Lake Norman, Cornelius, and Charlotte Real Estate: December 2013

Mortgages became marginally more difficult to qualify for in November as a “significant number” of programs that permit a loan-to-value ratio above 95 percent and low-to-mid range minimum FICO scores were discontinued or transitioned into programs with stricter requirements, the ...

Mortgage credit tightens slightly on eve of new regulations

Housefax.com, property reports provider, signs first listing site in revenue-sharing program

Housefax.com, a firm that harvests historical data from thousands of sources to produce property reports, has signed MilitaryByOwner Advertising Inc. as the first real estate listing site in its national Affiliate Marketing Program, Housefax.com announced. As a partner in Housefax.com’s ...

Housefax.com, property reports provider, signs first listing site in revenue-sharing program

Real estate TV shows like ‘House Hunters’ impact buyer and seller clients differently, sometimes for the worse

I realized today that I owe at least a small debt of gratitude to cable channels like HGTV and TLC, which are full of real estate TV shows. They have done a marvelous job of setting expectations with buyers and sellers, and they've motivated prospective agents, as well. On the flip side, I recognize that they might make things seem a bit too easy. Nonetheless, I have frequently benefited from the lessons my clients have learned therein ...

Real estate TV shows like ‘House Hunters’ impact buyer and seller clients differently, sometimes for the worse

10 gift ideas for the tech-savvy Realtor

Need to pick up a last-minute holiday gift for that tech-savvy Realtor? Or, better yet, are you looking to pick up the latest and great electronic gadget for yourself? Look no further. I’ve scoured the Web for some of the ...

10 gift ideas for the tech-savvy Realtor

Monday, December 9, 2013

The MLS system may keep Zillow, Trulia from reaching heights of Austrailian counterpart

Australia’s real estate marketplace REA Group is valued at $5 billion. REA Group’s former CEO Simon Baker asks: Does that mean that Zillow and Trulia, which are currently valued at a fraction of that amount, will be worth many billions ...

The MLS system may keep Zillow, Trulia from reaching heights of Austrailian counterpart

Exclusive new Miami condo features in-unit parking spaces, 3 car elevators, 22 billionaires

A new 60-story condo in Miami, which features three car elevators that lead to in-unit parking spaces, has attracted 22 billionaires — representing 2 percent of the world’s total — who will have the chance to enjoy the beauty of ...

Exclusive new Miami condo features in-unit parking spaces, 3 car elevators, 22 billionaires

William Raveis to double headquarters size in Shelton, Conn.

William Raveis Real Estate Inc., the eighth largest brokerage in the U.S., has announced plans to double the size of its headquarters in Shelton, Conn., where it has been since 1986. The new space, which will be ready within the ...

William Raveis to double headquarters size in Shelton, Conn.

Warren Buffett’s new franchise brand, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, grows to 51 firms

Warren Buffett’s new real estate franchise brand, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, will convert 12 more Prudential Real Estate-affiliated brokerages, bringing the total number of firms committed to the 1-year-old network to 51. The new franchise brand gives Buffett — already a ...

Warren Buffett’s new franchise brand, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, grows to 51 firms

Scandal prompts local North Carolina Realtor board to sever ties with eShowings, switch to Centralized Showing Service

A local North Carolina Realtor trade group has changed its showing service provider after the founder of its former provider was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison. The Jacksonville Board of Realtors has more than 600 members and operates ...

Scandal prompts local North Carolina Realtor board to sever ties with eShowings, switch to Centralized Showing Service

Unlike most tech investors, Redfin backers willing to wait

Redfin has faced more difficulty attracting capital than CEO Glen Kelman originally anticipated, he tells The Wall Street Journal. At the root of investors’ ambivalence towards Redfin is the high-tech broker’s use of sales associates. To many tech investors, “people ...

Unlike most tech investors, Redfin backers willing to wait

2 real estate tech firms among Business Insider’s 2013 ‘best startups’

Real estate crowdfunder Realty Mogul and and next-gen broker Urban Compass were named two of the “18 best startups” of 2013 by Business Insider. One of the leaders in real estate crowdfunding, Realty Mogul has raised about $8 million for ...

