Author Archives: Kim Johnson

CAMBRIDGE, MA – Spending for home improvements and repairs is expected to expand at a stronger pace in 2022, but signs point to some easing of growth by year end, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released today by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The […]

On November 1, 2021, the Predatory Real Estate Wholesaler Act will officially go into effect in Oklahoma, requiring real estate wholesalers to obtain a real estate license and abide by Oklahoma laws designed to promote consumer protection and ethical practices. The practice of real estate wholesaling occurs when an individual enters into a real estate […]

Renters beware: They’re more common than you might think. More than a third of American households rent their homes. With that much demand, predatory lease agreements are an unfortunate and common reality. Predatory rental contracts can range from outright scams to leases with unfair or borderline-illegal provisions. Unscrupulous landlords prey especially on people in desperate situations […]

When a home’s status changes to sale pending, it means the seller has accepted the buyer’s offer and both parties are ready to move forward. Hooray! But even when all signs point to go, sometimes a home sale just never takes off. While a failed pending sale isn’t common, it can happen, even in a thriving real […]

As real estate prices continue to soar and property remains in short supply, will land be the next big investment? Key Points Land value growth has risen slowly over the past decade, but an uptick in demand is pushing prices up. Vacant land can be a valuable investment for long-term investors but requires a number […]

The tough housing market just keeps on getting tougher. The number of homes listed for sale took a nosedive in January, falling 28.4% compared with a year earlier, according to a recent Realtor.com® report. And if that sounds bad, consider that two years ago—in pre-COVID-19 times—the number of active listings was a whopping 60% higher than it is […]

After a turbulent start to the year, California’s economy and housing market got a bit of a respite from the volatility. Rates held steady after big increases, the pandemic is finally showing signs of improvement, and the labor markets continue to give reason for cautious optimism. However, the Federal Reserve made announcements last week that […]

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a consumer alert reminding California’s tenants and homeowners of their rights and protections amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The Attorney General recognizes that families across the state may be facing difficulty affording rent and mortgage payments, including as the result of layoffs, reduced working hours, and other economic […]

Home buyers who successfully purchased a home last year only viewed a median of eight homes before purchasing. For some buyers who put down multiple contracts and repeatedly lost bidding wars, this may seem like very few, however for others who found limited housing inventory in their area, it may seem like a wide selection. […]

The fraction of buyers who are waiving appraisal and inspection contract contingencies has been trending downwards in recent months, according to NAR’s December 2021 REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey, a survey of REALTOR® transactions. In the December survey, 19% of buyers waived the inspection contract contingency, down from a peak of 27% in July 2021, while 21% […]