Real Estate - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

TIP: Tenant, Contractor Behavior can get Property Managers Sued

Property managers can be held legally responsible for discrimination and harassment by contractors, such as maintenance workers, and for failing to address a tenant who is infringing on the rights of another tenant, experts said Thursday during the Property Management Forum at the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C.Further, property managers must also address issues of tenants’ visitors harassing other tenants,

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U.S. House Approves Equality Act to Extend LGBT Protections

The U.S. House of Representatives took a step on Friday that sought to stop housing discrimination based on sexual orientation. It’s a move that several housing groups, including the National Association of REALTORS®, have long advocated.The House voted 236–173 on Friday to approve the Equality Act, H.R. 5, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, credit, employment, public educat

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High-Priority Tax Initiatives likely to Stall in Congress

Political divisiveness on Capitol Hill likely will prevent Congress from passing legislation this year addressing important tax initiatives that affect real estate, including the state and local tax (SALT) deduction and an extension of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act, lobbyists for the National Association of REALTORS® said Wednesday.Speaking to the association’s Federal Taxation Committee during the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings &a

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The Hand-Painted Pink Listing that has Gone Viral

Photos of a home in Buda, Texas, are drawing widespread attention across social media. It’s the home’s unusual hand-painted and very pink interior decor that has drawn the attention.The owner, Melissa Stephenson, told FOX 7 in Austin, Texas, that the home is filled with hand-painted “joy.” Poodles, polka dots, and hearts decorate the walls of the four-bedroom, two-bath ranch-style home. The owner and her husband are selling the house

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HUD to Strengthen Landlords’ Rights in Service Animal Requests

Landlords and property managers are entitled to “reliable verification” of a tenant’s need for a service animal and can require proof beyond an online certification, a Department of Housing and Urban Development official said Tuesday at the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C.Lynn Grosso, director of HUD’s Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Enforcement Office, told the Land Use, Property Rights & Enviro

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Inventory, Affordability Hurting Sales Volume

Inventory shortages are continuing to dig into agents’ home sales volume. In 2018, the typical agent completed 11 transactions, the same as 2017, according to the 2019 Member Profile, released by the National Association of REALTORS® and reflecting 12,700 member responses. However, REALTORS® did see a slight uptick in incomes last year. The median gross income of REALTORS® was $41,800 in 2018—an increase from $39,800 in 2017.For the sixth

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Not Just for Curb Appeal, the Front Yard is Gaining Clout

Homeowners are showing more love for their front yards, carving out a spot to mingle with neighbors and relax. A new article at realtor.com® says front yards and porches are among the hottest outdoor trends of the season—a trend that is stretching way beyond just Southern states.“People are rediscovering the joys of using the front yard and porch as an extended living room,” Pablo Solomon, a designer in Austin, Texas, told realtor.com®.

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Newcomers Emerge on April’s Hottest Housing Market List

For years, California markets dominated realtor.com®’s hottest housing market list. But the Midwest and Northeast are drawing in more house hunters online. Several newer markets, including some known for housing affordability, are gaining momentum among home buyers, according to realtor.com®’s monthly rankings for April.Each month, realtor.com® ranks markets based on how fast homes are selling and how many views the metro’s listings rece

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Consumers say Owning is Easier than Renting

A majority of homeowners recently surveyed say they believe owning a home isn’t as difficult as renting, according to a new survey from LendingTree, an online loan marketplace. Only 15% of homeowners believe renting is easier than owning a home, compared with 67% of more than 2,000 homeowners who said owning is easier, the survey found.For the most part, the longer homeowners have been in their homes, the more likely they are to believe owning

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TIP: Survey Reveals what Guests Want in an Airbnb

Short-term housing rental companies are allowing property owners to turn their homes into investment properties. They’re giving hotels some serious competition.But these short-term renters have specific amenities they’re seeking. IPX1031, a firm that provides exchange services, surveyed 2,000 consumers to ask about what they look for when they rent an Airbnb.Some of the top factors that consumers said prompted them to choose an Airbnb ov

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