Guaranteed increase in quality traffic and sales with 15 underused resources: Part 5

Guaranteed increase in quality traffic and sales with 15 underused resources: Part 5

Cash Buyers List News

In part 4 of, “15 underused resources guaranteed to increase quality traffic and sales.", we discussed Free Tutorials/eBooks, Comment Blogging and Promotional Offers. Today's topics will be Partnerships, Image and Photo Sharing and Opinion Sharing.

13. Partnerships

Partnerships

Partnerships are a highly effective method for generating website traffic. There are dozens of partnership opportunities available out there.

Focus on finding credible partners with whom you can establish a successful working relationship, and achieve mutually beneficial goals.

Attend events and scour the internet until you find the perfect businesses to partner with.

A good partnership will help promote your website and expose your content to a larger audience.

When you partner with another company, you can advertise your business on a section of their website. You’ll be appealing to a much larger audience who are also interested in your niche. This ultimately leads to more site clicks, and before you know it, you’ll be attracting a tremendous amount of traffic to your site.

14. Photo and Image Sharing

Photo and Image Sharing

Have you got a killer featured image in a blog post? Go ahead and share it! Photos and images are the most shared type of content on social media. They can drive a lot of traffic to your site from search engines.

Create an account on photo-sharing sites:
Instagram, Facebook, PhotoBucket, or Flickr are perfect platforms to share your images for free, with a link back to your page or site.

However, simply uploading images is not enough; each image should be optimized for SEO and traffic generation.

Pictures display complex information in a simple form, and they generate more social media shares than posts without images. Without a doubt, making your images pop up in search results can be a powerful strategy to generate traffic.​

Photobucket
Instagram
Shutterfly
Flickr
Fotki
Photo.net
Picasa Web Albums
Fotolog


15. Opinion Sharing

Share Your Opinion

Responding to controversial posts within your niche field is another technique that can direct more traffic to your site.

This is a great way to become more visible within your industry, provided that you do it the right way. Don’t just go around starting pointless arguments and posting random comments of disapproval just to get a link back to your website—that’s spamming, and it’ll do you more harm than good.

Here are a few tips to writing a killer response post:

• ​Do sufficient research and think critically about which posts seem the most provocative to you. Read postings with an open mind.​

• Make sure you describe your point clearly so that everyone can follow along. Provide clear and credible evidence to support your responses.

• When in disagreement, keep your responses respectful. Avoid using unsupported personal opinions, generalizations, and language that others might find offensive.​

​​And, that’s it!

THAT'S IT!

Whether you’re writing blog posts, producing podcasts, or offering e-books, quality is something you must never compromise on. Master the fifteen techniques we've given you and watch your figures soar!​​ This is Part 4 of 5 of “15 underused resources guaranteed to increase quality traffic and sales.”
Part 4
Part 3
Part 2
Part 1

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Guaranteed increase in quality traffic and sales with 15 underused resources: Part 4

Guaranteed increase in quality traffic and sales with 15 underused resources: Part 4

Cash Buyers List News

In part 3 of, “15 underused resources guaranteed to increase quality traffic and sales.", we discussed Video Marketing, Social Media and Podcasts. Today's topics will be Free Tutorials/eBooks, Comment Blogging and Promotional Offers.

10. Free Tutorials/eBooks

Free eBook/Tutorials

You are an authority in your industry niche. You have valuable information which could help your industry in a whole. It's about time you shared your knowledge.

Video tutorials and e-books are hugely untapped sources for generating online traffic.

If you’ve got tutorials related to real estate, SEO, Photoshop, web development, programming, or marketing, you can upload them to certain sites and get thousands of visitors.

Video-based tutorials are the perfect marketing tool combination for generating traffic and sales. And if your tutorial happens to be really good, there are websites that will gladly pay you anywhere between $60- 150 for each quality tutorial you submit. The same applies to e-books as well: There are plenty of free sites where you can upload your own e-books, and people actually download and read them! Isn’t that amazing?

Here are some of the most popular tutorial/ e-book sharing sites:

• Good-tutorials.com (Graphics/Photo/Programming)
• Tutorialized.com (Web design and marketing)
• Tutorial-index.com (photoshop, coding, video, etc)
• Bookyards.com
• Amazon.com (Kindle Version)
• Free-ebooks.net
• Issuu.com​

11. Blog Comments

Blogging Comments

Okay, now this is an old-school technique but it’s an old-school technique which works. How many of you are actually USING this technique to generate traffic to your website? Hopefully this is a regular task in your online marketing repertoire. This very powerful technique is underestimated by most marketers. It’s a brilliant way to exchange thoughts, ideas, and opinions on blog posts and also to build contacts with other bloggers.

