RISMEDIA, December 31, 2009—Driving to work one morning earlier this summer, home buyer Lori Kramer was thinking about the homes she and her husband had looked at the day before. Then, she had a thought that would eventually change the direction of her home search completely. “My home at the …

RISMEDIA, December 31, 2009—With some subtle signs of recovery in the housing market, the real estate industry is due to bounce back–but more challenges could lie ahead for buyers and sellers alike. HGTV’s FrontDoor.com identifies the top 10 must-know real estate trends for the coming year:

1. Cash is king. All-cash …

RISMEDIA, December 31, 2009—Data through October 2009, recently released by Standard & Poor’s for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, one of the leading measures of U.S. home prices, show that the annual rate of decline of the 10-City and 20-City Composites improved compared to last month’s reading. This marks approximately …

RISMEDIA, December 31, 2009—(MCT)—Most homeowners are unlikely to be building, remodeling or decorating with abandon in 2010, given the slow recovery from the recession. But if you do plan to update your home or garden, here are some trends to keep in mind.

Home decor. The sleek, sophisticated but comfortable style …

RISMEDIA, December 31, 2009—Property coordinates could become as important as street addresses in the future. We may soon view property listings remotely, according to Ed Krafchow, president and CEO of Prudential California/Nevada Realty.

Krafchow spoke at a recent gathering of relocation and real estate professionals at a Worldwide Employee Relocation Council …

RISMEDIA, December 31, 2009—(MCT)-Much like returning from a vacation, putting away the holiday decor just isn’t as fun as getting it all out. The following pointers from a trio of organizational experts can keep the seasonal clutter safely out of your way—and even make next November easier.

Pare down. “Don’t be …

RISMEDIA, December 31, 2009—(MCT)-Consumer confidence rose for the second straight month as more Americans expect the nation’s economy to improve in 2010, the Conference Board reported recently.

The New York-based research organization’s confidence index climbed to 52.9 for December 2009, up from a revised 50.6 in November. Confidence had been expected …

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RISMEDIA, December 30, 2009—With 2010 right around the corner, what will you be looking forward to in the New Year? Buying your first home? Sending your last kid off to college? Or obsessing over your own personal mountain of debt, even more worrisome in this uncertain economy? It may feel …

RISMEDIA, December 30, 2009—This week’s headlines from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® include: Resources to protect your clients through NAR’s Right Tools, Right Now initiative, save up to 50% on select rentals from REALTOR Benefits® Program Partner, Budget, and Another Big Gain in Existing-Home Sales as Buyers Respond to Tax …