As the founder of Vacation Property Partners, I encourage careful thought, analysis, and prudence before taking that big step to buy a vacation home,” states Ed Kushins, vacation property visionary, and entrepreneur. “Here are some things you can consider to mitigate some of the possible mistakes noted in the Yahoo Finance article.”

Making an Emotional Investment

Kushins continues, “I couldn’t agree more that vacation home buyers need to fully understand all the financial aspects related to buying their vacation home. That’s why we created a unique, easy-to-use ‘Vacation Home Expense Calculator” that’s free on our site.

“It’s the only analysis tool we know of that’s available for buyers to see, in detail, the all-in cost of every element of owning their vacation home. And how they can cut all actually those costs in half. But while you need to do your financial due diligence, I would encourage you to not disregard the emotional investment, and make sure you place you get is going to provide you the happy memories you are buying a vacation home for in the first place.”

Not Thoroughly Researching the Neighborhood

Ask Brian is a weekly column by Real Estate Expert Brian Kline. If you have questions on real estate investing, DIY, home buying/selling, or other housing inquiries please email your questions to askbrian@realtybiznews.com.

Question from Ellie in ID: Hi Brian, We had a purchase offer accepted more than four months ago but it hasn’t closed yet. In fact, our mortgage was just given final approval less than a week ago. The interest rate is two and a half percentage points higher than what we had planned on, and our payments will be $515 higher on the $345,000 home. The delay was because my husband took a better job a week after we made the offer. We had to change lenders after the offer was made and it took longer than we thought it would. Four months ago, we made the full-price offer with only a financing contingency, which is probably why the seller has been patient with us. My husband’s new job is better but not enough to make up for the big jump in our mortgage payment. We’ve talked to our agent about renegotiating the price so that we are comfortable with the monthly payment. We suggested lowering the selling price to $320,000 which would mean our payment would still be $370 more than we planned but we can live with that. Our agent says it would be unethical to try renegotiating the price after the offer was accepted and especially since the seller has been patient with us. She says the only way we can get out of the deal is by forfeiting the $5,000 earnest money we put down. Do we have any other options to get a better price on the house?

Answer: Hello Ellie. The short answer is no, you probably don’t have many (if any) other options. If you’re having second thoughts and want to back out of an accepted purchase offer, things can get complicated. It sounds to me that you have agreed to everything that has come in front of you up to this point. Mainly that you signed a purchase offer for $345,000 and have been approved for a mortgage without any other contingencies. 

If you want out of the deal, it sounds like your agent has explained that it will cost you the earnest money. When you sign a purchase agreement for real estate, you’re legally bound to the contract terms. Earnest money shows the seller that you’re serious about purchasing the house and plan to follow through on the agreement. It’s not fair to the seller to pull their home off the market if a buyer is not totally serious. Just like the interest rate changed for you, the market conditions are changing for the seller. While it is still mostly a seller’s market, it might not be by the time they find another buyer. The seller has also probably taken other action in anticipation that the sale will go through. Maybe they sold furniture with plans to downsize or spent money from savings with a plan to replace it with money from the home sale.

You didn’t say how much the appraisal came in for but since you’ve been approved for the mortgage, it must have been for at least the contract amount. That’s another reason why the seller is not motivated to accept a lower offer from you. 

BatchService, a leading SaaS provider for the real estate industry, has announced the general availability of BatchLeads 3.0, a comprehensive property intelligence software platform designed for professionals working in and around residential real estate. Powered by industry-leading property and homeowner data, BatchLeads 3.0 is designed to help real estate professionals work smarter, find leads faster, and close more deals.

Building on the success of the 2.0 platform, BatchService has incorporated a host of new features and functionality to help customers improve lead generation, streamline communications and do more from anywhere.

Driving for dollars – In-person or virtually, users can canvass neighborhoods, track routes, and identify new investment opportunities.Click-to-dial – Single-click access to property owners and investors with unlimited calling from the desktop or mobile application.Lead scoring – Assign scores to specific property and homeowner characteristics to quickly identify ideal opportunities and prioritize outreach efforts.Mobile app – With the power of the platform in an intutitive mobile app, users can add leads, drive for dollars and contact property owners from anywhere.Workspaces – Designed to support growing and distributed real estate businesses, workspaces help teams effectively manage leads, campaigns, and outreach.

“BatchLeads 3.0 represents the future of property intelligence software, with expanded integrations, a powerful mobile app and the scalability real estate businesses need,” said BatchService CEO Jesse Burrell. “BatchService grew out of our experience and passion for real estate, and we believe this release delivers on our promise to provide the most comprehensive property data and prospecting tool on the market.”

