In our latest real estate tech entrepreneur interview, we’re speaking with Jonathan Martis from Kleard.
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Jonathan Martis and I’m the CEO and Co-founder of Kleard. Kleard has been around since 2018 and is an app that provides safety and productivity tools to real estate agents. Our new feature-set called Kleard Now provides self tour tech for homes that have been listed by a licensed real estate agent. Buyers with the app can search for homes and as well as self tour properties.
What problem does your product/service solve?
Kleard Now solves the problem related to touring homes that are for sale. Our tech allows buyers the ability to self tour a home after they’ve been verified and when an agent approves their access remotely. With COVID-19 creating many limitations and concerns for buyers to meet with agents, Kleard Now provides a solution to tour properties they’re interested in without relying only on virtual tours, and while keeping the real estate agent involved in the process.
The ability to create a product that benefits buyers, sellers, AND real estate agents is very important. You simply cannot build a product that helps buyers and sellers, but not agents, because agents are very important to the real estate process and are the ones who still are heavily relied upon by consumers. On top of that, our safety and security tech is robust and super smart. We’ve tackled problems that we feel will make the self tour process smooth, safe, and a breeze.
What are you most excited about right now?
I’m excited that the industry is beginning to see that it’s not only rental properties that can be self toured, but homes that are for sale as well. Our current Kleard partnerships with MLS’ and REALTOR® Associations in the U.S., as well as being part of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) REACH Class of 2019 accelerator program, has allowed us to build connections into the real estate world that I feel will help us scale our Kleard Now Self Tour technology more quickly.
What’s next for you?
Things are moving fast, but here at Kleard I am working hard to create a real estate experience for the industry that benefits buyers, sellers, and real estate agents equally. Because of my past experience in the real estate tech world, as well as years of experience as a licensed agent, I have many ideas regarding how to make the process of buying/selling a home much better for all parties involved, so stay tuned for our new features that we will launching in the coming months for Kleard Now.
What’s a cause you’re passionate about and why?
I am passionate about helping the homeless. I was part of a homeless ministry with my church for several years and the conversations I had were very moving. It’s important to help those in need. There’s always opportunities to serve and give from the abundance many of us have, whether that’s our time, money, or talents.
Thanks to Jonathan for sharing his story. If you’d like to connect, find him on LinkedIn here.
We’re constantly looking for great real estate tech entrepreneurs to feature. If that’s you, please read this post — then drop me a line (drew @ geekestatelabs dot com).
Ever wondered what it’s like selling rural real estate or doing land deals? Al Wisnefske specializes in these types of real estate transactions and has set up some unique systems to scale his sales. Hear how he markets to buyers and sellers, where he gets his leads, and what it takes to make out-of-state real estate referrals. Al also shares advice for new real estate agents and talks about his real estate investing strategy. Don’t miss it!
Listen to today’s show and learn:
Al Wisnefske’s start in real estate [3:15]
Al’s real estate transactions in 2022 [7:20]
The type of property $250,000 can get you in rural Wisconsin [8:36]
How Al got his first real estate deals [10:04]
Direct mail marketing, radio ads, and text campaigns [12:40]
How to get leads for texting and what to text [14:31]
Ways to text leads without getting into trouble [17:14]
Approaching properties as an agent and as an investor [20:04]
What Al wishes he knew as a new real estate agent [23:34]
Investing in real estate actively versus passively [24:46]
Wisconsin real estate market predictions [28:17]
What to do with nationwide real estate leads [31:16]
Advice for new real estate agents [36:25]
Where to find and follow Al Wisnefske [40:45]
Al Wisnefske
Al grew up in the rural part of Washington County. It’s there where he grew a fascination with land, farms, and country homes. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point in 2014, he decided to take his knowledge, experience, and entrepreneurial spirit into the real estate industry. As the Managing Partner of Land & Legacy Group, Al knows firsthand that sellers can be assured that their finest asset is being fully showcased, and the relationship they have with a real estate brokerage will be unsurpassed. Since 2014, Al has helped his clients buy, sell, or invest in everything from sprawling rural estates to first time dream homes for young couples. Al has the skills, knowledge, and insight necessary to deliver unsurpassed results for all different kinds of real estate needs.
As a Realtor, communication and connection is what keeps Al’s clients coming back for more. At the core of who Al is and what he stands for is unsurpassed customer service, insightful opinions and negotiation, honest advice, and endless support. For these reasons and more, he is proud to have numerous raving fans and repeat and referral clients. As an advocate, he knows what it’s like to feel like an outcast. People overlook what you can do and who you can become. Through his own personal struggles as being the “shy kid,” he learned how strong he could be. As he fought for what he dreamed of, he learned that no dream is too hard to make a reality. He’s faced scrutiny from teachers, employees, classmates, family members, and friends. He grew stronger each time adversity was put in front of him. It took over 20 years to climb this mountain, but when he did, everything else he wanted to achieve was within arm’s reach.
