Real Estate News and Views2020-01-15T05:48:59+00:00

Real Estate News & Views, March 2023

March 1, 2023 by Elizabeth R. Elstien Below are some President Joe Biden-administration initiatives that impact the general real estate industry. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) premium charged to FHA-insured borrowers will be reduced for those with case numbers endorsed on or after March 20, 2023, saving borrowers on average $800 or more a year.  This is on top of the other HUD-implemented changes to make housing more affordable and accessible for low- and moderate-income Americans, such as adding positive rental history as one factor for a lender to evaluate creditworthiness. For more HUD changes, check [...]

WANT TO BE A REAL ESTATE BROKER? SHIFT YOUR MINDSET

Shift Your Mindset To Be A Real Estate Broker Brokers run their brokerage, which means attracting and keeping agents, filling the client pipeline so their agents have a leg up, marketing to compete with established national brands, determining agent compensation model, reviewing financials, and keeping ahead of new software, laws, and trends, among other considerations. Buying and selling should not be on any successful broker’s radar except to find ways to support your agents leading to agent sales. So, unless you’re planning on keeping your new brokerage to just a few agents, allowing you to continue to work directly with [...]

MAXIMIZING SPACE IN A SMALLER PLACE

Small living spaces mean little storage. There are many tricks to make a small apartment or tiny home feel comfortable from decorating to give a more spacious appearance to optimizing space. Try these tasteful tips to help make the most of your small place. Organize Everything A small space means everything must be in its place. That means any storage space must be used to its fullest potential. Build or buy closet organizers to maximize storage space in all rooms. Use over-the-door pocket hangers for shoes, ties or socks. Create imaginative organization solutions to keep your possessions in their place. [...]

5 TRAITS ALL REAL ESTATE AGENTS SHOULD HAVE

Choosing the right real estate agent to help you buy or sell a home is no easy task. All sales statistics aside, the wrong agent can cost you time and money. When interviewing potential agents, make sure they have these five important traits that separate the powerful agents from the mediocre ones. 1. Remarkable Listener The true to key to a good agent is how well they listen and retain what they heard. If you say your budget maximum is $250,000, then they should stick to within that price when providing properties to view. A good listener should quickly ascertain [...]

GREEN UP YOUR INTERIOR PAINT

  Paints are going green, and it's not about the color. From low-to-zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to avoidance of toxic pigments, it's a fact that greener paints are better for the environment and your health. Learn about greener primers, paints and sealers and where to get them. Paints are now safer than ever. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) strictly regulates all types of surface finishes. Be aware that no-VOC listing regulations allow some chemicals to be present if under 5 grams per liter (250 grams per liter for low-VOC) and others do not need to be listed at all. [...]

VISIT HISTORIC AND SPOOKY PLACES THIS HALLOWEEN SEASON IN “WITCH CITY”

Salem is known as "Witch City" based on its past. The city celebrates Halloween the entire month of October with many incredibly scary and very historic places that will leave you chilled to the bone. Here are some of the spookiest places in Salem to really celebrate Halloween. Take the Vampire and Ghost Hunter nighttime walking tour by Spellbound Tours to see a lot at once. Need to get your scare on after Halloween? Get a "Haunted Passport" to experience more of Salem's spookiness from October until April. Spellbound Museum The only museum in New England with oddities from around [...]

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