Founded in 2018, BatchService offers a suite of real estate software for wholesalers, investors, agents, lenders, title companies, home services and property technology providers. The BatchLeads platform is powered by industry-leading property data, while seamless integrations with BatchSkipTracing gives users access to the most accurate homeowner data on the market and BatchDialer provides the most advanced and easy-to-use dialing technology.

ABOUT BATCHSERVICE
BatchService is a real estate data and technology company. At BatchService, we provide visibility into real estate assets through real-time property intelligence, empowering real estate professionals to better identify opportunities and directly engage with property owners, investors, and agents. BatchService provides a suite of tools to manage client records, organize lists, comp properties, and surface investor insights. Our developer-friendly API endpoints fuel innovation for the proptech ecosystem.

Painting your property is an essential step in protecting and maintaining its quality. Most homes require a fresh coat of paint every ten years or so. Painting your house makes it more weatherproof, keeps it looking nice, and increases your enjoyment of it overall. 

The problem is that painting a house by oneself can take ages. Additionally, if your Denver home requires painting and you are thinking of doing it yourself, you will need long ladders to access the second or third floors.

It prompts many people to hire a professional, which has its difficulties. They’ll have to look into house painters, identify one who is truly within their budget, arrange a few interviews, etc. 

You will learn about the numerous parts of home painting in this article, including how often you should paint, what to expect from a painting company, and much more.

About painting contractors and their work

The decision to hire a contractor for home improvement is significant. Thank goodness some experts can handle damage restoration jobs. They’ll do their best to restore a home or business to its “normal” state. Hiring them helps reduce some of the situation’s tension. But a significant level of trust is placed in the competence of the personnel you invite into your house. You want to know the task will be done correctly, regardless of the restoration type.

Research and choose a few reputable local businesses to call or email to ask questions. Asking questions about their procedures, schedules, and projections will help you better understand the company you are choosing. Read the entire article to know what questions you can ask your Minneapolis roofing company before hiring them.

Top 6 questions to ask damage restoration company

You should ask as many questions as possible when interviewing damage restoration contractors. The following are some potential questions to ask:

·       Ask them about their working experience in this field?

One of the things real estate agents struggle with in digital marketing is coming up with ideas for content.  Most know that content is a cornerstone of a strong digital marketing strategy, but are lost when it comes to coming up with fresh content.  

What if I told you that there’s a tool that will tell you exactly what questions people are asking Google related to your service?  What if I told you that tool was actually provided by Google and powered by their search data and AI platform?  Meet Google Question Hub, a free beta platform they provide to website admins to research questions that People Often Ask in Google.  

What is Google’s Question Hub?

The primary function of Google’s Question Hub is to help content creators identify questions that lack answers in Google.  Content creators can input their transactional keywords into this tool and Google will provide a list of related questions.  These questions are informational queries that share two qualities:

They are receiving at least some consistent search volume in GoogleGoogle does not have enough pages indexed that answer them sufficiently

This is a powerful tool that real estate professionals can use to identify content gaps in Google’s index, as well as what topics users are searching for that are related to their products, services, and location.  Google uses the articles submitted by users in Question Hub to answer questions in their ‘People Often Ask’ section of search result pages.  

What Do I Need to Get Started With Google’s Question Hub?

In order to use Google Question Hub, all you need is a website you manage under your Google account in Google Search Console.  This is the only requisite to gain access to the platform.  If you have a website but do not have Google Search Console installed, go to https://search.google.com/search-console/about to get started.  It’s one of the best free SEO tools, it’s provided by Google, and it can really help you dial in your SEO campaigns. 

There is no question that data is becoming increasingly important in the legal profession. Collecting and analyzing data is becoming a key differentiator for law firms. But with the increasing importance of data comes the challenge of managing it effectively. Keep reading to learn more tips for managing your law firm’s data with data management solutions.

What is data management?

Data management provides the ability to collect, store, and analyze data. This is important for law firms because they can use legal analytics to improve their business operations. Data management helps law firms manage their data to make better decisions about how to grow their businesses. They can also use legal analytics to measure the performance of their attorneys, predict case outcomes, and identify new practice areas.

One of the most prominent challenges law firms faces is data management. Data needs to be accessible, consistent, and secure to meet the firm’s requirements. Data management tools, such as master data management, data virtualization, data catalog, and self-service data preparation and wrangling can help make this possible.

Master data management (MDM) is a critical part of data management for law firms. MDM enables firms to govern and manage their data more effectively. It helps to ensure that data is consistent and accessible across all applications and platforms. MDM also makes it easier to enforce security and compliance policies.