Al has not only helped hundreds of clients move in and around Wisconsin he is also an active member in our community.
He’s previously served on the Washington County Deer Advisory Council (CDAC)
He’s held the office of branch President for the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) Kettle Moraine Branch.
With these groups, he got a firsthand look at the interaction between our local community and Wisconsin’s hunting heritage.
More recently, he has been an active sponsor for:
Kettle Moraine ATV Association
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation
Multiple other local businesses and organizations, including serving on the Community Relations Committee of the Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation
As a local business owner, he can relate to the walls and barriers one can encounter along their business journey. He believes in a strong investment and giving back to the fabrics of his communities.
His reach goes far beyond real estate and changes the lives of those who interact with him in a positive way.
Related Links and Resources:
It might go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway: We really value listeners like you. We’re constantly working to improve the show, so why not leave us a review? If you love the content and can’t stand the thought of missing the nuggets our Rockstar guests share every week, please subscribe; it’ll get you instant access to our latest episodes and is the best way to support your favorite real estate podcast. Have questions? Suggestions? Want to say hi? Shoot me a message via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Email.
Everyone loves a good celebrity story—the dazzling red carpets, the breathtaking performances, and sometimes… the scandals. From Justin Bieber to Meghan Markle, each star brings their own set of controversies that make us scratch our heads in disbelief. But what’s worse than a scandal is when an influential celebrity gets away with toxic behavior without facing any repercussions.
In today’s blog post, we’re counting down 20 celebrities whose questionable deeds mostly flew under the radar. So if you want to learn more about who wasn’t caught in these webs of drama, keep reading!
1. Nicki Minaj
One user posted, “Nicki Minaj and oh god where to begin…. She paid for the bond of her brother, who was convicted of s-xually assaulting his 12-year-old step-sister, and years later went on Twitter and accused the girl’s mother of extortion, but let’s just say the forensics evidence in court made it VERY clear the child was not lying.
“She dressed as a fairy princess and ‘demanded’ a woman in a wheelchair walk.
“She married a man who had broken into a 17-year-old girl’s home, put a knife to her back and attempted to assault her… She then went on to her radio show and told over 10 million people that the victim was a white woman (she was not) who was lying to an innocent black man due to spite. The victim has been harassed by her fans since, even receiving death threats.
“She gloated in a now-deleted tweet about how she fires her employees who ask for days off. When asked, she would tell them to think about the days she wanted off but never got, and if they still wanted the day off after her spiel, she would fire them.
“She’s consistently a very vile person, and it seems no one cares enough to say anything about it.”
2. Kirk Douglas
“Kirk Douglas. R*ped Natalie Wood and probably more. Still regarded as a legend,” one user shared.
Another user added, “It was a violent [too], from what I read. He was a horrible man. Comparing women to dogs.”
“…And maybe killed a pregnant girlfriend. I don’t think they ever found her body,” one commenter replied.
3. Jack Nicholson
One Redditor said, “In 2000, Jack Nicholson beat a woman so severely that she sustained permanent damage to various regions of her brain.”
Another user asked, “Why haven’t I heard of this? What a [horrible human].”
One user replied, “Nicholson is getting up in years as he’s in his mid-eighties now, and rumour has it that he’s got Alzheimer’s—hasn’t made a film in several years. If some of the more unsavoury and sinister stories about him are true, it’s likely to come out after he passes. Once he’s gone, I don’t know whether his several adult children would have the clout and influence to suppress something like an exposé biography.”
4. Oprah
One Redditor commented, “Oprah. Oprah started the anti-vaxxer movement by bringing on Jenny McCarthy and Andrew Wakefield and didn’t bring out an actual scientist to dispute the claims. She gave them the voice that they should never have had, and because of it, she has the blood of every person who has died because of their anti-vaxxer beliefs on her hands.”
Another user added, “Oprah and Meryl Streep enabled and supported Weinstein for decades. I’ve even heard stories about them directing young hopefuls in his direction, knowing full well what he would do. Somehow they haven’t had a word said against them for their behaviour and are treated as modern-day saints.
“No amount of wearing a ‘Times up’ button and espousing girl power nonsense will cover up the fact that they were complicit in his crimes. But because they are so powerful, rich and (most importantly, women), they have gotten away with it without much mention. I get you can’t be held responsible for someone else’s actions. But they knew, and they were fine with it.”
