By Darrin Rayner
As more and more home buyers of the millennial generation reach buying age (they’re soon expected to pass Boomers in total population), your marketing efforts toward first-time home buyers become more and more important.
According to the Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2016 produced by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), first-time home buyers are most likely:
By Camilo Ramirez
One of the most important life goals for millennials across the country is home ownership. They crave a sense of community and a place where they truly belong. However, affordability plays a large role in purchasing a property and when it comes to affordability, nothing is more important than interest rates. With rates currently hovering around a five-year low, now is the ideal time for millennials to become home owners.
by Gino Blefari
My travels this week took me to Washington, D.C. to help honor Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ top brokerages and hear impressive speakers gathered to provide brokers with new perspectives on real estate, politics, media, business practices and more. These speakers are leaders in their own right, including cyber security expert Joel Brenner, ABC News pollster Gary Langer, CNN senior political analyst Gloria Borger, and N.A.R. representatives Lawrence Yun, Bill Gilmartin and Joe Ventrone. I was also honored to meet Real Living At Home leaders Jason Sherman, Justin Levitch and their terrific agents at their Washington, D.C. office.
By Gino Blefari
This week, I found myself in San Francisco for a media interview via skype with Ilyce Glink, host of Big Money Real Estate, a weekly show on the Whatever it Takes Network. Episodes focus on a variety of topics including: real estate, mortgage issues, real estate investing, personal finance and consumer advice. However, I was video chatting with Ilyce about the results from the Q1 Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Homeowner Sentiment Survey, which assessed people’s aspirations and sentiments surrounding homeownership.
So, my interview began and I was asked this question: When compared to other generations, how do millennials differ in their home buying preferences? How are they starting to resemble previous generations?
By Carrie Foley
I always strive to keep a positive attitude, see the potential in everything and remain optimistic in all my dealings, professionally and personally. I recently came to the conclusion that it is not always in our clients’ best interest to be perpetually optimistic, particularly with homesellers.
Previously, I would tour a client’s home, praising their gorgeous kitchen counters, cooing over the natural light and becoming giddy about some other upgrade. But with these reactions, I was artificially stroking the ego of the seller and setting them up to expect this same warm feedback from picky homebuyers. They would love my enthusiasm for their home, but when the first few showings resulted in no offers and less than flattering feedback, the sellers were dismayed – and angry with me.
By Todd Waller
The decision to sell your home, the place you have lived for years and where you created memories, is no easy decision.
Still, the process of selling your home should be as smooth as possible. Proper research, pricing and marketing will produce a sale in the shortest amount of time possible, for the highest price, and the least amount of inconvenience.
By Anthony Turco
It’s that time again — the time real estate agents around the country anxiously await all summer and winter long: the spring buying season.
By Todd Waller
Last week, I wrote about historically low levels of inventory experienced in real estate markets around the country and how the lack of properties might affect buyers. Today, I want to talk about what this market condition means for sellers, especially as we remain in a “seller’s market” heading into spring.
As frustrating as lack of inventory can be for buyers, it sounds like a great time for sellers, doesn’t it? Well, when it comes to the final sales price and the time on market, you would be generally correct. But there is one little thing called convenience and it can quickly become an issue.
By Darrin Friedman
Choosing the right real estate agent can sometimes be a confusing experience. After all, there are choices everywhere! From your aunt who has been in the business so long she used to complete transactions on typewriters, to your ex-roommate who got his license six months ago; your options are numerous.
But that’s not what this blog is about.
By Amanda V. Stepp-Marcum
After watching the Academy Award winning movie American Sniper, I began to reflect on our wounded veterans around the country. As a real estate agent, my focus is always on helping others achieve the American Dream of homeownership but this movie made me think about the physically wounded soldiers in the U.S. and their specific housing needs.
It also happens that the subject is a very personal one for me.
REthink report 