Real Estate - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

REALTORS: How to Handle Internet Trolls

Whether it’s dealing with an angry customer who’s fighting your company or an internet troll you’ve never met, it’s imperative that broker-owners, managers, or team leadership address any claims online immediately.Jeff Mowatt, who has trained customer service teams for more than 25 years and authored Becoming a Service Icon in 90 Minutes a Month, offers these four tips when dealing with negative comments, complaints, and even harassment

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Know Your Home’s Earthquake Risk

Half of the world’s population lives near active earthquake faults, and some may not even know it.“Small earthquakes are happening every day near you, and large earthquakes are happening somewhere around the globe that may not be in your mind,” Volkan Sevilgen, co-founder of Temblor, an app that estimates the likelihood of seismic shaking and home damage, told Curbed.com.States like California and Utah have thousands of fault lines running

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Where Owners Forget to Lock Their Doors

A burglary occurs about every 20 seconds, and some homeowners may be making it too easy for intruders. A burglar may knock on the door first to check if a resident is home. Some will then test the doorknob—if it’s unlocked, they’ve got easy access.In a survey of 1,000 consumers across the country, home security review website SafeHome found that many residents lock their doors, but many also forget to do so. For example, residents in the

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How FCC Plan to End Net Neutrality Hurts You

The Federal Communications Commission released a plan Tuesday to reverse net neutrality rules, a move that the National Association of REALTORS® is concerned will make it harder for real estate companies, multiple listing services, and property data aggregators to provide their services in a cost-effective way.“We are looking carefully at the FCC’s plan to reverse net neutrality, which has been an effective and proven way to ensure a level p

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Lift in Housing Starts Indicates Inventory Relief

Housing starts neared their postrecession high in October, with expectations that the new-home market will soon provide much-needed inventory relief, the Commerce Department reports.Starts, which reflect combined totals within the single-family and multifamily sectors, jumped 13.7 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.29 million. That’s the highest reading for new-home production since October 2016, when starts had reache

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Freddie Rejoins Low-Income Housing Program

Freddie Mac has announced that it has rejoined the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, a federal program that urges the investment of equity in affordable rental housing. The program supports the creation and preservation of affordable rental housing for low-income households. Freddie says it plans to close its first LIHTC investment in January 2018.“We are excited to resume investing in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, which will expand our affordab

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6 Outdated Features in Your Homes

Home buyers say they want the latest design trends in their next property—but 70 percent admit to having outdated features in their current house, according to a new consumer survey by home builder Taylor Morrison. The most common of these outdated features are: Linoleum floors (40 percent) Popcorn ceilings (29 percent) Wood paneling (28 percent) Ceramic tile countertops (28 percent) Shag carpeting (19 percent) Avocado green appliances (8 perce

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The Most Affordable Ski Towns

Ski towns aren’t just for billionaires and celebrities who can afford posh vacation homes. Realtor.com® researchers say there are plenty of options for everyday ski enthusiasts looking for budget-friendly homes.“People seeking the ski town lifestyle—but who don't want to spend a million dollars for a house—can choose a town that doesn’t come with the fancy name or famous ski resort,” says Christopher Steiner, founder of ZRankings,

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Puerto Rican Refugees Further Strain Housing

Florida is bracing for a potential housing boom as tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans flee to the state, leaving behind the island nation that is still reeling from Hurricane Maria’s devastation. But there are few answers for how to accommodate these refugees’ needs and what impact the population influx will have on Florida’s housing, school districts, and government agencies, real estate experts say.Puerto Rico—home to about 3.4 million

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Siblings Opt to Live Apart on Shared Property

A new niche in multigenerational living is emerging for siblings who want to stay close to one another. Architects and home builders told The Wall Street Journal they’re fielding more requests from siblings who want to live in separate homes on the same property. Sometimes, the homes are built on property inherited by parents, or siblings may pool their money to buy together. By maintaining detached residences, there can be less tension and

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