2 real estate tech firms among Business Insider’s 2013 ‘best startups’

‘Scourge’ of foreclosure inventory abating

The quantity of homes in foreclosure and the quantity that completed the foreclosure process in October decreased substantially from last year, but still remain bloated. The number of completed foreclosures in October dropped by 30 percent year over year to ...

‘Scourge’ of foreclosure inventory abating

World’s largest gingerbread house gives ‘home sweet home’ new meaning

The title of “World’s Largest Gingerbread House” now belongs to a 60-foot-long-by-42-foot-wide gingerbread and icing-covered home in Bryan, Texas, but visitors looking to ingest some of the home’s 36 million calories will be disappointed. Built to raise funds for a ...

World’s largest gingerbread house gives ‘home sweet home’ new meaning

Multigenerational households, an often overlooked real estate niche, offer agents prime opportunity in 2014

Offshore buyers, unemployment rates hovering between 12 and 25 percent for adults aged 18-25, and an onslaught of baby boomers has caused the number of multigenerational households to explode. If you’re looking for a great niche in 2014, specializing in ...

Multigenerational households, an often overlooked real estate niche, offer agents prime opportunity in 2014

5 technologies that push the boundaries of real estate marketing

If you think about it, homebuyers are obsessed with making the virtual world real. When searching for a home, consumers rank photos and virtual tours as the most valuable assets on a website. Why? Because they are the best tools ...

5 technologies that push the boundaries of real estate marketing

Doorsteps: Tap your real estate pro network to serve homebuyers

It takes a lot of people to get a buyer into a home, more than most homebuyers might imagine, and agents and loan officers are leaving opportunities on the table to share their trusted networks with consumers, according to Move ...

Doorsteps: Tap your real estate pro network to serve homebuyers

Sweeten, home remodeling matchmaker, signs 1-year deal with The Corcoran Group

Sweeten, the New York City home remodeling matchmaking startup, has signed a one-year exclusive deal with New York City-based brokerage The Corcoran Group that will give the firm’s clients insight into the cost and value of home remodeling projects. Using ...

Sweeten, home remodeling matchmaker, signs 1-year deal with The Corcoran Group

Real estate professionals may be exempt from 3.8 percent ‘Obamacare tax’ on rental income

Last week the IRS issued its final regulations governing how it will implement a new “Obamacare tax” that imposes a 3.8 percent levy on unearned income. Taxpayers are subject to the Net Investment Income (NII) tax if their adjusted gross ...

Real estate professionals may be exempt from 3.8 percent ‘Obamacare tax’ on rental income

Friday, December 6, 2013

BofA to pay record $500M to settle claims by investors in Countrywide mortgages

Breaking its own record for a settlement resolving class-action litigation over mortgage-backed securities, Bank of America will pay $500 million to investors who claimed they were misled about the soundness of mortgages originated by Countrywide and packaged into MBS. The ...

BofA to pay record $500M to settle claims by investors in Countrywide mortgages

Maponics now providing weather data at the neighborhood level

In addition to providing “walkability,” crime and school info for neighborhoods, cities and ZIP codes, mapping data firm Maponics is rolling out a tool that maps weather conditions at the neighborhood level. Unlike other consumer-facing weather models that rely on ...

Maponics now providing weather data at the neighborhood level

MRIS offers Imprev-powered marketing platform that’s integrated into MLS

One of the nation’s largest multiple listing services, Rockville, Md.-based Metropolitan Regional Information Systems Inc. (MRIS), has launched a marketing center powered by Imprev allowing members to create marketing materials with information and photos imported directly from MRIS’s listing input ...

MRIS offers Imprev-powered marketing platform that’s integrated into MLS

Sotheby’s International Realty brand gets six new offices in Japan

JS International Inc., owner of Japan Sotheby’s International Realty, is converting six locations of a related company, List Co. Ltd., in Tokyo and Kanagawa to operate under the Sotheby’s International Realty brand. The offices will do business as List Sotheby’s ...

Sotheby’s International Realty brand gets six new offices in Japan

City Habitats feeding listings to RentHop

Y Combinator-funded apartment search marketplace RentHop has a new partnership with New York City brokerage Citi Habitats giving RentHop access to more rental listings in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens, and the New York City metro area. Citi Habitats agents get ...

