Rents have been skyrocketing the past few years, and the winter holiday season can take an even bigger bite out of consumers’ paychecks. But some renters are finding they still have plenty of money left in the bank at the end of the holiday season.For example, renters in Virginia Beach, Va., and Wichita, Kan., are considered among the lucky few who still who have money left in the bank after paying the rent, buying gifts, and covering other con
Real estate professionals say that hardwood floors can pay off when it comes to selling a home. They’re a “bling feature,” particularly in living rooms and dining rooms, and in a master suite they “could help win a buyer’s offer,” Janice Caputo, a real estate pro with Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services in Pittsburgh, told realtor.com®.“Most buyers nowadays are expecting hardwood," Matt Laricy, a real estate pro with Americorp
Forget the bottle of champagne for a closing gift. Some real estate professionals say they want to give something more unique and personal that will make them more memorable to clients. As such, agents are giving clients everything from custom bobblehead dolls of a family to commissioned artwork or even a pet dog.Jason Walker, a real estate pro with Douglas Elliman Real Estate in New York, rescues dogs and occasionally gives them to clients as cl
Pending home sales eked out a small increase in November on both a monthly and annualized basis. The increase was enough to make it the highest gain in contract signings since June as well, the National Association of REALTORS® reported Wednesday.But will it last? Existing-home sales and price growth are expected to slow heading in 2018 due to the impact from altered tax benefits of homeownership affecting some high-cost areas, according to NAR.
Customers today are more educated than ever, and they expect stellar customer service, especially when dealing with an expensive, emotional, and even stressful transition like buying and selling real estate.“They know what good customer service is and they aren’t just comparing you to your direct competition,” says customer service expert and business coach Shep Hyken. “Anyone that has delivered a stellar customer service experience—in
The Federal Housing Finance Agency is asking for input on a possible change to its credit scoring models.Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are weighing an update or switch to its credit score requirements from Classic FICO to possibly another scoring model. The assessment is limited to mortgage loan applications received from lenders and mortgage loans acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.Some lenders call the FHFA’s move long overdue.“The FHFA’
The winter may bring colder and cloudier days ahead, but you can still make your listing look inviting, bright, and cheerful. HouseLogic recently featured several ideas, including:Take the screens off your windows. HouseLogic notes that you’ll get 30 percent more sunlight shining indoors without the screens on your window. Store your screens where they won’t get damaged so you can put them back on in the spring.Change your bulbs. Replace in
The time homes spent on the market hit an all-time low in 2017 at just three weeks, the National Association of REALTORS® reports. A low inventory of homes for sale mixed with strong buyer demand has helped to keep market times low from 2014 to 2017.During the height of the housing boom from 2001 to 2005, homes sold within a month of being listed. But as the housing market began to slow in 2006, the median time jumped to six weeks, and then to 1
Average mortgage rates inched up, but the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage remains below 4 percent and continues to offer home buyers and refinancers historically low rates.“Thirty-year fixed mortgage rates have been bouncing around in a narrow 10 basis points range since October,” says Len Kiefer, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “The U.S. average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased 1 basis point to 3.94 percent in this week’s survey. The m
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