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

Tight Inventories Prompt Overbidding

A home in Sunnyvale, Calif., recently sold for a whopping $782,000 above its list price. The four-bed, two-bath home that is less than 2,000 square feet was listed for nearly $1.69 million. But the home attracted more than 20 bids and ended up selling for $2.47 million.“I think it’s the most anything has ever gone for over asking in Sunnyvale—a record for Sunnyvale,” Dave Clark, the Keller Williams real estate professional who represented

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Welcome to the Team Benny Thomas Dealing DFW

About BennyI am a licensed Texas Realtor that specializes in assisting clients with buying and selling homes throughout Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex! If you are a buyer or seller who lives near the DFW Area, or if you are looking to relocate to our area, I would love to assist you! Real estate is one of the largest and most exciting investments one can make. I'm here to make sure that your process is a fun and rewarding one! I will dedicate the ti

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Ex-Husband Charged in Houston Agent’s Murder

The industry is mourning the loss of Crystal McDowell, a 37-year-old sales associate who worked for Virginia Malone & Associates in Baytown, Texas. The Houston-area real estate agent had disappeared just hours before Hurricane Harvey made landfall.Chambers County Sheriff announced that McDowell’s body was discovered in a wooded area. Police have arrested and charged McDowell’s ex-husband, Steven McDowell, in connection with her death. He

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Mortgage Applications Surge on Lower Rates

Home buyers and homeowners are taking advantage of some of the lowest interest rates in a year. Mortgage applications for refinancings and home purchases jumped 9.9 percent higher last week on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported Wednesday. Still, the MBA reports the weekly index remains about 19 percent lower the same week a year ago, which is mostly attributed to a decrease in refinancing applications.The 30-ye

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Will Entire Single-Family Rental Communities Become a Thing?

A growing number of renters is sparking an entire community of single-family homes for lease. AHV Communities and Bristol Group have teamed up to break ground on a new single-family home rental community in the San Antonio, Texas, area.Pradera, which is expected to open to the public in the second quarter of 2018, will consist of 250 single-family detached three- or four-bedroom homes. The homes will have a two-car garage and front and back yards

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The Commercial Sector Braces for a Slowdown

Commercial real estate price growth in large markets is expected to flatten over the next year. But the sector is expected to continue on solid footing, with strong leasing demand and a strong investor appetite in smaller markets, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ latest quarterly commercial real estate forecast.“A very healthy labor market and stronger confidence and spending from both consumers and businesses boosted econ

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REALTORS: Showings Don’t Stop Even for an Accepted Offer

Prepare your sellers to understand that an accepted offer doesn’t mean that they should stop trying to sell their house. They may be confused by why you’re encouraging them to proceed with showings when there is an accepted offer on the table.But no deal is officially done until you’re at settlement and handing over the keys.“Until all contingencies on a contract are removed, anything can happen,” Jane Peters, a broker and owner of Home

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YouTube’s Redesign Will Make Your Videos Look Better

Video promotion—specifically on YouTube—is an integral part of many real estate professionals' marketing, and smartphone videos are a quick, easy way to capture shareable content for your business. But vertical videos can look lost in YouTube's player, which is formatted for horizontal shots so it ends up with black bars on the sides. That’s about to change.YouTube is planning an update that will allow its player to seamlessly change shape

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What ‘Great Bones’ Really Means

What do we really mean when we say a house has great bones?It’s a feature that all buyers want, but few can define. Understanding how to identify qualities that add up to the coveted “great bones” feeling can help you set your listing apart.  Recently, Architectural Digest’s Lindsey Mather asked a handful of designers to get specific about the qualities that give a home this elusive quality.  Here are a few distinct items to look for:G

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‘Granny Flats’ Are Finding a Bigger Purpose

Accessory dwelling units are increasingly being used by homeowners to add small secondary housing options on their property. These “granny flats” may be in the form of a converted garage or even a tiny home in an oversized backyard.As more municipalities look to grant permits for these structures, some hope the trend can help alleviate housing shortages. Many forms of guest houses were deemed illegal in California up until recently. But a n

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