Average mortgage rates are moving up, posting increases for the second consecutive week.“After fully absorbing the sharp increases in Treasury yields over the past couple of weeks, the 30-year mortgage rate has cleared the psychologically important 4 percent mark for the first time since May,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist.Freddie Mac reports the following national averages with mortgage rates for the week ending July 13
Now that we are halfway through the year, it’s time to take a quick moment to check in on the business.Remember that success plan you put together at the end of 2016?Take it out, and see if you are on track. If you are, great! If you’re not, let’s get that fixed.Whether you are closing 10 deals a week or only one in the past six months, make sure the second half of this year is extremely productive.
Tense situations with clients can sometimes get heated. When this happens, it’s important to remain in control of your emotions. A recent SmartBrief column by John Stoker lists important tips for keeping your cool and preventing a damaged relationship.Do a physical checkJust breathe—slower and measured breathing helps the brain’s amygdala from stopping logical thoughts. Stoker suggests taking a brisk walk, climbing some stairs, or even taki
The availability of building materials, particularly framing lumber, is rising on the list of concerns among home builders, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. Twenty-one percent of single-family builders reported a shortage of framing lumber.“It is certainly concerning that we have seen such a large jump in reported framing lumber shortages in a relatively short period of time,” say
Homeowners are bracing for the July heat as they prepare for some of their steepest utility bills.Energy costs in the U.S. consume from 5 to 22 percent of families’ total after-tax income, according to a new analysis by WalletHub, a financial resource.“And lower energy prices don’t necessarily equate to savings,” WalletHub notes in its study. “Where we live and how much energy we use are a big part of the equation.”For example, elec
Rooftop solar power installations are booming, says Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. The panels may have a more affordable price tag than in previous years, but the installations are coming with another price: leaky roofs.The Solar Energy Industries Association says many homeowners are not using professional roofers to install their solar panels and that’s causing growing reports of “messed-up
Lure potential buyers with a simple and clean palette. Shades of white and off-white are the top colors for a quick home sale, Jody Finglas of Finglas Painting in Ossining, N.Y., told USA Today.“White is the foundation that anchors the home,” adds Friley Saucier, a broker-associate with Sotheby's International Realty in Naples, Fla. “This is absolutely what is most requested when I’m working with home buyers.”Finglas says less is m
Your clients may be under a false assumption on the necessary down payment they need to buy a home. Four in 10 recently surveyed Americans believe that a down payment of 15 percent or more is needed to purchase a home, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2017 National Housing Pulse Survey, a survey of 1,500 adults nationwide.The reality is that the median down payment for first-time buyers is about 6 percent, and repeat b
Homebuyers can now center property search on schools from get-goRealtor.com has made it easier for homebuyers to filter listings based on schools.Users can enter a school name into its property search bar to pull up all for-sale properties that fall within the school’s attendance zone.The feature gives realtor.com a slight edge over Zillow and Trulia when it comes to school-based search, while bringing the listing portal up to speed with Redfin
Remember, social media success means being socialKey Takeaways Take advantage of all the platform's updates, make sure to use different content types, and keep it social.Instagram has been dominating 2017.The platform updates regularly, it recently hit over 700 million monthly users,and over 250 million users are using the stories feature daily.Real estate agents can use Instagram to build their brand and their business.Engagement on the plat
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