However, if you can combine automation with blog commenting, this can become an excellent traffic source for you. Instead of manually searching for blogs, articles, or posts to comment on, you can now use the help of Google’s alert system. It’s free and you can create as many alerts as you require (http://www.google.com/alerts)

Google will send you a mail with a link almost instantly when someone posts information, a post, or news related to your niche/product/service. You just need to click that link and make sure you’re the first one to comment. The earlier you comment, the more exposure you’ll get, since your comment will be at the top of the section.

It’s important to ensure your comment provides value: intelligent, insightful comments get attention and drive more traffic to your website. Some great examples to follow when it comes to blog comments include Adrienne Smith, Ryan Biddulph, Donna Merrill and Don Purdum.

12. Promotional offers, discounts, coupons

Promotional offers, discounts and coupons

This might be an age-old technique, but believe me, it still works like a charm. People absolutely love discounts and coupons.

This might be an age-old technique, but believe me, it still works like a charm. People absolutely love discounts and coupons.

Coupons have a built-in visual appeal and an innate call to action attached to them. It creates a sense of urgency in people’s minds, rapidly increasing their curiosity.

If your site offers coupons or discount codes of any kind, you can submit them to hundreds of different coupon websites to gain additional exposure and traffic.

If you combine them successfully over social media, they can go viral overnight. Make sure to add your coupons to the following coupon/deal of the day directories:

currentcodes.com
dailyedeals.com
dealcatcher.com
keycode.com
quicktoclick.com
ultimatecoupons.com
dealoftheday.com
deals2buy.com

This is Part 4 of 5 of “15 underused resources guaranteed to increase quality traffic and sales.”
Part 3
Part 2
Part 1
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Guaranteed increase in quality traffic and sales with 15 underused resources: Part 3

Guaranteed increase in quality traffic and sales with 15 underused resources: Part 3

In part 2 of, “15 underused resources guaranteed to increase quality traffic and sales.", we discussed Ad footers, Ad Swaps and Email Lists. Today's topics will be Video Marketing, Social Media and Podcasts.

7. Video Marketing

5 Powerful Reasons Why Video Marketing Works

Video marketing is one of the most powerful, versatile and profitable marketing tools available.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is priceless. Did you know that videos generate 300% more traffic than any other source? Creating a unique visual content experience can generate staggering amounts of traffic to your website.

Videos can make you some serious money. Adding a product video on your landing page can increase conversions by 80%.

Facebook Live video is now reportedly at 8 billion views, outstripping even YouTube’s massive 5 billion views per day. It’s no wonder that we see an increasing number of businesses incorporating unique and carefully developed videos into their marketing strategies.

An effective video marketing strategy can implement a range of video types to drive traffic and conversions to your website or blog post.Make sure your videos are helpful, informative, and interesting. Your video must provide some type of value to your viewer. You also want it to include some kind of call to action that will bring people to your website.

Youtube is the most common and well-known video sharing site. But be sure to link your video to other social media accounts as well. Your target audience are on multiple platforms and there are increased chances of it getting shared multiple times. How cool is that?

8. Social Media Traffic

Social Media Marketing

Social media is one of the most proactive ways of generating more quality and appropriate traffic because of it‘s advanced targeting opportunities. Did you know that, as of June 2017, Twitter has 328 million monthly active users while Facebook has 2 billion?

You have free access to millions of users, every month from every platform, right in front of you. With the boom of the internet, more and more people spend a lot of time on these channels.

They’re powerful platforms for communicating with your readers, building your brand, and driving more traffic to your website.

By targeting people based on their interests and networks, they can help you identify and connect with buyer personas all over the globe. Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin are excellent mediums for B2C (business to customer) interactions.

Here’s how to make the most out of social media to generate more traffic:

● Share relevant and useful content to build a strong online presence . Quality content will find its way to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and more, increasing your social visitors.
● Make sure you include visuals, hashtags, short text, and emoticons when relevant. No one wants to go through a boring post without emoticons or hashtags. So, cheer up!
● Be active on industry-related social network groups and communities. These can be an important traffic resource for your website.
● Keep a track of social conversations. Listen for your customers’ questions, comments, likes, and dislikes, and reach out to them.

