The biannual Imprev Thought Leader Study digs into where brokers are planning to invest resourcesKey Takeaways Mobile apps and social media will continue to be important outlets for real estate agents; portals and search advertising were considered less important by respondents. Respondents plan to invest in predictive analytics and big data; fewer planned to invest in artificial intelligence or virtual reality platforms.Mobile is still ultra-hot
The end is near for an increasingly popular program in which lenders help borrowers obtain a “Home Possible” 3 percent down payment loan from Freddie Mac by putting up 2 percent of the purchase price, leaving the borrower to come up with only the remaining 1 percent.Starting in November, lenders will no longer be able to put up 2 percent, according to a directive Freddie Mac released last week. Instead, borrowers either have to come up with
Retiring baby boomers are popularizing the idea of “aging in place,” modifying their current homes to allow them to live independently for as long as possible. This may mean adding handrails or hands-free faucets in bathrooms or larger conversions of multilevel homes that allow for first-floor living.But certain locations may offer more “aging in place” features than others. Realtor.com® scoured listing data in the 300 largest U.S. metro
“Tiny house regret” is becoming a thing, as homeowners who downsized to the extreme to simplify their lives find that it’s not always as cheap or easy as they thought. Reader’s Digest spotlights some of the hidden costs of tiny homes, which are often defined as 400 square feet or less.The home’s foundation can increase building costs. Location isn’t the only thing that can make building a tiny home expensive. If buyers choose to b
When your seller receives multiple bids on their property, the highest offer shouldn’t always be their default choice. If it comes with an appraisal contingency—and the appraised value doesn’t match the sale price—your seller could be back at square one, looking for another buyer.With the national median home price reaching $263,800 in June—a record high, according to the National Association of REALTORS®—home prices in many markets
As home prices continue to rise, some mortgage lenders are loosening their underwriting standards so borrowers can purchase property sooner. “The reality has sunk in that there are buyers out there who will be able to buy homes and make the mortgage payments,” William E. Brown, president of the National Association of REALTORS®, told mortgage industry news website OriginatorTimes.com. The industry is “trying to give them more options to bu
How these unsung heroes fight for clients with loyalty, passion and tenacity in the toughest market conditionsKey Takeaways Buyer’s agents are going above and beyond for their clients every day. Giving clients the best shot at their dream home requires a mix of creative thinking and doggedness. In this strong seller’s market, knowledge is one thing, but being a master strategist is another.You might call buyer’s agents the unsung heroes of
Get to know your neighborhoods -- and the types of houses you find in them -- inside and outKey Takeaways Factors to consider when pricing a home are: historic sales price, quality of the neighborhood, the market, nearby features and the size, appeal, age and condition of the home.Trying to price a home accurately, whether you’re preparing to sell a house or you’re ready to make an offer on one, is challenging. Even if you’ve had experien
Texting short codes for more information about listings came and went. Now it's back again.Key Takeaways You can never respond to a listing lead too quickly. Texted short codes have been around a while, but new software is making it a more valuable marketing tool than previous attempts. Software developer is also a licensed agent.Have suggestions for products that you’d like to see reviewed by our real estate technology expert? Email Craig Row
The design, content and function goals your site should reach forKey Takeaways Your website has 20 seconds or less to make a first impression. Make sure your site is up to par with the real estate web design trends of 2017.We’re officially more than halfway through the year. This is always a good time for companies with a website to stop and reflect on the web design trends that have come forth thus far, as well as which ones should be implem
This website includes images sourced from third party websites including Adobe, Getty Images, and as otherwise noted.