City Habitats feeding listings to RentHop

Boulder’s condo, town-home inventory ‘scary’ low

D.B. Wilson of Re/Max of Boulder says he’s never seen anything like it: There are hardly more than 100 condo and town-homes listed for sale in the entire county. The supply of single-family homes is just 3.2 months. And Wilson ...

Boulder’s condo, town-home inventory ‘scary’ low

4 reasons today’s good news on jobs isn’t pushing rates up

This morning’s news — 203,000 net new jobs in November — is unambiguous good news. Under normal circumstances, good economic news pushes up interest rates, but today’s economy does not resemble normal, and so rates are unchanged. This payroll data ...

4 reasons today’s good news on jobs isn’t pushing rates up

New smartphone wallet, paired with Coin, Tile and vCards, gives real estate agents a productivity boost

Since Brad Inman’s theme for the upcoming Real Estate Connect NYC 2014 is “Partner or die,” an attempt at partnering some technology products to make them more useful seems appropriate. Some are cutting-edge new and some are old, but a ...

New smartphone wallet, paired with Coin, Tile and vCards, gives real estate agents a productivity boost

Agents tell buyers not to rely solely on simplified school ratings

Real estate agents in Southern Maryland are telling prospective buyers who want their children to attend good schools to check out websites operated by school systems and visit individual schools, rather than relying only simplified ratings from data aggregators like ...

Agents tell buyers not to rely solely on simplified school ratings

‘Jobs report smells a little like tapering’

With unemployment dropping to a healthy 7.0 percent in November, some analysts are beginning to speculate that the Federal Reserve will consider pulling back on its bond-buying action in early 2014 that, in part, keeps mortgage rates relatively low. “At ...

‘Jobs report smells a little like tapering’

NJ’s priciest listing comes with two barns and a silo

If it’s not clear what you might do with a 20,000-square-foot home sits that sits on 127 acres and comes with two barns and a 50-foot silo, the address should should clue you in that the answer is not “farm?” ...

NJ’s priciest listing comes with two barns and a silo

Business schools repositioning themselves as startup incubators

In an effort to adapt to the startup trend and grow enrollment, business schools are beginning to more loudly tout their resources for entrepreneurs such as access to connections, experience and a place where it might be safe to fail. ...

Business schools repositioning themselves as startup incubators

Agent takes .45 along when she’s inspecting vacant REOs

A Santa Maria, Calif. real estate agent who often finds squatters in bank-owned homes that she’s been assigned to write up broker price opinions for says the .45-caliber pistol she’s been carrying for 10 years often comes in handy. The ...

Agent takes .45 along when she’s inspecting vacant REOs

Real estate agents who counteroffer via text message are doing it all wrong

Monday, 11:30 a.m.: I submit an offer on a home for a buyer. I email it to the listing agent and text her to let her know it's coming. The listing agent texts me back and let's me know she received it. The expiration of the offer is Tuesday at 6 p.m. I wanted to make sure that she had enough time to meet with her sellers to either accept or counter ...

Real estate agents who counteroffer via text message are doing it all wrong

Agent reviews and ratings are inevitable. Releasing our data is not.

Up until now I have resisted the urge to write about AgentMatch. I think that Realtor data is important, and how we use it matters. The data that will fuel AgentMatch is personal -- it has more to do with people than with property. ...

Agent reviews and ratings are inevitable. Releasing our data is not.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Office space converted to condos to meet demand for urban housing

A combined 18.1 million square feet of office space in downtown Manhattan and Los Angeles have been converted to condos and apartments in the past decade, and the trend from office to multifamily continues to “kick up” around the nation ...

Office space converted to condos to meet demand for urban housing

Agent uses GPS to track stolen sign to competitor’s garage

A real estate agent in the metro Denver market says after having nearly 100 Re/Max Momentum signs disappear in the past few months, he attached a $100 GPS tracking device on a sign and was able to track it to ...

