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4 Time Saving Content Curation Tools | Katonah NY Realtor

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Content curation services, which had been one of the choice tools of marketing experts for some time now, are finally entering the mainstream.4 Time Saving Content Curation Tools

Some research done by the guys over at LikeHack showed that this service is now often used not by marketing consultants but by ordinary people. This is due to information overload and the rising need for content filtering.

For this reason, content curation is evolving from not being only a professional tool but a tool that saves web surfers time as personal service.

The demise of Google Reader is only going to accelerate the use of these tools as people switch to these emerging technologies to filter their content to save them time and increase content relevance.

What is content curation?

A content curator is a service that uses algorithms to show the user only the most relevant and appropriate content with respect to a specific niche or topic. It is a great marketing tool with unusually broad filtering capabilities and information selection that can be used to develop and promote a business. In 2012, Forbes called content curation one of the five hottest new web trends.

Companies like American Express and Whole Foods already actively use this marketing tool to curate content that might be of interest to their customers. Other companies use it to create their own online newspapers or select articles for the corporate blog.

The changing trend

However, content curation has been gradually developing from a niche marketing tool into a mainstream product. Personal content curation services are proliferating*:

Content Curation tools

Moreover, the team at LikeHack used SEMRUSH to analyze the search engine traffic  to curation sites like paper.li and observed that the increase in the number of visits slowed to nothing in the past six months.

Paper.li traffic:

Paper li content curation

It is important to note that the actual popularity of the phrase “content curation” has not decreased. On the contrary, GoogleTrends clearly show that the popularity of the keyword query and its various forms is growing.

What does this mean?

It means that more and more people are interested in content curation; it is no longer just for marketing professionals..

Why is this happening?

Everybody knows that the amount of information exchanged through social networks and feeds is growing exponentially, following the well-known Moore‘sLaw. According to LikeHack’s research based on 3 million user accounts, people spend approximately one hour every day looking through unnecessary information. There are several services available today which solve this problem, and they are growing in popularity:  Likehack, Storify, Pearltrees, Getprismatic and others.

For example, here are the stats for GetPrismatic:

Get Prismatic content curation tool

Traffic to the site has grown considerably. A similar trend can be observed with other services. Today there are services that allow you to filter your Facebook, Twitter and RSS feed, showing only what’s most interesting and relevant.


Read more at http://www.jeffbullas.com/2013/05/23/4-time-saving-content-curation-tools/#A56VccFwCxiAC6dE.99 

 

4 Time Saving Content Curation Tools | Jeffbullas’s Blog.

Home inventory rises sharply in April | Waccabuc NY Real Estate

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Housing inventory rose significantly in April, easing a supply shortage that some experts say has constrained home sales.

Meanwhile, existing-home sales edged upwards in April. Still, sales remain hampered due to limited supply and tight credit, according to NAR.

Housing inventory rose 11.9 percent to 2.16 million homes in April, representing a 5.2-month supply of homes at the current rate of home sales. That’s up from 4.7 months in March. But inventory still remained 13.6 percent below a year ago, when there was a 6.6-month stock.

Existing-home sales ticked up 0.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.97 million in April from an upwardly revised 4.94 million in March, according to NAR. That put sales at their highest level since November 2009, when a tax credit stimulated purchases, NAR said.

“The robust housing market recovery is occurring in spite of tight access to credit and limited inventory. Without these frictions, existing-home sales easily would be well above the 5-million-unit pace,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Buyer traffic is 31 percent stronger than a year ago, but sales are running only about 10 percent higher.  It’s become quite clear that the only way to tame price growth to a manageable, healthy pace is higher levels of new-home construction.” Source: realtor.org.

 

 

Home inventory rises sharply in April | Inman News.

Are maps obliterating your visual branding efforts? | Bedford Corners NY Real Estate

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Detail from map-based search results on Redfin.com using map data from Google.Detail from map-based search results on Redfin.com using map data from Google.

Maps and real estate websites seem to go hand in hand.

It only makes sense, I suppose.

Everyone wants to know where the house is, what the neighborhood is like, how far it is from stuff, and so on.