5. Charlie Chaplin
“Charlie Chaplin treated his children and teenage wives with relentless cruelty,” one user shared.
Another user replied, “There was a documentary on Chaplin where they tried to wave all these ‘[abusing] teenage girls’ [claims] away by basically saying: ‘Oh, women in Hollywood are all jaded cynical;… Charlie just appreciated the pure innocence of young girls before they corrupted themselves.’ I remember thinking they should have just ignored the issue entirely if that was the best they could come up with.”
6. Ellen DeGeneres
One Redditor posted, “Ellen got away with it for a long time.”
Another user shared, “Ellen always had a nasty streak, all the way back to her Carson appearance. Her humour was always based on pain, but she crossed a line when she went from exploring it to inflicting it on others. I honestly think she had some incredible insight into modern culture, but it’s all [thrown] away by being a sh-thead. Losing her sitcom really seemed to have broken something in her.”
One user replied, “Remember when she tricked a celebrity (don’t remember who) into revealing she was pregnant on her show, which is a massive breach of privacy in a world where famous people need to fight to keep anything private.
“Then the woman had to announce sometime later that she suffered a miscarriage. Sure, it’s not Ellen’s fault that it happened, but if she had just minded her own business, this person would not have to deal with her trauma publicly. There’s a reason some people wait a few months to announce a pregnancy.”
7. Paul Walker
“The internet still seems to go all lovey when Paul Walker comes up, but he was literally mid-thirties when he started hooking up with his 16-year-old girlfriend. I never understood why he got a pass for that,” one user shared.
Another user replied, “Cause he died young and starred in a successful franchise.”
8. Antony Starr
One user shared, “[Antony] Starr, who plays homelander on The Boys, was harassing women at a restaurant. A 21-year-old chef tried to be diplomatic with him, and Anthony smashed a bottle against his face; when he literally had glass shards implanted in his eyebrows, Anthony said, “You don’t know who you’ve messed with, you don’t know who I am and what you’ve done. You’ve committed the mistake of your life, and I’m going to look for you. I want to kill you.”
“There’s a reason why his co-stars say he’s most like his characters. The way he got so violent after someone being diplomatic with him and the desire to continue wanting to destroy him, as indicated verbally by him, are clear signs of someone on the psychopathy spectrum and someone with the wealth and status to habitually and casually get away with treating people terribly.”
9. Victor Salva
“Victor Salva. Director of the Jeepers Creepers films. Less toxic, more convicted [child abuse] behaviour, but nobody seems to care and keeps giving his films—which are clearly him living out his fantasies of tormenting young boys—the time of day,” one user commented.
Another user replied,” (Not so)Fun fact. He filmed jeepers and creepers right next door to an elementary school and high school. I was at the high school when it was filmed. Total piece of sh-t.”
10. Dr. Phil
One user shared, “Dr. Phil. He literally sent troubled teens to an abuse camp (‘ranch’) to ‘fix them.’ The workers physically, emotionally and s-xually abused those kids.”
Another Redditor responded, “You can just call him “Phil.”
11. Phil Spector
“Phil Spector used to point guns at everyone in the studio and would threaten people on a daily basis. He made a gold coffin for his wife in case ‘she would ever leave him.’ Yet, people were surprised when he murdered someone.”, one user shared.
Another user added, “He held Ronnie Bennett captive and abused her for years. She gave up custody of her children and all future earnings on her recordings during the divorce out of fear he would hire somebody to kill her. His kids all say he s-xually abused them and kept them captive.”
12. Kobe Bryant
One user commented, “Kobe got away with r-pe…
Kobe’s defenders claim Kobe is innocent by citing something the victim allegedly said after the trial, ‘I’m going to make so much money off of this,’ even though every publication that initially reported this eventually had to take their article down. And even then, maybe it’s ok to be happy considering what Kobe’s PR team, the media, and celeb worshippers who say the same stuff you’re saying put her through?”
13. Steven Tyler
One user posted, “Steven Tyler makes me want to vomit. I hate how Aerosmith is still played all over.”
Another user added, “I am almost certain that when their guitarist went solo in the 80s, Tyler’s BS was part of the issue, and only part of the band wanted to sober up. Amazing what a large contract with tons of money can make some people come back to, though.”
14. Joan Crawford
“Joan Crawford, in her lifetime, physically and emotionally abused her children, and it was not a secret to those close to her. Woody Allen is still welcome in some social circles though he is a [predator] and a sociopath who has groomed and… abused his own children. He married his stepdaughter, a child when they began living together… There’s a long list,” one Redditor posted.
15. Jimmy Page
One user shared, “Jimmy Page. He [abused] a lot of children.”
One user asked, “Wait, what? Really?”
