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April 17 – CVAR At A Glance

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Tips for Staging a Bathroom

The bathroom can make as big an impression as the bedroom or living room, but how often do you go the extra mile to stage it just as perfectly? Home staging expert Tori Toth has some simple ideas for making the bathroom a stronger selling point.

Source: Realtormagazine

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Deadline April 19 for 2018 CVAR Board

Click  here for the application to become a candidate for the Citrus Valley Association Board of Directors and/or committee membership. The deadline to apply is April 19, 2017! The election will be held in June to fill three director positions and the president elect.

tax-refundUse Tax Refund for Down Payment

The average tax refund was $2,860 for Americans last year. According to a survey by GO Banking Rates, 41 percent of Americans plan to save their tax returns–and that savings could help put them on the path to homeownership. READ MORE

Frustrated 2Are Your Buyers Getting Frustrated Yet?

The job market is solid. Average pay is rising. And mortgage rates, even after edging up of late, are still near historic lows. And then there’s the bad news: Just try to find a house. READ MORE

open-house-red-flag-628x354Client Tip: 10 Open House Red Flags

Don’t let those freshly baked cookies or potpourri simmering on the stove fool you. The more aggressive the scent, the greater the likelihood the seller is taking precautions to mask a more offensive odor. For more symptoms of trouble from an open house … READ MORE

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Look Like an Expert – Include CAR’s interactive market stats, infographics and more in your client presentations.
Freddie Mac Survey – Renters who expect to rent their next home increased to 59% from 55% the last renter survey in September 2016. 
Fannie Mae Index – The net share of Americans who say now is a good time to buy fell 10 percentage points, while those reporting it’s a good time to sell increased 9 points. Consumers with confidence about job stability fell 8 points.
Realtor.com Survey – All age groups are looking for some combination of a backyard, garage and updated kitchen.
Net Neutrality – N.A.R. urged the House and Senate to oppose legislation that would threaten network neutrality and rollback FCC protections from 2015.
Application for 2018 CVAR Board – Three openings on Board of Directors, and President-elect position.

 In Case You Missed It….

Watch the REvive 2017 Recap!

Impact of FHA Fee Freeze

The Trump administration froze a number of policy changes made in the waning days of the Obama Presidency, including a 25 basis point decrease in the mortgage insurance premium (MIP) charged by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), previously analyzed by NAR Research. READ MORE

social_media_web5 Tips for Successful Social Media

When using social media, make sure you aren’t turning off potential customers with your behavior online. Forbes.com offers 5 tips on behaviors to avoid on social media.

READ MORE

millennial thoughts SMALLWhy Millennials Are Waiting

The Federal Reserve announced a second rate increase in March, which might be prompting even more millennials to hold off with their homebuying plans, according to the survey. But millennials’ concerns may go deeper. READ MORE

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Consumer Confidence Index – The percentage saying business conditions are “good” increased in March from 28.3% to 32.2%.
Median home price: The California median home price in February is $478,790.
WomanUp! Conference – C.A.R. hosts powerful content and advocates in the industry on June 8 at Pasadena Westin.
Wire Fraud Protection – Take advantage of a  zipForm® free feature that enables you to share sensitive information, such as wire transfer instructions, safely and securely with clients, escrow officers or others involved in the transaction.
Phishing Alert – An email with the subject “NAR: Urgent Update” from no-reply@nar.realtor, is not from NAR. The email asks you to “view the recent publication released” with a link. Do not click any of the links, this is a scam.