A map is one of those crucial bits of information display that gives a wide variety of context about one of the things we assume people are looking for when they’re on a real estate website: the house.

In this way I suppose it could easily be argued that maps are a sort of data visualization tool. They take a handful of variables and plot them using symbols to show relationships.

There is even a little bit of standardization to them. That’s why we can look at a Rand McNally road atlas and Google Maps and figure out that both are maps and that we use them to get someplace.

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/2013/05/22/are-maps-obliterating-your-visual-branding-efforts/#sthash.tiqYsoA7.dpuf

 

Are maps obliterating your visual branding efforts? | Inman News.

Seller financing: an untapped resource for real estate agents | Chappaqua Real Estate

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While the residential real estate market is generally believed to be improving nationwide, some of the residual effects of the Great Recession still affect the ability of real estate agents to facilitate home sales.

Emerging employment opportunities in many parts of the country are bringing workers into new communities. Even though financial institutions have brought reserve levels back to all-time highs within the past few years, banks are unable to fund loans due to restrictive lending criteria.

For buyers, the regulatory pendulum has swung too far. Though fully capable of making payments, many are marked with imperfect credit or low cash reserves as a result of short sales, foreclosures or plummeting values of their prior residences. For sellers, this means a significantly smaller pool of potential buyers, which negatively impacts their home values as well as their financial well-being.

Prime opportunity

According to the Pew Research Center, about 10,000 people will turn 65 every day for the next 17 years. With baby boomers entering retirement at an exponential rate, many are looking to their homes as an additional source of revenue to supplement Social Security or other insufficient income.

Today’s rising home values present a perfect opportunity for sellers to capitalize on their homes’ increasing market values, and savvy real estate agents recognize the prime opportunity that seller financing presents. The trend of tight lending standards combined with willing buyers, sellers and an appreciating housing market is certainly not permanent, so this nontraditional financing option must be quickly leveraged to yield maximum benefit.

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/2013/05/22/seller-financing-an-untapped-resource-for-real-estate-agents/#sthash.glExI8Fd.dpuf

 

Seller financing: an untapped resource for real estate agents | Inman News.

$190 Million Greenwich Compound Is Priciest Home In The U.S. | Bedford Real Estate

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A glance at a property in Greenwich that is reported to be the most expensive listing in the United States. It is listed for $190 million. Photo Credit: With permission from David Ogilvy

 

