Realtor.com® has launched a new feature that narrows buyers’ home search down to neighborhoods that include certain elementary, middle, or high schools. House hunters can now enter the name of a school into a search box on the website and view a map with a pin that shows the school name and location along with homes for sale nearby.“Searching for homes by school has been the top requested feature by our users, and it showcases the im
Sixty-two percent of listing agents say professional staging decreases the amount of time a home spends on the market, while 40 percent of buyer’s agents say their clients are more willing to walk through a home that has been staged, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2017 Profile of Home Staging.“REALTORS® know how important it is for buyers to be able to picture themselves living in a home, and staging a home makes t
Buyers eyeing newly constructed homes may need to brace for building delays and higher prices due to an ongoing labor shortage. About two-thirds of homebuilding contractors say they’re struggling to finish projects on time because of the labor shortage, according to a new survey sponsored by USG Corp. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. More than one-third say they sometimes have to turn projects down.“Basically, they’re just making people wo
Homeowners doing renovations can develop feuds with their neighbors if they’re not cognizant of how work on the project affects the rest of the neighborhood. After all, one homeowner’s upgrade could be another’s downgrade. Realtor.com® recently ticked off common home improvement spats.Additions that block views. Large additions that block views or cast shadows onto a neighboring lot are the most common sources of neighbor disputes involvi
Which housing markets boast the highest percentage of millennial homeowners? ABODO, an apartment listing company, recently analyzed 100 of the largest metros and found that these cities have the largest share of millennial homeownership. Ogden-Clearfield, Utah: 51% Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Mich.: 45.3% Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa: 43.6% McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas: 43.3% Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minnesota-Wis.: 42.4% Scranton-Wilke
The number of apartment dwellers nationwide is nearing a record, as 95 percent of units are now occupied, according to rental data from RealPage, a real estate analytics firm. “Solid job formation, continued limited loss of renters to home purchase, and widespread availability of appealing new apartments” are continuing to boost rental demand, says RealPage CEO Greg Willett.But supply isn’t keeping up with demand: 86,431 units were added na
Frustrated buyers may have better luck seeking out ugly ducklingsKey Takeaways Fueled by low rates and rising incomes, demand remains strong enough to keep supply critically low. Soaring prices in May are changing the face of affordability across the nation, putting homeownership beyond the reach of thousands of first-time buyers.When an irresistible force like housing demand confronts an implacable barrier like ever-tightening inventory shortage
With the right approach and advice, being the bearer of bad news can be an opportunity in disguiseKey Takeaways The U.S. average credit score is 687, well under the 741 average had by mortgage borrowers in Q1 2017. Although it’s difficult to be prescriptive when helping buyers restore financial credibility, there are many solutions available. If you have time, mold buyers into the clients they need to be.While widespread inventory shortages m
According to a survey conducted in 2016, Google Maps is by far the most popular mapping app among smartphone users (Android owners prefer it by 78 percent and iPhone users by 69 percent). And there's a special program that offers real estate professionals and others the opportunity to boost their presence on this platform, known as Google Local Guides.Victor Lund, cofounder of real estate consulting company WAV Group, offers step-by-step instr
Cybercrime is posing a risk to an increasing number of real estate transactions, with home buyers’ down payment funds the main target of scammers. Anthony Lamacchia, broker-owner of Lamacchia Realty in Waltham, Mass., wrote a recent article for Boston.com warning consumers to beware about the scam.Criminals are targeting home buyers by sending them emails that look like they might come from their real estate agent or attorney. The emails may c
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