Sat.Aug 15, 2020 - Fri.Aug 21, 2020

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U.S. home sales and median price soar to a record in July

Housing Wire

Existing-home sales jumped 25% in July from June, beating the prior record of a 21% gain set a month earlier , as low mortgage rates fueled demand for real estate. Sales of single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, and co-ops rose to a seasonally adjusted 5.86 million, the National Association of Realtors said in a report on Friday. The median price increased 8.5% from a year ago to $304,100, breaking through the $300,000 threshold for the first time.

Sales 546
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The Beginning of an Economic Recovery

Keeping Current Matters

The news these days seems to have a mix of highs and lows. We may hear that an economic recovery is starting, but we’ve also seen some of the worst economic data in the history of our country. The challenge today is to understand exactly what’s going on and what it means relative to the road ahead. We’ve talked before about what experts expect in the second half of this year , and today that progress largely hinges upon the continued course of the virus.

As-is 314
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Decorating Tips You Can Steal From This Blockbuster Store-Turned-Airbnb

Lighter Side of Real Estate

Most homeowners and real estate agents will agree that decor from the 1980s and ‘90s can make a room feel dated, and perhaps even unappealing. But one iconic brand from that era is leaning hard into the nostalgia aesthetic and generating plenty of interest. The last standing Blockbuster video store, located in Bend, Oregon, is offering movie buffs the chance to visit the past and spend the night inside the film emporium in September.

Branding 145
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It Just Makes Cents! 7 DIY Home Improvement Projects That Promise Serious ROI

Realtor.com

photoman/Getty Images DIY home improvements can be great feel-good projects. You get to learn a new skill, use your hands, and take pride in something you create yourself. But let’s face it: Your DIY project doesn’t make sense if it won’t make cents. In other words, it needs to pay off when it comes time to sell your home. “The key to winning the ROI game with home improvement is to take a less-is-more approach,” says Dan DiClerico , home expert at HomeAdvisor.

Design 143
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Avoiding Lease Accounting Pitfalls in 2025: Lessons Learned from Spreadsheet Errors

Speaker: Abdi Ali, Sr. Lease Accounting Consultant

Join this insightful webinar with industry expert Abdi Ali, who will discuss the challenges that can arise from managing lease accounting with spreadsheets! He will share real-world examples of errors, compliance issues, and risks that may be present within your spreadsheets. Learn how these tools, while useful, can sometimes lead to inefficiencies that affect your time, resources, and peace of mind.

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New home construction shoots up 22.6% in July

Housing Wire

New home construction continues to climb, as privately owned single-family housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.496 million, a 22.6% jump from June , according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau. Privately owned single-family housing starts showed growth not only over the previous month but the previous year – jumping 23.4% from last July.

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Sellers Are Returning to the Housing Market

Keeping Current Matters

In today’s housing market, it can be a big challenge for buyers to find homes to purchase, as the number of houses for sale is far below the current demand. Now, however, we’re seeing sellers slowly starting to come back into the market, a bright spark for potential buyers. Javier Vivas, Director of Economic Research at realtor.com , explains : “Seller confidence has been improving gradually after reaching its bottom in mid-April, and now it appears to have reached an important recovery mileston

Marketing 309

More Trending

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Christina Anstead Reveals One Thing Never To Do When Renovating a Kitchen

Realtor.com

E! Entertainment / Contributor / Getty Images As we’ve seen on “Flip or Flop,” Christina Anstead is never afraid to experiment with daring design choices. And on her new show, “Christina on the Coast,” she continues to up the ante, with big risks. In the latest episode, “Bold Kitchen for a Brit,” Anstead is tasked with helping a British ex-pat, Simon , and his wife, Jetzabette , renovate their washed-out, all-white kitchen.

