Improving Your Business

Stories, articles and advice aimed at improving your business

Brace Yourself – Mortgage Rates Will Likely Increase this Summer

Could the removal of one word mean that mortgage rates are set to increase in 2015? Believe it or not, the future of mortgage rates in the U.S. housing market could hinge on a single word. Back in December,

6 Key Facts About the Homes Consumers are Buying Today

Single-family detached? Senior-related housing? New? Old? What homes do consumers want today? In the grand world of American housing, what properties are holding the most sway with homebuyers nowadays? And how do those preferences shift across generational lines? In our

Zillow/Trulia Sign Direct Deals with 18 MLSs, Establish Realogy/Keller Williams Feeds

Zillow Group just enhanced its quality of listings by a dramatic degree. Zillow Group has announced direct-feed agreements with California Regional MLS (the largest MLS in the country) and 17 additional MLS partners, in addition to direct feeds with two of the largest

Consumers Demand More From Lenders

TD Bank survey shows what clients want: more information. In the wake of the rebuilding year of 2014, the market, while still in recovery, has been cast in a distinctly more appealing light, as consumers are once again eager

4 Important Details About Today’s Homebuyers

What are some of the defining traits of homebuyers in today’s housing market? Every spring, Christmas comes early in the form of NAR’s Generational Survey, a massively detailed look at homebuyers, sellers and the generational divides that exist between

4 Reasons You Should Doubt the ‘Official’ Unemployment Rate

Sure, unemployment has been falling, but the way we measure unemployment is riddled with problems Last week, we reported that the U.S. unemployment rate fell to 5.5 percent in February, the lowest it’s been in nearly seven years. News

How to Stand Out from the Crowd

With 80,000 agents in Texas alone, you must stand out to build a worthwhile business. Knowing who you are and how you add value to your clients is a way to stand out and get more business. Mary Elliott

Major Changes Coming to Consumer Credit Ratings

The manner in which the major credit-rating agencies judge consumer credit will change in a big way. The three major credit-rating agencies will be overhauling their methods for addressing both credit disputes and medical bills, according to a new

5 Must-Know Details About the Latest Jobs Report

There were several aspects of the new jobs report that real estate agents should be aware of. The government released its latest jobs report earlier today, and as with past reports, there was a subtle mixture of highly positive and slightly

When it Comes to Homes, Bigger is Definitely Better in America

Americans love big houses, and that’s true across generational and economic lines. Only 40 percent of Americans are living in their ideal home size, and 43 percent wish they were living in a home that is somewhat or significantly larger.

What Do Single Men, Single Women and Married Couples Value in a Home?

When it comes to a home’s features, does one’s gender/relationship status impact how they prioritize the features? Walk-in closets, new kitchen appliances, nine-foot ceilings, single-level living – all are distinctive features to a home, and research from NAR suggests

Bad News For the Middle Class = Bad News For Housing

Whenever you see a report on America’s evaporating middle class, you should think about the implications for housing. Homeownership is a defining symbol of American middle class life; indeed, the quintessential image of a single-family detached house, complete with

Zillow Officially Acquires Trulia for $2.5B, Gives Birth to ‘Zillow Group’

Zillow yesterday completed its acquisition of Trulia, shelling out $2.5 billion for its former rival and forming the “Zillow Group,” the parent company that will now house not only the Zillow and Trulia brands, but also StreetEasy and HotPads. Though nothing has

Fed Study: Student Debt Clearly Pushing Down Millennial Homeownership

A new study from the Federal Reserve brings more evidence to the table on the damaging economic effects of high student debt burdens We’re written in the past about the effects of student loan debt on the housing market

5 Home Features that Consumers Want in 2015

What features should you be emphasizing when promoting your listings? There are many features in the typical house, but what features are attracting the most attention from homebuyers as the 2015 market takes shape? To find out, we perused

Should Real Estate Agents Prepare For the Drone Revolution? Not So Fast

Sure, the FAA finally ruled on drones, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the drone floodgates are now open. After considerable deliberation and anticipation, the Federal Aviation Administration finally unveiled its regulations for commercial drone usage on Sunday, which, in tandem

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