One user answered, “Dude was even caught red-handed with hard drives of child [images]…”
16. Heidi Klum
“Heidi Klum. She’s literally abusing minors on camera AND is making money off of that, but nobody is talking about it,” one user posted.
One user replied, “I couldn’t agree more. I’m from Germany, and just about every woman over the age of 10 watches her show ‘Germany’s Next Top Model.’ In school, my classmates would just talk about this show all the time when it was on, and some of my friends still watch it. I’ve never watched it, and I’m not going to.
“It’s really disgusting what happens there. You are allowed to participate from the age of 16. The participants even have to pose [in nothing] or only in their underwear. Anyone who refuses will be kicked out. There are countless things I could list now, but that would be too much for me. I can not understand how something like this can still be produced and shown. Heidi Klum is a terrible person, in my opinion.”
17. Cardi B
One Redditor asked, “Didn’t Cardi B admit to drugging and robbing guys she had met at the strip club? I was pretty surprised at how quickly the media let her off the hook for that one.”
Another user answered, “Didn’t one of the victims say that being drugged was still a better experience than listening to her music.”
One commenter responded, “That’s hilarious if true.”
18. Woody Allen
“Before Allen v. Farrow HBO came out, Woody Allen used to have supporters on Reddit who would go hard at defending him like the Al Franken supporters do these days. They would link to bullshit publicans and weird pdfs claiming to be from the court case. People would usually give up arguing with them because they were so many, and they were extremely knowledgeable about the case, so they could just keep citing shit whenever people would critique Woody Allen.
“I would keep talking shit about Woody, and sometimes there were no defenders, but weeks later, you would have someone come in and start a point-by-point breakdown about how Woody was innocent and was framed by Mia.
“Then Allen v. Farrow HBO came out, and suddenly, I don’t see these types of comments anymore. I suspect a social media astroturfing campaign was a part of Woody’s PR budget, but then it became exhausted after Allen v. Farrow,” one user posted.
19. Sean Penn
A user also commented, “Sean Penn tied [up] his wife, Madonna,… and beat her. No one seemed to care. Most people don’t even know it, I bet.”
However, one user disagreed, “According to her, it never happened. There are many documented instances of him being an asshole, but I’m inclined to believe her on this.”
20. Billy Joel
“Billy Joel. Dated a 19-year-old Elle McPherson in his mid-thirties. Then moved on to Christie Brinkley. He treated his band, who was co-writing and arranging his songs, like absolute garbage. He then unceremoniously fired them at a producer’s insistence.
“They protested fishing limitations imposed on fishermen on Long Island by getting purposely arrested. The thing is, there were dangerous levels of chemicals in the fish. The restriction was so people didn’t get sick and die.
“He was allowed to play Moscow during the height of the Cold War. They proceeded to act like a total asshole because the film crew documenting it wanted to light the audience. Also, years of being a fat, drunken slob and terrorizing Long Island.” one Redditor posted.
Another user added, “My Father owned an appliance repair company on the south shore of Long Island; he sold it in ’95. Billy Joel was a customer, and my Dad said the man was always a huge [jerk]. He hated doing service calls for Joel and always tried to pawn them off on his apprentice, but that didn’t always happen, and he’d have to go there himself. I wondered why the guy didn’t just buy a new washer, but whatever. Apparently, his brother was a nice man.”
Do you agree with the list above? Tell us below!
Source: Reddit.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose this week to just under 7%, the latest setback for would-be homebuyers already facing affordability challenges due to a housing market limited by a shortage of homes for sale. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan rose to 6.96% from 6.90% last week. A year ago, the rate averaged 5.22%. It’s the third consecutive weekly increase for the average rate, which now matches its high for the year set on July 13. High rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting how much they can afford in a market already unaffordable to many Americans.
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From BLS: The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rose 0.2 percent in July on a seasonally adjusted basis, the same increase as in June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all-items index increased 3.2 percent before seasonal adjustment.
However, once you strip out rent — which is what the Fed has told us they want to focus on because of the lag in rent data — the growth rate of inflation is falling more noticeably. The Fed is focused on core service inflation less shelter.If you take CPI data in total and subtract the shelter data, inflation data has collapsed.
90% of the inflation growth came from the shelter data, which we know needs to catch up to the reality that the data line below is much lower in real terms.
How can this lead to a 2024 pivot if we don’t have a job-loss recession? This is a good question, as I am not a Fed pivot person until the labor market breaks. For me that means jobless claims data gets above 323,000 on the four-week moving average. Today we did see a spike in claims data. However, the four-week moving average is still 231,000, far from my Fed pivot level.
