America overall is a compassionate nation. In 2015, Americans donated more than $373 billion to charities, a record high, according to Giving USA.“The U.S. is a generous country,” says William Chopik, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, who co-authored research about nations and empathy. “America is always coming to other countries’ aid whenever there’s a disaster. And hand in hand with that, we also ha
The prospect for growth in the housing market in 2017 remains solid, but that said, some anxiety may taper growth somewhat this year, according to Freddie Mac’s latest 2017 Outlook report on the housing market.“We must grapple with uncertainty about fiscal policy, foreign investments in U.S. real estate, and the size of the mortgage market,” says Sean Becketti, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Among the many uncertainties we highlighted,
Frigid temperatures and treacherous winter weather are here to stay a little while longer, since the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning, signaling six more weeks of winter.This weather prediction may even bring more deals for buyers wanting to kickstart their home search. Typically winter months have a higher number of housing bargains due to stressful weather conditions and lack of competition, with February coming out on to
Many cities are facing an affordability crisis when it comes to renting. In some places, renters are faced with paying more than 50 percent of their income to housing. And the problem stands to get much worse, according to AppFolio, a cloud-based property management software company. By 2025, about 16 million people in the U.S. will be considered rent-burdened, the firm says.AppFolio culled data from Axiometrics, an independent rental research fi
Confusion over down payment requirements is hindering some consumers’ confidence about buying a home.For the past three years, the median down payment for first-time buyers has been 6 percent and 14 percent for repeat buyers, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. Yet, when consumers are asked about the down payment amount they need to buy, 87 percent of non-owners say that a down payment of 1
Office construction is on the rise across the U.S., and 2017 is expected to be another mega year for the sector.Indeed, 2017 is expected to surpass office construction starts from 2016 by 10 percent – or 10 million more square feet than in 2016, according to Dodge Date & Analytics’ 2017 Dodge Construction Outlook. Dodge forecasters are predicting that this year the office sector will post the largest surge in starts than any other segment
You know the goal when it comes to online marketing: Get to the top of the search rankings. But are there certain things you could be doing that may be hampering your path to the top?Forbes.com recently featured several mistakes to avoid with your SEO. Among the most common mistakes:Thinking you don’t need to do any optimization.You may believe that the content you are serving up should suffice. But great content is no substitute for SEO. “
Many markets are calling for greater new-home construction to meet buyer demand and counter housing shortages plaguing many areas. But the homebuilding industry is facing a big challenge in meeting that call: They can’t find enough skilled workers.The Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey shows that nearly 200,000 construction industry jobs are unfilled across the country, an increase of 81 percent in just two years.
As you gather around the TV, munchies in hand, to watch the Super Bowl this Sunday, take note of more than just the big plays and even bigger commercials. Brokers and agents can learn a thing or two about acing their next presentation from the players on the field.Whether you’re in a one-on-one meeting with clients, speaking at your local chamber of commerce, assuming a leadership role in community, or getting in front of your entire company or
President Donald Trump reportedly will sign an executive action Friday to scale back the regulatory system that was put in place in 2010 in response to the financial crisis. The Trump administration has set out to remove what it views as regulatory burdens by overhauling mortgage financing giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and easing lending regulations."Americans are going to have better choices and Americans are going to have better products b
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