Today's Current News, Opinion & Advice
New data shows that nearly 40 percent of all homes in the United States are owned free and clear, with “the highest share” in West Virginia at 54%,” said Bloomberg. “Maryland and the District of Columbia were on the other end of the spectrum with rates of 27% and 24%, respectively.” When many a real…
Many homeowners view their garage simply as a place to store their car when it is not in use. However, other homeowners look at their garage with much grander expectations. Garages have been used as a place to perform work or to provide additional living space in the home. More and more homeowners have also…
A loan application goes through several stages before a final approval is eventually issued. As the loan application is documented with items from the applicant as well as third parties, soon the loan file gets to a stage where the lender underwrites the loan. The underwriter is the individual within the mortgage company that makes…
Millennials are the largest group of homebuyers at present, which is why knowing how to market to them should be a top priority for estate agents. Many millennials are at the age where they want to buy their first homes. When marketing to millennials, it’s important to understand how they communicate, and their habits and…
With technology developing, we now have so many gadgets and appliances which we can call ‘smart.’ The next step is to modernize our homes in the same style, and make our lives that much easier. A smart home is a place where appliances, lights, gadgets, security, – and pretty much whatever else you want –…
Before selling your home, you’ll want to make sure it is ready to be seen by potential buyers. Follow the next five steps to ensure that your house sells for the maximum value. First Step: Paint First, make sure that the paint is up to date. You may need to skim coat your walls. Skim…
With a little time and effort, you can make even the messiest house look clean for a day or two. However, many people struggle to actually maintain their organization. Instead, they get stuck in a cycle of getting the house dirty, spending hours cleaning it, and then messing it all up in just a few…
Research suggests that the average person will move over 11 times during their lifetime. Whilst moving is exciting, it’s expensive and can be very stressful. What if there was some way to get that ‘new home’ buzz without the hassle? Well, of course there is, and that’s why people spend time and money updating their…
A perfectly updated home at the right price in a highly coveted neighborhood may sell right away, but what about the rest of the homes that hit the market? You should be able to depend on a well-connected, experienced real estate agent to create a solid marketing plan, network with fellow agents, and hold open…
Your home should be your sanctuary, but sometimes it’s hard to brush off the stress of the day and sink into the serenity. That’s especially true if your home is more chaos than calm. Use these tips to create a space that’s soothing, so, no matter what the day holds, you always have an inviting…
A decade ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Airbnb. The company began in 2008, and it blossomed into a revolutionary concept/business model. However, it took some time to catch on. Staying in someone else’s house or apartment while traveling? Why would you do that when you could relax in a luxurious, comfortable hotel? Nowadays,…
Starting with the initial decision to sell, worry is often a major issue for sellers; however, once a listing agreement is signed, sellers are no longer alone with their worries. PJ Wade explains Three Needless Worries and how real estate professionals remove stress and worry for sellers. As if there isn’t enough for sellers to worry about when…
To pool or not to pool? That’s the question a lot of us start asking ourselves this time of year. Escaping the heat, having a built-in recreation and play zone for the family…it all sounds very inviting, no? But have you ever thought about turning your backyard into a beach instead? You might now. There…
Moving is a drag—there’s no way getting around it. But there are ways to make your move a whole lot easier, and it starts with packing. Here are ten moving mistakes you may be making—and how to avoid them. 1. You figure you can pack everything in a few days Begin with a plan—and start…
For those who are eligible for a VA home loan, it’s really quite the program. It’s one of the few home loans that do not require a down payment, probably its biggest feature. But in addition to no down payment, there is no monthly mortgage insurance payment. This increases buying power. Other loan programs with…
The use of hidden surveillance cameras inside vacation rentals has been in the news lately. No one wants to show up to a luxury home rental and worry that they are being spied-upon. Some Airbnb hosts have even been removed from the for violating the company’s policy, and TurnKey has a very strict policy in place…
A household move is never easy, no matter whether you are moving within the city or to another state. Add to this the necessity to safely relocate valuable and fragile items, and your household move can turn into a nightmare. The lack of proper organization and knowledge about the right ways of handling and packing breakables and…
Selling your home used to be as simple as vacuuming the carpet and allowing people inside on open-house day. Buyers want more out of their purchases today, however. They have a lot of choices in the marketplace. There’s no reason why they should settle. If you’re planning an open house, be sure to stage your…
With the hundreds of online channels that offer real estate information designed to engage the consumer, countless options for services, and with Alexa equipped with the ability to answer almost any question on demand about real estate, the question to ask is: Do newsletters even really work? The internet has proved that the consumer’s level…
If you have a child who’s about to go off to college for the first time, you’re probably drowning in to-do’s and to-buy’s. You may already have read 153 “dorm essentials” lists. A comforter and pillow, check. Cleaning supplies, check. Bathroom stuff, check. But there are a few things you may not have considered. Now…
The costs of living in a city depend a lot on the area you live in and the town itself, but it mostly depends on the comfort level and the number of facilities that your apartment has. When browsing for a rented place, most people consider their budget before anything else, trying to fit their…
When selling a property with a pool, the first thing to know is that you should be prepared (and prepare your clients) for a bit of resistance from certain potential buyers. A number of people have a negative mindset when it comes to the discussion of pools, and I think this is due in part…
Count Los Angeles as the latest city to impose new restrictions on Airbnb rentals. Owners must now register their property with the city and also pay a fee of $89. In addition, “Hosts can only register one property with the city at a time and the property must be their primary residence (where they live…
Many starter-home purchases are driven primarily by price, which is understandable. But, there are so many other considerations involved in finding the right place, like square footage and location, to name just a few of the most consequential. When looking for your first home, it’s critical to keep the most important considerations in mind so…
