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🏡 DID YOU KNOW... Homeownership Continues to Build Wealth? 📈Owning a home isn't just about having a place to live—it's also one of the most powerful long-term wealth-building tools available.According to Cotality's latest Home Price Insights report:📈 Home prices increased 0.6% from April to May.🏠 Prices are 0.8% higher than they were one year ago.📊 The report also noted a strong seasonal upswing, with home prices rising 1.6% over the past three months.🔮 Looking ahead, Cotality forecasts home prices could increase another 4.8% over the next year.💡 What Does That Mean?If you owned a $500,000 home and it appreciated by 5% over the next year, your home's value would increase by approximately $25,000.That's one of the reasons homeownership has long been considered a powerful way to build wea... 07/13/2026

For 50 years, one of the defining characteristics of a HUD Code manufactured home has been its permanent steel chassis.Now, with the passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, that requirement becomes optional.I have been watching people celebrate this as an automatic cost reduction. I am not convinced that is the right conversation.Removing the permanent frame does not automatically make a home less expensive. In some cases, engineering another structural solution could actually increase costs. The real value is not cheaper. The real value is design flexibility. It gives engineers, manufacturers, and builders another tool to solve housing challenges instead of forcing every home into the same structural solution.But innovation always creates disruption.Think about the thousands o... 07/13/2026

🧀 RECIPE: Swiss Cheese Dip—A Three-Ingredient Crowd Pleaser! 🍌Sometimes the Simplest Recipes Become the Biggest Hits! One of my favorite things about getting friends together is seeing what everyone brings to the table—literallyYesterday we hosted a party with about 40 friends and neighbors, and instead of preparing all of the appetizers ourselves, everyone always brings one of their favorites. It is such a fun way to discover new recipes, and let me tell you...there were some incredible choices last night!While there were so many delicious choices, one appetizer had everyone talking!Our friend arrived with a warm Swiss Cheese Dip and a basket of wheat crackers and Triscuits. Within minutes, people were gathering around it asking, "Who made this?" and “Do you have the recipe?" Before th... 07/12/2026

Designing a Backyard That Fits Your LifeWhen people think about a backyard, it's easy to focus on the features.A sparkling pool.An elaborate outdoor kitchen.A fire pit.Beautiful landscaping.The latest trend.But over the years, I've learned that the most satisfying outdoor spaces aren't necessarily the most impressive.They're the ones that reflect the people who live there.Before spending thousands of dollars creating an outdoor space, I encourage homeowners to pause and ask themselves one simple question:"How do I want to live?"Do you picture yourself sitting outside with a cup of coffee each morning, listening to the birds and enjoying the quiet before the day begins?Would you rather have a shaded patio where family gathers for Sunday dinners and grandchildren have room to play?Maybe y... 07/14/2026

 Vacant and Accessible3 bedrooms, 2 baths at 11 Slade #308Some homes simply check boxes. Others quietly change lives. Welcome to 11 Slade Avenue, Unit 308, where comfort and accessibility come together in a practical home. Please note that 308 is unfurnished. Vacant space staged with furnitureThe open living and dining room shown above is a design idea. The left is using the existing carpet and painted wall. The one on the right uses light carpet and furnishings for the same vacant space.  Remember, paint and carpet are easy and affordable. The other features not so much! Enjoy a beautifully appointed kosher kitchen featuring granite countertops, warm wood cabinetry, two concealed dishwashers, one on each side of the stainless sink. KitchenAid appliances and abundant storage. A wall of ... 07/14/2026

Summer is one of the most powerful networking seasons in real estate. BBQs, bridal showers, graduations, weddings, and backyard gatherings bring people together, and every one of those events is an opportunity to naturally remind others what you do for a living. You don’t need a sales pitch; you just need presence, consistency, and conversation.When your social media is active, your blogs are current, and your professional life is visible, people notice. They may not “like” every post, but they’re watching. Today at a bridal shower, I walked in as a guest and walked out with a listing appointment - all because people have been following my activity online and seeing how busy and committed I am.This is exactly why staying visible matters. Social media and blogging aren’t just marketing t... 07/12/2026

Fifty years.That is how long it has been since the 1976 HUD Code fundamentally changed manufactured housing in America. Fifty years of engineering advances. Fifty years of improved building science. Fifty years of innovation in offsite construction.And yet here we are in 2026, with attorneys still writing CC&Rs that ban "mobile homes."Mobile homes.A legal term describing homes built before June 15, 1976.If you are drafting new restrictive covenants in 2026 and using the phrase "mobile home," you are immediately telling everyone reading the document that you do not understand the subject you are regulating.It gets worse.Many attorneys then lump "modular," "manufactured," and the catch all phrase "prefabricated" into the same sentence as though they are interchangeable. They are not. They... 07/12/2026

