The Appraisal Institute recently advised homeowners to properly maintain their landscaping, which can significantly affect property values. “If a landscaping change is positive, it can often enhance price and reduce a home’s time on the market,” says Appraisal Institute President Richard L. Borges II, MAI, SRA. “But if the change is negative, it can lower the price and lengthen the time a home remains for sale.” Curb appeal is essential when selling a home, Borges says, noting it’s the homeowner’s opportunity to make a great first impression. A home with lackluster landscaping or an exterior in desperate need of a fresh coat of paint will likely be unappealing

What would you do if you won $600 million? That is the question on everyone’s mind as Powerball fever sweeps the nation. The water cooler within our office has been all-abuzz as Wednesday’s estimated $360 million swelled

Realtor.com®, a leader in online real estate, operated by Move, Inc., has announced the launch of the realtor.com® rentals app for iOS and Android smartphones. According to the company, with this new tool,

Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC recently announced that Mott and Chace Sotheby's International Realty in Charlestown, R.I., is the newest member of its luxury real estate network. ...

Pillar To Post, one of North America’s largest home inspection franchises, added five new franchisees in April, the company has announced. Growth has been strong, with 10 new territories added in the first quarter of the year and another 10 anticipated in the coming weeks. The company is on track ...

Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have implemented policies to expedite the short sales process, including new resources to help determine property values, according to panelists at a property valuation forum during the REALTORS® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo. Short sales continue to represent a significant portion of the real estate market. According to the National Association of REALTORS® short sales accounted for 9 percent of transactions during the first quarter of 2013. The short sale process can be frustrating for home buyers, sellers and REALTORS® given that approvals are often complex,

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Census Bureau today announced the following new residential construction statistics for April 2013:

I want to start this article by letting you in on a little secret: your client doesn’t care if you have 1,500 friends on Facebook if you can’t sell their house. In real estate, we get to meet people through many different channels

Realtor.com®, a leader in online real estate operated by Move, Inc., released its April data showing that the U.S. housing market is on its way to a broad-based recovery, an accelerated trend since March. The home-buying season shifted into high gear last month as inventory and home list prices on realtor.com® increased by 4.12 percent and 2.63 percent, month over month, respectively. As of April, homes are on the market nationwide approximately 81 days—a decrease of nearly 11 percent since April 2012—highlighting that while new homes are entering the market they are not available for long.

The latest FNC Residential Price Index™ (RPI) shows the U.S. housing market continued to recover, recording in March the 13th consecutive price increase. In recent months, the ongoing housing recovery has maintained

Pillar To Post has been ranked in the top 10 percent of all franchises nationwide and named a 2013 Military Friendly Franchise® by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs, the company has announced.

Reading Dave Liniger’s life story on paper almost feels like watching a highlight reel of the latest “Amazing Race” season. The RE/MAX co-founder has parachuted out of a plane, dived the deep seas, hunted big game in the African desert,

Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC recently announced its entrance into the Philippines with the signing of a 25-year master franchise agreement with Philippine Sotheby’s International Realty to develop the Sotheby’s International Realty® brand in the Philippines with the first office opening in Manila. ...

Freddie Mac recently announced it is making its new Streamlined Modification program immediately available to all eligible borrowers nationwide in order to expedite financial relief for potentially thousands of distressed families.Freddie Mac's Streamlined Modification program had originally been scheduled to start on July 1, 2013. ...

REALTORS® from across the nation will be meeting with regulators, lawmakers and industry leaders in Washington this week to address critical real estate issues affecting individuals, communities, and the nation as the REALTORS® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo begins. More than 9,000 REALTORS® and guests are expected to attend the meetings, which will run here through May 18. “REALTORS® are leading advocates for homeownership and private property rights, and want to ensure that their point-of-view on important housing and investment issues is heard at all levels of government,” says National Association of REALTORS® President Gary Thomas.