Monthly Archives March 2024

Buyers Look to Family for Down Payment

A new study found young homebuyers are twice as likely to use family money for down payment than they were five years ago. A majority still work for the money. SEATTLE – More than one-third (36%) of Gen Zers and millennials who plan to buy a home soon expect to receive a cash gift from family to help fund their down payment, according to a new report from the online brokerage Redfin. Young homebuyers are also receiving help from family members in other ways. Roughly one in six (16%) Gen Zers and millennials say they’ll use an inheritance to help
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Younger Buyers Look to Family for Down Payment

A new study found young homebuyers are twice as likely to use family money for down payment than they were five years ago, but a majority still work to earn the money. SEATTLE – More than one-third (36%) of Gen Zers and millennials who plan to buy a home soon expect to receive a cash gift from family to help fund their down payment, according to a new report from the online brokerage Redfin. Young homebuyers are also receiving help from family members in other ways. Roughly one in six (16%) Gen Zers and millennials say they’ll use an inheritance
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Styling, Staging and Managing Your Online Brand

Your website is often the first time consumers will meet you. You should demonstrate personality, credibility and expertise using a .realtor domain and website. NEW YORK — You already know that consumers rely heavily on visual content, which is why staging helps fuel a home sale. But the visual element matters online, too. What your real estate website looks like may influence whether a prospect decides to work with you. A sleek, well-organized layout with a complementary color scheme and high-quality images — the same principles that make a listing stand out — can help you build an attention-grabbing online
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Remembering Frank E. Kowalski

Frank E. Kowalski, the 2005 Florida Realtors president and founder and CEO of Metro Dade Realty in Miami, had a 52-year career defined by a spirit of service. MIAMI – It is with a profound sense of loss that we announce the passing of 2005 Florida Realtors President Frank E. Kowalski, founder and CEO of Metro Dade Realty in Miami. Frank was a benevolent leader whose tenure was marked by groundbreaking initiatives, such as his advocacy for the Commercial Real Estate Sales Commission Lien Act, which was signed into law in 2005, his commitment to Realtor excellence through Graduate, Realtor
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Study: Mid-April Is Prime Time for Sales

Realtor.com found the week of April 14 will be the best time to sell due to the mix of marketing conditions. Sellers on a national level could get $34,000 more than at the start of the year. SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Sellers nationwide will likely see the best conditions for listing prices, buyer demand and sales pace from April 14 to April 20, making it the best time to sell, Realtor.com said. A recent survey from Realtor.com found the seven-day time frame to have lower chances of price reductions and competition from other sellers. Since most home sellers take a
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FHFA: January Housing Prices Decline Nationwide

By Amy Connolly The area that includes Florida saw a .6% decline in seasonally adjusted monthly home prices from December 2023 to January 2024. Home prices in the same area increased 6.1% year over year. WASHINGTON – U.S. housing prices fell slightly in January from the month prior, marking the first decline since August 2022, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency House Price Index (FHFA HPI), which tracks all U.S. mortgages under government-sponsored enterprises, notably Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Nationwide, housing prices were down .1% from December, the FHFA HPI found. Home prices nationwide rose 6.3% from January
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Commercial Expert: Establish AI Policies Early

A commercial real estate AI expert said companies should create AI policies based on privacy and security issues and then build on them as needed. MINNEAPOLIS – At a panel discussion talking through artificial intelligence use in the workplace, specifically for commercial real estate, Dan Williamson, director of AI for the commercial real estate developer Ryan Companies, said that companies shouldn’t seek to solve all their AI-related problems in one policy right away but should just focus on getting a policy out there. Williamson said a good place to start for phrasing AI policy is by looking at a company’s
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Legal Webinar: Understanding the NAR Settlement

Florida Realtors’ legal team will discuss the proposed NAR settlement of the antitrust litigation during a live online video meeting on Thursday. Realtors are encouraged to submit questions in advance.  ORLANDO – Join the Florida Realtors® legal team on Thursday, March 28, at 10 a.m. for a discussion about proposed settlement agreement to the Sitzer-Burnett verdict. When registering, please submit your question to allow us to develop resources for you. Click here to register. Background:  On March 15, 2024, the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) announced a proposed $418 million settlement agreement to the Sitzer-Burnett verdict that would end litigation
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February New Home Sales Dip Slightly

By Amy Connolly New home sales in the United States dropped slightly in February but are up 5.9% from a year ago. The slight uptick in mortgage rates held back new home sales, but builder confidence remains high. WASHINGTON – Sales of newly built single-family homes in February dipped slightly for the first time in three months after mortgage rates increased, according to the monthly data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Sales, however, continued to track above last year’s pace to a 662,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate. The pace of new
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Understanding Today’s Buyers and Sellers

By Vance Tong In real estate, it’s important to take a close look at trends and demographics. Understanding buyers, sellers and their motives is important to a successful transaction. NEW YORK – Real estate and home buying trends go far beyond mortgage rates and home prices. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has identified several more trends that provide insight into today’s homebuyers and what they seek in a home. Who are the buyers? There is a big difference between a first-time buyer and someone who already owns a home. The 2023 Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers by the
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