This holiday weekend, travel safely and be sure take a moment to remember the women and men of service who have sacrificed for our freedom.

And now, for the real estate resource roundup!

Existing-Home Sales Rise in April for Second Straight Month
Despite ongoing inventory shortages and faster price growth, existing-home sales sustained their recent momentum and moved higher for the second consecutive month, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

Pending Home Sales Spike to 10-year High in April
Steady job creation over the past five-plus years, unattractive rent costs, and the anticipation of a mortgage rate increase are all propelling homebuyers into the spring market at a faster rate than originally expected.

Is There a Correlation Between Inflation and House Prices?
The correlation between inflation and house prices is dependent on interest rates, among other factors. Learn more about the ins and outs here.

Baby Boomers Heading Back to the City
Unlike previous generations, many baby boomers aren’t planning their retirement in sunny southern locales. Instead, more are choosing to move back to metro areas they had previously left. Living like responsible adult hippies, recycling, and all that.

How Single Women Are Changing the Home Buying Market
Of the recent buyers who are single — single women accounted for 60 percent more home purchases than single men, across all age groups, and are the biggest home buying demographic after married couples.

Where Are Home Values Headed Over the Next 5 Years?
Home values will appreciate by 4.0% over the course of this year, 3.4% in 2017 and 3.0% in the next two years, and finally 2.8% in 2020, meaning the average annual appreciation will be 3.2% over the next 5 years. See more statistics here.

Mortgages Rise, Pushed by Possibility of Fed Rate Increase
Mortgage rates rose this week after the Federal Reserve signaled that it might raise the federal funds rate in mid-June. Find out what to expect here.

5 Reasons You Need to Invest in an SEO Campaign Right Now
It’s time to invest in an SEO for your business. Luckily it’s not as tricky as it may seem! Get started now.

In case you missed it here on Clean Slate, Vice President of Brand Marketing and Strategy Chris Zoeller shared the top strategies for increasing online presence for real estate agents. As always, be sure to follow #BHGRE on Facebook and Twitter for more updates.