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New interest from city dwellers raising home prices in rural areas

Housing Wire

The pandemic is pushing homeowners out of the big cities and into rural and suburban areas , pushing up home prices in previously sleepy towns. In July, less densely populated areas showed more buyer interest than urban areas, Redfin said. Before the pandemic, 9% of homebuyers said they were searching for a home in rural areas. Now, 19% say they are looking at rural options.

Sales 545
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Just How Strong Is the Housing Recovery?

Keeping Current Matters

The residential real estate market has definitely been the shining light in this country’s current economic situation. All-time low mortgage rates coupled with a new appreciation of what a home truly means has caused the housing market to push forward through this major health crisis. Let’s look at two measures that explain the resilience of the real estate market.

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Rustic Meets Refinement in These 5 Modern Farmhouses

Sotheby's International Real Estate

Paying homage to one of the most enduring architectural motifs, these modern farmhouses—in desirable locations from Greenwich to California’s wine country—give bucolic inspiration a sophisticated contemporary spin. Charming Wine Country Compound. Kenwood, California | Tina Shone , Sotheby’s International Realty – Wine Country – East Napa Street Brokerage.

Brokerage 140
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Driving Profit: 4 Pillars for Growing Your Real Estate Brokerage

In the rapidly changing real estate landscape, achieving profitability requires a strategic approach beyond traditional methods. Our guide, "The 4 Pillars to Brokerage Profitability," outlines four essential pillars for scaling your real estate business: a seamless lead-to-close technology ecosystem, tailored integrated solutions for teams and agents, value-added success services and community support, and consumer-centric operations throughout the full homeownership lifecycle.

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This Week’s Top Stories: Canada Is The G7’s Biggest Real Estate Bubble, and Toronto Rental Inventory Soars

Better Dwelling

Time for your cheat sheet on this week’s most important stories. Canadian Real Estate Canada Doubled Down On Real Estate In 2005. Now It’s The Biggest Bubble The G7 Has Ever Seen, And It’s Getting Bigger Canadian real estate prices have grown rapidly, but it’s not clear how much more rapidly it grew than its […]. The post This Week’s Top Stories: Canada Is The G7’s Biggest Real Estate Bubble, and Toronto Rental Inventory Soars appeared first on Better Dwelling.

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Housing starts report confirms housing market recovery

Housing Wire

The Census report on new construction showed a whopping 22.6% increase above the revised June estimate in housing starts in July. Year-over-year starts are up 23.4%. This means we can add housing starts to our growing collection of V-shaped recovery charts for the 2020 housing market. From the report: Privately-owned housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,496,000.

Marketing 545
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Forbearance Numbers Are Lower than Expected

Keeping Current Matters

Originally, some housing industry analysts were concerned that the mortgage forbearance program (which allows families to delay payments to a later date) could lead to an increase in foreclosures when forbearances end. Some even worried that we might relive the 2006-2008 housing crash all over again. Once you examine the data, however, that seems unlikely.

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Inside an Extraordinary Santa Fe Compound

Sotheby's International Real Estate

T-shirts in popular shops around Santa Fe are emblazoned with a lighthearted description of New Mexico: “Not really new, not really Mexico.” While that sentiment is clever, it also happens to be true. New Mexico may take its name from the nation to the south, from which many of its founding settlers traveled, but the state has a style and feel of its own, and Santa Fe even more so.

Land 139
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Tech-Forward Strategies for Scaling Agent Efficiency & Accelerating Growth

As the real estate market evolves, technology has become essential for success. According to NAR, only 26% of agents feel their brokerage provides the necessary tech tools and, as a result, agents seek teams and brokerages who prioritize technology investments! Whether you manage an established team or are forming a new one, this guide outlines key considerations and necessary applications to thrive.

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New Single-Family Home Size Leveling Off?

Eye on Housing

New single-family home size trended lower during the second quarter 2020 at the beginning of what we are forecasting will be a pivot to larger home size over the next two years. According to second quarter 2020 data from the Census Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design and NAHB analysis, median single-family square floor area ticked down to.

Design 138
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Are existing home sales showing a housing bubble?