9. Podcasts

Pod Cast Services

People love audio as much as they love videos. If you are too shy to appear in front of the camera, then podcasts are the way to go.

Podcasts are digital audio recordings of programs that you can readily download online. Creating them can help you to develop authority and expertise in the subject matter. And, most importantly, pod-casting gives you incredible reach.

You can take the same set of topics and present them to your target audience again and again. The more listeners you have, the better your chances of converting them into website visitors. By repeatedly exposing your audience to your best products and content, you’ll develop a reputation as an expert in your industry.

Like an article or blog post, your podcast episode becomes something that you can share. Demonstrate your value to the target market. Your podcast strategy can improve your trustworthiness and credibility, especially if you appear as a guest on other podcasts. Podcasts on relevant and useful topics get more traffic and attract more leads for your business. I recommend using a podcast hosting service like LibSyn, and creating accounts to upload your podcast to iTunes, Stitcher, BluBrry, and Miro.​


This is Part 3 of 5 of “15 underused resources guaranteed to increase quality traffic and sales.”

Part 2
Part 1

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Guaranteed increase in quality traffic and sales with 15 underused resources: Part 2

Guaranteed increase in quality traffic and sales with 15 underused resources: Part 2

In part 1 of, “15 underused resources guaranteed to increase quality traffic and sales.", we discussed Content Syndication, Guest Blogging and trackbacks. Today's topics will be Ad footers, Ad Swaps and Email Lists.

4. Ad footers
Ad footer creation is a creative advertising technique which can help bring quality traffic to your website without blowing your marketing budget by splurging on traditional methods of advertising. You will definitely see a positive response and the response you get from it will blow your mind.

If you have a blog that publishes solid content, link advertisements for your site to the solid content by adding a banner at the footer of the blog. Users who visit your blog, will see the clickable banner, or a catchy tagline at the bottom of their browser, which leads back to your site. Footer ads always catch the attention of users. Don’t underestimate the power of this strategy. The mutually beneficial end result will do wonders for your blogs and your site.

Here’s how the tech giant Hotmail employed this growth hack:Hotmail already had about 20,000 users one month after launching in 1996. They added a tagline at the end of any email sent by a Hotmail user that read “Get Your Free Email at Hotmail” and contained a link back to their homepage. As a result, the company user-base skyrocketed to 1 million users within 6 months. This led to a massive growth: 12 million email accounts. Not bad at all.


5. Ad Swaps

Ad Swaps

Using major keywords, search for people who are active in building email lists. It doesn’t matter if your potential partner has a bigger list size than yours, you can still leverage that to swap ads with other list owners.Ad swaps are one of the best ways to attract more traffic quickly, without spending any money. You get the very best, as someone is endorsing your free offer to their subscribers, and you can swap ads multiple times with the same people. Isn’t that cool?


6. Email Lists

Response Magic Email Marketing System

E–mail persists as one of the best ways to communicate with your prospects. Study after study has shown that email marketing has the highest ROI of any marketing channel. According to research from Direct Marketing Association(DMA), the buy rate of email marketing is 1000% higher than social media (such as Facebook and Twitter), and double that of organic search engine marketing (SEO).

It‘s a great tool for social promotion, and an amazing source to drive free additional traffic to your site. If you have a news letter, make sure your visitors sign up for it and start building your list. Set up a subscription path on your website and then deliver your best and most informative content to your subscribers. The more your list grows, the more traffic you’ll be able to send to your latest posts.

Micheal Hyatt, the New York Times best selling author and CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, built a multi-million dollar business on the strength of email lists. Here’s how his email list of around 2,700 subscribers mushroomed to almost 115,000 within 3 years.

This is Part 2 of 5 of “15 underused resources guaranteed to increase quality traffic and sales.”

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Guaranteed increase in quality traffic and sales with 15 underused resources

Guaranteed increase in quality traffic and sales with 15 underused resources

If you are serious about your business, then this information will be a game changer for you. Most online marketers focus on two very important goals: to attract more traffic and convert more leads. More traffic translates to more visibility and profitability. But let’s face it, finding quality traffic sources for your niche and your site can be very annoying. More than likely, you have realized that high but random traffic won’t add much value to your site or its content.

Therefore, the focus should be on generating the appropriate industry niche traffic, consisting of prospects who can significantly contribute to the growth of your business. Now this is where it gets challenging. Attracting the appropriate traffic is the first step in the process of generating qualified leads, so it’s extremely important to do it right.

