The Latest on Emergency Price Relief
Earlier this week, the White House released details of a memorandum that ordered agencies to "to deliver emergency price relief, consistent with applicable law, to the American people."
While the Trump administration's goals of lowering the cost of housing and increasing supply are welcome, some industry executives are unsure of the order's effectiveness. Redfin economics researcher Chen Zhao pointed out that many factors that have made housing expensive are at local, not federal levels.
Zhao added: "He is ordering the head of the executive departments and agencies at the federal level to look into this, but I'm not sure what kind of an impact they can have other than lean on local governments and try to incentivize them to streamline regulation and make it easier to construct housing."
In addition, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) are concerned that any future tariffs may make new construction more expensive, not less. Looking back to 2018, NAHB estimated that tariffs placed on Canadian lumber added around $9,000 to the cost of constructing a single-family home.1
How to Prospect on LinkedIn
While this site is popular with recruiters and jobseekers, there are other ways you can make use of your contacts and connections here. Here are three to try.
Look at the "More Profiles to Browse" sidebar. It's like LinkedIn has cloned some prospective referral sources and prospects for you. Be sure they're from an area and industry that's suitable before you reach out.
Reach out to prospects in new roles. When someone starts a new job, they may need to relocate. Or perhaps their new salary has them thinking about buying their first home or moving up.
Say hello to former schoolmates. High school reunions are popular for several reasons. Perhaps you're wondering who achieved their teenage dreams, or you simply miss them. With LinkedIn, there's no need to wait for the next one...and a few may be terrific referral sources.2
Home Construction Numbers Rising
Single-family housing starts rose 3.3% in December from the prior month, coming in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,050,000.
Total housing starts, including multifamily apartment units, were at 1,499,000 annualized last month—up 15.8% from November. Looking back at 2024, an estimated 1,364,100 housing units were started. This was a 3.9% decline from 2023. However, completions rose 12.4% from the prior year to 1,627,900.
On a regional level, single-family housing starts rose the most last month in the Northeast, where they climbed 14.3% from November and 8.5% from a year earlier.
Single-family starts rose 8.3% in the Midwest and 7.1% in the West, after accounting for seasonal adjustments.
Although the South region saw 617,000 single-family home starts last month, the most of any region, this number is down 1.8% from a year ago.3
Cool Winter Staging Ideas
Even if your listings are being hit by one of this year's winter storms, there's plenty you can do to help your seller make them more inviting. Here's a handy checklist.
- Make the outdoors inviting. Be sure that snow and ice are removed from the driveway and any pathways to the front door. You can even add some evergreen decor, such as a wreath or smaller pine trees in pots.
- Warm up your visitors. Although many homeowners keep our thermostats set in the 60s, this isn't a good idea during showings. Potential buyers may think they're in a house that's hard or expensive to heat. Also, warmer environments encourage visitors to linger.
- Be a barista. If you're holding an Open House, offering both coffee and hot chocolate to visitors is a smart idea. Most people love the smell of coffee, but if they're avoiding afternoon/evening caffeine, hot chocolate is a yummy substitute.
- Fire up the fireplace. Quite a few buyers list a working fireplace as a "gotta have". Lighting a fireplace can help viewers imagine sitting in front of it, enjoying the ambience. Adding a faux fur throw nearby can be a great visual.4
Get Ready for the Year of the Snake
The Chinese horoscope describes people born in 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, and 1941 as Snakes. They may appear cautious, introverted and mysterious, but get to know a Snake and you'll discover sensitivity, wisdom, and passion.
Beginning January 29, celebrants around the world will be enjoying a variety of cultural traditions, from family gatherings to fireworks to colorful lion dances. Be sure to check your area's calendars to see if any special events are planned.5
Sources: 1housingwire.com, 2blog.hubspot.com, 3realtor.com, 4realtor.com, 5chinesenewyear.net
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