So why would we see a Fed pivot if labor is still good? In a recent interview with the New York Times, the Fed mentioned something that can set the groundwork for the Fed to cut rates without a job-loss recession. They talked about real yields being restrictive. A simple way to think about this is that with inflation falling and rates up as much as they are now, the Fed believes their Fed Funds rate is at restrictive levels currently.
At first, that could make it sound like they don’t want to hike again. However, if the growth rate of inflation falls even more, then the Fed can change its tune in 2024, even cutting rates next year to make policy less restrictive.
Of course, economic data matters here; if the economy picks up steam and inflation picks up again, this variable changes. However, if the labor market weakens, they have given the marketplace a signal that fed rate cuts will happen. Even if the labor market stays firm, cuts could happen next year if inflation’s growth rate falls. This doesn’t mean we will see massive rate cuts soon, but it does lay the foundation for a less hawkish Fed going into 2024.
So far the bond market has had a mild response to today’s data. Even with the weaker jobless claims data, we haven’t seen any significant moves this morning. As of this second, the 10-year yield is at 4%.
My 2023 forecast range for the 10-year yield was 3.21%-4.25%, meaning mortgage rates between 5.75%-7.25% for 2023, and that the labor market would be the big driver on bond yields, not inflation. As we can see in the chart above, the growth rate of inflation has fallen, but bond yields are near the highs, not the lows. The economy has stayed firm, and labor hasn’t broken. So far in 2023, my premise of bond yields and labor has held as the economy has stayed firm.
The inflation report was slightly better than expected: we see how much rent inflation now holds up the core side of the CPI data. However, I believe the more critical storyline here isn’t the inflation report today, it’s what it can mean next year if this trend continues. I discuss this topic with HousingWire Editor in Chief Sarah Wheeler on today’s HousingWire Daily podcast.
One of my economic themes over the past year is that you don’t need a job-loss recession to have the growth rate of inflation fall — this isn’t the 1970s. We had a global pandemic, and historically global pandemics are very inflationary early on and then things get better over time. I hope the Fed sticks to this theme for next year and that we don’t need jobless claims to get worse for the Fed to pivot.
My wife — the NPR addict — pointed me to a Marketplace commentary by Amelia Tyagi. Tyagi says not to focus on small expenses, but to focus on big expenses. You can listen to the piece in RealAudio format from the NPR web site, or read this transcript:
Clip those coupons. Shift to that cheap, scratchy toilet paper. And whatever you do, don’t buy any more lattes at Starbucks.
You’ve heard it before. Some famous financial advisor, shaking his finger and telling you how all you have to do is save $5 a week and all your financial problems will disappear. Before you know it, you will be debt free, investment rich, and lighting cigars with Donald Trump.
Yeah, right. The bottom line is, the little stuff really doesn’t add up. Unless you live to be 500 years old, saving five bucks a week is not going to pay for a retirement home in Tahiti.
The real advice is that the big things add up. The fact is, one-third of Americans live in a house they can’t really afford. Even more of us drive a car we can’t afford. Fifty percent of us aren’t saving a single dollar for retirement, let alone the 10% of our salaries that most experts recommend. So clipping a few coupons isn’t going to build that nest egg.
If cutting the lattes isn’t going to fund a comfy retirement, why do we hear that old advice so much? Because it is easy. It is easier to pack a brown bag lunch than to sell your car. It is easier to give your husband a haircut at home than to move to a smaller apartment. And it is easier to boil your own beans than to sell your house.
But of course, just because it’s easy, doesn’t mean it’s right.
So the next time some expert shakes a finger at you for enjoying a lunch at an upscale restaurant, go ahead and roll your eyes.
Just try not to roll your eyes when it’s time to make the real money decisions.
Tyagi’s advice on big expenses is great. Some people spend so much time sweating the small stuff that they miss the big stuff. They’re penny wise and pound foolish, negating their daily scrimping and saving through stupid financial choices that burden them for years. (My wife told me yesterday of a co-worker who wants to sell his Ford Expedition, which he bought new last summer. The problem? He owes $43,000 on it but can only get $23,000 in trade-in. Ouch.)
But I don’t like Tyagi’s advice on the little stuff.
Her Marketplace piece is basically a condensed version of passages from her book All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan. Here’s a paragraph directly from the book’s first chapter — compare it to her opening sentences above:
We are […] not going to say that if you’ll just shift to generic toilet paper and put $5 a week in the bank, all your problems will instantly disappear. A few pennies here and a few pennies there, and the next thing you know, you will be debt-free, investment-rich, and lighting cigars with Donald Trump. Nope, we’re not selling that brand of snake oil.
