Searching
Real Estate Trends Archive
RISMEDIA, August 11, 2010—If we know one thing about today’s consumer, it’s that they are communicating online. According to the 2009 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, more than one-third of home buyers looked online for properties as their first step
RISMEDIA, August 11, 2010—Many readers have followed this article series from the beginning, and some have already taken steps toward some of the ideas and concepts discussed. The series of 17 articles is based on the whitepaper I authored, “MLS 5.0, The Future of MLS.”
RISMEDIA, August 10, 2010—Sometimes, we all need a breath of fresh air. So was the case at Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services when Jim Mallozzi arrived to take the helm in October 2009, just 10 short months ago. You see, this is Mallozzi’s first stint in real estate. He’s a veteran of the financial services industry, and spent the past five years with Prudential Retirement. But pay that no attention, according to PRERS President Earl Lee: “Great real estate companies have great leaders. We couldn’t have a better person at such a time when real estate has changed so much.”
RISMEDIA, August 11, 2010—The key to success in selling real estate is being able to ask the right questions, not necessarily knowing the right answers. After all, you can always find the answers, but in order to truly differentiate yourself in the market,
RISMEDIA, August 10, 2010—When it comes to online marketing, video is the undisputed leader for efficiency and effectiveness. But, technology is only half the formula. The other half is content. And therein lies the problem for many agents and brokers.
RISMEDIA, August 10, 2010—In an effort to help responsible homeowners who owe more on their mortgage than the value of their property, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently provided details on the adjustment to its refinance program, which was announced earlier this year, that will enable lenders to provide additional refinancing options to homeowners who owe more than their home is worth. Starting September 7, 2010, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will offer certain “underwater” non-FHA borrowers
RISMEDIA, August 10, 2010—Last week brought to a close another year in my life. I can’t say that I celebrated, but I marked the occasion as I normally do with some reflection on the journey up to this point.
RISMEDIA, August 10, 2010—(MCT)—With the overhaul of financial regulation in the bag, the Obama administration will focus next on housing finance with an eye to deciding the fate of mortgage finance titans Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
RISMEDIA, August 9, 2010—Home values in the United States continued to decline in the second quarter of 2010, with the Zillow Home Value Index falling 3.2% year-over-year and 0.6% from the first quarter to $182,500. The national rate of decline decelerated
RISMEDIA, August 9, 2010—The real estate industry and especially the mortgage industry have been overwhelmed with changes, regulations and consolidations recently. In the last couple of months, many transactions nationally have experienced delayed closings or worse as a result of the application of new guidelines affecting APR, Good Faith Estimates (GFE), Truth in Lending (TILA) and condo project approvals to name a few.
RISMEDIA, August 9, 2010—The last five years have been a roller coaster ride for real estate brokerage firms both nationwide and here in Florida. Today's broker must balance the consumer and associates needs while maintaining profitability.
RISMEDIA, August 9, 2010—(eM+C)—Conversion optimization is the process of testing your website and landing pages to improve conversion rates. The real estate industry average conversion rate sits between 2% and 4% percent, but organizations
RISMEDIA, August 9, 2010—With so many homeowners facing tough decisions about their mortgages in or approaching default, questions abound about how to best handle the complex situation with the bank lenders they’re indebted to. To help clarify such
RISMEDIA, August 9, 2010—The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) now requires all HUD-approved reverse mortgage counselors to provide their clients with the National Council on Aging's (NCOA) 28-page consumer booklet on reverse mortgages. In addition, counselors must complete an extra level of financial assessment to help prospective borrowers gain a greater understanding of financial risk and other factors that may impact their loan.
RISMEDIA, August 7, 2010—From using the latest gadgets and tools to communicating with buyers online, today’s successful agents are maximizing technology to build their business. And buyer’s agents are no exception. A recent REBAC member survey showed that more than half of buyer’s agents have a smart phone and are regularly using social media or networking sites to reach buyers—a real estate trend that will continue to grow.