Data virtualization is another important tool for data management. It helps firms to access and use data more efficiently. Data virtualization allows firms to consolidate data from multiple sources into a single view. This makes it easier to find and use the data that you need.

The dividend aristocrats are a select group of stocks that have outperformed the market for the last decade. These stocks have a proven track record of dividend growth and are a safe bet for long-term investors. Keep reading to learn more about the top-performing stocks of the last decade.

What are the dividend aristocrats?

The dividend aristocrats list is a select group of stocks that have increased their dividends for 25 consecutive years or more. They are the top-performing stocks of the last decade, with an average annual return of 16.1%. The dividend aristocrats outperform the S&P 500 by 2.5 percentage points and the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 3.8 percentage points.

Several factors contribute to the outperformance of the dividend aristocrats. First, they are high-quality stocks with stable businesses and strong fundamentals. They have low debt levels, high returns on equity, and consistent earnings growth. Second, they pay generous dividends that provide income and downside protection in bear markets. And finally, they are attractively priced relative to other stocks in today’s market.

The dividend aristocrats include some of the most well-known companies in the world. The top dividend aristocrats of the last decade are ExxonMobil, Johnson & Johnson, Procter & Gamble (PG), Coca-Cola (KO), Intel, Merck, Pfizer, Wal-Mart Stores, McDonald’s (MCD), Abbott Laboratories, and Automatic Data Processing.

What risks should you be aware of before investing?

Before investing in dividend aristocrats, there are a few risks. The first is that, while these stocks have historically outperformed the market, there is no guarantee they will do so in the future. Some investors believe that high-yielding stocks are overvalued and ripe for a fall.

TKI, a software development company with more than 20 years of real estate experience, today unveiled its quarterly nSkope Predictive Analytics Report that identifies more than 7.3 million homes in 364 studied Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) that are most likely to come on the market through June 2023. The report suggests that families with children in grades K-12 will increase their market presence to 22.5% of all homes sold. 

The report broke down each MSA by size and found that of those markets with a population of less than 100,000, Rome, Ga., had the most predicted listings expected to come on the market by June 2023 with 4,323 properties.

Gainesville, Ga., led communities with 100,000 to 250,000 in population with nearly 15,000 projected listings. Port St. Lucie, Fla. (23,800), Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C. (44,850), North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla. (40,141), Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, Tenn. (82,050), Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Ariz. (136,394) and New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa. (280,999) followed in leading specific population breakouts. (See charts below.)

nSkope, which utilized proprietary algorithms enhanced by artificial intelligence to analyze over 300 data points and identify patterns and correlations, broke out each MSA by Census population counts to determine the most predictive markets by size. 

Along with predicting future listings, TKI also reviewed nSkope data to determine which MSAs had the highest success rate based on reviewing June 2021 predictions. Jackson, Mich., had 1,021 of the 5,879 predicted addresses come on the market between June 2021-June and 2022, a nation-leading 17.37% conversion rate. Jacksonville, N.C., New Orleans-Metairie, La., and Kalamazoo-Portage, Mich., also were above 15% success rates. 

Coworking Spaces are stations that are ideal for new businesses and startups. They portray an excellent style of the workday and can be found in cities and urban cities around the world.

These Coworking Spaces offer various benefits for freelancers and startups. Some of these benefits include more productivity and better teamwork. These benefits are what any new entrepreneur or young business person should look out for. While remote settings have been encouraged because of COVID-19, Coworking Spaces offer better packages.

Startups and small entrepreneurs should key into these Coworking Spaces to get their business done, increase their network and engage the local business community. However, using a reliable company to get these Coworking Spaces will be the best idea when seeking one. It is increasingly easy to find an office in a coworking space by being accompanied by experts on the subject as the platform workin.space !

This type of trend has changed the way people work while adapting to the global economy. However, many startups are unaware of the many benefits these Coworking Spaces can provide, here are some top 5 benefits that you will get when using them.

Have better networking opportunities

One of the major benefits of using Coworking Spaces as a new entrepreneur is the opportunity of meeting new people. When you work from home or have a private office, you are denying yourself from getting to meet new people. Proximity to other successful entrepreneurs can offer you more network chances.

Italy has a lucrative retail marketplace, making it an attractive destination for international entrepreneurs. The regulatory landscape is liberal, and tax laws are favorable, so you need not worry about launching a retail venture in the country. Another reason the country makes a dream place is its easy immigration. In fact, you can even obtain Italian citizenship without much hassle. Consulting these experts on Italian Citizenship is a good option as they can suggest the best way to get in and set up a retail business in Italy. Let us explain some good reasons to try your luck with Italian citizenship.

