By Cary Teller There is something awesome about buying a fixer upper and doing the renovations yourself. Some people fix them up a bit at a time, using cash as they have it available. If you want to make a big impact by doing small things, here are 10 things you need to include. 1. Change Out the Lighting Nothing says outdated like an old-fashioned gold chandelier....
Too many mortgage lenders played it fast and loose in the lead-up to the crash, then wound it up tight when the inevitable struck—and in roughly the decade since, too few have loosened their grip. A research paper recently published by the Urban Institute classifies today's credit environment as "extraordinarily tight"—so tight, in fact, that more than one million...
By Dixie Somers Being a first time homebuyer can be an intimidating prospect; it seems like there's so much to learn! The process doesn't get less challenging the second or third time around, but here are five tips to help you research and prepare for your next home buying experience. Location, Location, Location It's a cliché but it's true: location really is the...
In recent years, there’s been a lot of talk about the importance of appraisers and all that they do for the housing industry. Despite this, the number of appraisers continues to dwindle and the turnover time between when appraisers enter and exit the field has slimmed. These trends beg the question – why are we seeing less of them and is this a concern? To address...
By Brad Walker, CEO and Co-founder of Income& Owning a home is part of the American dream, and mortgage lenders are motivated to do everything possible to make sure Americans of all ethnic, educational and professional backgrounds qualify for a mortgage. That said, the current system for determining who qualifies for a home mortgage is not perfect. Mortgage lenders...
In the following interview, Robert J. Bailey, broker/owner of Bailey Properties in Santa Cruz, Calif., discusses onboarding his agents to a new system, scoring a 90 percent adoption rate.
Region Served: Santa Cruz County, the Monterey Bay Region and Silicon Valley
Years in Real Estate: 42
Number of Offices: 4
Number of Agents: 132
What were some...
By Mark Ferguson Forecasters say that mortgage rates above four percent are here to stay. With that in mind, it’s important to realize what high mortgage rates mean and how they affect your current and future real estate investments. As a seasoned real estate investor and house flipper, I’ve seen a lot of changes come and go in the housing market. I’ve come...
By Kara Masterson Finding your dream home can be difficult for many reasons, one of which is that your budget often restricts your choices. Keeping a healthy budget coupled with strategic house-hunting practices can yield the best possible property that not only fits your personal budget, but also meets your lifestyle needs. Here are four things to keep in mind during...
Looking to purchase a new spot, buy an investment property, or pick up and move? SmartAsset recently published data on the top rising housing markets. In order to evaluate up-and-coming housing markets, SmartAsset looked at data on 308 cities with a population over 100,000, scrutinizing the change in median home values, median incomes, and the difference between population...
As most real estate agents know, being an independent contractor requires special attention and organization when it comes to managing your day-to-day business finances and keeping on top of your taxes. When it comes to managing your finances, are you a receipt-saver, a DIYer? Do you use an online platform, or hire a pro? Through this brief, 2-minute survey, RISMedia...
