Most of us like to be productive in the workplace, in our careers and even in our responsibilities at home. But are we taking the appropriate amount of time out for ourselves? According to Project: Time Off, many Americans leave vacation days unused, often to be forfeited without rolling over or converting to additional pay and other benefits. A key 2015 study by Project: Time Off found that 55 percent of U.S. workers failed to take all allotted vacation time. Reasons for this varied from financial concerns to worry over appearing replaceable in the eyes of the company. A number of us, it seems, struggle with balancing job dedication and taking time away to kick back, relax and enjoy life – even when our companies give their blessings.

For Health’s Sake, Take Time Off

Using those hard earned vacation days does far more than fill your phone, iPad or computer with fond memories of far away places enjoyed with loved ones. Some research studies suggest that taking time away from work (to actually enjoy yourself, not do more work) may have positive effects on your physical and mental health. Such effects include:

• Reduced risk of coronary heart disease
• Decrease in stress
• Less chance of depression
• Enhanced productivity levels
• Improved attitude towards life
• Greater job satisfaction

The Proof Is in the Planning

Not only does taking a much needed break from work every now and then create a positive ripple in your personal and professional lives, the joyous anticipation of such an event initiates happiness in the days and weeks leading up to your vacation. We all get busy, caught up in our day-to-day routines, meeting those monthly and quarterly objectives, and trying to make it from one stage in our careers to the next. However, vacation days left on the table do your health (and your psyche) no good. You’ve earned them, folks – by all means, use them!

Sources:

 http://www.projecttimeoff.com/resources/executive-summary/vacations-impact-workplace-executive-summary

http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/apl/82/4/516/

Click to access vacations_health.pdf

https://www.healthnet.com/portal/home/content/iwc/home/articles/health_benefits_of_vacations.action

The real estate business relies heavily on in the know, in the NOW information – content that is instantaneously retrievable. In today’s technology era, the information you and your clients needs is available faster than ever before, and right at your fingertips. The “on-the-go” environment to which current society insists we acclimate is in large part, a major piece of the broad digital landscape. To ignore this fact or wait for information to find you is leaving money on the table – literally.

Are you using the latest technology to stay ahead of the competition, or is ever-changing technology leaving you in the dust?

Are You Thriving in the Digital Age?

Whether tech-savvy or tech-challenged, we must all embrace not only the application of technology to how we reach, conduct and manage our business, but the accelerated speed at which it moves. Just when you get the hang of one app, the-next-best-thing is already in place, promising greater efficiency and more efficacious results. To help you stay ahead (or at least hang with) the game, we’ve compiled a few of the latest and greatest tech buzz bits relevant to the real estate business:

• Social Media Management. Though around for a while now, social media managers and tracking platforms are typically on the forefront of how to best reach your current audience as well as new clients through a multitude of social media outlets. Hootsuite™, sproutsocial and buffer are three highly rated companies offering the tools you and your team need to successfully plan and manage your social media marketing campaigns.

• Apps, Apps and More Apps. Apps are designed to make your life easier and business more efficient. Aside from learning to use the staples (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc.) to an even greater extent, downloading others like Real Scout, BombBomb™ and curbcall can facilitate and help you grow your business. Run an Internet search to learn more about the latest apps and what is working for others in the industry.

• Virtual Reality. Far more than just a gift you may have placed under the tree this past year, VR technology has made its way into the real estate sphere. Companies are eliminating the distance barrier for home buyers, as several are now offering VR and 3-D viewing experiences from the comfort of, well, anywhere.

• “Alexa, find me a new home.” Changing the face of shopping and information retrieval, Amazon’s Echo and other virtual assistants are just the next step in reaching clients. Of course, creating the customization for the Echo dot and similar devices will likely require the help of a web developer, but this is certainly an area to watch (and engage with, if able).

• (Big) Data Analysis: Analyzing the exorbitant amount of data relating to a business on any given day is a lofty task, at best, even for smaller real estate firms. From shopping patterns and financials to insurance and risk assessment, information gleaned from data analytics provides intel on the how, why, when and where of clients’ decision-making, helping organizations optimize their reach and better engage with, service and retain business – now and into the future.

