Today’s Top Story Archive


Extended Warranties Gain Momentum as Home Prices Increase

As home prices begin to rebound – as much as 9.7 percent this year by some estimates – more home sellers are purchasing extended home warranties (also called service contracts) to give themselves a competitive edge. “Securing your home with an extended warranty is a great way to set yourself apart from other sellers,” says Tim Meenan, Executive Director of the Service Contract Industry Council. “Buyers seek out homes that are covered by an extended warranty because it can potentially save them thousands of dollars in post-sale home repairs.”


Questions to Answer before Your Next Redesign

Why is it that website redesigns with the best intentions always seem to find a way to go awry? Although every company is different, we tend to see the same types of redesign challenges casting common frustrations to those stuck in the mud of developer contracts, .psd files, and web assets. To spare as many headaches as possible, here are a few critical questions to answer before beginning your next major overhaul or new micro-site. 1. Is now the right time? It seems trivial to even include this question, but it is arguably the most important. It’s easy to underestimate the types of ongoing necessary resources that can push a project into a delay spiral.


Carrington Real Estate Services REfueling Real Estate Careers

Standing out in the real estate market can be tough. In an industry that bears—fair or not—a reputation for being overcrowded and somewhat cookie cutter in nature, achieving a sustainable level of success requires tangible differentiation, a certain amount of boldness, and an ability to take decisive actions today in order to seize a leadership position in tomorrow’s market. You have to be willing to disrupt the status quo and challenge conventional thinking. Having that kind of impact requires a willingness to look at the market from a fresh perspective, to buck established trends, challenge industry norms, and reinvent a business model that applies to today’s real estate professionals


The Future of Mortgages

The current trend in real estate has been quite positive. For an extended period of time, we have seen pretty consistent growth in sales and home prices. After years of dealing with poor market conditions, we are all breathing a sigh of relief. Nevertheless, the industry must be vigilant in ensuring that nothing is done to impede or reverse the housing recovery, particularly by Congress and the regulators in Washington. Despite the improved sales numbers, however, mortgage credit remains tight. Nowhere is this more evident than in the consistently high percentage of cash purchasers in the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) monthly existing home


Immigration Reform Could Generate $500 Billion in New Real Estate Transactions

If current legislation that creates a path to legalization for 11 million undocumented immigrants is passed, the nation’s Hispanic real estate leaders estimate that it would create a new pool of 3 million homeowners and pump more than $500 billion in sales, income and spending into the U.S. housing economy. According to an info graphic released by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), the chain reaction triggered by home purchases would drive demand for more than $500 billion in real estate transactions and an additional $233 billion in origination fees, real estate commissions and consumer spending associated with homeownership.


Appraisal Institute: How Landscaping Can Impact Home Values

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


Short Sale Approval and Valuation Issues Continue to Impact Housing Market

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,


Mid-Year Goal Setting and Business Planning – In Less than 5 Minutes

Now is a perfect time to reassess and calculate what you need to do to get your goals on track! As we move towards mid-year, it’s time to put pen to paper about what is working (and what isn’t). A business plan isn’t set it stone, nor should it be a heavy burden. Rather, it’s a roadmap that helps clarify your objectives and how you’re going to achieve them. Success stems from having established goals and a plan to achieve them. Realtor.com® offers a free tool that allows you to review your last year’s results, set goals for the following year, and calculate just how many activities you will need to engage in to reach your objective. This free tool is designed for agents who have set an ambitious goal for prospecting, sales


April realtor.com® Report Shows Housing Recovery Accelerating

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.


REALTORS® Bring Public Policy Priorities to Capitol Hill

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.


Relationship Mastery

The No. 1, most important asset we have in our real estate arsenal is our relationships. Perhaps it will feel a bit redundant for me to remind you how important it is to work on your sphere of influence, but what exactly does that mean? For some, it means connecting with them on Facebook or sending out an annual calendar or birthday card. While those touches are valuable, and will sometimes even generate some business, that is not how the elite agents manage, build or nurture their relationships. What is a true sphere of influence? A sphere of influence is just that: Your circle of friends and acquaintances that influence you or that you have the ability to influence


New Home Sales Soar; How REALTORS® Are Maximizing Opportunities

With more than 25 years in the business, David Schoner is recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts in new-home sales and marketing. As the previous owner of Schoner Research and the New Jersey New Homes Guide, he’s worked for the past 17 years as vice president, Coldwell Banker NRT, responsible for all New Homes Division operations. In this interview, Schoner shares his insights on the rebound in new-home sales and how brokers can best build this important revenue stream.


New Mortgage Rules for Balloon, Rural Lenders Would Limit Access to Credit in Rural Areas

Many residents in rural America would have reduced access to mortgage credit despite accommodations included in new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) mortgage rules, according to survey results released recently by the Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA). ICBA’s Community Bank Qualified Mortgage Survey found that provisions for balloon-payment mortgage loans and rural community banks in the CFPB’s ability-to-repay and qualified mortgage regulations need to go further to adequately protect the customers of many Main Street community bank lenders.


Maximizing Your Online Reputation, Part 6: Offensive and Defensive Moves to Promote and Protect Your Brand

Editor’s Note: This is the sixth of a seven-part series from Homes.com on how to manage your online reputation. Homes.com has put together a free playbook on the topic, which can be downloaded here. Watch for this series in RISMedia’s Friday Weekly Business Builder e-newsletter. When attempting to manage your online reputation, it’s important to get ahead in the game by being proactive. You do this a number of ways: asking clients to


Trulia to Acquire Market Leader, Securities Litigation Firm Investigating Sale for Shareholders

Trulia, Inc., a leading online marketplace for homebuyers, sellers, renters and real estate professionals, has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Market Leader, Inc., a leading provider of Software as a Service (SaaS)-based customer relationship management (CRM) software for the real estate sector, for approximately $355 million, or an implied price of $11.33 per share (based on Trulia’s closing share price on Tuesday, May 7, 2013). Market Leader’s shareholders will receive $6.00 in cash and 0.1553 shares