Agent uses GPS to track stolen sign to competitor’s garage

House passes Innovation Act targeting patent ‘trolls’

The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation today designed to crack down on so-called “patent trolls,” earning kudos from the National Association of Realtors. “The Innovation Act of 2013 … will help curb abusive patent litigation and licensing schemes that ...

House passes Innovation Act targeting patent ‘trolls’

ZipRealty CEO Lanny Baker: An unbiased ratings and reviews system will improve your business

We listened to real estate buyers and homeowners two years ago when they told us that they were unsure -- even skeptical -- about the real estate agents they encountered online. The overwhelming feedback we received was, “How do we know the agents we see online are any good? I don’t trust what I see. Yelp! is the gold standard for ratings and reviews, and we wish there was a similar tool for real estate agents.” ...

ZipRealty CEO Lanny Baker: An unbiased ratings and reviews system will improve your business

Rooof touts automatic photo uploads as workaround for Craigslist ban

When Craigslist stopped letting brokers embed photos and links in listings posted to the site last month, The Real Deal predicted that the change would lead to the site becoming more of a “for-sale-by-owner” resource, as brokers have already been ...

Rooof touts automatic photo uploads as workaround for Craigslist ban

CoreLogic data to power Urban Institute’s housing finance research

Real estate data and technology firm CoreLogic will help power the housing finance research conducted by Washington, D.C.-based think tank The Urban Institute through a strategic alliance announced today. The Urban Institute, a nonpartisan economic and social policy research organization, ...

CoreLogic data to power Urban Institute’s housing finance research

After three decades in residential real estate, Fred Sands likes shopping malls

When he sold his Southern California brokerage business to Coldwell Banker at the turn of the century for more than $100 million, Fred Sands Realtors and its affiliated companies employed 4,000 and was generating $9.4 billion in sales per year. ...

After three decades in residential real estate, Fred Sands likes shopping malls

Mortgage rates increase sharply on positive housing reports

Fixed mortgage rates increased sharply this week on better-than-expected reports concerning private job growth and new home sales, Freddie Mac reported. Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 4.46 percent with an average point of 0.5 percent for the week ending ...

Mortgage rates increase sharply on positive housing reports

15 Fun Family Activities in Lake Norman

With the Holiday season approaching, now is a great time to get together with family and enjoy some of the many great activities the Lake Norman area has to offer. Today we bring you our top 15 fun activities to to with family around the Lake Norman area.

1. The Lazy 5 Ranch

The Lazy 5 Ranch is a drive through safari adventure perfect for all ages. From either the comfort of your own vehicle or a horse drawn hay ride wagon, you are able to purchase food and hand feed many different types of animals, such as Zebras, Ostriches, Deer, Elk, Giraffes, and many more. Lazy 5 Ranch combines education and entertainment for the whole family, and also serves as a shelter and recovery place for many different species.

For more information, visit the website here.

2. The Pit

If the weather is rainy and you've got a need for speed, check out The Pit in Mooresville. The Pit features an indoor go-kart racing track, an arcade, laser tag, billiards, and much more. At a whopping 140,000 square ft of floor space, The Pit provides exciting activities for any age group.

For more information, visit the website here.

3. Queens Landing

Whether you take a cruise on Lake Norman or stay on shore, you're bound to have a great time with Queens Landing. Queens Landing offers sightseeing, lunch, dinner, and romantic moonlight cruises aboard their two boats, Lady of the Lake and Catawba Queen. Lakeside you are awaited by miniature golf, tennis courts, Scoops by the Lake Ice Cream Parlor, Maverick's Lakeside Country Bar & Grill, patio seating, and banquet rooms. During the summer there is also live music located in the new amphitheater.

For more information, visit the website here.

4. Balloons Over Charlotte

If you're feeling adventurous, hop aboard a hot air balloon at Balloons Over Charlotte for a breathtaking sight you'll never forget. Their professional pilots will take you on a captivating excursion into the sky at the most beautiful times of the day, perfect for photographs or romantic settings. The Balloons Over Charlotte flight includes a full hour in the sky and complimentary refreshments.

For more information, visit the website here.