Listing agent David Ogilvy says the 12-bedroom Neo-French Renaissance Victorian and the 50.6-acre property is “a fantastic piece of property.”
“It’s just an incredibly beautiful spot,’’ said Ogilvy, whosereal estate office is part of Christie’s International Real Estate. “There were a few other major houses down on the water. The only one of this size that has sold was in Riverside in 1952 or ’53. There hasn’t been anything else on either side of the water like this.”
The property includes a mile of shoreline and two islands. Other features include a 75-foot pool and spa, grass tennis court, poolhouse, carriage house and gatehouse cottage.
The home was built in 1896 – Ogilvy had no record of its original cost – and was purchased by the Lauder Greenway family. Harriet Lauder Greenway’s father helped Andrew Carnegie start what would become U.S. Steel, according to the Wall Street Journal story. The article also said the home is owned by John Rudey, the chairman of U.S. Timberlands Services. He purchased the property in 1982. The property is being listed for the first time since 1904, according to the Ogilvy listing.
Ogilvy said the price tag was based on appraisals and previous waterfront sales. “A home with 4.2 acres went for $39.5 million, or about $9 million an acre,’’ he said. “You multiply that by 50, and you get a hefty number. Sometimes people are shocked at how much it is. It’s the only one with 50 acres left in Greenwich.”
The Realtor said he and Rudey have had conversations over the past few years about the property. “I knew the property, but I was even more amazed when I saw it,’’ Ogilvy said.
The owner has no timetable for a sale, Ogilvy also said. “There was a property that I listed and sold back in 2004 for $45 million,’’ Ogilvy said. “People told me I had rocks in my head, and we listed it, sold it and closed on it in 100 days. A timetable is not a problem.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Listing agent David Ogilvy says the 12-bedroom Neo-French Renaissance Victorian and the 50.6-acre property is “a fantastic piece of property.”
“It’s just an incredibly beautiful spot,’’ said Ogilvy, whosereal estate office is part of Christie’s International Real Estate. “There were a few other major houses down on the water. The only one of this size that has sold was in Riverside in 1952 or ’53. There hasn’t been anything else on either side of the water like this.”
The property includes a mile of shoreline and two islands. Other features include a 75-foot pool and spa, grass tennis court, poolhouse, carriage house and gatehouse cottage.
The home was built in 1896 – Ogilvy had no record of its original cost – and was purchased by the Lauder Greenway family. Harriet Lauder Greenway’s father helped Andrew Carnegie start what would become U.S. Steel, according to the Wall Street Journal story. The article also said the home is owned by John Rudey, the chairman of U.S. Timberlands Services. He purchased the property in 1982. The property is being listed for the first time since 1904, according to the Ogilvy listing.
Ogilvy said the price tag was based on appraisals and previous waterfront sales. “A home with 4.2 acres went for $39.5 million, or about $9 million an acre,’’ he said. “You multiply that by 50, and you get a hefty number. Sometimes people are shocked at how much it is. It’s the only one with 50 acres left in Greenwich.”
The Realtor said he and Rudey have had conversations over the past few years about the property. “I knew the property, but I was even more amazed when I saw it,’’ Ogilvy said.
The owner has no timetable for a sale, Ogilvy also said. “There was a property that I listed and sold back in 2004 for $45 million,’’ Ogilvy said. “People told me I had rocks in my head, and we listed it, sold it and closed on it in 100 days. A timetable is not a problem.”

 

$190 Million Greenwich Compound Is Priciest Home In The U.S. | The Bedford Daily Voice.

 

Illinois home sales show 25% annual growth in April | Cross River Real Estate

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Home sales in Illinois rose 25.3% year-over-year in April, while median prices increased 7.7%, according to the Illinois Association of Realtors. 

Home sales in the state totaled 12,621 in April, up from 10,076 in April 2012. This marked the best April performance since 2007. 

The median price in Illinois was $145,900 in April, up 7.7% from April 2012 when the median price was $135,500. 

“The spring numbers are very encouraging, especially as we see substantial tightening of the numbers of homes on the market,” said Michael D. Oldenettel, president of IAR. 

He added, “While prices are inching up slightly due to strong demand, the interest rates continue to be a powerful lure for those who want to own a home and the spring housing market looks to be a strong one.” 

Illinois’ home inventory in April was 62,503 units, a 30.6% drop from April 2012, which had 90,041 units for sale. The time homes are spending on the market plummeted from 111 days to 89 days, a 19.8% drop, year-over-year. 

Of the 102 Illinois counties, 55 reported year-over-year increases in home sales in April 2013, while 42 showed year-over-year median price increases. 

“The housing market is exhibiting signs of a more stable recovery with an anticipated strong early summer led by strong sales gains and more modest but still positive gains in median prices,” noted Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, director of the regional economics applications laboratory of the University of Illinois.

 

Illinois home sales show 25% annual growth in April | HousingWire.

The pace of the housing market has picked up | North Salem Real Estate

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Several factors are contributing to the market’s need for speed these days, writes Redfin. Demand is high and supply is low, which forces people to make decisions very quickly. Also, new technology is compressing the timeline from listing to tour and offer.

Today, people can find out within minutes when a new listing has hit the market and to schedule an in-person home tour with real estate agent, all from a smartphone. While market conditions like supply and demand will fluctuate over time, changes brought about by technology are most likely creating a “new normal” for the overall pace of home buying and selling, according to Redfin.

 

The pace of the housing market has picked up | HousingWire.

Housing recovery full of mixed emotions | Katonah NY Real Estate

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The housing market appears to have recovered from the depth of its decline. Toll Brothers reported a whopping 46% jump in its latest earnings report and Home Depot‘s earnings soared 18%. Today theNational Association of Realtors reported that April existing home sales surged to their highest level in more than three years.