On July 9, 2026, Realtor.com reported that nationwide median weekly housing trends for the week ending July 4, 2026.Total available listings gained 1.8% for the week ending  July 4, 2026, from the same period of time in July of 2025.Time on the market decreased 1 day for the week ending July 4, 2026, from the same period of time in July of 2025.Median listing prices declined 2.3% for the week ending July 4, 2026, from the same period of time in July of 2025.New listing in the market higher 0.2% for the week ending July 4, 2026, from the same period of time in July of 2025.For complete more detailed information about Realtor.com’s real estate trends for the week ending in July 4, 2026, please click HERE 07/12/2026

We Just Got RealTrends Verified #1 in Plano, TexasThe Good Home Team powered by PLACE just received RealTrends Verified status as the #1 real estate team in Plano, Texas, for both volume and sides based on 2025 sales data. $65.60M in closed volume. 162 transaction sides. #1 in the city. #31 in the state of Texas by volume.RealTrends Verified is not a self-reported award. It requires teams to submit actual transaction data that is independently audited. The number is the number that actually closed.22 years in DFW real estate. 12 at Keller Williams. 7 at eXp Realty. The systems that produced those 162 verified sides are the same systems agent partners plug into when they join The Good Home Team.For agents in Plano, Frisco, McKinney, or anywhere in DFW evaluating where to build their busi... 07/11/2026

There is a Biblical saying "Guard your heart". Now many folks think that means to never fall in love. They are wrong. In Biblical times your heart was also a reference to the thoughts in your mind. To guard one's heart meant to avoid negative input. Avoid negative TV shows. Avoid negative movies. Avoid negative music. Avoid negative people (I know - that may mean losing 30% of your contacts on your phone. LOL). Most importantly, focus on what is good and what is right and let that be predominant in your thoughts. 07/12/2026

There is a Biblical saying "Guard your heart". Now many folks think that means to never fall in love. They are wrong. In Biblical times your heart was also a reference to the thoughts in your mind. To guard one's heart meant to avoid negative input. Avoid negative TV shows. Avoid negative movies. Avoid negative music. Avoid negative people (I know - that may mean losing 30% of your contacts on your phone. LOL). Most importantly, focus on what is good and what is right and let that be predominant in your thoughts. 07/12/2026

I'm looking forward to speaking at the IMN BTR Fall Forum 2026 this September in Dallas, where I'll have the opportunity to participate in both the Preconference Workshop and a main conference Education Session focused on one of the biggest opportunities in Build-to-Rent today, industrialized and modular construction.BTR has matured into an institutional asset class. Capital is more sophisticated. Underwriting is tighter. Investors are demanding greater certainty. Yet many projects are still built with delivery methods that introduce unnecessary schedule risk, labor uncertainty, financing drag, and inconsistent quality.That disconnect is where industrialized construction changes the conversation.In the preconference workshop, we'll discuss how developers can evaluate offsite constructio... 07/11/2026

 Posts Just For You- This Week at ActiveRain July 5 to July 11, 2026  Every day, there is something to learn here at ActiveRain.  With this series, I highlight posts that gave me that lightbulb moment. It could be something techie, a post about Real Estate or other professions, about a place, or a person. Or, it could be a post that made me sit up and take notice! July 6: Paula Hathaway     HIDDEN HAMPTONS--AT LAST--LAUNCHING ON JULY 10TH Congatulations to Paula!!!   We have another author among us!!!!   Leanne Smith    Building Relationships from Authentic Reciprocation  The lady makes sense!  July 7:  Darren Copeland     Top VA Loan Misconceptions Veterans Still Hear If you work with veterans, this is helpful information.   July 8:  Tammie Jungling     Offer Accepted, Now What? A Guid... 07/12/2026

29% Interest Rates? How Trust Deeds Destroy Stock Returns, Trust Deed Investor, be the bank.There are three parties mentioned in a deed of trust document:1. the beneficiary (private money lender, you),2. the trustee (usually a neutral party, such as a title company),3. the trustor (the borrower).The trustee holds specific powers under a Trust Deed. If the borrower defaults, the trustee may initiate a streamlined foreclosure process called a trustee’s sale. This process is typically faster and less costly than judicial foreclosure. (Team, 2026) At the trustee’s sale, the property may be purchased by a third-party bidder or revert to the lender. Ownership is then transferred to either the beneficiary or the winning bidder.Benefits of Deeds of Trust Investing: Deeds of Trust typically offe... 07/10/2026

