Consumer Sentiment Turns Positive as Inflation Slows

With a recent interest rate decrease from the Fed and slowing inflation, consumers’ economic hopes saw a significant increase in September. Consumer sentiment rose 3.2% in September, from 67.9 in August to 70.1, according to the University of Michigan’s latest report. This is the second consecutive month of increase, following August’s rise of 1.5 points,… […]

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National Association of Realtors® Honors 2024 Good Neighbor Awards Finalists

NAR Honors 2024 Good Neighbor Awards Finalists The Good Neighbor Awards underscore the profound impact real estate professionals provide in their communities beyond the transactions and titles. Media Contact:  Spencer High 202-383-1051

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National Association of Realtors® Honors 2024 Good Neighbor Awards Finalists

NAR Honors 2024 Good Neighbor Awards Finalists The Good Neighbor Awards underscore the profound impact real estate professionals provide in their communities beyond the transactions and titles. Media Contact:  Spencer High 202-383-1051

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Thoughts on Leadership: Honoring Veterans and My Father’s Legacy

After a week of sharing insights across the East Coast, our focus shifts as Veterans Day approaches—a time to honor and remember. This year, I dedicate my reflection to my father, Paul Frank Blefari (Pappy)—a WWII veteran, a loyal husband, and a cherished family man whose legacy of service and love continues to inspire me… […]

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Op-Ed: A Beacon of Light Amidst Anti-Immigrant Sentiment in America

Above, Jamie Tian on the cover of ARE magazine I was working on some listings a couple months back when I read an email from Hope Atuel, the CEO of Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) laying out her idea for the cover of our ARE magazine to be published for the recently completed… […]

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Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn Recognized as a 2024 Women of Influence by HousingWire

As the first female Chief Advocacy Officer for the association, she has built a bipartisan operation that’s consistently delivered wins for NAR’s 1.5 million members on policies aimed at expanding access to housing and protecting the rights of property buyers and sellers in the U.S. and around the world. www.nar.realtor – Fair Housing

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RISMedia’s 2024 Real Estate Rookie of the Year Revealed at Annual Power Broker Gala

Above, from left, John Featherston, Tina Lapp, Heather Stenson and Brian Joyner During its 28th Annual Power Broker Reception & Dinner held at the Renaissance Boston Seaport Hotel Friday night, RISMedia announced its 2024 Real Estate Rookie of the Year winner, Heather Stenson, a REALTORⓇ with Connect Realty in The Woodlands, Texas. Designed to honor… […]

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Bringing Tangible Value to the Table

NextHome CEO James Dwiggins—a third-generation real estate leader—has made it his mission to position his company’s strategies and training opportunities to guide, educate and protect his agents and consumers as well as the industry at large. Rescoping the company to navigate the post-August 17 landscape, Dwiggins is pushing his agents to educate buyers and sellers… […]

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Lender Data Shows Refinance Offers Have Increased 42% Nationwide Over the Last Year

Remember the days of 3% mortgage rates? As a relieved nation emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, along with it came those historically low average mortgage rates below 5.00%, 4.00% or even sub-3.00%. But as inflation began to increase so too did mortgage rates, rising to nearly 8.00% in 2023 and 2024, their highest… […]

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Kramer Manor: The Incredible Story of Homeownership, Resilience and Community That Was Almost Lost

The residents of one New Jersey neighborhood didn’t let racial barriers stand in the way of their ownership dream. www.nar.realtor – Fair Housing

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