There is some bad news mixed in with all of these housing numbers, April housing starts recently plummeted from a 48-month high and applications for home mortgages dropped for the second week in a row.

 

Housing recovery full of mixed emotions | HousingWire.

Investor and cash buying push Las Vegas home sales | Pound Ridge Real Estate

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Homes in the Las Vegas area sold at the fastest pace for an April in seven years due, in large, to investor and cash buying nearing record levels. Sales in the $200,000-to-$500,000 range in the Sin City picked up 81% from one-year prior. 

The Las Vegas median price paid for a home increased to the highest level in nearly four and a half years, largely due to price appreciation,tight inventory, a surge in move-up buyers and a drop-off in foreclosure resales. 

In the Las Vegas-Paradise metro area, 4,869 new and resale houses and condos closed escrow in April, an 8.6% increase from the month before and a 7.0% rise from one-year prior, according to San-Diego-based DataQuick. 

Sales have dropped 4.2% between March and April, on average, since 1994. The year-over-year increase in total sales last month follows 10 consecutive months of year-over-year declines. 

 

Investor and cash buying push Las Vegas home sales | HousingWire.

Bernanke Says Premature Tightening Would Endanger Recover | Chappaqua NY Homes

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Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said raising interest rates or reducing asset purchases too soon would endanger the recovery as the economy remains hampered by high unemployment and government spending cuts.

“A premature tightening of monetary policy could lead interest rates to rise temporarily but would also carry a substantial risk of slowing or ending the economic recovery and causing inflation to fall further,” Bernanke said today in testimony to the Joint Economic Committee of Congress in Washington.

Bernanke lamented the human and economic costs of anunemployment rate at 7.5 percent nearly four years into the recovery from the deepest recession since the Great Depression, and he said the Fed’s record easing is providing “significant benefits.” His comments echoed remarks by William C. Dudley, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, who said in an interview that it would take three to four months before policy makers will know whether a sustainable recovery is in place.

Fed officials “need to see inflation expectations remain in a desired range, they need to see that the peak home-buying season goes as well as it can, and they need to see that we have absorbed the bulk of the huge fiscal consolidation” before they reduce the pace of purchases from $85 billion a month, said Lou Crandall, chief economist at Wrightson ICAP LLC inJersey City, New Jersey.

Stocks erased an early rally and Treasuries fell after Bernanke said the Fed could “take a step down in our pace of purchases” in the “next few meetings.”

Brady Question

“We’re trying to make an assessment of whether or not we have seen real and sustainable progress in the labor market outlook,” Bernanke said in response to a question from Representative Kevin Brady, the Texas Republican who chairs the committee. “If we see continued improvement and we have confidence that that is going to be sustained, then we could in — in the next few meetings, we could take a step down in our pace of purchases.”

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 0.6 percent to 1,659.54 at 2:54 p.m. in New York. Yields on the U.S. 10-year note rose above 2 percent for the first time since March.

“The market reacts pretty wildly to any hint of exit,” said Michael Hanson, senior economist at Bank of America Corp. in New York. “It’s a small exit and a lot of people are trying to get out of it — like a rock concert.”

“The Fed is not looking to very quickly get out of this,” said Hanson, a former Fed economist. “There’s obviously a few members who want to wrap this up sooner than later, but Bernanke doesn’t seem eager to pull back on QE very soon. He wants to see more evidence that the economy really is moving on a forward path.”

More Progress

Many Fed officials said more progress in the labor market is needed before deciding to slow the pace of asset purchases, according to minutes of their last meeting released after Bernanke’s testimony.

“Most observed that the outlook for the labor market had shown progress” since the bond-buying program began in September, according to the record of the April 30-May 1 gathering released today in Washington. “But many of these participants indicated that continued progress, more confidence in the outlook, or diminished downside risks would be required before slowing the pace of purchases would become appropriate.”

 

Bernanke Says Premature Tightening Would Endanger Recover – Bloomberg.