Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips - Lena Hovanesian - iPro Real Estate

Homeowners Gain Average of $13K in Equity

In the second quarter of this year, homeowners saw their equity increase an average of 10.6 percent—or $12, 987—year over year, according to CoreLogic’s Q2 2017 Homeowner Equity Report. Western states are posting some of the highest upticks in equity. Washington homeowners, for example, saw an average of $40,000 in home equity gains in that period; California homeowners saw increases of about $30,000.“Over the last 12 months, approximate

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5 Things Buyers Should Never Compromise On

Sure, compromise between the buyer and seller is part of the game when getting to closing. But there are some things buyers should never acquiesce—or they’ll likely regret their home purchase. Realtor.com® recently asked real estate professionals to weigh in on some of the top items their clients regret about the home they bought.1. The floor plan. It’s difficult and expensive to reconfigure a home’s floor plan. Sarah Garza, MRP, a real

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Housing Predictions for 2018

New homes are expected to be a “primary driver of sales in 2018,” as 1.33 million housing starts are predicted next year—up from 1.22 million in 2017, according to Freddie Mac’s September Outlook report, which gauges future real estate activity. Total home sales are expected to increase about 2 percent from 2017 to 2018, according to the report.Economists also predict that the uptick in housing starts, coupled with a moderate increase in

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REALTORS: Is Facebook the new Zillow for real estate ads?

Report shows agents appear to be prioritizing Facebook, LinkedIn over any single portalWill Facebook have its real estate cake and eat Zillow’s, too?In what appears to mark a significant shift in the real estate marketing landscape, real estate agents and brokerages are more likely to buy ads on social media than on all other forms of digital media, including listing portals, a new report and Inman data suggest.The report, which was released by

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REALTORS: How Popular Hangouts Can Help You Sell

Buying a home in a new state or city can be daunting for a client, especially if they don’t know much about the area. A family moving for a new job will probably focus their home search on practical factors: house size, school districts, and proximity to the office. But a solid real estate professional knows there’s so much more to consider when finding the right place to live.Sometimes clients may not think it’s relevant or important to sh

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Sweepstakes Offers Home to Military, Veterans

Realtor.com® and Veterans United Home Loans, a VA purchase lender, have teamed up to launch a $250,000 Veterans Day Home Giveaway Sweepstakes.The contest will award up to $250,000 toward a home purchase to a U.S. military service member or veteran.Veterans and current members of the military can enter the sweepstakes until Oct. 29 at realtor.com/homegiveaway.The winner will be announced on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.“We all owe so much to the incr

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Apartment Dwellers Desire More ‘Green’

Eighty-four percent of more than 2,800 U.S. apartment residents said that living in a sustainable, green home is important to them, according to the AMLI Sustainable Living Index. Eighty-five percent say they believe that living in a sustainable, green home would be beneficial to their health.Further, 64 percent of apartment dwellers said they’d pay slightly more in order to live in a green community.AMLI, a multifamily real estate company, con

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Fed Hints at Looming December Rate Hike

The Federal Reserve voted to leave its short-term rates unchanged on Wednesday but it did indicate that a rise to its short-term interest rates is likely on track for later this year."The basic message here is U.S. economic performance has been good," Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen said at a press conference following the Fed’s two-day policy meeting. "The American people should feel the steps we have taken to normalize monetary policy ... are w

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Fall May Be Best Time for Buyers to Move

A slower fall season in home buying may help more lingering home buyers to jump in.Prices are easing somewhat. For the second month in a row, the median price of an existing home dropped. It reached $253,500 in August, after reaching a record high of $263,300 in June, according to the latest data from the National Association of REALTORS®.“Median sales prices typically decline a bit heading into the fall,” says Danielle Hale, realtor.com®

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New Bike Gear Extends Commuters' Reach

Whether you're considering the heart of the city or nearby suburbs, many enjoy or depend on bikes for recreation and commuting. New technology can widen the horizon as you scope out new homes.While a number of companies make e-bikes, with electric motors that typically have a range of 30 miles or so, Delfast plans to introduce a new model with a range of well over 200 miles, potentially offering a week's worth of commutes on one charge. Curbed de

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