Even though SEO and social media are the two primary conventional sources (companies are realizing that they have only just scratched the surface of generating web traffic) they’re probably the most mainstream technique that marketers use.

Now it’s time to get started with increasing quality traffic and sales to your website…1…2…3…GO!

1. Content Syndication
If you don’t already know, your blog should be published regularly with valuable niche appropriate content. Sometimes you view you blog and say, “This is great! It’s well-written and informative.” But, the response probably wasn’t what you expected. There are still millions of readers who may not even know your blog exists. Now you’re stuck wondering how to reach out to all of them with your content. Well, there’s a way to do it. It’s called Content syndication.

Content syndication is the process of republishing your blogs and articles on third–party websites, as full articles, thumbnails, or links. By submitting your articles to the article directories, top websites, and blogs within your market, you’ll drive an enormous amount of traffic to your site. Republishing let‘s you leverage the same content multiple times.

A lot of sites are open to content syndication.

Content Syndication

2. Guest blogging
Guest blogging is another way to get lots of exposure (traffic) back to your site. Popular methodologies such as guest blogging have been a valuable resource for professional bloggers for years. You write posts to be published on someone else’s blog, or get another blogger to write a post to publish on yours. It’s also one of the best ways to reach out to a completely new audience, because at the end of the post there will be a link that leads back to your website. One of the major benefits of getting links via Guest blogging is they are of high quality and they will help you rank higher and increase your domain authority.

It’s a great way to establish yourself within your market and to develop relationships with other bloggers and experts in your field. As always, in the end, it all comes down to value. Showcase your best content or, publish the most valuable guest posts. Even a couple of high-quality guest posts submitted to leading blogs and websites can help generate a lifetime of consistent traffic.

While looking for the best guest blogging opportunities, your main goal should be to find sites that are relevant to your niche or industry. Google is one of the best places to find suitable guest posting opportunities.

Conduct a keyword search to help narrow your search results. Here are some suggestions:

● Using quotes, search popular phrases such as “Write for us,” “Guest blog submission,” ” Call for guest bloggers,” or “Guest post by”

● Add keywords from your industry, such as “real estate news” and “housing”, or “baseball” and “guest post guidelines”, “guest blogging websites.”

Guest Blogging

3. Trackbacks

A trackback is an automated process that links two or more relevant blog entries together. It is a way to notify another blogger that you have linked to one of their articles. When one blogger writes and publishes an article that is relevant to an article on another blog, the blog system can leave a trackback on the other blog’s article. It usually appears in the comments section with a link, so your link will immediately show up in the comments section of that blog, which can lead to lots of traffic.

Think of trackbacks as the equivalent of acknowledgements and references at the end of an academic paper or chapter in a text book. Bloggers love it when you link to them, and out of gratitude they’ll often link back to you, which can send even more traffic to your site.

Here is how it normally works.

1. Mary Blog writes an article on cheese
2. Joe Blogger writes about Mary Blogs new post saying it is really cool
3. Joes blog sends a trackback to Mary’s blog
4. Mary’s blog receives the trackback and Mary sees the trackback in her comments moderation

In most cases this is all automatic, you just link to a post and it is all handled for you, in others you have to send trackbacks manually.

How to send a trackback

Usually, you’ll have to manually enter a trackback URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) into the blog entry you’re creating. You can find this at the end of most blog posts. Add the trackback URI from the other blog post to the Send Trackbacks format in your blog post before you publish it.

This is Part 1 of 5 of “15 underused resources guaranteed to increase quality traffic and sales.”

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Advice From a Master

Advice From a Master - By J'aime Nowak, Buffini & Company  

Way back in 1996, I was finding my way in the world. Newly licensed in real estate, I was terrified and excited. I was also broke, in debt and thrilled to receive my first pager. It feels like yesterday, only today I’m very different. My lessons and experiences, my research and circumstances, my failures more than my successes, have gotten me closer to the person I’m capable of being, and I’m not close to done. Here are a few key lessons I’ve found as truth along way...

The good life takes hard work, grit and hustle.
Passively waiting for leads to call is not the way to build a fundamentally sound and lasting business. The great thing about this principle is that we each have control over our daily activities and attitude, and these choices directly impact the prosperity of our business. There is power and promise in that. When I’m anxious or frustrated that I’m not achieving my goals fast enough, I’ve learned that positive action in any area creates momentum, feelings of empowerment and eventually, results! The bottom line? Real estate rewards action.

