The first indoor shopping mall

Shopping center architect Victor Gruen designed the first indoor shopping mall just outside Minneapolis in 1954. Southdale had seventy-two stores and two anchor department stores. Unlike other suburban shopping centers, Southdale was a fully enclosed, multi-tiered shopping complex with a garden court under skylights.
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Florida's historic real estate crash

The state of Florida experienced a historic real estate crash in the mid 1920s. Demand for Florida homes far exceeded supply as the state became a tourist and relocation destination. The jump in land and home prices attracted more speculators, fueling a real estate bubble. The overheated market crashed in 1926 on the heels of a devastating hurricane and catastrophic fruit fly infestation.
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Georgian style

Georgian style homes were popular in the U.S. throughout the 18th century. The Georgian style is distinguished by a symmetrical facade, prominent front entrance and decorative blocks of masonry or wood set in the corners of the house. This style was adopted from the elaborate homes of England of the 1700s, which were inspired by Italian Renaissance and Roman designs.
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AIA Architect magazine survey

According to a recent AIA Architect magazine survey, the most popular features among new homebuyers include such items as home offices, more storage space such as kitchen pantries and closets, and the use of low maintenance building materials. Less popular are exercise rooms and formal features such as upscale entryways and hallways.
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Home sale closing costs

Home sale closing costs will usually come in above the lenders good faith estimate. Two ways to reduce closing costs include asking the mortgage lender to recommend companies that offer less expensive title insurance policies, and also to watch for inflated fees for such things as document preparation.
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This Old House

The Emmy Award winning TV series "This Old House" recently celebrated its 25th anniversary season on PBS. The show is television's premier home improvement series. This show's mission is to demystify the home improvement process and to celebrate the fusion of old world craftsmanship and modern technology.
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Single women

Single women are accounting for a larger share of the home buying and selling market, according to a recent National Association of Realtors study. The study found that unmarried women accounted for 22 percent of home sales this past year as compared with 14 percent in 1995. Meanwhile, the home selling share for married couples slid from 70 percent to 60 during this period.
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Lifestyle Center

The latest incarnation of the shopping center is the "Lifestyle Center." Lifestyle centers combine the best elements from past retail developments along with city planning concepts to create a pedestrian-friendly environment reminiscent of main street shopping. The real estate development firm Poag and McEwen is credited with the country's first lifestyle shopping center built in 1987.
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Federal and state Land

About 40 percent of all U.S. land is owned by a federal or state government entity. Ninety-five percent of Alaska's 365,039 square miles is government owned. Only 1.5 percent of Rhode Island's 668.8 square miles is owned by federal or state entities.
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Home sales

The most frequent time for home sales and moves during the year is from mid-May to mid-September. During a month, the most frequent time for movers is the first and last weeks of the month.
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U.S. Interstate highway system

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 initiated the development of today's 42,796-mile U.S. Interstate highway system. The longest route is Interstate-90, which runs from Boston to Seattle, a distance of 3,081 miles. The second longest is Interstate-80, which covers the 2,907 miles between New York City and San Francisco.
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Housing Act of 1949

The landmark Housing Act of 1949 was the first comprehensive housing legislation in the U.S. The act established as a national goal "a decent home and suitable living environment" for all Americans. The act authorized the construction of 800,000 new housing units and inaugurated several urban redevelopment initiatives.
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Loft living

America's manufacturing economy produced many cast-ironed buildings with open floor spaces and wall to ceiling glass frontages. The changing economy diminished the need for these structures until the late 1950s when artists began using the "loft" space these buildings provided. Loft living has transitioned from clever reuse to a mainstream urban residential design of choice.
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Landscape architect

A landscape architect is a professional designer of landscapes and gardens, for public, commercial, and residential properties. Landscape architects work for many types of organizations such as real estate development firms, governments, and themselves. About 25% of all landscape architects are self-employed, more than three times the rate for all professionals.
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White elephant

The term "white elephant" refers to something that is costly to obtain or maintain and provides little benefit or value. The phrase originates from Asian countries where albino elephants were considered sacred and therefore were not to be put to work. Anyone owning a white elephant had the expense of caring for the sacred animal without any work in return.
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Little Pink Houses

"Oh but ain’t that America, for you and me. Ain’t that America, we’re something to see baby. Ain’t that America, home of the free. Little pink houses for you and me" - "Little Pink Houses", John Mellencamp, 1983.
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Census of Housing

The U.S. Census Bureau conducts the Census of Housing along with the Census of Population every ten years. Taken since 1940, the Census of Housing counts the number of residential dwellings and records selected physical and financial characteristics. A census survey form is sent to every household in the U.S. A longer survey with additional questions is sent to about 15% of all households.
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Worldwide Employee Relocation Council

The Worldwide Employee Relocation Council is an industry trade group concerned with current issues and management practices for the movement of employees within the U.S. and between all other countries. The trade group has 12,000 members consisting of relocation professionals and global workforce mobility specialists.
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Home value appreciation rates

Home value appreciation rates vary by locality and region. Under normal conditions, a house in the United States appreciates about 4% to 5% per year. A $150,000 home purchase with a $30,000 down payment would increase by about $7,500 in the first year. This represents a return of 25% on the $30,000 investment.
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Landscaping

Landscaping can make a home and property more secure. Trim shrubbery and raise tree canopies so doors and windows are visible from the street. Prune trees and place trellises where they cannot be used as ladders to gain entry to the upper floors. Place noisy, large gauge gravel or thorny plants on the ground near windows.
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Depreciation

Depreciation is the decrease in value of property due to obsolescence and use. Investment property can be depreciated each tax year as a tax deduction resulting in a reduced tax burden. Properties with the best depreciation tax-savings potential include retail stores, restaurants, office buildings and warehouses.
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Swimming pools

The Romans built the first swimming pools nearly 2,000 years ago. The first pools in America were public swimming pools built in the first half of the 20th century. By 1970, there were 713,000 privately owned swimming pools in the U.S. Newer suburban communities often chose to build private swim clubs instead of municipal public pools.
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Developing a real estate website

Four tips for developing a real estate website include: develop and prioritize a list of online business goals; bookmark three excellent websites for reference; start small with a home page, about us, and contact page; make certain all published website pages look professional and work flawlessly.
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Lawn sprinklers

The first patent on an American lawn sprinkler was issued in 1871. Water hose reels, nozzles, and sprinklers, developed by 1900, became the lawn-watering staples for most Americans through the 20th century. Once available only to the wealthiest home owners, automated lawn sprinkler systems are being installed by increasing numbers of homeowners.
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Errors and Omissions insurance

Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance is a type of malpractice insurance coverage for real estate professionals. Real estate agents represent parties, transact sales, and broker deals, putting them at risk to lawsuits and resulting legal expenses. E&O coverage pays any settlement or judgment up to the limits of liability stated in the policy.
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