It's OK, you can tell us. What have you been hoping for, dreaming of and angling toward in your real estate business for 2023?
The pandemic party for short-term rental investors is ending
It may not be an "Airbnbust," but homeowners who rent their properties on platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo stand to see occupancy rates rise and revenue slow in 2023, according to AirDNA.
Proptechs, polish your pitch decks: Fifth Wall closes record $866M fund
Venture capital firm Fifth Wall Ventures' fund, the largest ever to focus on real estate technology, will back early- and late-stage proptech companies, including some home renovation innovators.
The Property Brothers Reveal the Single Best Upgrade To Fend Off Nosy Guests
It isn’t every day property brothers Jonathan and Drew Scott get to work with a fellow designer who has her own furniture line, so they’re doubly excited to meet model, designer, and entrepreneur Cindy Crawford on the latest “Celebrity IOU.”
In the episode “Cindy Crawford’s Super Remodel,” the Scott brothers drive to Woodland Hills in L.A. to help Crawford’s longtime personal trainer spruce up her very first house before she and her family move in.
“Sara and her husband have had a rough go of it,” explains Drew. “Her husband got cancer, and they were never able to buy a house because all the extra funds they had were going toward medical bills. So they scraped enough together, they found a great house, but they did not have enough money to renovate. So enter Cindy…”
Crawford wants to make sure the home is completely renovated and perfect before Sara moves in, and is ready to roll up her sleeves and help out in a big way. And it turns out she knows a thing or two about decor. So this time, we get decoration tips from Crawford as well as Jonathan and Drew. Take a look at the latest round of celeb-approved design tips that may be worth trying on your own abode, too.
Former LA home of ‘First Lady of Television’ Betty White demolished
Located in the Brentwood enclave of Los Angeles, the former home of the television-acting "Golden Girl" was razed in the past week, with only a fireplace and chimney remaining of the original structure.
Reduced refi fears could help ease pressure on mortgage rates
Mortgage investors have been demanding higher yields because of fears that borrowers will refinance if rates fall.
Flat-fee brokerage Houwzer acquires rival Trelora
The acquisition will expand the company's footprint to 14 states. The deal also comes amid a challenging time for the real estate technology sector.
Make It a Triple! A Collection of Waterfront Mansions Is New Jersey’s Priciest Listing at $25M
If you’ve always wanted to own a family compound, this could be the one. A trio of waterfront estates has splashed onto the market in Brick, NJ, for a cool $25 million—the state’s most expensive listing.
The adjacent megamansions are situated on a stunning 2-acre lot, at the edge of the Metedeconk River.
“The properties are each being maintained by the same housekeepers and gardeners,” says listing agent Robert Cecchini, of Keller Williams Shore Properties. “You can access each home from inside the parklike grounds.”
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The Agency makes its way down the coast with move into Chesapeake
The office marks the luxury brokerage's first foray into the state of Virginia and the company's 67th office to date.
5 Common Reasons Why New Homeowners Call a Handyman
Moving into a new home is supposed to be joyful. Before moving day, you may have pictured yourself spending the next several weeks painting walls, decorating, and breathing a sigh of relief after a grueling buying process. The t’s are crossed, the i’s are dotted, and you can finally chill. Congrats—you’re a homeowner!
But amid all of that excitement, many new homeowners have found unanticipated expenses due to a laundry list of items that need fixing. This is often the case with homes that were purchased as is. But even homes that went through a thorough inspection can be ticking time bombs for unexpected repairs.
We reached out to real estate pros and recent homebuyers to uncover the most common reasons why new owners call a handyman. Read on for what home inspectors might overlook, what kind of fixes they entail, and what to watch out for the next time you’re in the market for a new home.
1. Dryer vents
If a washer and dryer are blocking the vents, home inspectors often skip inspecting them.
Where Does Dust Come From? And How Do You Battle It?
You may be wondering how dust gets into your home after wiping a fine layer off the coffee table you swear you just cleaned the day before. It doesn’t matter if you live in the city or the burbs, dust will find its way into your home—and it’s not going away anytime soon.
What to know about dust
Dust is a combination of very fine, dry particles of matter found in the local environment. These particles are lighter than air and become visible only when they accumulate.
