Real Estate - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

REALTOR®-Owned MLS Can Limit Access

A federal court last week ruled there’s nothing anti-competitive about a REALTOR® association–owned MLS requiring association membership as a condition of MLS access. The decision was a big win for REALTORS®, says Ralph Holmen, deputy general counsel at the National Association of REALTORS®. “This decision upholds the notion that it’s reasonable to limit MLS participation to members of the association that own and operate the MLS,” H

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Congratulations, 2018 Class of 30 Under 30

Success is a winding path no matter what phase of life you’re in, but reaching great heights before the age of 30 is a feat worthy of recognition.The more than 300 young real estate professionals who applied to become part of the 2018 class of 30 Under 30 have put their hearts and souls into their careers, which is why it’s no easy task to narrow the field down to the final group of honorees. Their dedication to improving the industry and he

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Top Places for Rental Returns in 2018

If your investors are in search of higher profits, they may want to look to Baltimore; Macon, Ga.; Montgomery, Ala.; Detroit; and Atlanta. These metros each boast counties that have some of the highest potential for single-family rental returns in 2018, according to a new analysis by ATTOM Data Solutions. The real estate data firm’s Q1 2018 Single-Family Rental Market report ranks the top U.S. markets for purchasing single-family rental propert

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Market Challenges Dampen Buyers’ Hopes

Though consumers are optimistic about the economy and their own personal financial situations, more are expressing anxiety about their ability to buy a home, save for a down payment, and qualify for a mortgage, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ Housing Opportunities and Market Experience (HOME) survey for the first quarter of 2018.The share of consumers who are confident about buying a home edged down to 68 percent in the l

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Closing Timelines Were Shorter in February

Home buyers and sellers are making it to settlement at a faster rate. The average time to close on all loans dropped by two days in February to 42 days, according to Ellie Mae’s Origination Insight Report. Ellie Mae economists are calling the drop “significant.”For just purchase loans, the time to close dropped from 47 days to 45 days last month, according to the report.The drop in average closing times is mostly due to a decrease in the o

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Surprising Cities Millennial Buyers Are Eyeing

More millennials are bypassing high-priced coastal markets in favor of the Rust Belt and Midwest, shows a new analysis by LendingTree, an online loan marketplace.The report shows that millennials in Pittsburgh, Des Moines, Iowa, and Buffalo, N.Y., are pursuing homeownership more than their counterparts in any of the nation’s 100 largest cities. LendingTree analyzed mortgage requests and offers of borrowers ages 35 years old and under between Fe

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California Agents Hailed for Wildfire Heroism

The Thomas Fires, the largest wildfire in California’s modern history, ignited late last year and blazed throughout Southern California for more than a month, leaving hundreds of homes and buildings in ash. Real estate professionals who lived near the affected areas have been quick to respond to families who are still struggling to rebuild.The magazine for the Ventura County Coastal Association of REALTORS® recently featured several stories of

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Gen Z Already Buying Homes

Generation Z—the post-millennial generation—is already making a move into homeownership. This generation—which tops out at age 23—consists of those born in 1995 or later. Nearly 100,000 members of Gen Z have a mortgage, according to data from TransUnion, a credit agency. Their average loan balance is $140,000.Certainly, Gen Z’s homeownership presence is much smaller compared to older generations. In comparison, 12 million millennia

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‘Super Wood’ Could Be the Next Steel

University of Maryland researchers announced they’ve created a way to make wood stronger, lighter, and cheaper than steel. The researchers see the super wood as having a major influence in the building industry one day.“This new way to treat wood makes it 12 times stronger than natural wood and ten times tougher,” says Liangbing Hu, a Maryland professor and leader of the team who conducted the research. “This could be a competitor to stee

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Agent Robbed at Gunpoint During Open House

A San Francisco real estate agent was held at gunpoint and robbed during a midday open house she was hosting last Saturday, the San Francisco Police Department reports. The house is located on a privately owned street in San Francisco’s Bayview Heights neighborhood.The 55-year-old agent was in the home’s kitchen prepping for the open house on March 17 when she heard footsteps inside, police said. The agent went to greet who she thought was a

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