“It’s most encouraging to see a growing number of metro areas with rising median prices, which is improving the equity position of existing homeowners. Inventory has been trending down, and home builders are still under-producing in relation to growing demand,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, in a press release announcing the findings. “Some of the improvement in prices is due to a smaller share of sales in low price ranges where inventory is tight.”

He believes home prices are set to rise in even more markets during upcoming quarters. CoreLogic, in its June Home Price Index, said housing prices rose 2.5 percent, on a year-over-year basis — although if you exclude distressed sales, home prices rose 3.2 percent during the same period.

Still, when home prices rise, it’s good news for lenders, sellers and especially underwater homeowners.

An estimated 750,000 to 1 million more homeowners may now have positive equity in their homes, according to the latest data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and CoreLogic. CoreLogic reported that in the first quarter of 2012, just 23.7 percent of all homeowners with a mortgage were underwater, compared with more than 25 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011.

But does all this mean the housing crisis is over? That the housing market has finally hit rock bottom and is now heading up? The outlook is less clear.

For one thing, the number of homeowners who are behind in their mortgage payments or who were in foreclosure rose in the second quarter, according to the latest figures from the Mortgage Bankers Association.

About 11.9 percent of all mortgages on single-family homes, townhomes, condos and multifamily buildings up to 4 units are delinquent in their payments or are in foreclosure. That number is down from 2011, but ticked up slightly from 11.8 percent at the end of March.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association chief economist Jay Brinkmann, those numbers are consistent with the slowing of the economy.

And the number of foreclosures that are available for sale is set to rise again, after several months of decline. Once those properties go on the market, home prices in some of the hardest-hit areas could start falling again.

It all goes back to jobs and the unemployment level. At the heart of it, jobs and real estate are inextricably tied together. If you don’t have a job that pays the bills, you can’t pay your mortgage, and if you’re renting, you can’t buy a home. Until more people have better-paying jobs, we won’t see a real recovery in real estate.

(Ilyce R. Glink’s latest book is “Buy, Close, Move In!” Samuel J. Tamkin is a Chicago-based real estate attorney. If you have questions, you can call Ilyce’s radio show toll-free (800-972-8255) any Sunday, from 11a-1p EST. Contact Ilyce and Sam through her website, http://www.thinkglink.com.)

Every person reaches a comfort zone. From salesmen satisfied with reaching their monthly quotas (and nothing more), to students who are content with just getting B’s, individuals in their comfort zones work at an anxiety-neutral state and operate without a sense of risk.

If you’re in social media, your comfort zone state will usually creep in the moment you’ve reached a respectable number of likers and followers. Also known as being on a plateau, this is a stage where you’ve already settled into your social media routine and your initial networking efforts have started to pay off.

Reaching your plateau isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s a steady state that’s usually free from stress, and it’s a good stage to be at when you’re celebrating your accomplishments. However, staying too long on it and being too comfortable can lead to complacency and ignorance.

While it’s perfectly acceptable to bask in your success (after all, you deserve it), always be on the lookout for new social media heights that can you can achieve. Remember that there are a lot more readers, fans, and followers out there that you haven’t reached yet, and there are still a lot of things that you can do to take your social campaigns to a whole new level.

Not sure where to start? Check out the following ideas that are sure to stir up your current social media state:

1. Utilize the power of video

Need a boost in your fan engagement? Then consider getting in front of the camera. Demonstrate your expertise using a how-to video or gain insights from others by interviewing them on camera. Want to interact with your fans? Do a webinar or conduct a Google+ hangout so can you can get first hand comments and suggestions.

2. Stop playing it safe when it comes to content

Take a good look at the content that you’ve published. Are you being too safe or too much of a crowd pleaser? If so, then you may want to spice up your content strategy by producing posts that will open up discussions or debates. Take a stand on a current issue or trending topic, and voice out constructive criticisms and concerns. Invite your fans to do the same. Doing so will encourage conversation, and will guarantee that your social media strategy won’t be boring.

3. Connect with other businesses

Social media isn’t solely about reaching customers. It’s also about networking with potential partners or colleagues so that you can help each other succeed. Fellow entrepreneurs or companies can be sources for referrals and recommendations, so be sure to make friends with other businesses as well. Find other companies or entrepreneurs (preferably those that complement your products and services) and connect with them online. Tag them on Facebook, strike up a conversation on their wall, and find engagement opportunities. If you’re on Twitter, send a couple of mentions their way, and be generous when it comes to Retweets.

4. Run contests or promotions

Giveaways aren’t just for those who want to gain more likers or followers; they also work great if you want to increase engagement and interactions within your current fan base. If you have a lot of inactive fans, consider waking them up with a promotion. This will not only stir up the activity on your page, but the excitement and contests bring can effectively get your out of your safe comfort zone.

In addition to boosting interaction levels, a promotion also can also act as a funnel for users. For example, if you want your fans to check out your blog or sign up for your newsletter instead of simply hanging out on Facebook or Twitter, then conduct a promotion involving your blog or newsletter and use that as a funnel to direct users to where you want them to go.