 Bannockburn, a luxury neighborhood in Bethesda MD, is popular because of its proximity to DC, airports and commuter routes, good schools, a mixture of housing styles, mature landscaping and tall trees. If you are looking for a home on a large lot set back from the street Bannockburn is a great choice for you. Bannockburn is composed of Bannockburn Coop, Bannockburn Estates and Bannockburn Heights but the three combine to make an exceptional luxury neighborhood.History of Bannockburn, a Luxury Neighborhood in Bethesda MDBannockburn Coop was established in 1946 when its founders, the Group Housing Cooperative, bought the 124-acre Bannockburn Golf Club in Bethesda MD for $193,000.  The community was intended to be a cooperative neighborhood, perhaps like the Cabin John Gardens Cooperative... 07/10/2026

Recently I've received a few emails warning me not to fall for any of this summer's scams. This morning my inbox had two.One was a fake PayPal notice informing me that I was making a purchase for $400+. I've received that one a few times lately. The other one was funny: Your last membership update on 10/07/2026 did not go through, so we wanted to give you a quick heads-up.In most cases, it only means a card on file has expired or a small detail needs to be refreshed. It usually takes less than a minute to sort out.Either they goofed or they are in some country that enters the day ahead of the month - even though the address at the bottom is New York.This one didn't even try to name the membership or the company.The most troubling scam is happening on the phone, and it's one that should ... 07/10/2026

Sometimes you deserve a second chance, not because you weren't fabulous the first time, but because the timing and circumstances weren't quite right. You just got overlooked."   -Carol Williams  Second Chance Saturday is all about giving deserving posts more exposure. If you see a deserving post that didn't get featured, be sure to tag Carol in the comment section of any post and watch for it in the next edition of Second Chance Saturday.  Let's Welcome Our First-Time Bloggers:Note: I don't feature first-time blogs that aren't about real estate or those that appear to be spamming their own blogs. We consider that spamming the site. I also don't feature blogs that don't allow comments. Pya Paing Myo Muzammil  Rajani  Kasandra Jones  Roberto Gonzalez  Gbade Adewole  Jackson Njogu  Celeste... 07/11/2026

The housing conversation has changed.The question is no longer whether industrialized construction works. The question is how we deploy it at scale, consistently, profitably, and without reinventing the wheel on every project.I'm honored to be speaking at the 2026 Industrialized Housing Summit on July 23-24 in Austin, Texas, joining leaders from across development, manufacturing, government, finance, and construction to tackle the issues that actually determine whether industrialized housing succeeds. This isn't a conference built around theory. It's a working summit focused on solving the operational, financial, and execution challenges that stand between innovation and widespread adoption.If you're a developer, builder, manufacturer, investor, architect, engineer, policymaker, lender,... 07/10/2026

  The key to your dream home is closer than you think. Browse homes for sale in Williams Island today. Contact Ralph Magin, your trusted real estate agent, at 305-741-2142 or visit http://ralphmagin.com/ for real estate inquiries. #RealEstateMiami #SouthFloridaRealEstate #RealEstateWilliamsIsland #WilliamsIslandRealEstate #RealEstateSouthFlorida #RalphMagin 305-741-2142 #NorthMiamiBeach #MiamiRealEstate #SouthFloridaRealEstate #NMB #RealEstate #ColdwellBanker #33162 #33160 #33179 #33161 #33180 Down Payments Are Smaller Than They’ve Been Since 2021 in Miami-Dade, Florida Saving for a down payment can feel like the hardest part of buying a home. And with affordability as tight as it’s been lately, it’s fair to wonder how anyone manages it right now. Here’s something you may not have seen ... 07/10/2026

🏡🔨 Remodeling Market Remains Strong in the Second Quarter of 2026While higher mortgage rates continue to slow home sales, one part of the housing market continues to shine—home remodeling.According to the latest NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI), remodeler confidence remains firmly in positive territory as more homeowners choose to improve their current homes instead of moving.📊 Key Highlights🏡 The Remodeling Market Index (RMI) came in at 61 during the second quarter, remaining well above the 50-point benchmark that signals positive market conditions.🔨 The Current Conditions Index held steady at 70, reflecting continued demand for remodeling projects of all sizes.📅 The Future Indicators Index dipped slightly to 52, but remains in positive territory, suggesting remodelers expect demand ... 07/09/2026