Hello REALTORS®, 2024 continues to be a busy year for government affairs. It’s an election year, including for President and Congress. The SC General Assembly is nearing the end of a two-year term, and several Realtor issues are under consideration. And your board of directors recently approved a position statement on annexation. But first, flood… Read more »
Read MoreMonthly Indicators U.S. existing-home sales grew 3.1% month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.00 million, exceeding economists’ expectations and marking the strongest sales pace since August 2023, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Falling interest rates late last year, coupled with a recent uptick in inventory, helped existing-home sales to climb… Read more »
Read MoreHello REALTORS®, Signs and sign ordinances can be beneficial to Realtors, but they also come with responsibility. Over the last several years, your REALTORS® Association successfully lobbied for protection of signs that communicate that real property is for sale while local sign ordinances were updated across the Western Upstate. Almost a decade ago, the U.S…. Read more »
Read MoreHello REALTORS®, Federal Funding for HUD The federal budget is divided into 12 different bills. For years, Congress has failed to pass them, and they haven’t passed a budget on time since 1996. Continuing resolutions have become regular order. The current fiscal year, which started October 1, 2023, is no different except that maybe this… Read more »
Read MoreHello REALTORS®, Later in this report, I cover National Flood Insurance Program authorization. Be sure to read through this report so you know what to expect this month regarding flood insurance. But first, signs. Signs and sign ordinances can be beneficial to Realtors, but they also come with responsibility. Over the last several years, your… Read more »
Read MoreHello REALTORS®, Your Western Upstate Association of REALTORS® is actively involved in local government. From counties, to cities, to school boards, to the local utility district, we monitor and advocate for Realtor interests. Our goals: To facilitate this effort, your association has asked a small team of members to guide our advocacy. The Grassroots Government… Read more »
Read MoreHello REALTORS®, During the last year, we have been fortunate to have some great speakers on the economic conditions and forecasts about the future. The hot question recently is when will interest rates go down? We had the perfect speaker for that topic: Dr. Laura Ullrich, Senior Regional Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of… Read more »
Read MoreHello REALTORS®, Sometimes, when attending local government meetings, I hear information that our members need to know. That was the case this week in Anderson. During the work session before the regular city council meeting, Anderson City Manager David McCuen briefed city council on the city’s recent efforts to step up enforcement of their… Read more »
Read MoreMonthly Indicators U.S. existing-home sales slipped 1.0% month-over-month and were down 6.2% year-over-year as of last measure, while pending sales jumped 8.3% from the previous month, marking the largest gain since June 2020, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Mortgage rates have dropped significantly from their peak last fall, and homebuyers are beginning… Read more »
Read MoreHello REALTORS®, Your SC REALTORS® Association is unparalleled in their advocacy of Realtor issues at the SC State House and in state government. The SC Advocacy Team is chaired by Hilton Head Island Realtor Brian Kinard and led by Chief Advocacy Officer Lindsay Hutto. The SCR Legislative Committee has 17 members from around the state,… Read more »
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