Multiple citizenship routes

Moving to Italy as a citizen is easy because you can qualify through multiple routes. Chances are good for most retail entrepreneurs, provided they know the eligibility requirements and steps for each of the alternatives. Let us highlight the ones you can consider-

Citizenship by descent is ideal for people having family ties in the country. The best part is that you can leverage your ancestral connections without generational limits, provided you follow the Jure Sanguinis eligibility requirements. Besides the consulate process, you may have to opt for a court process for this option if you had a female ancestor who gave birth before 1948.Citizenship by marriage lets you access a second passport if you are married to an Italian. You must consider the timelines and pass a language test to qualify for this route.Citizenship by naturalization works for people who do not qualify through descent or marriage. It is a long-term process that requires you to stay in the country for a decade. But you can enter as a resident through the Italian investor visa, start a business, and wait until you qualify through naturalization. 

Expansion opportunities 

Getting access to the Italian passport opens up expansion opportunities for your business. You can start in the local retail market and expand your venture to markets across the EU. Italian citizenship (and even residency) lets you travel across the Schengen region without going through visa hassles. It is a chance to explore the markets, attend trade shows, and meet potential partners in the entire zone. There couldn’t be a better way to launch a successful global venture.

Last week we reported on Redfin’s market slowdown report. What’s on everyone’s mind this week is how the surge in U.S. housing over the past two years has made a turnabout. Today, instead of bidding wars, agents are faced with uncertainty. Here’s a look at what this means for U.S. agents. 

The U.S. housing market, which took off during the pandemic, was boosted even more by record-low interest rates. Now, those rates are escalating as inflation grips the country. Add to this buyer uncertainty, and you have a recipe for tough times ahead for many agents and for sellers. This slowdown is a snowball shoved into motion by rising mortgage rates. Now, the average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage is about 6%, as opposed to around 3% previously. What this means is a giant boost in monthly payments for the average homebuyer. 

Now we’re seeing two key indicators that tell us the coming months won’t be looking good. First, the supply of homes on the market is going up. Secondly, prices are falling accordingly. New listings are also down, meaning the overall uncertainty seems to permeate the market. With inventories still down compared to 2019, most sellers can expect their homes to stay on the market a lot longer. There are simply too few potential buyers out there now. And new home construction is way down. We seem to be in a housing recession already. 

At the end of the day, it all boils down to affordability. Even though prices are falling, these fiscal policies are tacking on hundreds of extra dollars in mortgage payments. And this is happening at a time when the job market and other economic factors are uncertain. In a recent statement by Andy Walden, VP of enterprise research and strategy for Black Knight, it currently takes 35.1% of median income to pay monthly principal and interest. Walden went on to say the affordability aspect spells a continued downward price spiral. 

What this all means for American real estate pros is pointedly obvious. The competition to list for sellers and the need for marketing and sales prowess to convert buyers will separate the wheat from the chaff in the coming months. Bottom line, agents and agencies without the network, reputations, tools, and strategies are going to suffer – hard. 

Ask Brian is a weekly column by Real Estate Expert Brian Kline. If you have questions on real estate investing, DIY, home buying/selling, or other housing inquiries please email your questions to askbrian@realtybiznews.com.

Question from Hannah in AR: Hi Brian, Two months ago I inherited three rental houses from my brother’s estate. He was a landlord for almost 30 years, but I have no experience with it. The houses are in two small towns near each other but about 45 miles from where I live. The houses are between 25 and 40 years old. Although they are a little old, my brother kept them in good repair and was picky about having tenants that took care of them. Two of them are two-bedroom houses and the other has three bedrooms.

My husband and I have been racking our brains about what to do with these houses. One is currently vacant and the other two have tenants with leases that expire over the next several months. After lots of discussion about selling them, we have finally decided to keep all three as rentals. However, because one has been vacant for several months, we are concerned if we can keep them rented out full time. My husband’s sister suggested that we look into the Section 8 program because there is always a waiting list of approved tenants. Do you think this is a good idea and where do we start? 

Answer: Hello Hannah. Most Landlords either love or hate the Section 8 program. They love it because they don’t have to worry about receiving most of their rent on time, every single month. They don’t need to worry about checks being “lost in the mail” and a million other excuses tenants use to not pay their rent on time. And they love it because they can charge a lot for their rent.

On the other hand, one of the reasons that some landlords don’t like Section 8 is the government regulations involved. They don’t want the government involved with their rental properties. The regulation includes a safety inspection when the tenant moves in and ongoing inspections once a year or every other year. After the inspection process, you’ll need to fix every item on their list before the tenant is approved for move-in. The inspection criteria are more stringent than most landlords expect, so the expense can be costly. Because Section 8 is a government housing program, you can expect the process to move slowly.