Is Twitter still a good marketing channel?

With so much focus on Facebook and Pinterest, has this network lost its value?

I explore these questions with Brian Solis in this episode of the Social Media Marketing podcast.

More About This Show

The Social Media Marketing podcast is a show from Social Media Examiner.

It’s designed to help busy marketers and business owners discover what works with social media marketing.

In this episode, Brian Solis, author of The End of Business as Usual and Engage and principal analyst at Altimeter Group gives us the scoop on Twitter for business today.

Brian shares insights into how Twitter has changed and what works on Twitter today.

Share your feedback, read the show notes and get the links mentioned in this episode below!

Listen Now

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Scroll to the bottom of this post to subscribe via RSS, iTunes, Zune, Stitcher or Blackberry.

Here are some of the things you’ll discover in this show:

Twitter for Marketing Today

Why is Twitter still important to businesses and what’s different?

You’ll discover why Brian suggests you consider Twitter as an information network instead of a social network. As a “human seismograph,” Twitter is both an inbound and outbound tool that can give you the information you need to execute successful business strategies.

Listen to the show to hear what this means for your business.

What can marketers learn from the statistics available on Twitter?

Twitter provides access to its own API so that people can get statistics they need for incredible analysis. Here are some current Twitter stats:

• 175 million tweets daily
• 20% of Americans who use the web also use Twitter
• 8% are active every day on Twitter

We all know them, the people who know their stuff inside out and we look to for guidance and advice.

They are not just experts, they are influencers.

Influencers are hubs of information, they have many followers who respect their recommendations and opinions and being featured by them sends a powerful amount of targeted traffic your way.

It is the ripple effect.

If you want to grow your business you need to know who the influencers are in your field, learn from their expertise and build a productive professional relationship with them.

The Leverage of Influence

Influencers are important to your business because of the size of their audience and the influence they exert. It is good old fashion word of mouth recommendations on steroids.

So if you want to grow your business or profile online it only makes sense to find the right influencers, learn all you can and build excellent working relationships with them.

Finding Influencers

Here are 7 ways to find powerful influencers:

#1. Industry Awards

These are a great way to find who’s achieving results, they’ll showcase the who’s who and provide links to their blogs, websites and social media.

#2. Be Influenced

Ask others who they recommend and follow – this can result in some amazing finds.

#3. Listen

As influencers are inherently very well connected within their tribe, find out who they are in conversation and working with, sharing content and promoting.

#4. Industry Events and the Presenters

The larger conferences can be great for getting a big overview while the smaller seminars and events are ideal for actually getting to meet the influencers and having your specific questions answered during question and networking time.

#5. Podcasts and Webinars

These are another great way to find key influencers – whether it is through interviews, presentations, information products of their own or curated information by others.

#6. Twitter Lists

Twitter is a great untapped resource for finding influencers and keep track of what they are publishing. You can join public lists created by others as well as create your own private or public lists.

#7. Groups and Forums

These are also valuable sources of information. Often those that are the most active are growing their own circles of influence and know who the experts to learn from are.

Building Relationships with Influencers

It may take some time to build a relationship with an influencer, particularly as they are being regularly approached by people who want something from them, but the rewards can be more than you expect.

There are many ways to build relationships with influencers. Here are 9 ways to build relationships:

1. Connect through the social media platforms they use.
2. Share the posts that are of value to your audience; retweet and quote their content, share, comment and like their Facebook posts.
3. Help promote what they are involved with, including charity causes, seminars and conferences, publications and promotions.
4. Attend the events and conferences where they are presenting and Tweet their presentations, being sure to tag them and the event’s hashtag.
5. Ask them your questions, either through social media, direct messages, at events or in forums.
6. Share your original content and ask their opinions.
7. Show through your actions that you respect their work, business, time and privacy.
8. Be helpful with introductions – while influencers are very well connected, key introductions can be very useful.
9. Offer to be of service to them, whether that is to help with an event they are putting on, promoting their latest product or simply answering a call out they make, be ready to get involved in a positive and constructive manner.

Bathroom remodeling is tricky because both plumbing and wiring are involved, hardly things you want to mix together, and it means you’ll need a plumber and a 24/7 electrician perth. Bathroom Remodeling Prep Stepsas subcontractors. No two bathrooms are the same: Thus, bathroom remodeling prep steps are likely to be modified for your project, but there are also several universal concepts that can be applied before your bathroom contractor arrives. If you plan on getting new doors check out the custom frameless shower door builder where you can decide which door would be best for your shower. Just remember that when it comes to fast and accurate advice, nobody is better than your remodeling contractor.

