Improving Your Business

Stories, articles and advice aimed at improving your business

7 Big Social Media Trends in 2015

From Facebook, to Instagram, to WhatsApp and Kik, there are major movements going on in the social media world. With its wide cast of users, limited cost and low barrier to entry, social media has quickly become one of

4 Significant Ways First-Time Buyers have Changed

The housing market has changed substantially in the last 40 years, and first-time homebuyers have changed with it Since the 1970s, the U.S. housing market has changed in numerous ways. The square footage of homes, for instance, has risen to all-time

Student Debt Delaying 30% of Millennial Home Purchases

Student debt remains the leading roadblock to Millennial homeownership Fifty-six percent of people between 18 and 29 have put off a major life event because of student loan debt, according to a survey released by Bankrate.com. That is higher than

Major Google Air Quality Partnership May Soon Influence Home Pricing Decisions

Technology has drastically improved the efficacy of searching for the right home. Prior to enlisting the services of an agent, buyers, who in all likelihood have a pre-established criterion for their ideal neighborhood and home, are scoping out concerns

Q&A with Andy Donaldson, Author of “Terrible Estate Agent Photos”

What are the biggest mistakes you can make with listing photos? Whether it be on the Internet, in a brokerage office or in a chain email, we have all seen them – terrible real estate photos. If there is

First-Time Homeowners Want to Buy – but Can They?

First-time homeowners set sights high First-time homebuyers are still facing a tough road to homeownership, but it’s one that they are willing to overcome, according to a new study released by TD Bank. The survey, which polled 1,002 consumers

Foreign Homebuyers Discouraged by Strong Dollar

Throughout the first four months of 2015, home sales in the U.S. were the best they’ve been in eight years. Helped by a one-half percentage drop in fixed mortgage rates, home sales from January to April this year surpassed

Why TRID? TILA RESPA Integrated Disclosures

The real estate and mortgage industries are up in arms about the upcoming launch of the TILA RESPA Integrated Disclosures (TRID), a new combined mortgage disclosure regulation that impacts real estate transactions from the way consumers shop for a

Realtor.com Tests New Feature to Address Big Complaint

New realtor.com feature to test increased agent responsiveness, impact on leads A lack of responsiveness from agents has always been a chief complaint among buyers and sellers. In an effort to address customers’ complaints and provide brokerages with better lead

Top 10 Dangers Facing State and Local Associations

What is threatening the residential real estate industry at the state and local level? Commissioned to the Swanepoel | T3 Group, NAR’s recent “Danger Report” analyzes the industry from multiple vantage points, including agents, brokers and associations. The intent

7 Biggest Challenges Housing Faces in 2015

Recession technically over, but challenges remain for housing market Six years ago, the recession officially ended. However, 41 percent of Americans still think the housing crisis is happening, and a new study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University has

The Most Underrated Reason for Housing’s Slow Recovery

Two surveys, one from Bankrate and another from Capital One, spotlight Americans’ financial insecurities Twenty-nine percent of Americans have no emergency savings, and another 21 percent only have enough savings to cover three months of expenses. Those troubling statistics came

Value of Building Green

Some builders have avoided green building for fear of costs. Turns out, it could help them make money Environmentalists have long urged developers to design more green buildings, but faced with the high immediate cost of sustainable materials and

Top 10 Dangers Facing the National Association of Realtors

The National Association of Realtors face 10 big dangers – none of them easily solved What are the threats that could impact the residential real estate industry? NAR’s “Danger Report,” a new report commissioned to the Swanepoel | T3 Group, analyzes the

3 Things to Keep in Mind as New Home Sales Near 7-Year High

New home sales up quite a bit so far in 2015, but many market forces remain at work The good news continued for new construction in May, with new home sales rising 2.2 percent from April and 19.5 percent from May

How TRID (TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosures) Changes the Front End of the Mortgage Process

Under TRID regulations a lender cannot require a borrower to supply back up documentation until the consumer has applied for a loan, received the three business day disclosures, and most importantly the Loan Estimate which replaces the GFE and

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