5. Carolina Raptor Center

The Carolina Raptor Center is a zoo-like rehabilitation facility for injured birds or birds that have difficulty surviving on their own. The Center features a 3/4 mile nature trail for a self guided tour of over 20 species of various raptors in their aviaries, including hawks, falcons, eagles, buzzards, owls, and more. The Carolina Raptor Center provides entertainment and education with presentations with the raptors and personal stories of how they came to live at the facility.

For more information, visit the website here.

6. Birkdale Village

For great shopping, delicious dining, and fun entertainment, Birkdale Village is one stop that can not be missed. Birkdale Village is an area like no other in the area as it melds together a shopping and residential atmosphere for a rich urban experience. With dozens of stores, restaurants, and more, Birkdale Village is a varied and expansive community for the entire family to enjoy.

For more information, visit the website here.

7. Lake Norman State Park

Located near the North side of the beautiful Lake Norman, the Lake Norman State Park features the only swimming beach area of the lake. The Lake Norman State Park also features fun biking and hiking trails, fishing, camping spots, and picnic areas.

For more information, visit the website here.

8. North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame

Racing fans can delight in the many different racing attractions offered by the North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame, such as a museum with over 40 race cars, an art gallery featuring many of the motorsports' top artists, and a gift shop with a wide selection of memorabilia. The North Carolina Auto Racing Hall of Fame is also the Official Visitor Center for Mooresville and provides all race fans with a free shop guide and map.

For more information, visit the website here.

9. Lake Norman Monster Cruises

Get ready for a fun sightseeing adventure tour of Lake Norman while searching for "Normie" the Lake Norman Monster. Step aboard the largest yacht on the lake with the Lake Norman Monster Cruises and prepare to scout out areas Normie likes to hang out in. The Lake Norman Monster Cruises provide cookies & milk for children and teaches them about conservation, preservation, and the Lake Norman ecosystem. Don't forget your camera!

For more information, visit the website here.

10. The Historic Latta Plantation

Built around 1800, The Latta Plantation is a living history farm and cotton plantation located within the Latta Plantation Nature Preserve. Experience a rich historical and cultural experience with guided and self guided tours of the house and grounds. In addition to the tours, The Latta Plantation offers 35 special events a year, five themed summer day camps, homeschool programs, workshops, and educational field trips. Participate in unique interactive historical programs, visit rare and endangered breeds of livestock, visit the honey bees, and much more.

For more information, visit the website here.

11. Discovery Place Kids

Explore the theme of 'I CAN' at Discovery Place Kids in Huntersville. This children's museum features developmentally appropriate experiences that encourage imagination and offer the opportunity to build confidence while testing new skills by trying new things. Themed around a small town, the Discovery Place Kids exhibits allow children to learn through fun and play. Your child can be a firefighter, a chef or explorer, build a castle, create a masterpiece, and captain a boat. Visit a farm, run a grocery store, and dig in an outdoor Garden. The possibilities for fun are endless at Discovery Place Kids.

For more information, visit the website here.

12. The Carolina Renaissance Festival

The Carolina Renaissance Festival is a captivating medieval amusement park, featuring a 11-stage theater, a 22 acre village marketplace, an interactive circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament and a feast. The Carolina Renaissance Festival is a non-stop, all day magical family adventure. The festival is seasonal so don't let this one pass you by!

For more information, visit the website here.

13. Blue Water Environmental Center

The Blue Water Environmental Center is a hands on educational center about water and wastewater. At the Blue Water Environmental Center, you can expect tons of fun water activities, such as pumping water uphill, testing water quality, locating an underground pipe, following a robotic camera through a sewer manhole, turning valves and hydrants, and much more. The center educates you about the water cycle and all other things water related as well.

For more information, visit the website here.

14. Ghost Walk of Davidson

The Ghost Walk of Davidson is a walking historic tour of the town of Davidson. During the guided tour, you will listen to rich local history, ghost stories, and tales of local haunts. The Ghost Walk of Davidson tour lasts about two hours and is offered year round by reservation.

For more information, visit the website here.

15. Blythe Landing

Blythe Landing is a county Park and Recreation property of 26 acres. The park features floating piers, boat launching, and a dockside cafe to enjoy a bite to eat by the water. Blythe Landing also features a playground, picnic areas, and sand volleyball courts.

For more information, visit the website here.