As more homeowners see their property values rise, the number of homes that are seriously underwater continues to decrease. At the end of the third quarter, there were 4.6 million U.S. properties considered seriously underwater, which is down by more than 1.4 million properties from a year ago, according to ATTOM Data Solutions’ Q3 2017 U.S. Home Equity & Underwater Report. That marks the biggest year-over-year drop since the second quarte
Townhouse construction continues to post gains as home shoppers are lured to the sector. Single-family attached housing comprised 26,000 of total housing starts during the third quarter of 2017, according to Census data. That is 18 percent higher than a year prior, the National Association of Home Builders reports in its analysis.The share of new townhomes now stands at 11.8 percent of all single-family starts, NAHB reports. Still, the peak ma
The housing market may be facing some headwinds with ongoing inventory shortages and the looming threat of tax reform from lawmakers, but don’t let these stories spoil your outlook completely. There are several factors sparking more optimism in real estate lately. Here are a few housing indicators you can be thankful for this season:1. New-home sales neared a postrecession high in October.Some inventory relief may be coming to the housing sec
People will respond to your true passion and relate to you in a big wayKey Takeaways The best ways to generate a little buzz about your business is to find your cause, tell people about what you do, reach for more than just satisfying your customers and gather testimonials.What do people say and think about you? Not just your clients, but your co-workers, your friends, other agents and vendors? Real estate is an incredibly relational business, an
It's all about warm shades, rugged textures and simple fixturesCool neutrals, white kitchen accessories and marble is out, and earth-toned shades, stonework and concrete accents are in, says Houzz for its 2018 home design predictions.Here are the ten design trends expected to define the upcoming year:Photo credit: Rikki Snyder © 2015 Houzz1. More color in kitchens. Houzz says white will always be a classic color for kitchen design, but homeown
A more luxe-looking home will sell for a higher priceAs a listing agent, it’s your job to help your clients get the most out of their sale. Anything you can do to make the house look more expensive is likely to help boost buyer interest and sales price.But how do you make listings look more expensive?The methods range from very simple to completely replacing older or dated items. Encourage your client to think of any updates as an investment i
Whether it’s dealing with an angry customer who’s fighting your company or an internet troll you’ve never met, it’s imperative that broker-owners, managers, or team leadership address any claims online immediately.Jeff Mowatt, who has trained customer service teams for more than 25 years and authored Becoming a Service Icon in 90 Minutes a Month, offers these four tips when dealing with negative comments, complaints, and even harassment
Half of the world’s population lives near active earthquake faults, and some may not even know it.“Small earthquakes are happening every day near you, and large earthquakes are happening somewhere around the globe that may not be in your mind,” Volkan Sevilgen, co-founder of Temblor, an app that estimates the likelihood of seismic shaking and home damage, told Curbed.com.States like California and Utah have thousands of fault lines running
A burglary occurs about every 20 seconds, and some homeowners may be making it too easy for intruders. A burglar may knock on the door first to check if a resident is home. Some will then test the doorknob—if it’s unlocked, they’ve got easy access.In a survey of 1,000 consumers across the country, home security review website SafeHome found that many residents lock their doors, but many also forget to do so. For example, residents in the
Homeowners should be feeling richer. The share of equity-rich properties rose to a new high—26 percent of homeowners with a mortgage in the third quarter, according to ATTOM Data Solutions’ Q3 2017 U.S. Home Equity & Underwater Report.In the third quarter, there were more than 14 million U.S. properties considered equity rich, which is when the combined loan amount secured by the property is 50 percent or less of the estimated market val
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