The traditional black-and-white business card is dying out in some professions, but salespeople and marketers are reinventing their look to keep others intrigued.The Wall Street Journal reports an increase in the do-it-yourself business card, marked by unusual designs and materials. Business cards are being made of everything from metal to plastic and even wood. Some are larger than your traditional business card, while others are much tinier to
Mortgage rates are moving higher, and that has some home shoppers rushing to locking in rates before they edge up even more.Mortgage applications for refinancings and home purchases increased 4.5 percent last week compared to the previous week on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported Wednesday. Loan applications are now 6.1 percent higher than the same week a year ago.Broken out, applications to purchase a home su
More companies are hoping to capture an internet domain name beyond the standard .com, and some are willing to pay premium prices for a domain that ties into their industry.Donuts Inc., a domain name provider, announced what is believed to be one of the largest sales to date for a premium domain name in real estate–related industries with the acquisition of “home.loans” for $500,000. Donuts holds a giant portfolio of top-level domains on th
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The housing market and economy are starting the year with a fairly strong start, but several challenges persist in 2018. Freddie Mac economists point out some of the biggest risks to the economy and housing markets: declining affordability, obstacles to millennial homeownership, and the possibility of another recession.Home sales, housing construction, and housing prices are expected to move modestly higher in 2018 compared to 2017, Freddie Mac n
The number of cohousing communities is on the rise across the country and is spotlighting the desire for greater multigenerational neighborhoods. There are currently about 165 such communities but another 140 are in the planning stages, according to the Cohousing Association of the U.S.In these communities, people own their own homes and can sell them. Residents contribute to a fund for maintaining shared facilities.A development called Pioneer
The cryptocurrency is generating more buzz in real estate. Bitcoin can have a fluctuating value, but that isn’t stopping some sellers from wanting to accept the currency for their home sale.In one recent example, a seller of a condo in Miami says he is only willing to entertain bitcoin offers. Several other listings are also showing willingness to accept the digital currency as a payment option.Fortune recently sought to find out how many bit
Maybe you’ve received a “Let’s meet for coffee” invitation from a mortgage loan officer. How should a real estate professional handle being prospected?Even if you have a preferred lender or two, you might find value in meeting beyond just a free cup of coffee, says Ryan Brandenburger, branch manager of Ohio-based CrossCountry Mortgage. Here are three points to consider asking a mortgage loan officer about. Tips on the current loan proces
Mixing business and family can get messy. However, family and friends may be your main source of business when you’re beginning to sell.“The choice is fraught with risks—both to your relationship and to a successful real estate deal,” writes Daniel Bortz, a real estate pro in the Washington, D.C., area in an article for realtor.com®.Bortz shares some of the lessons he’s learned about the pitfalls of working with family members on
The open floor plan has been popular in many new home designs. Homeowners are showing a desire to have no walls separating the kitchen, dining, and living areas. In fact, 84 percent of new single-family homes have fully or partially open layouts, according to the National Association of Home Builders.Some owners are knocking down walls during home renovations to have their own open floor plan. But before they do, they may want to reconsider if
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