Housing Wire

Today, existing home sales blew out estimates , coming in at 5,860,000. With new home sales, pending home sales, housing starts, housing permits, and purchase applications already in v-shape recovery mode, this last metric completes the v-shaped recovery across the board for housing. Let’s just say this is the final nail in the coffin for the housing bear troll camps that were so sure that this time, housing would finally crash.

Sales 544
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Ask a Pro About Buying a Home [INFOGRAPHIC]

Keeping Current Matters

Some Highlights. According to trending data , searches for key real estate topics are skyrocketing online. Clearly, lots of people have questions about buying a home, and other topics related to the process. Working with a trusted real estate professional will help you create the most personalized and helpful experience. Reach out to a local agent so you have the guidance you need along the way.

Agents 244
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Will mortgage rates go down in September 2020? Forecast and trends

The Mortgage Report

Mortgage rates are holding low and everyone is predicting low rates through 2020. But what will interest rates do next? Advice, predictions, and your next steps.

Mortgages 145
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Accelerating Real Estate Sales Pipelines to Streamline Buyer Journeys

Navigated 360° tours, like YourVRTours, advance pipelines by engaging clients further along the sales funnel. These immersive experiences provide comprehensive property insights, increasing buyer intent and readiness. By embracing navigated tours, agents can optimize property exposure, better qualify leads, and streamline the sales process. Stay ahead in the ever-evolving real estate landscape with innovative technology that elevates buyer journeys and progresses pipelines more effectively.

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5 Homes Inspired by Your Favorite Glass of Summer Wine

Sotheby's International Real Estate

For the wine connoisseur, enjoying a glass is about more than just relaxation: it’s about transporting oneself to far away terroirs through taste, being moved by tradition and innovation, and, sometimes, finding inspiration in the way the light hits the wine. The vineyard doesn’t have to be the only place where the wine lends inspiration, either. . With some of our favorite whites and rosés in mind, we’ve sourced homes that take their design cues from the vineyard.

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Mid-August rent payments tick up to near-normal levels

Housing Wire

The National Multifamily Housing Council ‘s Rent Payment Tracker reports that 86.9% of renting households had paid rent as of Aug. 13, a significant increase from Aug. 6, when just 79.3% had made rent payments. Year over year, this is just 2% less than rent payments collected Aug. 13, 2019. RealPage said that although the gradual increase in collections over the course of the month is normal, reduced unemployment benefits still leave renters unsure about where their next payment will come

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What Is ‘Cottagecore’? A Hot Decor Trend Thanks to COVID-19 and Taylor Swift

Realtor.com

FREDERIC J. BROWN / Staff / Getty Images If you’re at all interested in home decor, you’ve probably seen or heard the word “cottagecore.” (Unless you’ve been hiding out under a crocheted afghan dodging social media, that is.) But if you’re like me, you may have wondered if this term relates to a new fitness regimen or fad diet that combines cottage cheese with a core workout.

Design 136
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Average New Home Price Now $14,000 Higher Due to Lumber

Eye on Housing

According to NAHB’s standard estimates of lumber used to build the average home, the recent spike in softwood lumber prices has caused the price of an average new single-family home to increase by $14,116 since April 17. Similarly, the market value of the average new multifamily home has increased by $5,322 over the same period due to the surge in.

Marketing 133
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Maximizing Your Online Presence: Tips for Real Estate Agents on Social Media

Speaker: Sarah Santa Ana, Real Estate Coach, Move4Free Realty

Networking is one of the crucial elements in every real estate organization's success. Both agents and real estate companies need to maintain robust networking links. This is why social media is essential for any real estate professional! Social media enables you to stay in touch with your present clients, maintain connections with your past clients, and engage potential customers and investors.

