RE/MAX

Dave and Gail Liniger founded RE/MAX in Denver, Colorado in 1973. Based on a strategy of attracting and retaining the best agents in the business, RE/MAX has grown every single month for more than 30 years. RE/MAX's red, white and blue hot air balloon first appeared in 1978 at the Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Fiesta, and was soon after adopted as the corporate logo.
More Real Estate

Cape Cod homes

The Cape Cod home style originated in New England during the late 17th century. Cape Cod homes were mass-produced in the U.S. from 1930 to 1960. The 1 to 1½-story cape featured a symmetrical front with center entrance and a steep roof with a small overhang. Some were decorated with dormers and shutters.
More Real Estate

Realtors

Minneapolis Real Estate Board chairman Charles N. Chadbourn coined the term “realtor” in 1916. The Patent and Trademark Office approved the National Association of Realtor's trademark request for the term Realtor in 1950. In 1967, dictionary publishers began to list the definition of Realtor as a member of the National Association of Realtors.
More Real Estate

Theodore Roosevelt

"Every person who invests in well-selected real estate in a growing section of a prosperous community adopts the surest and safest method of becoming independent, for real estate is the basis of wealth." - Theodore Roosevelt
More Real Estate

Flipping

The term "flipping" has historically referred to the practice of periodically buying and selling investment properties in order to take advantage of accelerated depreciation tax methods. Today, the term refers to the buying and selling of properties in a rising market for quick resale profit, usually in six months to a year.
More Real Estate

Home remodeling

Real estate experts recommend leaving home remodeling to the pros. Although do-it-yourself projects can cost less than half of what contractors charge, poor design and amateur workmanship can reduce the value of a home.
More Real Estate

Institute of Real Estate Management

The Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) was founded in 1933 to alleviate the shortage of skilled building managers during the high foreclosure rates of the Great Depression. IREM provides education, resources, and information for real estate management professionals, and offers the Accredited Residential Manager and Accredited Management Organization designations. IREM has 17,500 members.
More Real Estate

Second-home sales

Sales of second-homes account for up to one third of all home sales and have become a large part of the overall real estate market. Over 140,000 Realtors have acknowledged specializing in second-home sales. Recognizing this trend, the National Association of Realtors has announced a certification program for resorts and second-home specialists.
More Real Estate

RIS Media

RIS Media is one of the largest independent news and information services covering residential real estate. RIS offers daily news headlines and articles through its website at rismedia.com. The articles feature a wide array of industry topics and are searchable by keyword. RIS also offers other products and services including its monthly publication "Real Estate".
More Real Estate

Mobile homes

A quarter of all the new homes built in the U.S. during the last twenty-five years were mobile homes. According to the U.S. Census, mobile homes are the fastest growing form of housing in the U.S. The mobile home dates back to 1926. Permanent mobile homes emerged in the late 1940s as a solution to the short supply of housing available to returning World War II veterans.
More Real Estate

Home warranties

A home warranty covers repair and replacement costs for appliances and other home systems that break down during a covered period. A home warranty can protect a homebuyer from any potential problems after the purchase. Home warranties were introduced in the early 1970s as a result of numerous lawsuits stemming from home sales. California leads the nation in the number of home warranties.
More Real Estate

Stagers

"Stagers" are designers who conduct home makeovers. They rearrange furniture, de-clutter, buy accessories, install light fixtures, and repaint walls, with the goal of showing potential buyers a home that is tasteful and ready to move into. A recent Coldwell Banker study in San Francisco recorded staged homes on the market for an average of 25 days versus 48 days for all sales.
More Real Estate

Downtown living

Downtown living is becoming increasingly popular. New apartment, loft, and condo developments are attracting buyers looking to enjoy revitalized neighborhoods with cafes, clubs, galleries, and boutiques, all within close proximity to downtown. Downtown has also become an affordable ownership alternative within high value home markets such as San Jose and Seattle.
More Real Estate

Biweekly mortgage

A biweekly mortgage requires a loan payment every two weeks. The end year result is one extra monthly payment toward the loan principal. Consequently, the loan amortizes faster than a loan with normal monthly payments. For example, a thirty-year fixed rate loan with biweekly payment terms will be paid off in approximately 22.7 years.
More Real Estate

Real Estate Daily

New York City is home to some of the world's most valuable real estate. 450 Park Avenue was recently sold for $510 million, about $1,589 per square foot, breaking the barely month-old record for an American office building of $1,476 per square foot set in the June 2007 sale of 660 Madison Avenue.
More Real Estate