The problem is: neither is anyone else. In Tyagi’s revised version of that paragraph, she makes a direct swipe at David Bach’s latte factor. What has she got against Bach? And what has she got against saving money? Yes, many people — including myself — advise you to exercise frugality, and warn you of the danger of small expenses, but nobody’s claiming that these are quick paths to wealth. They’re tools in a toolbox. When used in conjunction with other techniques, they can help you establish sound financial habits.
It turns out that Tyagi doesn’t have anything against saving money on the little things. In fact, she believes that some people need to cut the little expenses, which she terms Wants. She recommends a budget structured thusly: 50% of after-tax money spent on Needs, 30% on Wants, and 20% on Savings. She says that if any of these are out of balance, you’re not financially healthy. (Note that this is a refinement of the Andrew Tobias three-step budget.)
I’m reading All Your Worth for a future review here, and I like it (in fact, I love parts of it), but I don’t like the way Tyagi presented her condensed version on Marketplace.
Sure, give up the big things, but pay attention to the small stuff, too.
The Federal Reserve Chair, Jerome Powell, also played a role in shaping this change when he informed reporters that the central bank’s own economists no longer foresaw a recession. Despite an aggressive Federal Reserve tightening cycle, the US economy showed resilience this year, leading many on Wall Street to adjust their forecasts for the recession’s … [Read more…]
As the founder of a top-producing real estate team, Andrew Perrie knows exactly how to help new agents succeed. On today’s podcast, Andrew shares what he learned while building his business, including the one thing new agents should focus on. Andrew also offers advice on building—or joining—a team, generating real estate leads, and producing high-quality social media content.
Listen to today’s show and learn:
How Andrew got into real estate [3:36]
How to get a real estate license in Canada [5:54]
What Andrew wishes he knew as a brand-new real estate agent [7:11]
Where Andrew tells his new agents to start with lead generation [9:05]
What it takes to get 20 quality real estate leads per month [12:06]
Andrew’s average sale price [15:19]
When to hire a buyer’s agent or an assistant [15:50]
Why new agents should join teams and what questions to ask at a job interview [17:41]
How Andrew started his real estate team [21:08]
Andrew’s favorite real estate CRM [25:49]
The secret to succeeding with social media: don’t oversell [28:13]
One of the fastest ways to source content for social media [31:54]
Why you shouldn’t take advice from other Realtors [34:36]
Andrew Perrie
Andrew Perrie brings the industry an entourage of innovative marketing ideas and video marketing strategies. A visible social media presence, who is tirelessly promoting his real estate ventures online, Andrew offers Revel and his clients an avant-garde perspective on the future of real estate promotion in the Niagara Region, where he makes his family homestead on an orchard in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Driven by a strong business and marketing background, and always exuding youthful exuberance, Andrew is ready to take his real estate career to a premium level with specialty interests in Revel’s luxury division. If you want your listing to meet every curious eye, give this guy a call for massive listing exposure.
Andrew Perrie – “Family is a strong and identifiable part of my life. I have loving wife and a son who I absolutely adore. I have a creative side and an competitive side, in my spare time I love to take pictures and videos and if I’m not at my desk, you can find me at the arena playing hockey or hiking at our family winery.
I studied sports and business development which led me to an amazing career in the fitness industry. Helping thousands of clients reach their fitness goals and creating positive relationships that lasted my entire term with my previous company.”
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Some US households may want to do some budgetary belt tightening for the 11th time in 17 months. The Federal Reserve has boosted interest rates which means items like mortgages, credit cards, car loans and student debt costs will be higher. And Fed Chair Jerome Powell hinted at the possibility of another increase in the near future. I would say it is certainly possible that we would raise funds again at the September meeting if the data warranted. And I would also say it’s possible that we would choose to hold steady at that meeting. Long story short, the FED wants these interest rate hikes to bring down inflation if you continue to get inflation reports. Like the one that we got in June, that’s enough evidence for FED officials to pause, maybe pause for an extended period of time. Inflation has been pulling off recently, but not enough for the FED, partly because the US labor market remains strong and for the overall US economy lower than usual, unemployment numbers can be seen as *** blessing and *** curse can’t have *** recession if we’re creating lots of jobs and that’s what we’re doing right now. So recession risks are high but I think we have *** fighting chance to get through all this without actually suffering one. I’m John Lawrence reporting.
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BALTIMORE — The painful environment for Baltimore homebuyers continues: Mortgage rates surged above 7% last week following the latest quarter-point rate increase from the Federal Reserve. And that’s not all: The Fed signaled that this might not be the last rate hike of this cycle after all, despite earlier predictions to the contrary.
Video above: Inflation remains major concern for Federal Reserve
This most recent Fed rate hike brought the benchmark borrowing rate — that is, the interest on lending between banks — to 5.25%-5.5%. That’s its highest level in 22 years.
