Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips - Deborah Morrison - iPro Real Estate

Social Media, Community Websites Vital to Buyer Boomers

Home buyers over 55 are relying on technology to find their home, just like their younger counterparts, and they say internet searches and social media greatly influence their homebuying decisions, according to a new survey conducted by Immersion Active, a marketing solutions agency, of home buyers 55 and older. More baby boomers are turning to social media and community websites in their house hunts.Eighty-nine percent of the 55-plus consumers s

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TIP: Carve Out the Perfect Outdoor Space

The backyard can be a selling point in your listing, no matter the size. Up your listing’s backyard appeal by transforming it into an entertaining space. Houselogic, a home remodeling, and design website offer some key areas to address to achieve the look:1. Create privacy.Make the backyard a private sanctuary for homeowners. Precast concrete geometric blocks, for example, can protect privacy without blocking light, Houselogic suggests. They ca

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Buyers aren’t Shying Away from Supersized Mortgages

Borrowers found it easier to access credit in June, but it was jumbo mortgage credit that saw some of the highest growth. According to a new report from the Mortgage Bankers Association, jumbo loans—mortgages with higher debt—are on the rise and were easier to get in June than any other month in the past eight years.Jumbo mortgage credit rose for the sixth straight month, rising to its highest level since 2011, when the MBA’s survey began.A

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TIP: How Burglars most often Enter a Home

About 1.4 million burglaries occurred in 2017, and more than two in three break-ins were of residential properties, according to FBI data.Cove, a home security firm, surveyed nearly 1,000 people who have experienced a break-in at least once to learn more about how burglars entered the home and what they wished they had done in hindsight to better protect their property.Home invasions aren’t always random. Studies show that many break-ins are co

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Where Mortgage Debt is Highest

For most Americans, a home purchase is the biggest purchase of their life and thus requires taking on a large amount of debt. The average mortgage debt can vary considerably from state to state.“Cost of living and home prices are a big factor,” says Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at Bankrate. “The cost of living impacts how much you can save for something like a down payment, and home prices impact how much you have to borrow.”Weal

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Is Inventory Tightening Again? One Forecast says Yes

In just a few months, home shoppers may begin to see a drop in the number of homes for sale, which could lead to the return of bidding wars and quicker home sales, a new report from realtor.com® predicts.Realtor.com® researchers predict a major shift to occur in the housing market that will affect buyers’ bargaining power well into 2020. With high demand for the limited number of homes for sale, buyers may need to be braced to pay higher home

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Facebook Ads are being Probed for Housing Discrimination

Facebook has been facing federal agencies that claim it has allowed real estate companies to discriminate against users when displaying ads, but now New York is launching its own investigation into these accusations.New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he’s ordered the New York Department of Financial Services to investigate whether Facebook permitted state-regulated advertisers serving housing ads on its site to discriminate against prospective res

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How much Money Americans think they’ll need to Retire

Most Americans believe they’ll need an average of $1.7 million to retire, according to a new study from Charles Schwab. Researchers analyzed 1,000 401(k) plan participants across the country.“The bulk of folks do not get there,” Nathan Voris, a managing director at Schwab Retirement Plan Services, told CNBC.More than half of respondents surveyed say they are contributing 10% or less of their salary to their 401(k), which is the largest sour

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Google’s most Popular Home Design Searches

What are people searching for on the internet when it comes to home design? Google released a new report that breaks down the most popular searches by several design categories for the home. Coastal-inspired living rooms, ranch style homes, and blue hues appear among some of the most curious trends in Google searches. Google’s Home and Garden Trends report compiled the biggest search trends over the past year. Here’s what the report found:Mos

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Surprising things Homeowners can be Fined for

City ordinances and homeowners associations present many guidelines you must follow. Homeowners can face fines for violating rules and laws, such as not obtaining the proper permit for a remodeling project or not performing regular upkeep on a property. MSN recently highlighted several surprising things that homeowners also can get in trouble for, including:Obstructed address number. You should make sure their landscaping isn’t hiding the addre

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