The vast majority of household dust is composed of the following:
Dead skin cells: Gross but true, we all naturally shed to generate new skin.Pet dander: Like humans, pets naturally shed their skin.Textile fibers: Your carpets, bedding, and clothing simply break down over time.Dust mites and insect droppings: OK, now we’re really grossed out. Microscopic arachnids feed on human skin cells and release droppings.Dust found outdoors is primarily made up of elements carried by the wind, including the following:
The Best Home Selling Advice of 2022: Our Top Tips for Sellers To Use in the New Year
Photo-Illustration by Realtor.com; Photos: Getty Images (5)
If you’re like a lot of sellers in the latter part of 2022, you decided not to put your house on the market this year. Sure, you knew about record-high home prices. But maybe you also heard how, at the end of the year, homes were lingering on the market and that sellers had to offer price reductions to unload their properties.
Or maybe your current home has a low mortgage rate that you don’t want to trade in for a higher one that will come with buying a new home.
Whatever the reason, 2022 was not the year for you to plant a “For Sale” sign in your front yard. But perhaps 2023 is.
So to help you fetch top dollar, in the shortest amount of time—with the least possible amount of headaches—we rounded up our top advice stories on home selling over the past 12 months. And we also highlight one top tip from each article as a holiday gift that will keep giving in 2023. Here’s to a healthy, happy, and profitable new year!
Lesson Learned: Stop focusing on the one-hit wonders
For Miami real estate agent Joan Bruggink, your network is your most valuable asset. Stop playing to those one and done deals and start nurturing your sphere.
With Compass as North Star, new brokerages break free of legacy models
There is proof that some good is emerging from the industry boat race that Compass created. Its wide, frothing wake helped other alternative brokerage messages reach the surface, and agents are responding to it.
I want to put some of the reality back into realty
Broker and real estate expert Teresa Boardman feels it is time to put the real back into real estate. The average transaction isn't typically camera-ready. When things get real, real quick in real estate she says that we need to leave the drama on TV where it belongs.
You Can Huff and You Can Puff: $1.3M Pensacola Dome Home Is Made To Outsmart Hurricanes
Designed to weather the elements in storm-prone Pensacola, FL, a domed waterfront home definitely stands out—or around, at least.
The house was built in 2007 by owners who wanted a unique and, most importantly, hurricane-proof structure.
“They weren’t always in Pensacola,” explains listing agent Bill Dyess, with Avast Realty. “They wanted to build something that they could leave and not have to worry about during hurricane season.”
So they built a 3,000-square-foot dwelling with 30-foot ceilings and an open-dome structure, on more than a half-acre. The wildly unique abode is now listed for $1.3 million.
SoCal Home Renovated for Upcoming Season of ‘Fix My Flip’ Now on the Market for $839K
Driving by this storybook cottage in Buena Park, CA, you might expect gingerbread cookies to be baking in the oven and the aroma scenting the quaint home.
But if you look inside, it’s clear that a design professional has completely transformed the place.
The 1,481-square-foot home, originally built in 1959, has a hint of whimsy, but it’s fit for a thoroughly modern family. It’s just popped up on the market for $839,000.
Renovation and real estate expert Page Turner has been on the scene, helping the homeowners turn around an awkward investment project on the HGTV show “Fix My Flip.”
Mark Wahlberg Drops the Price of His Estate, and We Recap ‘Selling the OC’ Season Finale
“House Party” is the official Realtor.com® podcast about the overlapping worlds of home and pop culture, hosted by Rachel Stults and Natalie Way. Click the player above to hear our take on this week’s hot topics.
On this episode of “House Party,” we get into why Mark Wahlberg dropped the price of his Beverly Hills, CA, estate and why Ryan Seacrest accepted way less than the original asking price of his hillside mansion, also in Beverly Hills.
Then, we conclude our recap of Season 1 of “Selling the OC.” The drama comes to a head, and The Oppenheim Group agents duel it out during a yacht party. Who comes out on top? Pop some Champagne, press play on the player above, and join us as we discuss it all.
$2.2M Modernist Dwelling From the Atomic Age a Rare Treat in the Nation’s Capital
A gorgeous and rare midcentury modern home in Washington, DC, is now available for $2,195,000.
Most residences in the nation’s capital are row homes, stately manors, or condos, so it’s a treat to see an atomic-age gem in DC.
Built in 1961 and known as the A. F. Maxwell House, the 3,344-square-foot, four-bedroom dwelling features glass facades and spacious cantilevered terraces. It was designed by George T. Ward and modified in 1987 by Joan Fabry of Fabry Associates Architects.
“The home was expanded on rather seamlessly,” says listing agent Christopher Ritzert, of TTR Sotheby’s International Realty. “It is a steel beam construction. The beams were extended to the roofline, and the decks appear to be floating.”
The Real Brokerage names Sharran Srivatsaa as new president
The Real Brokerage said serial real estate entrepreneur Sharran Srivatsaa would help guide the company as it continues expanding to new markets.