Identity theft is defined as the fraudulent possession and use of an individual's private, identifying information for financial gain. Unless the proper precautions are taken, anyone can be at risk—including you. As a real estate professional, it's important that you're aware of how identity theft occurs and how you can protect yourself and your clients against...
By Kara Masterson
House hunting is an exciting process, especially when it’s your first home. While it may feel stressful and overwhelming at times, there are ways to make the search easier.
Here are five steps to take before looking for your dream home:
1. Set Your Budget First
The first thing you need to do before looking at any homes is set your budget....
By Brentnie Daggett With historically low temperatures and storms hitting the East Coast, there’s no shortage of weather and conditions that create the perfect opportunity to…slip. While winter weather brings fun adventures, it’s important to remember safety, especially if you're a homeowner or landlord. Guest and tenant safety should be at the forefront of...
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act marks the first major tax overhaul in 30 years, and, although it'll be some time before we know the real effect it will have on individuals, the bill seems to be having an impact on companies throughout the U.S. At just one month old, the tax bill has already made numerous headlines. The most public stories are of the major companies that...
By Steve Palmer From smartphones to smart TVs, everyday devices are becoming more and more sophisticated and autonomous. The devices being integrated into our homes allow the house to respond automatically to the environment, preset schedules and even spoken commands. Today, systems like Amazon Echo and Google Home provide a central base for automating almost any...
By Victoria Lim In the past, home sellers were told to tidy up, mow the lawn and perhaps do a few modifications; however, the current dog-eat-dog real estate market now demands a more hardball approach, and that's where home staging comes in. Staging a home is a crucial selling point when marketing a house. Studies show that investment for staging takes 1 - 3 percent...
Editor's Note: This post was originally published on January 25, 2018. Housecall continues to share this piece due to ongoing requests and reader interest. When it comes to connecting with potential clients, social media is not to be slighted. Whether your favorite platform is Instagram or Twitter, simply posting great content is not enough—you also need to lead...
By Sage Singleton Many people know home automation provides benefits to humans. With connected devices such as smart thermostats, cameras, locks and light bulbs, people can now live in more comfort, safety, security and cost savings. But for the humans with furry or feathered friends, questions inevitably arise about home automation and pet safety. Will the smart...
By Sean Keeley Here’s a fun exercise. Pick a major city and start sorting the available home listings on the market by price, starting with the most expensive. Then, go one-by-one down the list, perusing the photos in each listing. See how long it takes for Harrison Ford to show up. No, the Hollywood A-lister isn’t hiding in luxury real estate listings like some...
Be it an email hack, a phishing scam, a Nigerian money order or a product that sounds just too good to be true, there are dozens of ways you can get scammed online. At best, you lose $20 on a product that doesn't exist. At worst? All your financial data gets hacked and your electronic device becomes infected with malware. To avoid any situation similar to these,...
