Property Tour AI bets on virtual agents as tour guides: Tech Review

Property Tour AI is a marketing tool that uses computer-generated "agents" as property presenters. The on-screen avatar hosts the video tour, reciting a script of highlights and features.

Eklund-Gomes renews 5-year contract with Douglas Elliman

While several other high-powered teams have left Douglas Elliman this year, Fredrik Eklund, John Gomes and Julia Spillman have decided to stay with the New York City-based firm for another five years. The group's 90 agents have completed $4 billion in sales this year.

Real (Estate) Talk: The courage to advocate for change with Elaine Gross

In this Real (Estate) Talk episode, expert Dr. Lee Davenport chats with the recently retired Elaine Gross, the founding president of ERASE Racism, the civil rights organization based on New York’s Long Island.

Supra revamps website to ‘reflect the brand’s growing digital services’

The new website intends to “make it easier than ever for customers to find what they need and experience the benefits our solutions offer,“ the company said in a statement.

Team structures are absolute nonsense: The Real Word

This week, Byron Lazine and Nicole White are talking about teams, teamerages, and expansion teams and their effect on rankings, how agents can help buyers obtain down payment assistance, plus topics from left, middle and right.

Property Brother Drew Scott Reveals a Fun Fact About His Own Kitchen—and What’s New on His Wish List

HGTV

HGTV stars Jonathan and Drew Scott always pour their all into every client’s renovation, but on the latest “Property Brothers: Forever Home,” they even borrow an idea straight out of Drew’s own kitchen.

In the episode “It Takes a Village,” the Scott brothers meet Jessica, a mother of two who’s trying to move on after the loss of her husband, Joe, an avid skateboarder. They’d bought a fixer-upper in Burbank, CA, with grand plans for the space.

“We had so many conversations about what we wanted to do with this home, and we started to save our money,” Jessica shares. She has a renovation budget of $200,000, which she now hands to the property brothers hoping they can resume where she left off.

Jonathan and Drew do that and so much more. Check out what they change, and learn plenty of lessons that could work wonders in your own abode.

Jessica isn't a fan of the faux rock wall.
Joe's skateboards make for sentimental decor.
Replacing the tile countertops is a renovation priority.
The Property Brothers install honed quartz countertops in the kitchen.
Jessica's existing bathroom is in bad shape.
Multiple tile patterns delineate the shower space from the rest of the bathroom.
A reconfigured pantry area includes more storage options.
A transition piece is placed between the fireplace and the floor.
The covered patio provides an opportunity for Jessica to have her own dedicated space.
Drew and Jonathan use plants to section off the patio.
Jessica's neighbors join her on reveal day.
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Sales plunge 35% in November, marking biggest decline on record

Home sales posted their biggest annual decline since Redfin started tracking the metric in 2012, according to data released Thursday.

Mortgage Rates Give Homebuyers Some Holiday Relief, Falling for Sixth Week in a Row

GETTY IMAGES

The numbers: Mortgage rates continued to inch downwards, providing some relief to prospective homeowners.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.27% as of December 22, according to data released by Freddie Mac on Thursday.

That’s down 4 basis points from the previous week—one basis point is equal to one-hundredth of a percentage point.

Rates have dropped for the sixth week in a row. Rates were last at this level in mid-September. Last week, the 30-year was at 6.31%. Last year, the 30-year was averaging at 3.05%

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5 Real-Life Gingerbread Houses That Look Straight Out of Santa’s Village

Realtor.com

‘Tis the perfect holiday season to celebrate the beloved gingerbread house style.

The unique design has been around since the 1800s, when it was introduced to add a bit more verve to the traditional Victorian. In the 1900s, the “gingerbread” moniker gained fame and has since become a delightful, stand-alone style.

With lacy trim gables, classic Victorian charm, decorative woodworking, and candy colors, these five gingerbread houses look like they could be straight out of Santa’s Village.

1. 201 W Robert Toombs Ave, Washington, GA

Price: $750,000
Why it’s here: The intricate detailing, carved railings, and gorgeous cupola make this four-bedroom home stand out.






