Even as paperless transactions simplify the homebuying process, not everyone wants to go completely digital. So for buyers who want to opt out of an online closing or are not eligible for one, Notarize, an electronic notarization provider, has debuted a “hybrid closing” option. With this process, buyers can review and sign the majority of closing documents digitally, but the paperwork will still be physically furnished on settlement
At an open house, buyers will carefully size up a home, either to buy or simply out of curiosity. Here are a few details to pay particular attention to when prepping for an open house:The front door: This is the first spot buyers see. Is the paint chipped? Are the lighting fixtures covered in spiderwebs? The front door could set the tone for the rest of the house on whether this is a well-kept house or one that lacks maintenance, Elizabeth L
If you spot a bird nest near a home, don’t be quick to dismiss it. Nesting birds can cause more damage to your home than you might expect, warns a new article at realtor.com®.By nature, birds want to nest near homes, associating it as a protected location away from predators and extreme temperatures, Dirk Van Vuren, professor of wildlife biology at the University of California, Davis, told realtor.com®.But nesting birds can actually physicall
A great lawn adds instant curb appeal to a home’s first impression, but according to Reviewed.com, homeowners may be making one of these common mistakes in their lawn maintenance:1. Cutting the grass too short. Most grasses should be cut no shorter than 2.5 inches, according to Reviewed.com. Anything shorter could impede the grasses’ ability to absorb enough sunlight to thrive.2. Failing to water enough. Reviewed.com says that most
Home shoppers are focusing their attention on outdoor spaces, but with yard sizes decreasing nationwide, how can you make a small backyard appealing to your buyers? A recent article at Apartment Therapy featured designers who showed off their best design tricks to make a small backyard feel less cramped.Add Seating “No matter how small your outdoor area, you’re going to want to create a sitting area or else you won’t take full advantage of
You can make any listing picture-perfect with virtual staging tools, which can do everything from manipulating the appearance of skies in photos to making empty properties look like modern spaces with fancy fixtures. But there is such a thing as going too far—and it could land you in hot water.When virtual staging changes listing photos drastically from their original appearance, it can be misleading and give buyers a false impression of a prop
Property managers can be held legally responsible for discrimination and harassment by contractors, such as maintenance workers, and for failing to address a tenant who is infringing on the rights of another tenant, experts said Thursday during the Property Management Forum at the REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C.Further, property managers must also address issues of tenants’ visitors harassing other tenants,
Real estate pros may be smart to carve out a new-home niche in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, region. The metro area saw the highest number of new-home construction in the first quarter, according to new data from Metrostudy Inc.Home construction in the metroplex totaled more than 34,500 units on an annualized basis, topping Houston’s 30,206. Central Florida was third in construction, with about 28,000 homes last year.Metrostudy says that housin
Homeowners are showing more love for their front yards, carving out a spot to mingle with neighbors and relax. A new article at realtor.com® says front yards and porches are among the hottest outdoor trends of the season—a trend that is stretching way beyond just Southern states.“People are rediscovering the joys of using the front yard and porch as an extended living room,” Pablo Solomon, a designer in Austin, Texas, told realtor.com®.
A remodeling labor shortage continues to impact housing projects by increasing prices and delaying timetables, a new survey from the National Association of Home Builders shows. Remodeling jobs that involve carpenters, framing crews, bricklayers, and electricians are seeing some of the largest shortages.“The labor shortage continues to be one of the top concerns for remodelers across the country,” says Tim Ellis, the NAHB’s Remodelers chair
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