Lasting success is built on good habits practiced consistently over time.
Many years ago, as I was preparing to cross North America teaching folks how to build their business by referral (a system Id implemented with great success as a broker myself), Brian Buffini gave me some excellent advice. He told me to be "violent in my routines." "Violent?" I said. "That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it?" "Not at all," he said. "It’s the difference between success and failure in all that we do. If you major in the minors of life and business, you won’t go very far."

We all know this, but many times, we behave very differently. We get caught up in stuff that doesn’t really matter. I paid attention to what my mentor shared with me. I answered the question: What are the things that really matter? I made the list. My health and wellbeing, my family and relationships, and doing good work that helps people were at the top of my list. What time and activities did I need to devote to this list? If we are intentional on where we focus our time and energy, then our priorities won’t become casualties.

While in pursuit of the good life, expect adversity.
No matter the challenge or circumstance, don’t give up. I’ve found that some of my greatest blessings have come from my biggest adversities. You never know how close you are to that next blessing, that next victory. Keep moving one step forward even if you’re thrown two steps back; there is always hope. You are stronger than you think.

Gratitude is the way to happiness.
I start every day with "Thank You." Even on my roughest days, I find my list of blessings is too long to get through. It’s easy to fall into "Facebook envy." We look at peoples carefully curated posts, thinking they have everything in order, and compare ourselves. Realize that what you see isn’t the whole story! It’s the one made for the public.

Relationships are the pulse of life and business.
These crucial connections are the lifeblood of our business, the strength of our families and the fabric of our lives. We must invest time and energy in them so they blossom and grow. One of the best ways to serve your clients is to get to know them better. To help, we’ve created a free resource for you, The Client Connection List.

As I look back at over 20 years in the real estate business-first as an agent, then as a broker and now as trainer-these lessons have been rich and painful, sobering and beautiful. I hope you took a few nuggets from what I’ve shared and I invite you to take stock of what you’ve learned over the last five, 10 or 20 years. I promise, it’ll be staggering.

And now, let us look forward to the next decade with hope and ambition, dedication to the right things and people, and a powerful vision of all we want to do and become. Forge ahead with the conviction that no matter the mistakes, success and lessons lie ahead.

For more information, please visit www.buffiniandcompany.com.




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Existing-Home Sales Bloom After Rainy April

Existing-Home Sales Bloom After Rainy April

Existing-home sales bloomed in May after a rainy April, with the median days on market at a new low and the median sales price at a new high, the National Association of REALTORS(R) (NAR) reports.

Existing-home sales totaled 5.62 million, a 1.1 percent increase from April and a 2.7 percent increase from one year prior. Inventory increased 2.1 percent to 1.96 million-though still 8.4 percent below one year prior.

"The job market in most of the country is healthy and the recent downward trend in mortgage rates continues to keep buyer interest at a robust level," says Lawrence Yun, chief economist at NAR.

"Those able to close on a home last month are probably feeling both happy and relieved. Listings in the affordable price range are scarce, homes are coming off the market at an extremely fast pace and the prevalence of multiple offers in some markets are pushing prices higher."

Inventory is currently at a 4.2-month supply. Existing homes averaged 27 days on market in May, two fewer days than in April and five fewer days than one year prior. Non-distressed homes took 27 days to sell. All told, 55 percent of homes sold in May were on the market for less than one month.

"The bottom line is that there are fewer homes on the market, and they are selling faster," says Joseph Kirchner, senior economist at realtor.com(R). "Tightening supplies have caused steady price growth in the existing-home market; sales are up 2.7 percent since May 2016. In fact, the supply of homes on the market fell from 4.7 months worth last May to 4.2 months last month.

"With new and existing supply failing to catch up with demand, several markets this summer will continue to see homes going under contract at this remarkably fast pace of under a month," Yun says.

"This is a strong market for sellers, which is good news for people who are downsizing or settling an estate," Kirchner says. "It’s bad news for millennials, first-time buyers or second-time buyers looking to upsize for that baby on the way."

The metropolitan areas with the fewest days on market in May, according to data from realtor.com, were Seattle-Tacoma Bellevue, Wash. (20 days); San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif. (24 days); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. (25 days); and Salt Lake City, Utah, and Ogden-Clearfield, Utah (both at 26 days).

The median existing-home price for all types of houses (single-family, condo, co-op and townhome), at the same time, was $252,800-a 5.8 percent increase from one year prior. The median price for a single-family existing home was $254,600, while the median price for an existing condo was $238,700.

