The Pros and Cons of Buying an Old House

Realtor.com

Warm and lived-in, with a majestic fireplace, wood craftsmanship from another era, and a crooked old apple tree in a beautiful garden—only older homes come complete with their own personality.

But that distinctive personality could also come with a steep price in upkeep and renovations to meet the needs of your family and your modern tastes.

How do you decide if an older home is worth it? Consider our handy list of pros and cons:

Con: Outdated building code compliance and other maintenance

Homes with old heating systems or inefficient plumbing can be in such bad shape that they do not comply with modern building codes. A home with a crumbling foundation might frighten away most buyers.

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This 835-Year-Old English Manor Needs Some Modern Love

Tim and Sue Soar have toiled for decades to maintain their medieval estate and not go broke. They can’t take it much longer. But will it sell?

‘2021 all over again’: Agents get to work as spring homebuying arrives

On the first day of spring, agents across the U.S. who spoke to Inman saw the return of bidding wars and busy open houses, suggesting that after a slow 2022 the market is turning a corner.

TikTok’s latest feature will help you reach even more potential clients

TikTok's newest feature allows users to refresh their "For You Page" setting based on their most recent interactions. This ability will allow users to have even more control over what they see and help quality content be seen by more people.

5 time-saving social media tools real estate agents need in 2023

There are so many social media tools that it’s tough to figure out what works and what’s a waste. To cut through the noise, Laura Viñalet put together this list of time-saving social media tools for agents.

How to build an ever-evolving blog — and become the local expert

Creating an ongoing content marketing plan means making use of ongoing blog posts. Part 3 of this five-part series shares what to write and how to make sure your blog posts matter.

How Long Will That Home Renovation Really Take? Here’s a Timeline To Save Your Sanity

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Many homeowners have likely imagined the renovations that would transform their homes into the fabulously stylish and seamlessly functional abodes of their vision-board dreams.

But for those who have gathered the funds (and the strength) to actually tackle a remodel, those dreams can quickly turn into nightmares—without an established and realistic timeline, that is. And might we add, knowing when to bend those expectations is pretty important, too.

So we rounded up the four most common types of remodeling projects with a range of how long each typically takes—and what bumps homeowners might expect along the way.

First, remember timelines can change

Home renovation timelines can vary widely, depending on the scope and complexity of the project, says Andrew Lokenauth, the founder of Fluent in Finance, who is also a seasoned real estate flipper. Your location can also impact the length of your renovation.





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SFARMLS launches listing management app for 4,000+ agents

The San Francisco Association of Realtors and Zenlist have partnered to build a mobile listing management app for agent members.

Midcentury Marvel in Savannah Makes Its Market Debut and Lands a Buyer Right Away

Realtor.com

A midcentury modern house that has been in the same family since it was built in 1960 has hit the market for the first time.

“My husband was born and raised here,” says listing agent and owner Kelli Weis, with Daniel Ravenel Sotheby’s International Realty. “It’s a steel and glass house, and [there is] a thoughtfulness behind every room and every design feature.”

This showstopper in Savannah, GA, is listed for $1.5 million. The home needed just five days on the market to land in contingent sale status.

Exterior

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KW franchisees accuse Gary Keller of ‘illicit tactics’ in new lawsuit

Market center owners Colleen and Bart Basinski claim Keller Williams CEO Gary Keller and others targeted them after they resisted market cap policies and supported ex-CEO John Davis.

Skier Lindsey Vonn Is Racing To Sell Her Miami Beach Pad for $6M

Millo Moravski/Agence Zoom/Getty Images / Realtor.com

Whoosh! That was fast.

World-famous skier Lindsey Vonn seems to have tired quickly of her gated, waterfront abode in Miami Beach, FL.

Vonn purchased the posh property for $4.38 million just last May with boyfriend Diego Osorio, an actor and founder of a high-end tequila brand.

Now she’s making a run for a tidy profit—the house is priced at $6 million.









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Software vendors gear up to support appraisal-free mortgages

Starting April 15, Fannie Mae says more homebuyers will qualify for a program requiring full interior and exterior inspections that capture data and images throughout the property.

Tranquil Desert Oasis Mesmerizes the Market Near Palm Springs for $1.55M

Realtor.com

It’s not a mirage. This really is a desert oasis, and it’s had quite the transformation.

The current owners of the minimalist Artesia Residence in Desert Hot Springs, CA, have reimagined the 1,609-square-foot dwelling.

The original house was built in 1976 as a midcentury geomorphic home. The redone residence is now a turnkey dream, with two bedrooms and 2.5 baths. It is listed for $1.55 million.

“It’s a very zen vibe as you walk through the property,” explains listing agent Simon Mills, of Mills Realty.











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‘Rock the Block’ Unveils Unbelievable Main Suite Luxuries—and One That’s Just Plain Weird

HGTV

The latest episode of “Rock the Block” is, in the words of host Ty Pennington, “pretty sweet … In fact, it’s the main suite.”

In “Main Suite Face-Off,” the four teams of HGTV designers in Berthoud, CO, work hard on the primary bedroom in each home. The teams consist of Jonathan Knight and Kristina Crestin from “Farmhouse Fixer,” Michel Smith Boyd and Anthony Elle from “Luxe for Less,” Bryan and Sarah Baeumler from “Renovation Island,” and Page Turner and Mitch Glew from “Fix My Flip.”

Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis, the twins from “Unsellable Houses,” will judge the results; and the winning team will get $3,000 to use on their next challenge.

Each team tries to outdo each other with fancy features that take main suites to the next level, and can we just say we want them all (well, except one). Check out the latest and greatest features that are bound to become mainstays in luxe sleep spaces of the (near) future.

Main suite coffee bar
Black slate heated bathroom floor
Urinal in main water closet
Fireplace in the bathroom
Clothes steamer in the main bath
The winning main suite
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E&V CRM launch empowers Engel & Völkers Americas

Real estate brokerage Engel & Völkers is rolling out a significant technology effort for its Americas operation offices and agents with the help of software company Chime, Engel & Völkers exclusively told Inman.

What Does Escrow Mean?

Escrow refers to a financial arrangement where a third party (an escrow agent or escrow holder) holds and manages money, assets, or documents on behalf of two other parties involved in a transaction. The funds or assets are held in an escrow account until the transaction is completed, and all parties involved have met their respective obligations. ...


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U.S. Existing-Home Sales Rise for the First Time in 13 Months, Surging 14.5% in February

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A brief drop in mortgage rates has boosted U.S. home sales, but with economic uncertainty and elevated rates, the recovery may be short-lived.

The numbers: U.S. existing-home sales jumped 14.5% to an annual rate of 4.58 million in February, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday.

The numbers are seasonally adjusted.

The surge in sales reverses 12 months of losses in existing-home sales. The increase of 14.5% is the largest since July 2020, during the pandemic. Back then, sales rose by 22.4%.

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Creative financing rules as investors head into spring with fewer options

Real estate investors are heading into spring facing the same inventory and interest rate woes that are dampening all of real estate. But sometimes necessity is the mother of invention.

Flipping houses is dead. Today’s hot new strategy is ‘house hacking’

"America’s #1 Money Mentor" and HGTV’s Chris Naugle sits down with Bernice Ross in this video interview to give the inside scoop on the hottest investment strategy for today's market.

Falling existing-home sales reverse as record-streak of price hikes end

Existing-home sales surged 14.5 percent in February, reversing a yearlong trend of falling transactions from one month to the next, according to data released Tuesday by the National Association of Realtors.

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