Homeownership

According to the U.S. Census, 47% of U.S. households owned their homes at the beginning of the 20th century. By the 1940s, the homeownership rate declined to 44%. Post World War II population and economic growth coupled with better mortgage lending methods produced steady increases in homeownership. By the beginning of the 21st century, nearly 67% of householders were homeowners.
More Real Estate

Tax Reform Act of 1986

President Ronald Reagan signed the Tax Reform Act of 1986 into law. The act simplified the income tax code, broadened the tax base and eliminated many tax shelters. It also increased incentives favoring homeowners. The home mortgage interest deduction was increased while other tax adjustments were made to favor homeowners versus renters.
More Real Estate

CLUE reports

A Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange report, also known as a CLUE report, checks insurance claim history for a property. Traditionally used by insurers, CLUE reports are being used in real estate transactions. Many buyers now stipulate a CLUE report as a condition of purchase. Some state legislatures are considering making this a requirement for all real estate transaction.
More Real Estate

Mold

According to the EPA, various forms of mold are found in up to 50% of all structures. Mold is a biological pollutant that grows in moist conditions and is considered a serious health hazard. Real estate home inspectors are increasingly on the lookout for mold before closing a home sale. Like most remedies, mold prevention is much less costly than mitigation.
More Real Estate

Real Estate Daily

According to industry estimates, a home's major fixtures and appliances have an average lifespan as follows: roof, 12-15 years; heating system, 15-20 years; refrigerator, 8-14 years; clothes dryer, 8-14 years; clothes washer, 7-12 years; range/oven, 8-12 years; hot water heater, 8-12 years; central air conditioner, 15-20 years; dishwasher, 7-12 years.
More Real Estate

T-Bills

Treasury Bill (T-Bill) indexes are commonly used as adjustable rate mortgage indexes. T-Bill indexes are based on the results of U.S. Treasury auctions held for treasury bills, notes and bonds. The U.S. government issues treasury notes and bonds in order to pay for the national debt and other expenses.
More Real Estate

Trading

Trading up refers to buyers who purchase a home that is more expensive than their current house. Trading down refers to buyers who purchase a home that is less expensive than their current house.
More Real Estate

Dutch elm disease

Dutch elm disease, first found in the U.S. in 1930, has spread throughout North America and has destroyed over half the Elm trees in the northern U.S. More recently, the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive metallic wood-boring beetle from Asia, has infested and killed more than six million Ash trees in the upper Midwest. Ash trees are one of the most common residential landscape trees.
More Real Estate

St. Joseph

An old tradition says home sellers should bury a statue of St. Joseph near their home to see a quicker sale of their home. St. Joseph is husband of Mary and patron Saint of workers, families and household needs. Catholic legend has it that St. Joseph is a special friend to real estate agents.
More Real Estate

Debt coverage ratio

The debt coverage ratio (DCR) of an income property measures its ability to cover monthly payments. It is defined as the ratio of net operating income over the loan payments. A DCR of less than 1.0 means that there is insufficient cash flow generated by the property to cover required debt payments.
More Real Estate

Best remodeling investments

According to industry sources, a kitchen is one the best remodeling investments you can make. You will recoup about 91 percent of your renovation investment. Other remodel investment returns: 85 percent of the cost of a new roof, 90 percent of the cost of new windows. The best remodeling investment is a bathroom renovation, which returns 102 percent of your investment.
More Real Estate

Cul-de-sacs

Increasing numbers of towns and cities are taking exception to cul-de-sacs. Community leaders see cul-de-sacs as traffic-congesting roads that are tough to negotiate for emergency vehicles and time consuming for snow plowing and road maintenance. To this end, cities and towns across the U.S. are limiting, restricting, or even banning cul-de-sacs in new neighborhoods.
More Real Estate

Regression

The real estate principle of regression is an appraisal term that states that the value of higher-end real estate can be brought down by the proximity of too many lower-end properties.
More Real Estate

Real Estate Daily

The average new home in 1970 took up less than 1,500 square feet. Today, new homes average more than 2,400 square feet, and have about one person fewer living in them, compared with the 1970s. Housing costs --insurance, heating, cooling and maintenance-- have risen along with the square footage. The typical American household spent an estimated $15,167 on shelter and related costs in 2005.
More Real Estate