Body Language Rules When You’re Wearing a Mask
In an industry that relies on human contact, masks conceal expressions, muffle speech and create misunderstandings. But people can read a smile through your eyes.
The 2021 Rental Market: 3 Predictions
Rental prices will probably stabilize in the first half of 2021, with possible dips in urban areas as more working-from-home renters move to the suburbs.
What Real Estate Has to Be Grateful For in 2020
It’s hard to look at 2020 in a positive light, but the real estate industry was uniquely and unexpectedly a beacon of hope for a nation battered by the COVID-19 virus. Home sales boomed, mortgage rates repeatedly hit record lows and rising values bolstered homeowners’ equity.
Fla.’s Nov. Housing Market: Sales, Median Prices, New Listings Up
Florida Realtors’ data: Single-family home sales are up 22.9% year-over-year, median sales price up 14.1%; condo sales up 30.2%, median price up 16.9%. Chief Economist O’Connor: All 22 of Fla.’s metros saw gains in closed sales – but inventory remains far below normal levels.
Landlord Relief Is On the Way But Timeline Still Unclear
The pandemic relief bill has $25B for rental assistance that landlords can request on behalf of tenants. But the president must sign it and each state must distribute it.
FHA Extends Help for Pandemic-Affected Homeowners
FHA borrowers can still get help to avoid an eviction or foreclosure. FHA will also maintain temporary policy flexibilities for lenders and servicers.
Has 2020 Killed These 3 Home Design Trends?
Americans expect things from a 24/7 home that they don’t from an after-I-get-home-from-work home. Sterile, open-design trends seem to be quickly falling out of favor.
NAR: Existing-Home Sales Dropped 2.5% in Nov.
Overall, U.S. sales dropped a bit, prices rose strongly (up 14.6%), and the inventory of for-sale homes fell to a record-low 2.3 months as the average home sold in 21 days.
COVID-19 Resurgence Pushes Drop in U.S. Consumer Confidence
Attitudes about current conditions fell sharply this month as the pandemic spread, but there’s hope for the future: The mid-2021 expectations index rose 3.2 points.
RE Q&A: Are Dec. 31 Fireworks Legal in an HOA?
A new law, effective April 8, 2020, prevents an HOA from enforcing or adopting rules that ban fireworks on the Fourth of July, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.