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‘Lego Movie’ honcho inks $91M sale, rounding out biggest deals of 2022

Jonathan Burton, a video game designer, film producer and director behind more than two dozen Lego movies and games, sold the Malibu mansion at the wire to score one of the top deals of 2022.

This tiny Midwestern village was Zillow’s most-searched city of 2022

Prairie City, Kansas, on the Kansas-Missouri state line, was Zillow's most popular housing market in 2022, drawing unusually high traffic and leading the site for daily page views, the portal revealed.

Broker Spotlight: Noa Levy, The Agency Austin

Today, the spotlight shines on Austin, Texas, managing broker Noa Levy of The Agency, who brings a global perspective to her professional and personal commitments.

On Gay Street, Another Piece of NYC’s History Is Coming Down

Like other vulnerable landmarks across the city, the house at 14 Gay Street — which helped inspire the musical “Wonderful Town” — is being demolished.

Fox News Host Jesse Watters Selling New Jersey Home for $1.85M

Getty Images / Realtor.com

Bye-bye, beachfront! Fox News host Jesse Watters has listed his cute abode on the Jersey Shore for $1,849,000.

Fittingly located in the seaside town of Beach Haven, NJ, the beach home comes with four bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and 2,000 square feet of living space. The price was recently reduced by $50,000.

Featuring an open floor plan, the interiors are spacious and bright. The home is ideal for warm-weather vacations and weekend getaways from New York City.

The home was built in 1984 and recently updated.

Realtor.com








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5 Common Home Painting Bloopers—and How To Avoid Them

Getty Images

Plenty of us are looking to cut costs these days. The problem: Home upgrades that seem like wallet-friendly DIY projects often turn into money pits that require professional intervention. Take painting your home, for example: At face value, it seems like a great plan. Experts say painting a room yourself costs about half of what hiring a pro will set you back—that is, unless you screw it up.

Which happens. A lot.

If you’re determined to revamp your house with a new color or creative design, avoid making these common painting bloopers—lest you find yourself shelling out big bucks to a pro who can fix your mistake.

1. Being sloppy with stencils

To avoid making a mistake on stenciling projects, don’t overload your brush with paint.

Getty Images






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What You Need to Earn to Buy a Home in the Largest U.S. Cities

These days, higher home prices and interest rates mean you’ll need a higher income if you want to qualify for a mortgage.

What You Need to Earn to Buy a Home in the Largest U.S. Cities

These days, higher home prices and interest rates mean you’ll need a higher income if you want to qualify for a mortgage.

Behind the Scenes of ‘Buying Beverly Hills’: 5 Shockers About the 90210 ZIP Code—and the State of Reality TV

Getty Images

Every tony neighborhood seems to have its own reality TV show these days—think “Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles,” “Selling Sunset,” and “Selling the OC,” among others. So it’s high time that the most famous ZIP code of all has finally joined the club.

We’re talking, of course, about 90210, which is the subject of the new series “Buying Beverly Hills.” Now airing on Netflix, this show features the behemoth real estate enterprise known as The Agency forging deals for the rich and famous on some of the most luxurious properties in this affluent Los Angeles suburb and surrounding area.

The Agency’s charismatic CEO and co-founder Mauricio Umansky might look familiar to fans of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” since he’s the husband of original cast member Kyle Richards.

Mauricio Umansky of “Buying Beverly Hills”

Courtesy of NETFLIX/© 2022 Netflix, Inc.

buying beverly hills
buying beverly hills
buying beverly hills
Mauricio Umanski and daughters Farrah Brittany and Alexia Umansky
Mauricio informing his daughters
'Female cast members of Buying Beverly Hills' width=572
Buyers' agent Melissa Platt
$139 million mansion
buying beverly hills
buying beverly hills
buying beverly hills
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Reality check! 5 steps to take before setting next year’s goals

As an agent, when it comes to increasing your business in the new year, you need an actionable plan before the year starts if you want to be intentional and strategic about achieving your goals.

In the Village, Another Piece of the City’s History Is Coming Down

Like other vulnerable landmarks across the city, the house at 14 Gay Street — which helped inspire the musical “Wonderful Town” — is being demolished.

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