1. Okay, I had to start with an entertaining article this week. Thanks to Humans of Tumbler, we all get to Take a Look at These Funny Photos Taken by Real Estate Agents. “Real estate agents have to be tech-savvy these days and taking quality photos to put online is a crucial part of selling homes. That’s why these pictures are definitely NOT helping anyone get rid of these houses anytime soon.” Have a look, and make sure you read the captions. Someone had some fun with these photos!
2. FEAR-BASED BUILDING
I guess there is an entire community of people preparing for doomsday. I don’t quite understand this mentality but CNBC tells a story of a man who has built a castle, and This ‘doomsday prepper dream home’ in the Nevada desert is on sale for $900,000 — take a look inside. “Current owner, Randy Johnston, who bought the property in 1998, according to the website, spent more than $3 million constructing the “castle,” Rasmuson tells CNBC Make It. It went on the market in late October for $1.2 million.” Pricing is very difficult on a property as unique as this,” Rasmuson tells CNBC Make It.” Randy may have lost his shirt, and his mind on this project!
3. VALUE IN FOCUS
I’ve seen reports on this agent before, and wonder if he’s lucky, brilliant, or maybe even both. The top real estate broker in the US says a single strategy helped him sell an average of 92 homes per week. If you ever wondered how, “In total, he sold $1.9 billion worth of real estate that year (the most recent year data is available), making him the top real-estate agent in the US, according to Real Trends, a residential brokerage industry publication. He was recognized by Guinness World Records for selling 3,556 homes in 2016”, I’ll let you read the Business Insider article for yourself.
4. SEMANTICS?
Have you ever wondered What’s the Difference Between Modern and Contemporary? Modern and contemporary styles do share many of the same traits, but they are two distinct styles. And they often get confused, according to an article by Marvin Windows and Doors that sets out to clarify the two styles. Click the link above to read Realtor.com’s short answer to the question.
5. BOARD AND BATTEN
“What is trending in home design in the new year? The designers at Houzz chimed in with their top picks. Here are a few of their choices for top home decor trends” Realtor.com just published 7 Hot Home Design Trends to Watch in 2019. One of the trends is “The board and batten method of construction which delivers that homey look and adds texture and interest to what might otherwise be a flat facade”. I love old farmhouses so this design trend stood out in the bunch.
6. MOVING TO RHODE ISLAND
Realtor.com states “Using occupational data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we’ve analyzed and compiled a round-up of the average salary of a real estate sales agent in each U.S. state for 2019. Read on for a full breakdown of where real estate agents make the most money, and where they’re making the least.” Here’s How Much Real Estate Agents Earn In Every State. Keep in mind these are state averages. Specific areas of each state can be much more lucrative for agents than others.
7. DUE DILIGENCE
The WSJ just published How to launch yourself into real-estate investing. “What are the fundamentals of real estate investing? What is it every aspiring real estate investor needs? It can be different for everyone, and it depends on what motivates you, your expectations, current financial status and more.” Justin Pierce thought long and hard before he came up with three suggestions to get you started. If you’re thinking about entering into the world of real estate investing it’s worth a quick read.
8. REAL IMAGE
Although this ah360 Photography article focuses on real estate photography, if you like taking photos, in general, this article may interest you. Have a look at The Best Tips For Real Estate Photography. It’s a content rich article with 23 different techniques you can implement right away.
9. IT’S NICE TO HAVE GOALS
It’s the new year. Actually, how did it get to be February so soon? “So, what methods of planning the year’s goals in real estate are most effective and why? What are the key things to remember when making plans? To shed some light on the matter, nine members of Forbes Real Estate Council explain their top tips to remember when planning yearly real estate goals. Here’s what they advise:” Nine Things To Remember When Planning Your Annual Real Estate Goals. Okay, now get on it. My suggestion is if your goals seem too lofty for even you, be more general. Instead of saying or writing something like I’m going to make a million dollars this year, try something less specific like, I’m going to make more money this year than I’ve ever made in any year before.
10. REAL ESTATE SHOPPING SPREE
“Citadel hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin has had an interesting five years. He’s been buying up some of the most expensive homes in the world, breaking real estate records in New York City, Chicago, Miami, and London, spending around $700 million on personal properties over the last five years.” Celebrity Net Worth posted how an American Billionaire Hedge Fund Manager Has Spent $700m On Personal Real Estate In Five Years. I think Mr. Griffin will be okay since he made $1.4 Billion last year!
Have a great weekend!
