Smart home technology is useful for many reasons. It improves security, helps improve energy-efficiency, and makes it more convenient for the home's occupants. There is also a new trend in the use of smart home technology as a sales tool to help sell a home or a condominium. A real-estate agency in Atlanta, Georgia is using Alexa® devices, along with nicely-framed display cards, to help prospective buyers learn more about a condominium that is for sale in the Districts Lofts building. There are now more than 53 million personal assistant devices, such as the Alexa® device from Amazon … [Read More...]
Decorating and putting the finishing touches on your new home is definitely one of the most fun parts of moving. It's satisfying to fill your new home with furnishings and décor choices that reflect your personality and lifestyle. One of the most overlooked aspects of decorating is the hardware. However, hardware changes can dramatically transform your home in unexpected ways. Here are some ideas to use. Install A New Door Knocker If your new home has a door knocker, replace it with a new one. If it doesn't already have one, it's easy to install a door knocker using a simple household … [Read More...]
Last week’s economic news included readings on home price trends, pending home sales and weekly readings on average mortgage rates and first-time jobless claims. The University of Michigan also released consumer sentiment report. Case-Shiller Reports Slower Home Price Growth in June According to Case-Shiller Home Price Indices for June, home prices gained an average of 2.10 percent year-over-year. This was the slowest growth of home prices since 2012. Analysts said that home prices grew at one-third the 6.30 percent that home prices grew last year. Home prices grew fastest in … [Read More...]
When buying real estate there are certain standard rights usually included, unless the property has an encumbrance that in some way causes an exclusion as noted in the sale.There are also additional rights that may or may not be in the sale, which may represent significant value. Standard Real Estate Ownership Rights The standard rights conveyed to the owner of the title deed for a property include: Possession: Possession is a legal word for ownership. Possession occurs after closing on the purchase of a property, receiving the title, and recording the sale with the county office where the … [Read More...]
A 1031 tax exchange is a legal way to defer paying capital gains when selling a property and then buying a "like-kind" property within the allowed period. The time limits allowed are 45 calendar days after the close of the sale of the first property to identify the like-kind property for acquisition and then close the purchase transaction to complete the 1031 exchange within 180 calendar days. Like-Kind Property The property's broad characteristics determine if it is a like-kind property, not the quality of the asset. In real estate investing, there is a wide variety of things that qualify for … [Read More...]
Home price growth continued to slow in June according to Case-Shiller's 20-City Home Price Index. 17 cities reported higher home prices in June, but three cities reported lower home prices month-to-month. Seattle, Washington was the only city to report lower home prices year-over-year in June. Phoenix, Arizona Home Price Growth Highest in June Phoenix, Arizona toppled Last Vegas, Nevada's hold on first place for home price growth in June. According to Case-Shiller's 20-City Home Price Index, home prices in Phoenix rose by 5.80 percent year-over-year in June. Las Vegas, Nevada followed closely … [Read More...]