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Unpacking the ‘Master Bedroom’: The History of the Term and How It’s Changed

HomeLight

We all expected this to be a meaningful year. An election! The Olympics! The census! Even a look at the numbers was kind of exciting: a once-in-a-century repeating pattern (see ya’ later, 1919!); plus, for the poet in all of us, “ 2020” is a symbolic wink at “perfect,” also known as “20/20” vision. As the clock struck 12 on January 1, 2020, those of us who weren’t already asleep thought we had a lot to anticipate as the promise of a new year expanded before us.

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Mortgage applications fall 3.3% as interest rates rise

Housing Wire

Mortgage applications fell 3.3% last week after interest rates rose to their highest level in two weeks , according to a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association. The refinance index also fell 5% from the previous week, however, it was 38% higher than the same week a year ago – marking its thirteenth-straight week of year-over-year gains. The refinance share of mortgage activity also fell to 64.6% of total applications from 65.6% the week prior when it hit its highest level since May.

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Far From the Bright Lights of Big Cities, These Are America’s Hottest ZIP Codes in 2020

Realtor.com

John Coletti/Getty Images Forget the gleaming, high-rise towers in the nation’s most glamorous cities and those sprawling, palm tree–ringed residences with killer ocean views. Today’s hottest housing is located in towns and small cities that aren’t usually a part of the national conversation. The realtor.com® economics team identified the 10 hottest ZIP codes in the country where demand is surging and homes are flying off the market—sometimes within hours of being listed.

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Townhouse Construction Weakness Continues

Eye on Housing

According to NAHB analysis of the most recent Census data of Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, townhouse construction declined during a challenging second quarter. The sector was also relatively weaker than the overall building market. As housing demand has shifted to more suburban and exurban areas, and housing affordability headwinds persist, medium-density construction has lagged.

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The Broker Action Plan for the Post-NAR Lawsuit Landscape

Now more than ever, brokers need to provide agents with the right tools, strategies, and training to effectively demonstrate their expertise, negotiate successfully, and foster strong client relationships. So – what should brokers do to ensure this? Invest in the right technology, continuous education, and innovative marketing strategies that empower agents to stand out in a crowded marketplace.

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This Interior Designer Has 435k Instagram Followers, And It’s Easy To See Why

Lighter Side of Real Estate

Adding a few seasonal touches to your home can make it feel warm and festive. For some, that might mean sticking a wreath on the front door and calling it a day. But one Dallas, Texas interior designer has taken the notion of creating colorful, holiday-themed spaces to unbelievable levels. Jennifer Houghton is the owner of a sprawling estate, dubbed Turtle Creek Lane, that she transforms into a whimsical wonderland for just about every holiday you can imagine.

Design 128
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The attraction to homeownership for women changed during COVID-19

Housing Wire

Across the nation, people are spending more time in their homes than ever before due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Homeownership allows individuals to design a space where they live, work and perhaps homeschool their children. Women no longer feel they have to wait until marriage to buy a home, compelled to create their own sanctuary, means of self-expression and financial wealth through homeownership.

Design 529
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Former Sheriff’s House Complete With 9 Jail Cells Becomes a Viral Sensation

Realtor.com

realtor.com When it was built in 1875, this home in Fayette, MO, belonged to the local sheriff, and included a jail with nine cells out back. Now, after a renovation, the property is on the market for $350,000. Thanks to the accommodations for ne’er-do-wells, the otherwise modest Missouri home has rocketed around the web and became a bona fide viral sensation.

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Existing Home Sales Continue Record Rebound in July

Eye on Housing

Boosted by historically low mortgage rates, existing home sales, as reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), posted another record increase in July and surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Total existing home sales, including single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, soared 24.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.86 million in July, the largest monthly gain on record and the.

Sales 131
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Rise of The Apps: Building Your Dream Tech Stack For Real Estate Success

Speaker: Trey Willard, Realtor/Team Leader at Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

In order to create continued success in today’s real estate market, realtors need to utilize an arsenal of technology that will increase their efficiency and presence on social media. Using technology to manage your prospects and tap into their needs through websites, social media, and other channels is critical for real estate success in 2022 and beyond.