"Home prices keep chugging along at a pace that is not sustainable in the long run," says Yun. "Current demand levels indicate sales should be stronger, but its clear some would-be buyers are having to delay or postpone their home search because low supply is leading to worsening affordability conditions."

Single-family existing-home sales came in at 4.98 million in May, a 1 percent increase from 4.93 million in April and a 2.7 percent increase from 4.85 million one year prior. Existing condo and co-op sales came in at 640,000, a 1.6 percent increase from April and a 3.2 percent increase from one year prior.

Twenty-two percent of existing-home sales in May were all-cash, with 16 percent by individual investors. Five percent were distressed.

Existing-home sales in the Northeast rose 6.8 percent to 780,000, with a median price of $281,300. Existing-home sales in the West rose, as well, 3.4 percent to 1.22 million, with a median price of $368,800. Existing-home sales in the South also rose, 2.2 percent to 2.34 million, with a median price of $221,900. Existing-home sales in the
Midwest fell 5.9 percent to 1.28 million, with a median price of $203,900.

For more information, please visit www.nar.realtor.




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The Yin and Yang of the Millennial Market

The Yin and Yang of the Millennial Market

In a recent release from apartmentlist.com, it’s very interesting to learn while millennials are starting to buy homes, there are not enough homes in their price range on the market - and even if there were, many could not come up with a down payment.

In his latest Apartmentlist Rentonomics report, Andrew Woo writes that during the Great Recession, investors bought countless foreclosed properties, most of which were starter homes.

And rather than selling when prices recovered, investors turned them into profitable single-family rentals. And as a result, Woo says there are very few existing starter homes on the market.

Woo points to Megan McGrath of MKM Partners, who says the housing recovery was primarily at the middle end of the market which drove up home prices and land prices followed. With higher land prices, it is harder for home builders to make a good profit at lower home prices.

During the housing recovery, the price spread between new and existing homes increased because builders were focused on the move-up buyer. But Woo says now middle-end sales are starting to slow down, and builders need to target new buyers to sustain growth.

He says big builders are starting to introduce new product lines at lower price points, and these starter homes are selling well. But the only way for builders to lower prices and take a hit to their margins is if they see big growth in new orders, and he is not seeing that happening anytime soon.

Woo says the demand is clearly growing but is not as strong as demographics would suggest. Single-family construction still stands at 18% below its 25-year average, and he warns about a developing affordability gap.

Aparetmentlist.com recently surveyed 24,000 millennial renters and found that 80 percent want to purchase a home, but face a huge obstacle in affording one. Woo says its because millennials vastly underestimate the savings needed for a down payment.

Woo fears based on current saving rates most millennials will need at least a decade to save enough - and that a lack of savings, combined with the shortage of affordable starter homes, will leave a large share of millennials renting for years to come.





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10 Cities With Climbing Costs of Living

10 Cities With Climbing Costs of Living

One major determining factor in deciding where to buy or rent a home is cost of living. A recently released study by GOBankingRates.com ranks the cities with costs of living that climbed the most in 2016-a sign of a housing market heating up.

Researchers based the ranking on the increase in the "cost of living index," which includes food, rent and transportation, and the increase in income needed to "live comfortably." The ranking includes cities where both the cost of living index increased and the income needed increased.

The top ten cities:

1. Nashville, Tennessee
 Cost of Living Index Increase: 8.61 points
 Income Needed Increase: $9,135

2. Seattle, Washington
 Cost of Living Index Increase: 7.32 points
 Income Needed Increase: $3,190

3. Louisville, Kentucky
 Cost of Living Index Increase: 4.49 points
 Income Needed Increase: $2,066

4. Austin, Texas
 Cost of Living Index Increase: 3.84 points
 Income Needed Increase: $1,407

5. Jacksonville, Florida
 Cost of Living Index Increase: 3.36 points
 Income Needed Increase: $2,095

6. Los Angeles, California

Cost of Living Index Increase: 2.89 points

Live Comfortably Amount Increase: $1,676

7. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cost of Living Index Increase: 2.78 points

Live Comfortably Amount Increase: $2,590

8. Virginia Beach, Virginia

Cost of Living Index Increase: 2.65 points

Live Comfortably Amount Increase: $1,720

9. Indianapolis, Indiana

Cost of Living Index Increase: 2.58 points

Live Comfortably Amount Increase: $1,111

10. New Orleans, Louisiana

Cost of Living Index Increase: 2.15 points

Live Comfortably Amount Increase: $1,221

Source: GoBankingRates.com

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Proximity to Family Drives Housing Decisions for Households With Children

Proximity to Family Drives Housing Decisions for Households With Children

Many upper-middle class households with young children are caught between an inability to afford childcare and an inability to sustain on one less income with a stay-at-home parent-a predicament that has a driving force on their housing decisions.

