5 signs of a home improvement scam One in 10 owners has been scammed by a contractor, a new study shows. Here's why you should consider leveraging your list of reputable service providers for your clients. Full Story: REALTOR® Magazine (7/31)
Hosting great client calls requires confidence, connection PR pros can leverage a few key strategies to host productive calls with clients, and getting them right can help strengthen relationships, writes Ketner Group Communications CEO Catherine Seeds. Seeds advises PR pros to put in the necessary prep time, come to the call with new ideas, start the call with some personal connection time and listen to understand the client and confidently showcase their expertise. Full Story: Forbes (tiered subscription model) (7/28)
Listing appeals to dream of owning an island The listing for the 1.5 acre Duck Ledges Island in Maine received widespread interest before Charlotte Gale bought it and its tiny cabin. "What you feel here is the gentleness of the grace of nature," Gale says. Full Story: The New York Times (7/28)
Kimco Realty CEO points to strength of small businesses Kimco Realty CEO Conor Flynn discusses strength in the REIT's retail real estate, noting that demand is high but there has been little new supply over the past decade. One key takeaway is the "strength of the small business, which is really the lifeblood of the U.S. economy," Flynn said. Full Story: CNBC (7/27)
Technology & Innovations
4 ways to use AI in your brokerage Broker-owner Marki Lemons Rhyal says that even if you're not going to use artificial intelligence in your business, you need to know how it works. Here's why. Full Story: REALTOR® Magazine (7/28)
Fair & Equitable Housing
Mobile home parks face flood risk Mobile home parks in the U.S., often forgotten by policymakers, are facing heightened flood risks due to climate change. In Vermont, pandemic relief funds are being used to relocate homes from flood-prone areas to safer ground. Full Story: Reuters (7/31)
Legislation & Regulation
New rules may discourage lenders from offering mortgages Regulatory proposals aimed at increasing capital requirements for banks could cause a retreat from the mortgage space due to higher risk weightings for products with heightened loan-to-value ratios. Pete Mills of the Mortgage Bankers Association called the proposal "a disincentive for banks to make higher LTV loans," and David Dworkin of the National Housing Conference said it "would significantly discourage banks from lending to people with lower down payments." Full Story: American Banker (7/28)
Proposal addresses clean energy home improvement loans A rule proposed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would subject property-assessed clean energy, or PACE, lending to the ability-to-repay requirements and civil liability penalties imposed under the Truth in Lending Act. PACE loans that become unaffordable can result in borrowers facing foreclosure due to unpaid taxes or elevated escrow payments. Full Story: EnergyPortal (UK) (7/29)
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The National Association of REALTORS® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. REALTOR® Magazine is the official magazine of NAR, bringing expert insight to real estate trends, tools, and business strategies.
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