Home Selling

Fla. Island Purchased with COVID Disaster Funds

YANKEETOWN, Fla. (AP) – A freshwater spring bubbles amid the mangroves, cabbage palms and red cedars on Sweetheart Island, a two-acre uninhabited patch of paradise about a mile off the coast of this little Gulf Coast town. Pelicans divebomb nearby into the cool waters of Florida’s Withlacoochee Bay and the open view westward holds the … Read more

NAR President Responds to Trial Verdict Questions

Galleria International Realty Thumbnail Image

Tracy Kasper calls the ruling “disappointing, (but) just one chapter in a longer legal process.” She answers some key questions, including: How does this affect my business? CHICAGO – National Association of Realtors® (NAR) President Tracy Kasper released a series of Q&As based on questions NAR has been receiving since the verdict in the Burnett … Read more

How Does a Scammer Choose Vacant Land to Scam?

The scams begin with a hunt through public records for vacant land, an absentee owner and no mortgage. Look for red flags, like a refusal to talk in person. CHICAGO – Real estate professionals should watch for these red flags in the course of the transaction. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center warns that losses … Read more

What is a Reverse Mortgage?

Galleria International Realty Thumbnail Image

There’s an interest uptick in reverse mortgages, notably from older adults on fixed incomes coping with inflation. They can be a good option – but also a bad one. TUCSON, Ariz. – If you watch any television, you’ve likely seen well-known voices, like actor Tom Selleck, touting reverse mortgages as a valuable tool for anyone in … Read more

Federal Audit: Gov’t Office Buildings 80% Vacant

The GAO found that federal offices have challenges like the private sector. In comparing building capacity to employees, none used over 50% and some used only 9%. WASHINGTON – The Agriculture Department is headquartered at the gateway between Washington and Virginia in a building rich with history – but on any given day, roughly 90% … Read more

Short ‘Days on Market’ Shifts to the North

Galleria International Realty Thumbnail Image

Albany, N.Y., homes went under contract in 8 days in Sept., followed by Rochester (9) and Grand Rapids, Mich. (9). In 8 Fla. metros, it ranged from 25-58 days. SEATTLE – The U.S. supply-demand balance for real estate has shifted over the past year. In Albany, N.Y., the typical home sold in September went under … Read more

The Rough Buyers Market Still Great for Sellers

Galleria International Realty Thumbnail Image

Years of soaring prices and a limited inventory of for-sale homes has stressed buyers for years, but today’s market remains a profit goldmine for most sellers. LOS ANGELES (AP) – Despite a housing slump going back more than a year, soaring home prices in recent years and a stubborn shortage of properties on the market … Read more

Weird 2024 Trends that Will Increase Home Value

If you can tell what’s trending by looking at the words becoming more common in listings, expect demand for brutalism, sensory pathways and cold plunge pools. NEW YORK – Ready to boost your home value as much as possible? With high mortgage interest rates putting a damper on home prices, now is the time to … Read more

NAR Preview: Burnett Trial Starts Monday

A verdict in the Kansas City trial is expected Nov. 10. “NAR fundamentally disagrees with how (they’re) characterizing our rules,” says NAR’s top legal officer. KANSAS CITY, Missouri – The National Association of Realtors® (NAR), along with HomeServices of America and Keller Williams Realty, begin trial Monday in Kansas City, Mo., in the case Burnett … Read more

Pandemic Migration Creates Housing Crisis

Buyers complain about too-few sellers selling – but some homeowners want to move and feel frustrated that an ultra-low mortgage rate has locked them in. BOSTON – One out of every 5 homeowners who moved within the last three years now regret their decision. Many Americans relocated either permanently or temporarily because of the COVID-19 … Read more