Current News in the Real Estate Industry

Alternative Method to Sell Your Home Expanding

Zillow announced that Portland, Oregon, has become the 12th market where it can now directly buy homes , giving homeowners a new way to sell their properties.

"Sellers across the country have shown that they are looking for an easier, less stressful way to sell their home," said Zillow Brand President Jeremy Wacksman.

Mortgage Lenders vs. Growing Technology

The growing use of technology in the mortgage space is what most lenders call their biggest competitor, according to analysis from Fannie Mae.

Fannie Mae’s VP of Single-Family Strategy and Insights Andrew Peters said lenders continue to cite “consumer-facing technology” as the most important business priority to maintain competitiveness.

Amazon Partners With Real Estate Brand, Launching Smart Tech-Heavy Homebuying Program

Amazon is set to upend yet another time-tested industry. And this time? It's real estate.

The retailer, along with one of the industry's biggest names, announced a new program this morning that could alter how Americans buy homes—and how they move into them.

What Most Buyers Expect in a “Move-in Ready” Home

A "move-in ready home" can mean many different things to each individual buyer - it can mean having a home that is newly renovated with fresh paint and flooring to having a home with all the appliances already installed.

Check out what a survey of 550 home shoppers think it should mean.

Philanthropy

This month was a special month for helping out others. Sapphire Title and her sister company, Gilbert Garcia Group, made a donation to help out with Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village Dominican Republic 2019 trip. We have a staff member, Dayna Santana, who is also a board member for Habitat for Humanity that made this special trip down to the Dominican Republic to help build a home for those in need. Below is a recap in her own words of her trip to show the process of how this special project is accomplished.