Flow of Traffic
Think about where your bathroom contractor will park his vehicle, which door he will be coming through, and his path from the door to the bathroom. Most contractors will need to make several trips back and forth, and asking them to remove their boots each way is really unrealistic and impractical. No matter what type of flooring you have, find some old towels or buy some carpet scraps and lay them in the path of traffic. This way, you protect your floors without interrupting the bathroom contractor’s process. On a related topic, click here if you want to learn more about working with bathroom contractors.

Remove All Objects
Remove anything that is mobile from any area where the bathroom professional may be working. Doing these few things before the bathroom professional ever arrives will allow him to go right to work. Here are a few reminders:

• Bathtub & Shower: Remove all soaps, shampoos, washcloths, razors, and rubber duckys.

• Toilet: Remove toilet cover and anything sitting on the back of the toilet.

• Sink: Remove all soaps, candles, and any other item that is sitting on the counter of the sinks.

• Sink Base: Remove all items underneath the sink that may be in the way of the plumbing. If the sink base will be replaced, take everything out of the drawers as well.

• Floor: Remove all bathmats, magazines, trash cans, scales and anything sitting on the floor.

• Walls: If you are replacing the walls, pull off any towel racks that you can. If you have a medicine cabinet, remove everything inside of it.

These are trying times for many homeowners. Walk away from a mortgage? Something that was unthinkable and morally offensive 10 years ago is now an option many people are choosing. Home foreclosed? Some people who’ve lost their homes to the bank are stripping the property bare, hoping to sell the appliances to recoup at least some money.

As you might expect, buying a foreclosed home comes with opportunities — and certain challenges. Here are five potential landmines to look out for when buying a foreclosed property.

The process is highly impersonal

With a foreclosure, you’re not buying the house directly from the person who lived there. You’re buying it from the bank that foreclosed on the previous owner. And in the bank’s mind, the property is simply an asset it needs to get off its books. The bank doesn’t see it as a place to live or where someone raised a family or even where you’ll potentially raise a family and make memories.

Because you’re dealing with a bank, not an individual homeowner, be prepared to wait for a few days, if not weeks, for a response. Don’t think about writing a cute note or introducing yourself directly or through your real estate agent. For the most part, the bank’s agent doesn’t even show the contract, the pre-approval letter or any of the offer pieces to the bank. Instead, the bank’s agent inputs the data into a website or piece of software. The asset manager — the bank’s seller of the property, in other words — simply sees the bottom line number. For the bank, it’s just a numbers game. Are you getting the sense that this will be a highly impersonal process?

Don’t expect disclosures

REO stands for “real estate owned.” An REO property is one owned by a bank after going through the foreclosure process.

In an REO sale, there aren’t any disclosures. You won’t have any knowledge of the previous seller’s experience. If there’s not a seller on hand to answer questions about the home and the neighborhood, you’re going into the foreclosure sale blindly. So it’s important to do the most due diligence possible. This may require going to the city’s building department to check past permits and records and to double- and triple-check the preliminary title report.

Bottom line: Work with your buyer’s agent to learn as much as possible about the home and the neighborhood. If the property sold in the past five years, your agent may be able to obtain past disclosures.

Prepare to see homes stripped bare

A multi-million dollar home was once foreclosed on in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood. Before the seller left, he removed every appliance and expensive light fixture as well as the majority of faucets.

Some homeowners may have struggled to keep the property or even attempted to sell as a short sale, but the bank wouldn’t cooperate. The homeowner may have hard feelings toward the bank and therefore might felt justified damaging the property before leaving. Ultimately, this will hurt the home’s value. You, as the buyer, will be responsible for any fixes. And you should account for any missing fixtures and features in your offer.

Don’t expect the bank to give you credits or fix things

Your offer and the likely discounted list price (discounted from similar comps nearby) should already account for the risk you’re taking on an “as is” property. There won’t be a disclosure about a leaky window or the broken water heater from last year or the outlet in the kitchen that’s not working correctly.

As a buyer, your contract will allow you to have an inspection, so get the biggest and best inspection you can possibly have. If you can get your hands on an old inspection report, review that prior to making your offer.

For example, prior to a home going into foreclosure, the seller had a buyer lined up. The home was to be sold in a short sale. The inspections came up with too many issues, and the buyer walked away. Through the real estate community, the agent representing a potential buyer of the property after it had been foreclosed upon got her hands on the old inspection report. She gave the report to her client, saving him a lot of time and money.

The bank will have its own processes

The bank usually won’t use the local contract from the board of Realtors. Nor will the bank follow any of the norms, processes or mores that are standard in the local real estate community. Instead, the bank will have its own contract that protects its interests. This contract will be followed by dozens of pages protecting the bank from future lawsuits, referring to the sale as “as-is” and putting nearly all the burden on you, the buyer. The bank won’t allow the property to transfer unless it is done this way. In some states, if the bank requires the buyer to use a particular title company, then the bank would be required to pay the buyer’s premium on the title insurance. This could translate into huge savings for the buyer.

To sum up: There are many tempting deals out there among foreclosed homes. You should absolutely consider them — but make sure you’re not getting less than you bargained for.