Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips - Stephen Tome - iPro Real Estate

Instagram Adds Ability to Follow a Hashtag

Image-focused social network Instagram announced that it is making hashtags more findable and followable. You’ll now be able to follow hashtags to see top posts and stories about a topic on your home page. This opens the door for real estate professionals to easily follow housing-related photos and topics and track conversations on Instagram.“Following a hashtag is just like following a friend,” Instagram explains at its blog. “To get sta

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Mortgage Applications Teeter as Rates Rise

Loan demand dropped 2.3 percent last week as a slight increase in rates may have spooked potential home buyers and refinancers.The Mortgage Bankers Association reported that applications to refinance saw the bulk of the decrease last week, dropping 3 percent for the week. Applications to purchase a home saw a 1 percent decrease for the week. However, applications to buy are still 10 percent higher than the same week a year ago, the MBA reports.Th

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Mall Giant Westfield Sold in $16B Deal

Several malls in the U.S. are getting a new owner. Mall operating giant Westfield is being acquired by Unibail-Rodamco, a commercial real estate giant based in France, in a deal valued at nearly $16 billion. The sale comes at a time when the mall sector is struggling to define itself as it competes with growing threats from online shopping.Westfield is an Australian firm that operates 33 malls across the U.S. Its mall portfolio includes New York

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44% of Retirees Still Have a Mortgage

Many retirees are worried if they’ll ever be able to pay off their mortgage. Forty-four percent of 60- to 70-year-old retirees have a mortgage in retirement, according to American Financing’s 2017 Retirement and Mortgages Survey. Thirty-two percent predict it will take still take them more than eight years to pay off their mortgage.Baby boomers are carrying mortgage debt into retirement more than previous generations, a survey by Fannie Mae

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It's our 5-Year Anniversary! Buy or Sell Now and Receive 20% of All Commissions

 Trouble viewing this email? View in your browserBuy or sell now and receive 20% of all commissions Hello,Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.Today is iPro Real Estate's 5-year anniversary. We would be honored to help with your next real estate transaction and put some extra cash in your pockets. With a team of 100 salespeople, we'll be sure your real estate transactions are productive. Family and friends are also wel

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Inside Engel & Völkers’ virtual reality theater for home tours

Minneapolis office offers clients and their guests an immersive experienceThe moment I put on the Oculus Rift headset, I felt like I was inside one of Engel & Völkers’ listings.It only took a few seconds to master and then I was free to roam the house, admiring the tray ceilings in the dining room, wandering into the cozy den, ascending the stairs and meandering through each of the spacious bedrooms.All of this unfolded in the virtual r

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Sizing Up Garages By Region

Two-car garages are the most popular option in new homes nationwide, according to an analysis by the National Association of Home Builders of 2016 new-home construction data.Of all the single-family homes completed last year, 63 percent of the homes featured a two-car garage, while 22 percent had a garage suitable for three or more cars. Only 6 percent of new homes were built with a one-car garage and just 1 percent had a carport. Eight percent o

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No Evictions for the Holidays

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced a nationwide suspension of evictions on foreclosed single-family homes during the holiday season, between Dec. 18 to Jan. 2. The moratorium applies to all foreclosed, occupied homes owned by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae.Legal and administrative proceedings for evictions may continue, but families will be allowed to stay in their home over the holidays.“As we have done in past years, we are suspending evictions

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10 Festive Cities for Holiday Lovers

For those who are full of the holiday spirit, they may find their fa-la-la-la’s in these cities.“For a city to be really attractive for the holidays, it needs to offer something for everyone—from kids to the grandparents,” says Kirsten Maxwell, founder of kidsareatrip.com, a family activities website.Realtor.com®’s research team sifted through the data of the 150 of the largest metros to identify those with the most holiday magic. T

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Habits of Successful Home Flippers

Do you have the chops to be successful at home flipping? ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate data firm, reveals some of the top criteria from successful flippers. It based its findings on the most profitable flipping markets in the third quarter, which were: Pittsburgh, Baton Rouge, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Cleveland.A few habits of effective home flippers are:They know how to find a great deal.Home flippers in the most profitable markets pu

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