However you choose to apply the latest technological developments, one thing is certain: We all work to serve our clients, in the best way possible. Choose what platforms works for you and your business, but by all means, do not get left behind.

With another year of ups and downs logged in the books, many have made predictions detailing what 2017 has in store for the housing market. In what position did 2016 leave us? Notable to last year:

• Mortgage rates dipped below 4.0% early in the year, only to catapult beyond 4.0% following the presidential election.

• A larger number of millennials jumped onboard with the home buying process.

• The country saw a decrease in the unemployment rate, coupled with an increase in earnings.

• Low housing inventory remained a concern, especially in first-time homebuyer markets.

How 2017 Will Play Out, According to Experts

 Though decelerating in rate compared with recent years, the 2017 housing market is expected to experience an upward trend in growth. Factors determined to influence this growth trend include:

• Demand for housing steadily on the rise. The Millennial and Boomer generations are slated to take the lead in buyer demographics.

• Slow, but steady, uptick in housing prices. A pricing increase is anticipated thanks to low inventory and modest growth expected in the U.S. economy. Prices, however, are expected to be a full percentage less than that of 2016.

• Increase in sales early on in the year. The threat of rising interest rates will likely catalyze people into buying during the year’s first quarter, a period typically seeing a dip in sales.

What Factors Have Experts Concerned?

The overall consensus seems to be a positive outlook for an upward trend, but there are a few factors that many agree will affect the growth pattern for 2017:

• Volatility in mortgage rates. The Fed has hinted at three rates hikes to be implemented throughout the year.

• Decline in new and existing home sales. Though not expected to drop dramatically, a decline in sales from 2016 is expected, thanks to rising mortgage rates.

• Inventory shortage in lower-priced brackets. Many first-time home buyers may experience difficulty in finding affordable housing.

Wherever we land at the end of 2017, we think it’ll be a year of growth, positive outcomes and potentially even a lesson in patience. For questions or expert assistance with your real estate settlement needs, contact Linear Title & Escrow at (757) 340-0340 today.

Sources:

http://research.realtor.com/2017-national-housing-forecast/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2017/01/03/housing-outlook-2017-eight-predictions-from-the-experts/#4674574e1ce2

http://www.kiplinger.com/article/business/T019-C000-S003-housing-market-forecast-housing-starts-home-sales.html

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/housing-trends-5.aspx

Have you sat down to construct your goals and resolutions for a very near and upcoming 2017? Are your personal and professional objectives on paper (or in a word doc), just waiting to come to life with that fervor and action you “commit” to each passing year? If so, you’re certainly ahead of the game.

Research suggests that fewer people these days actually make (and fewer still) carry out their New Year’s goals and resolutions. Even if you’re not so keen on making (or keeping) personal resolutions, setting them for your professional life isn’t such a bad idea.

Your Career in Preview

Staying static in your current career spot may be comfortable, but not likely to help you climb the corporate ladder or shatter that glass ceiling. Consider the following questions to help create your career-boosting resolutions so you hit the ground running as you ring in the new year:

• How can you grow professionally?

• What actions can you take to help grow your organization or business reach?

• What opportunities are likely to rise throughout the year? For example, is someone retiring, moving or looking for a promotion?

• Are you achieving career satisfaction? Why or why not? What factors would you change about your current position and what would, in fact, help you experience career bliss?

• Create a career timeline. Look at where you started, where you are now and where you ultimately want to land. What steps can you take this upcoming year to propel your career in that direction?

Goals and resolutions, whether personal or professional, help drive us to achieve, succeed and become the people we ultimately wish to be. The key, however, is to use them to our advantage rather than allow them to foster disappoint, diminished self-confidence or feelings of coming-up-short when we fail to reach said objectives.

Be Realistic, But Don’t Sell Yourself Short

Though it’s important to remember is to set realistic and attainable goals, having a lofty goal or two won’t hurt. Big aspirations are often what drives us to achieve things we never thought we could. However, also keep in mind that life happens sometimes, and goals set December 31^st may stretch, shrink or morph into something entirely different than what you expected.

When your current and previous clients think of you and your services, what trajectories do their thought patterns take? Are they fondly recalling the superior care and attention you’ve delivered, or are they dead set on finding someone else when it comes to their next real estate transaction? Do they view you as their go-to for pertinent, reliable information, or are you competing neck-and-neck with social media platforms in this arena?

