NAR Issues Warning to Realtors

NAR warns members about conference email scam Following tech peers, Facebook pledges $1B to affordable housing Growing number of homeowners feel 'house rich and cash poor'47 Skills You Need to Survive Homeownership
NAR warns members about conference email scam
https://www.inman.com/2019/10/23/nar-warns-members-about-conference-email-scam/  
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) issued a warning about an ongoing scam that fraudulently asks recipients to register for an upcoming conference. 

The scam involves an email that includes a subject line inviting people to “Register for the 2019 REALTORS Conference.” However, the email is in fact a fake from a Comcast address, though it “displays as if it was from NAR,” according to a statement from NAR. 

Any real estate professionals who have received the email should take a screenshot of it and report it the FBI. NAR has also already alerted the FBI about the message. 


Following tech peers, Facebook pledges $1B to affordable housing
https://www.inman.com/2019/10/23/following-tech-peers-facebook-pledges-1b-to-affordable-housing/  
Facebook has become the latest tech behemoth to pledge a boatload of cash to affordable housing, matching Google’s commitment of $1 billion — which itself had one-upped Microsoft’s trailblazing pledge of $500 million.
Facebook estimates its funding will generate up to 20,000 units, much of it catering to housing middle-class workers near the firm’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California.
$250 million of the funds are earmarked for a special partnership with the California governor’s administration, in which the state will essentially donate publicly-owned land to developers.
These donations have coincided with new promises from business leaders in other industries to give more consideration to communities, workers and suppliers — rather than principally to shareholders. 
 

Growing number of homeowners feel 'house rich and cash poor'
https://www.inman.com/2019/10/23/growing-number-of-homeowners-feel-house-rich-and-cash-poor/  
Home Ownership is the American Dream and the way to establish wealth, but a new study published by HomeTap on  revealed that the majority of homeowners feel “house rich and cash poor,” which added stress about their ability to maintain a household and build generational wealth.

The study showed more than 70 percent of homeowners feel “house rich and cash poor” some of the time, due to stagnant wage growth that fails to keep up with the rising cost of living. 

Despite the fact  more than 60 percent of homeowners have low mortgage rates and $10,000 to $50,000 in home equity (28 percent), the majority feel they have no good options to turn equity into cash. American's aren't smart about money and investing. 

Sixty-one percent of homeowners said they could apply for a loan or sell their home to access equity, but preferred not to.

26 percent of homeowners said they’d be willing to apply for a HELOC (home equity line of credit) or sell their current home. There are people who want to sell their home and are just waiting for someone to ask. 


Johnson & Johnson issues recall for baby powder after asbestos detected
https://www.wfsb.com/news/johnson-johnson-issues-recall-for-baby-powder-after-asbestos-detected/article_733aa85c-f1b6-11e9-b632-6732d44b7dd9.html?fbclid=IwAR2Oi475kjc_V_OB_UBmujX-cM8umMZ4pwl6yUFpNjcm1MYot4zwQzGYhaU  
Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. is issuing a voluntary recall for some of its baby powder after traces of asbestos were detected.

The company said the recall is for a single lot of its Johnson's Baby Powder in response to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) test indicating the presence of sub-trace levels of chryso-tile asbestos contamination (no greater than 0.00002%) in samples from a single bottle purchased from an online retailer.

Despite the low levels, the company is still issuing the voluntary recall for Lot #22318RB of Johnson's Baby Powder, from which the tested sample was taken.

If you come across a bottle of Johnson's Baby Powder Lot #22318RB, you are advised to discontinue use of the product, for obvious reasons. For refund information, contact the Johnson & Johnson Consumer Care Center at www.johnsonsbaby.com or by calling (866) 565-2229.



47 Skills You Need to Survive Homeownership
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/47-skills-you-need-to-survive-homeownership?fbclid=IwAR3tAgyp0vjkJ8KppUsxR0ujAqEeYQeu2SnhKmqv0bu0fkftx_HdTsq8WQo  
Don't get caught with your toolbelt down—learn these techniques and tackle any household emergency with ease.. from this Old House.. Here are the ones I've needed. 
1. Fix a Leaky Faucet
3. Dig a Hole
4. Locate a Stud
7. Unclog a Sink
11. Remove a Stripped Screw
12. Avoid Stripping a Screw
14. Drill Through Tile Without Cracking It
15. Hardwire a Light Fixture
16. Pick an Interior Lock
20. Know Which Breaker to Turn Off
24. Hang Heavy Objects on Drywall
34. Secure a Loose Screw
38. Stop an Overflowing Toilet
39. Pick Up a Big Paint Spill on Carpet


Pulse: 5 ways to respond to 'You haven't sold any houses in our area'
https://www.inman.com/2019/10/22/pulse-15-ways-to-respond-to-you-havent-sold-any-houses-in-our-area/  
My system still works
I really, really know what I’m doing
I know this area from buyer clients
I have the data
I have expertise to draw on — from others