitchen Trends Survey. Of more than 2,700 homeowners surveyed, 33 percent who completed a kitchen renovation say the project prompted them to cook more meals at home, eat less takeout, and consume more fruits and vegetables. Owners of all generations report such lifestyle changes after a kitchen redo, but millennials and baby boomers diverg

Read More

Yes, It’s Still More Affordable to Buy Than Rent

In about two-thirds of the country – or 66 percent of the largest U.S. counties -- it’s more affordable to buy a home than to rent one, according to a report by ATTOM Data Solutions.They compared the monthly rents of three-bedroom apartments to monthly payments on median-priced homes (including the mortgages, property taxes, and insurance) across 540 counties.“It feels like buying a home is getting tougher and tougher from an affordability

Read More

This website includes images sourced from third party websites including Adobe, Getty Images, and as otherwise noted.