Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips - Richard Crawford - iPro Real Estate

REALTORS: 4 Ways to Put Relocating Clients at Ease

About 1.5 million employer-assisted relocations occur each year, according to the Employee Relocation Council. Each of these clients may be relying on you to help ease their transition into a new city.Relocating clients tend to face pressure in learning a new city and buying a home under a compressed timeline. As such, they may require more showings than local clients as they get acquainted to the area’s housing market. Relocating clients may a

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5 Overlooked Dirt Spots Buyers Will Notice

Jan M. Dougherty, author of The Lost Art of House Cleaning: A Clean House Is a Happy Home, shared with HouseLogic several spots that homeowners are likely missing, including:1. Light fixturesLight fixtures can be a magnet for dust and dead bugs. Spritz and wipe them with a cleaning solution to get them shining again.2. The body of the toiletDougherty recommends washing the porcelain thrones all over. Start with the top of the tank and spray al

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How Neighborly Are Americans? Not Very

Nearly 30 percent of Americans admit they don’t know their neighbor’s first name. But at least 90 percent have smiled or spoken to their neighbors—at least once, according to a new survey of more than 1,000 Americans released by Safehome.org, a home security systems review resource.Fifty-three percent of Americans say they’ve introduced themselves when a new neighbor initially moved in, but they won’t likely become best buddies. Only

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Today Is the Day to Check Computer Security

Nov. 30 marks National Computer Security Day. And here’s a sobering stat: More than 16 million Americans have systems in danger. In real estate, you’re entrusted with clients’ personal information and financial data. This puts you particularly at risk.Overall, 19 percent of Americans admit they don’t do anything to protect their computer from getting hacked, according to the Ooma Computer Security Day Survey conducted by Ooma, a VoIP prov

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1 Month Left to Sell Before Possible Tax Hike

Some home sellers would need a sale contract inked before the end of 2017 in order to avoid a big tax bill that would be imposed if the GOP tax reform proposals become law. Both the House and Senate bills would require sellers to have lived in their residence for a longer period of time before qualifying for the capital gains tax exclusion on the sale of a primary home. They would have to live in their house at least five years out of the last ei

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Top 100 Metros Ranked by Price Growth

Home prices are expected to slow in the new year. Prices nationwide are forecasted to increase 3.2 percent year over year in 2018, which is slower than the forecasted 5.5 percent year-over-year jump forecasted to round out 2017, according to realtor.com®’s 2018 National Housing Forecast.Several metros likely won’t see much of a slowdown in home prices or sales in the new year. Realtor.com® has ranked the top 100 largest metros by the fore

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New Lender Devoting Loans to Clean Energy

A new consumer credit union will soon allow consumers in all 50 states to take out loans for going green, such as installing solar panels, making energy-efficient retrofits, or even purchasing an electric car. Clean Energy Credit Union is set to open by the end of the year.The credit union is being touted as the first of its kind for clean energy lending.Clean energy retrofits are gaining popularity among homeowners. The U.S. solar market alone

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The Front Porch Is in Demand

The front porch—a classic feature of American homes—is making a comeback but with a twist.Younger crowds are literally turning porches into stages. “Porchfest” is growing in popularity across the country, in which neighborhood music festivals pop up that are enjoyed from homeowners’ front porches.The Atlantic Monthly’s CityLab reports: “In the Instagram age, the front steps have become places to see and be seen, throw a rocking conc

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The Good and Bad Behind Latest Home Sales Report

Following three consecutive months of declines, pending home sales rebounded strongly in October. But contract signings are still sliding behind levels from a year ago as potential home buyers continue to get frustrated at the lack of inventory.The National Association of REALTORS® reported that its Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, increased 3.5 percent to a reading of 109.3 in October. The index

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5 Housing Trends to Watch for 2018

Home shoppers may have it easier in 2018. Inventory constraints of for-sale homes and rising home prices may finally start to ease next year, according to realtor.com®’s 2018 National Housing Forecast.“Next year will set the stage for a significant inflection point in the housing shortage,” says Javier Vivas, director of economic research for realtor.com®. “Inventory increases will be felt in higher priced segments after spring home buy

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