Happy Mother’s Day weekend! Before you head off to an amazing weekend celebrating our moms, let’s catch up on some of the biggest real estate stories that are making the headlines this week in our weekly Real Estate Resource Roundup.
What Moms Look for When Buying a House
According to real estate experts, today’s consumers no longer place features such as square footage and a large yard high on their wish lists. Find out what kid-friendly home designs moms want when searching for a new home.
Homeownership Linked to Happiness
New data collected by the OECD Better Life Index indicate that homeownership in the U.S. is directly linked to happiness. The Index measures indicators such as housing, jobs, civic engagement, health and safety to gauge how we feel about our current state of well-being.
U.S. Mortgage Delinquencies Fall to Lowest Since 2007
More signs of improvement in the housing market. The number of loans in delinquency dropped to 5.54 percent in the first quarter of 2015, the lowest share since 2007.
Supply/Demand Pushing Home Prices Higher
Increased buyer demand combined with limited inventory continues to drive up home prices in cities across the country. According to CoreLogic, nationwide home prices are now within 10 percent of their pre-crash peaks, with prices tracking at highest ever in Colorado, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming.
As More Rent, The Wealth Gap Widens
Ninety percent of metropolitan housing markets have seen a decline in their homeownership rates, while home values are rising and incomes are flat, and that is widening the wealth gap, according to a new study by the National Association of Realtors, which looked at homeownership, home values and income growth from 2000 to 2013.
Homeownership Rates Are NOT Crashing
Despite recent reports of low homeownership rates, experts believe this downward trend is only temporary, as historical patterns indicate that we should see a recovery within this year or next.
Student Debt is Not Roadblock to Homebuying… Yet
According to a new report on student debt and housing from Capital Economics, while many believe that America’s outrageously growing amount of student debt is holding millennials back from buying a home, calculations suggest that they are wrong.
Real Estate: The Ultimate Second Career for Seniors
Sherry Chris, CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, discuss real estate as a choice career for seniors because of its fairly low barrier to entry and flexible scheduling. Chris recommends selecting a full-service brand that offers training and support tools, like BHGRE’s quick-start program for new agents.
Instagram’s Role in Commercial Real Estate
The Wall Street Journal explores how commercial real estate firms are following the footsteps of residential brokers in using Instagram to market their properties.
In case you missed it here on Clean Slate, take an in-depth look at the Empty Nesters and what opportunities they offer real estate professionals. Also, learn how to create a winning office culture that attracts and nurtures talent. As always, be sure to follow #BHGRE on Facebook and Twitter for more updates.