If your answers to these questions lean a bit to the left, you could do a lot more for yourself and your business if you bulk up your service offerings with one simple (though admittedly, layered) idea: Be more engaging.

A Long-Term Engagement

Creating your network of new, repeat and referred business is, in many cases, a courting process. Most people these days don’t simply open a phone book, close their eyes and point to find their real estate professional. Word-of-mouth and reviews (particularly those presented by a reputable Internet-based organization) are road signs for pointing people toward their purchasing destinations today, whether said purchase is a tangible item, service or combination of both. Getting in front of your clients and future clients (more than once, and in a way they find engaging) is crucial for your business. When it comes to attracting, catching and retaining those clients, a long-term commitment to the relationship is a must.

Catch Their Attention – And Keep It

So, how do you nurture a long-term relationship with past, current and future clients? One way is to be a gushing, overflowing, all-knowing source for not only great information, but the precise information your clients are seeking. This requires you to think like your clients. What kind of information are they looking for? Do they need to know something they don’t yet realize they need to know? Based on factors like age, stage in life and social preferences, having a solid idea of what your clients are looking for as well as how to present said information to them is key in snagging their attention and cultivating those long-term relationships so vital to your business.

The intent is not to bore your clients with an onslaught of unsolicited information, but be the engaging source for what they need to know, when they need to know it. You know your target market best, and probably have a good idea of what they find most engaging. The more you interact with your target audience, the more spot-on your delivery of services and, ultimately, achievement of business goals will be.

Most professionals should and do conduct their business dealings according to a set of ethics, a compendium going far beyond what’s largely regarded as basic “work ethics.” Each industry has its own standard of expectations, and that which is considered usual and customary. The parameters, however, may vary from one trade to the next, depending upon regulatory rules and expectancies set forth by governing bodies and even the segments targeted to receive your marketed goods or services.

No matter your role within any given industry, maintaining high ethics and delivering your products or services with supreme integrity is likely expected, both by your superiors and individuals seeking your offerings. Are you acting on behalf of your business in this regard, hitting the mark each time when it comes to ethicality, integrity, honesty and truthfulness?

Check Yourself Before You…. Well, You Know How This Goes

How do you know if you’re meeting ethical expectations in your business dealings? Is it just a “feeling” you get when you “do the right thing,” or is there a code of ethics mapped-out for you to follow? The answers to these prompts may depend upon what you do for a living, and how heavily regulated your business sector happens to be.

However, no matter your trade, ensuring you act in accordance with established guiding principles is important for not only keeping yourself out of hot water, but also for ensuring you deliver at the highest level to those you serve with your skills, knowledge and expertise. After all, you (as a consumer) likely expect to receive the same in return when purchasing. Keep your business and your conscience on track by sticking to that coveted (and expected) code of ethics.

How We Ensure Ethical Delivery of Title Services

Here at Linear Title & Escrow, we proudly adhere strictly to not only industry regulations, but also our commitment to serving you and your clients with the highest level of excellence in settlement proceedings. We accomplish this in the following ways:

• Non-disclosure of confidential information
• Zero misrepresentations
• Total transparency in fee calculation and financials
• Adherence to all laws and regulations per Virginia and federal guidelines

We never want you or your valued clients to doubt our authenticity, professionalism or the integrity with which we conduct each closing. To learn more about how we maintain ethicality in our title and escrow practices, contact us at (757) 340-0340.

The American Land Title Association (ALTA) recently released an article regarding consumer confusion and misunderstanding when in comes to title insurance fee calculation within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s mortgage disclosures. While the genuine intent to recent changes in disclosure methods was meant to demystify the cloud of confusion surrounding obtaining a mortgage and associated risks, as well as simplify the process, it seems these efforts may be missing their mark. (Read the article here.) At Linear Title & Escrow, we want all those who sit at our closing tables to have full understanding of not only title insurance fees, but any fees associated with the closing process.

We believe in being transparent with the settlement procedure, and aim to provide closing information to the best of our ability in the most obvious, open and easy to understand means possible. If you or your clients have any questions or concerns, or would like further clarification on how closing costs are calculated, please contact us today at (757) 340.0340.