12 tips for staying safe at open houses

Showing homes and holding open houses are essential duties for many real estate professionals. While these events generally run smoothly, there is still an element of danger when inviting strangers into a client’s home. September is National Realtor Safety Month, so now is a great time to review you

Yesterday’s interest rate cut could have psychological impact on homebuyers

​​​Yesterday, the Federal Reserve announced that it had cut its key interest rate by a quarter-point to a range of 2 to 2.25 percent. This marked the first time the central bank had reduced its benchmark rate since December 2008. I asked Real Estate Center Chief Economist Dr. Jim Gaines what impact

Economic expansion sets record

​​ This month marks the longest expansion in U.S. economic history. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the expansion began in June 2009. Numbers released for July 2019 will show a record 121 months of continuous growth. The expansion featured a downward trend in the unemployment

The mystery of the murdered economic expansion

​Former Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen: "I don’t think economic expansions die of old age." Yellen’s predecessor, Ben Bernanke, in response: "I like to say they get murdered." The "murderers" in the past have been financial imbalances like over-leveraging or the Federal Reserve raising rates