University of Maryland researchers announced they’ve created a way to make wood stronger, lighter, and cheaper than steel. The researchers see the super wood as having a major influence in the building industry one day.“This new way to treat wood makes it 12 times stronger than natural wood and ten times tougher,” says Liangbing Hu, a Maryland professor and leader of the team who conducted the research. “This could be a competitor to stee
Under an umbrella of higher home prices, mortgage financing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have recently taken several efforts to try to open up housing options for low- and middle-income buyers. The government-sponsored enterprises have added support for three lower-cost housing options: rural homes, manufactured housing, and the existing stock of affordable homes.More than 23 percent of Americans live in rural areas. The median incomes in ru
A San Francisco real estate agent was held at gunpoint and robbed during a midday open house she was hosting last Saturday, the San Francisco Police Department reports. The house is located on a privately owned street in San Francisco’s Bayview Heights neighborhood.The 55-year-old agent was in the home’s kitchen prepping for the open house on March 17 when she heard footsteps inside, police said. The agent went to greet who she thought was a
With six months remaining in the 2018 fiscal year, the National Association of REALTORS® urges the passage of the “omnibus appropriations bill” agreed upon by U.S. House and Senate negotiators last night, which is designed to fund the federal government through Sept. 30.The 2,232-page bill contains important provisions related to housing that real estate professionals have been fighting for, including alleviating the weakening of the Low-In
The Federal Reserve voted Wednesday to raise its short-term interest rates, and that likely will mean more mortgage rate increases are on the horizon. The Fed’s rates are not directly tied to mortgage rates but tend to follow 10-year Treasury bonds. However, mortgage rates are often influenced by the Fed’s rates.The Fed increased its federal fund rate from 1.5 percent to 1.75 percent, which is the highest level since 2008. The Fed’s mov
You can’t build a relationship with generic marketing materialsWe live in a world driven by data: you can use facial recognition to open your phone, fingerprints to make payments, and numerous apps track what you do, where you go and what you buy. Top performing companies are using this valuable data to track our lifestyles, buying habits, and much more with the intent of positioning their products in front of you. How are you using today’s t
Home buyers should expect to pay about $168 extra per month for their mortgage this year due to higher home prices and interest rates over the past 12 months, according to a new analysis by realtor.com®. The figure is based on the purchase of a $274,900 home, the median list price.The average monthly mortgage is now $1,486, up from $1,318 in February 2017, according to realtor.com®.But location can have a big impact. For example, Seattle buyer
Homeowners who want to increase their property’s value don’t necessarily have to start knocking down walls or adding extra rooms. In fact, a coat of paint can go a long way toward enhancing the look of a space. Modern Garden Rooms offers the following infographic that shows numerous ways you can add value to a property.Source: Modern Garden Rooms
Setting a list price is potentially one of the sharpest thorns in the agent-client relationship. Many sellers believe they know better what their home is worth, and it may be difficult to convince your client to trust your professional opinion. And the internet doesn’t make this process easier.Sellers often consult online automated valuation models, or AVMs, such as Zillow’s “Zestimate,” to get a scope of what their property is worth. But
Toys ‘R’ Us recently announced its plan to close or sell more than 800 of its stores across the country, and some commercial real estate experts are concerned about the hundreds of empty storefronts that will be left behind. Some landlords are already scrambling to find replacements.Many Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us locations are between 40,000 to 65,000 square feet. This is “problematic as the list of retailers seeking that
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