A couple lost $1.5 million in the purchase of their dream home in Washington, D.C., because of a real estate scam that is nabbing more victims across the country.As the couple—who put down $200,000 on the home—waited for closing, they received an email that appeared to be from their title company with directions to wire the remaining funds for the purchase. The couple replied to the email to double-check the instructions. When they received a
The couple that kidnapped and killed Arkansas real estate agent Beverly Carter in 2014 used an app to give a false impression of where they were calling from. According to Carter’s son, Carl Carter Jr., the couple made it seem like they were calling from out of town and were looking for a home because they were relocating. “In fact, they were just calling from right down the road,” says Carter Jr., who shared several details about his mothe
Scott Stratten of UnMarketing on how to stand out from the crowdKey Takeaways "If you are your unique self, if you are your authentic self, you have no competition."SAN FRANCISCO — What does it mean to provide service so exemplary that the word “service” itself becomes synonymous with your brand?Scott Stratten of UnMarketing shared a story on stage at Inman Connect San Francisco about the Ritz-Carlton hotel chain and how real estate agents
One of the nation’s largest cannabis companies bought an entire town in the deserts of California. American Green Inc. announced that it is purchasing all 80 acres of Nipton, Calif., and plans to turn the town into a commercial oasis centered around marijuana.The town currently includes an Old West–style hotel, a few homes, an RV park, and a coffee shop. Fewer than two dozen residents live there.American Green Inc. plans to make the town “g
The link between good health and greater productivity may not seem to be too big a stretch, but science has long struggled to establish the connection with hard data. Now, researchers at UCLA, University of California Riverside, and Washington University have done so with a small sample of workers at commercial laundry plants in the Midwest. Researchers found that employees who saw their health improve due to participation in an work-sponsored
Higher home prices are a likely culprit for part of the 1.5 percentage point dip in Fannie Mae's Home Purchase Sentiment Index in July. Buyers may be losing confidence in their ability to purchase a home as the national median home price surged to $263,800 in June, a record high.But the decline in selling sentiment was actually the biggest drag on the index in July. The net share of 1,000 consumers surveyed who say now is a good time to sell a h
More people are looking to experience farm life without buying an entire farm. That has prompted an emerging type of community that is catching on from coast to coast centered around food production, dubbed “agrihoods.”Suburban agrihoods began appearing in the U.S. in the 1990s. At first, developers offered them as an alternative to golf-centered communities.“What we learned over time was the majority of buyers in golf course developments
The national median home price surged to $263,800 in June, a record high, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. That has prompted some buyers to hit the pause button.Buyers were still requesting tours at the same rate in June; however, 11 percent fewer buyers were submitting an offer, according to a recent survey by the real estate brokerage Redfin, which surveyed 15 major metro housing markets.Typically, the housing market starts
The mansion featured in the 1960s TV series “The Beverly Hillbillies” hit the market this week for $350 million, making it the priciest listing in the U.S.The neoclassical house, built in 1933, was used in the hit TV show to depict a rags-to-riches story of Jed Clampett and his family who moved from Limestone, Tenn., to Beverly Hills. The home in real life belonged to billionaire Jerry Perenchio, who died in May at the age of 86. He lived in
Sale prices of luxury homes in the second quarter of the year surged 7.5 percent compared to a year ago. It’s the first time the luxury market’s gains outpaced the rest of the market since 2014, according to data by the real estate brokerage Redfin. Redfin defines the luxury markets as the top 5 percent of the priciest homes sold in each city.But one of the main reasons behind the luxury market’s strong performance may be because sellers ha
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