According to the Zillow Housing Aspirations Report (ZHAR), many upper-middle class households choose to put down roots close to relatives who can provide childcare, even more so than low-income households. Roughly one-quarter of upper-middle class household members surveyed for the report, as well, cite "proximity to family" as an influencer on their choice about where to live.

Low-income households do, however, struggle with childcare costs in pricey housing markets, such as San Francisco, Calif. Thirty-three percent of those surveyed overall depend on relatives for childcare.

Most households with young children are being pinched by a combination of higher housing costs and standstill income growth.

"Housing costs and childcare are among the two largest budget items for working families, costing as much $43,000 a year in urban areas and over $34,000 a year in the suburbs," says Dr. Svenja Gudell, chief economist at Zillow. "While many Americans are tied to the places they live for a variety of personal and financial reasons, its necessary for some households to live near family in order to make ends meet.

Sometimes extended family might move together to provide childcare, or grandparents might even follow their children when they move to a new city to help care for their grandkids."

For more information, please visit www.zillow.com.


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Housing Starts Again Disappoint in May

Housing Starts Again Disappoint in May

Home-building activity again disappointed in May, below expectations with housing starts down 5.5 percent to a rate of 1,092,000, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Single-family housing starts decreased 3.9 percent to 826,000. Starts for units in buildings with five units or more came in at 284,000.

Permits also fell short, down 4.9 percent from April to 1,228,000, according to the data. Single-family permits decreased 1.9 percent from April to 779,000. Permits for units in buildings with five units or more came in at 358,000.

Completions, however, totaled 1,164,000 in May, rising 5.6 percent. Single-family completions increased 4.9 percent from April to 817,000. Completions for units in buildings with five units or more came in at 335,000.

"Even though housing starts fell in May, the good news for buyers is that the number of completed new homes is up," says Joseph Kirchner, senior economist at realtor.com(R). "With completions up 5.6 percent from last month and 14.6 percent from a year ago, these new homes prevent the number of properties the market from falling too rapidly. 

Unfortunately, it is probably not enough to stem the steady decline of homes for sale that is contributing to accelerating prices and bidding wars across the country. The shortage of homes is so acute at the low end of the price range that it is affecting overall sales of new and existing homes.

Compared to a year ago, the sales of properties under $250,000, which is approximately the current median price, fell 9 percent, but rose 8 percent for properties above $250,000. As prices continue to go up, millennials, who make up the largest segment of buyers, will find it more difficult to take the homeownership plunge."

"[This] report is consistent with builder sentiment in the housing market, indicating some weakness after a strong start the year," said Granger MacDonald, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), in a statement. "Ongoing job growth, rising demand and low mortgage rates should keep the single-family sector moving forward this year, even as builders deal with ongoing shortages of lots and labor."

Source: U.S. Census Bureau


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Just Say No to Credit Card Cash Advances

Just Say No to Credit Card Cash Advances

Cash Buyers List News

If you're a little strapped for money, it can be tempting to take a cash advance from your credit card. Doing so, however, will end up costing you more in the long-run.

According to a CreditCards.com survey of 100 cards cash advance terms, credit card cash advances are a costly way to borrow money. The average cash advance APR is 23.68 percent, much higher than the average purchase APR of 15.79 percent. More importantly, none of the cards studied offer a grace period for cash advance transactions like they do for traditional credit card purchases. So when you take cash out, you start accruing interest immediately.

For example, if someone purchases a $1,000 item on a credit card with a 15.79 percent rate and pays it off in 30 days, they’ll pay no interest thanks to the grace period. But, a $1,000 cash advance under the typical terms found in the survey will cost an extra $69.73. That includes the $50 upfront fee, plus $19.73 for 30 days interest at 23.68 percent.

Cash advances are not just ATM and convenience check transactions, either. Consumers should note that wire transfers, money orders, legal gambling purchases and bail bonds are often treated as cash advances if paid via credit card. Additionally, if you hold a checking account with the same bank that issues your credit card, overdraft coverage that comes from your credit card may also be considered a cash advance.

