72% of US consumers say it's a good time to buy a house, a small increase from last quarter, according to NAR's ongoing quarterly Housing Opportunities and Market Experience survey. 69% say it's a good time to sell, up from 62%.

Multiple years of uninterrupted job gains and hope that the best is yet to come in 2017 are igniting consumer confidence across the country. The survey additionally found a growing disparity among renters who think it's a good time to buy and homeowners who think it's a good time to sell. 

Continuing the trend over the past year, those in the West continue to be the most likely to think now is a good time to sell at 77%, while also being the least likely to think it's a good time to buy (61%). 

Read the full summary here.

Don't miss this limited opportunity to earn your HCS designation!

Thursday, April 27th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

PMAR Offices

150 SW Harrison Street, Suite 200, Portland

This class was developed to help Realtors® address buyers' concerns about homeownership affordability and to provide practical hands-on information about financing programs and products that may help financially challenged or first time homebuyers in the Portland metropolitan region.

Cost:

Permit numbers for Accessory Dwelling Units have closed in on those for single-family homes

Newly released data shows the city issued 615 building permits for new accessory dwelling units or ADUs in 2016, approaching the 867 permits issued for regular houses.

Data from the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and Bureau of Development Services shows ADUs are growing in popularity each year, while the number of new single-family houses seems to have plateaued. The housing and affordability crisis and growing traffic congestion are driving up the popularity of ADUs, especially in Portland's close-in neighborhoods. ADUs provide desirable separate living spaces for family or private rentals to supplement homeowners' incomes.

Click here to read the full article.

Now more than ever, commercial Real Estate brokers have many reasons to pay attention to green building practices.

April 6th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Earth Advantage

623 SW Oak Street, #300, Portland

Instructor: Adam Sledd

This course explains how niche green concepts are evolving into high performance standards across office, retail, and industrial segments, and what commercial practitioners need to know to take advantage of sustainability trends. Attendees will learn:

• Major drivers for green building demand
• How energy and sustainability impact a building's economic performance
• What commonly used resources are available for industry professionals
• How local environmental policies impact commercial transactions
• The financial benefits of energy efficient buildings for both landlords and tenants
• How to help clients handle energy and sustainability in the lease process

There's a lot more to Realtors Property Resource than working with buyers, nailing listing presentations, prospecting neighborhoods, and managing successful open houses.

In fact, Realtors® who want to up their game when it comes to social marketing can quickly adapt RPR data into an ongoing campaign that will definitely draw attention from would-be clients.

Click here for examples and instructions on how to easily access RPR data to create interesting and effective social media campaigns. 

Few people get into the Real Estate business because they have a burning passion for bookkeeping. Yet, because most agents are independent contractors, it's absolutely essential they track income and expenses accurately.

Most people think they're doing a good job keeping their books, but tax time may tell a different story. Wondering how you're doing?

Click here for four questions that will keep you organized and make sure you receive all the write-offs you deserve.