Happy Saturday! Welcome to latest edition of the Real Estate Resource Roundup, where we share just some of the industry articles that caught our eye this week.
Profiles in Customer Service
Craig McClelland, CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers, is included in this Real Estate Business article focusing on customer service (page 15). Learn more about how his firm ensures that customers get the proper treatment they deserve.
HomeFinder.com to get listings directly from Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty
The real estate portal HomeFinder.com has signed up Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Rand Realty as the first participant in a new “Broker Advantage Program” which refreshes participating brokers’ listing feeds four times a day and gives them priority over other data sources. With this, brokers will get preferred access to HomeFinder.com’s suite of digital marketing solutions.
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate offers RealSatisfied agent review platform
We are excited to announce that Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate has teamed up with agent review platform RealSatisfied to offer our more than 8,300 agent affiliates client feedback based on surveys sent out on their behalf. The company hopes to use the feedback to educate its affiliated agents and boost consumer satisfaction with the brand.
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, sales role 1% in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.87 million. Many economists expect the housing market’s improvements to continue, however last year’s growth rate is unlikely to be maintained.
All-cash offers crushing first-time homebuyers
According to DataQuick, the Bay Area saw the weakest December sales in six years. However, prices there are still continuing to rise and first time homebuyers are not contributing to the housing recovery. All-cash investors are taking over and factors like student loan debts, poor employment and poor wage growth are the reasons why young homebuyers are dragging behind.
Housing-Starts Forecast for 2014: Past Is not Prologue
The U.S. Census Bureau recently announced that housing construction starts totaled an estimated 923,400 units for 2013. Responding to this, homebuilders, economists and analysts are blaming weakened demand due to the 1-percentage point rise in interest rates from May to September.
Existing-home sales in 2013 were strongest in 7 years
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, existing home sales last year hit their highest level since 2006, increasing by 9.1 percent to 5.09 million. Job growth, pent-up demand and low mortgage rates have all helped drive up existing-home sales nearly 20 percent since 2011.