Paying off a cash advance can prove to be problematic for those making just the minimum payment. Generally, card issuers will first apply the minimum payment to lower APR balances before payments made in excess of that go to balances with higher APRs.

Unlike typical credit card interest rates, most cash advances have a flat APR irrespective of the individual cardholders creditworthiness. High APRs are not the only concern for cardholders who use credit to access cash. Only one card in the survey does not charge a fee for cash advances, which is typically $10 or 5 percent of each advance, whichever is greater.

The one thing cash advance borrowers cant rack up: credit card rewards. Cash advances also cannot be used to directly pay off any card balances or loans held by the same bank.​

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Boost Your Home's Value With 6 Easy DIY Projects - Part 1

Boost Your Home's Value With 6 Easy DIY Projects - Part 1

Cash Buyers List News
Your house is likely to be the biggest investment you make in your entire life. Whether you’re planning to sell it or you’re there for the long haul, it is important to take care of your investment.

As any real estate agent will tell you, the first thing people notice about your home is the exterior. You need strong curb appeal to make a good first impression.

With that in mind, here are six simple DIY projects to help boost your home’s value:

Invest in Your Landscaping
Landscaping is often regarded as one of the top three ways to add value to your home in terms of return on investment. HomeGain.com conducted a survey of 2,000 brokers in 2007. The results indicated you could possibly quadruple an investment of $400-$500 on well-planned landscaping.

That said, just throwing a couple hundred dollars at plants is not a good approach. Instead, focus on creating a healthy, vibrant lawn. Fill in dead or sparse areas, fertilize, and clean up edges along your sidewalk, pathways and gardens. Trim overgrown bushes and shrubberies and cut down tangled tree branches.

Plant flowers and plants to brighten up your landscape-just be sure to plant perennials that will come back year after year, not annuals that will die within a year and never return. Also, look for plants that are native to your region or are drought-tolerant. They need less water and maintenance, saving you money in the long run.

Upgrade Your Front Door
Your front door is the entryway to your home and it sets the tone for the rest of the house. Make a good impression by ensuring your homes entry point (including the area directly surrounding the door) is attractive and eye-catching.

The first thing to consider here is whether to replace your existing door or not. If the door you have is good quality and a style you like, you can save some money by just freshening it up a bit. Refinish the wood or paint it for a pop of color; clean and polish the hardware or replace it with something that will add more of an accent; and replace the hinges if they are worn.

If you decide to replace the door, look for a well-insulated, energy-efficient, secure door; this is not something you want to cut corners on by going with a cheap alternative.

Illuminate With Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor/exterior lighting adds value to your home in three important ways.

• First, it helps keep you and your family safe. It’s important to be able to see where you are going to avoid a fall.
• Second, it adds a layer of security. Keeping your property well-lit is a good way to deter a would-be thief from targeting your home.
• Third, it enhances the aesthetics of your property. Show off your beautiful home and well-maintained landscape.

Consider which of these aspects are important to you. If safety is your goal, focus on pathways, entryways and steps. If you are more concerned with security, perimeter lighting set on timers and motion-activated flood lights are your best bet. If you want to add curb appeal, light up your trees, unique landscape elements, and water features.

The second thing to consider is what type of lighting to go with. Solar is great because you don’t need wiring and don’t have to pay for power. LED lights produce a bright, crisp light and are energy-efficient. Halogen lighting, though affordable, is being phased out for the most part. Consider replacing existing halogen bulbs with LED replacements (also called LED retrofitting).

Stay tuned for Boost Your Home's Value With 6 Easy DIY Projects - Part 2 and we will bring you a few more DIY projects which will help boost your home's value.



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NAHB: Home Builder Confidence in Single-Family Solid

NAHB: Home Builder Confidence in Single-Family Solid

Cash Buyers List News

Home builder confidence in the new, single-family construction market is solid, despite recent tempering, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).

The Index reading for June was 67-down from 69 in May. An above 50-reading indicates more builders have a positive outlook than a negative one.

"Builder confidence levels have remained consistently sound this year, reflecting the ongoing gradual recovery of the housing market," said Granger MacDonald, chairman of the NAHB, in a statement.

"As the housing market strengthens and more buyers enter the market, builders continue to express their frustration over an ongoing shortage of skilled labor and buildable lots that is impeding stronger growth in the single-family sector," said Robert Dietz, chief economist of the NAHB.

Home builders expectations regarding present and expected single-family home sales both fell in June, down to 73 and 76, in order, while expected homebuyer traffic fell two points to 49.

Source: National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)

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