The Fed has raised the federal funds rate 11 times in the past 17 months in its attempt to bring inflation under control. The moves appear to be working: There have been positive economic signals in recent weeks regarding both consumer prices and the labor market. But Fed Chair Jerome Powell cautioned that officials don’t want to give too much weight to a single month of data.
So, what does that mean for you? When the federal funds rate goes up, interest rates on products like mortgages tend to go up, too. And, since the Fed indicated it’s weighing another hike in September, mortgage rates will likely stay high for a while longer.
As it stands, the average for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 7.05%, while the average 15-year fixed-rate mortgage is at 6.40%, according to Mortgage News Daily. The average for a jumbo mortgage stands at 7.10%, and the average for a 5/1 ARM, meanwhile, is 6.95%. Nonetheless, it is possible to find better mortgage rates by considering offers from various lenders, springing for discount points, and improving your credit score.
Baltimore housing market trends
The market is particularly competitive for single family homes and condos in Baltimore right now. Even though inventory remains tight, prices are either up or stable pretty much across the board, thanks to bidding wars over the few properties that do go on the market.
In June (the most recent month with complete data), the median sale price for houses was up 1.9% from 2022, while the median for condos was up 1.8%, according to Redfin. The median price for Baltimore’s iconic rowhouses, on the other hand, was flat, sticking at $215,000 year over year (note that the data includes other types of dwellings that are considered townhouses, too).
Redfin gives the city of Baltimore a “Compete Score” of 67 (with 100 being the most competitive score) right now. For comparison, Bowie has a Compete Score of 78 and Washington, D.C., has a Compete Score of 55. Homes are selling, on average, for 1% above list price, with homes in the hottest neighborhoods regularly selling for 3% above list price.
National housing market trends
Home prices are up 2.6% year-over-year, according to Redfin’s latest housing market report — the largest increase since November. Inventory not only remains incredibly tight, it’s also falling especially fast: It shrunk 17% over July 2022, the biggest drop in 18 months.
Mike Fratantoni, senior vice president and chief economist with the Mortgage Bankers’ Association, expressed optimism that things could turn around later in 2023, if this ends up being the last rate hike.
“While the market for new home sales has recovered considerably over the past few months, the pace of overall housing market activity remains quite slow,” Frantantoni said. “We do expect mortgage rates to trend down once the FOMC clearly signals that they have reached the peak for this cycle, as the reduction in uncertainty with respect to the direction of rates should narrow the spread of mortgage rates relative to Treasury benchmarks.”
Ready to move on anyway? Many real estate pros are dredging up the old adage, “Date the rate, marry the house.” Translation: If you see your dream home now, you don’t necessarily have to pass it by while waiting for a better mortgage rate in the future. Consider taking out a mortgage now knowing that you’ll refinance once rates drop.
Just a three-quarter point drop is enough to make refinancing worth it. And, as you look for the best possible rate right now, make sure you compare offers among multiple lenders. Just getting quotes from four lenders can save you up to $1,200 every year on your mortgage, according to a study by Freddie Mac.
30-year fixed mortgage interest rates
On average, the interest rate for a 30-year mortgage on July 31 was 7.05%, up from 6.99% on July 24.
15-year fixed mortgage interest rates
On average, the interest rate for a 15-year mortgage on July 14 was 6.40%, up from 6.35% on July 24.
Jumbo mortgage interest rates
On average, the interest rate for a 30-year fixed rate jumbo mortgage on July 31 was 7.10%, up from 6.98% on July 24.
5/1 adjustable-rate mortgages
On average, the interest rate for a 5/1 ARM on July 31 was 6.95%, down from 6.96% on July 24.
What determines mortgage rates?
Mortgage rates are influenced by a variety of factors, including:
Your credit score
Down payment
Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI)
The type of loan you’re getting
Loan term
Interest rate type (fixed vs. adjustable)
Inflation and the overall economy
The Federal Reserve (which doesn’t set mortgage rates, but it certainly influences them)
APR vs. interest rate
If you’re currently shopping for a mortgage or considering refinancing, you’ve probably wondered why the quoted interest rate isn’t the same as the APR. That’s because the loan’s interest rate is what you pay the lender to borrow the money, while the APR (annual percentage rate) encompasses both the interest rate and all loan-related fees. Loan-related fees can include:
Mortgage broker fees
Loan origination fees
Mortgage insurance premiums
Some closing costs
The APR, therefore, is a truer measure of what it will actually cost you to borrow money to buy a home.
Editorial Disclosure: All articles are prepared by editorial staff and contributors. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the editorial team and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including rates and fees, presented in this article is accurate as of the date of the publish. Check the lender’s website for the most current information.
This article was reviewed by Lauren Williamson, who serves as the Home and Financial Services Editor for the Hearst E-Commerce team. Email her at [email protected].
I am a huge fan of simple living and of the do-it-yourself ethic. It’s no surprise then that I am fascinated by homesteading, the lifestyle of “agrarian self-sufficiency”. This article was written for Get Rich Slowly by Phelan, host of A Homesteading Neophyte, a blog about learning to homestead. Phelan is a regular commenter to this site.
Modern homesteading is a great way to save some of your hard-earned cash. That is if you are not afraid of a little hard work and waking before the rooster. The fast-paced convenient world of today can and will lead you down the path to debt. Four years ago I found myself in a terrible situation: How does one go about feeding a family of four on one hundred dollars for two weeks? Did we have enough money to buy gasoline just to get to work? It was scary not knowing where my family was going. Yet when I planted my first tomato, a thought sprouted in my mind.
My first homesteading goals were just to preserve my garden for the winter, insuring that there was always something to eat. But as my garden grew, so did my ideas.
There are initial costs when it comes to living a self-sufficient life. But all of the things that must be purchased will pay for themselves — the time that takes depends on how you manage them. We purchase our items slowly. Big items come with our tax returns, and only after any outstanding bills are paid. Smaller items are bought on an individual basis, depending what we can afford at the time, usually when we are out buying feed for our livestock. Because of the way we have built our homestead piece-by-piece, and the manner in which we have preserved our foodstuffs, we have money left unspent. Four years ago we would have never have believed this possible.
Homesteading isn’t something that can be done only in rural areas; even urban dwellers can benefit from simple self-sufficient activities:
Buy food stuff in bulk or on sale and preserve them by canning, freezing or drying.
Purchase a layer (standard-size chicken or bantam) for eggs and/or meat. Many cities allow you to have a chicken or two.
Container garden and create a neighborhood co-op, bartering different vegetables with one another.
Some of our start-up costs have been purchasing chickens, seeds, canning jars and equipment. My hot water bath and pressure canner came from someone that was no longer using them. The best advice I can give when it comes to your planning stage, is to talk openly about what you are wanting to do. You might be surprised on what some people have stashed in their attic and are willing to give freely. Check freecycle, your local paper, rural estate sales, garage sales and even try placing an ad in a free, or cheaply-priced paper for your wants/needs.
Once your chickens and seeds are purchased, your only costs will be feed and water (if you are not on a well). Seed saving will insure your next year’s garden. Allowing your hens to hatch eggs will replenish your stock. Be creative when it comes to reusing materials. We use our un-repairable refrigerator to store our feed, a broken fan stand for a sprinkler stand, and cracked hoses for deep soak waters. Save your glass jars to store dried goods in, and milk cartons to start seedlings. Just remember: it’s not white trash, it’s imaginative, frugal and eco-friendly.
My family might be an extreme when it comes to simple living. We are building a new home, a green shelter. Using only locally produced and recycled construction materials and building it ourselves will save us more than half the cost of paying someone else to build it. With a fire place, underground water cooling systems (air-conditioning) and going solar powered, our out of pocket expenses will drop dramatically.
Some other things to reduce expenses are:
Raiding a wood lot and building a wattle fence
Buy fruits and vegetables from a “U-Pick” farm
Making your own pasta, juices, vinegars, wine and dyes
Creating wooden toys
Make your own soap
Making your own yogurt and cheeses
These things do take time and dedication, but just the act of making your own dinners from scratch will save you money. Using flour, eggs, and water to manufacture your own noodles will cost you less than buying the same amount in the pre-made versions. This can be said about most things that you can create from scratch, the base components while at first seem more expensive, are cheaper when compared to their convenient counterparts.
While homesteading can seem daunting at times, it will save you money as well as bring your family closer together. At home, self induced family entertainment, is another benefit of living simply. It also comes with free educational experiences that are rarely taught in a public school system. Check in with your local extension office for free or inexpensive classes for you and your children. Take a drive in the country and look for hand made signs boasting of wares for sale, they can lead you to a wealth of knowledge and new friendships.
Modern homesteading is not for everyone. Yet taking a few of these suggestions and applying them to your own life will make a significant difference on the way you view the world, and the impact on your wallet.
You can read more about Phelan’s adventures in homesteading at her blog, A Homesteading Neophyte. She has also written articles for other publications:
If you’d like to read more along the same lines, I also recommend Pocket Farm, a weblog from a couple looking to achieve Voluntary Simplicity on a farm in Maine. You might also like homestead.org or the forums at Homesteading Today.