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[ad_1] The severe lack of inventory in today’s housing market has been a source of stress for home buyers and real estate agents alike. HousingWire sat down with Realtor.com CEO David Doctorow to learn how agents and brokers can alleviate some of the frustrations their clients are facing. HousingWire: What are some common consumer pain points in the home buying and selling process?  David Doctorow: We feel for home buyers and sellers. They still face a scary, complex process – despite massive investment in the digital real estate space over the past decades. Owning a home is the biggest investment most people make in their lifetimes, which naturally creates a certain level of anxiety. Beyond that, a home isn’t like a stock purchase – you don’t wake up or raise your family in a mutual fund. No other transaction has such an intimate relationship to your life.   Recent trends also have aggravated an already stressful situation. While the growth in iBuying has given homeowners more options for how to sell their home, it’s also given them more to consider and evaluate in terms of what approach is right for their own situation.  For buyers in today’s market, the severe lack of inventory adds another layer of frustration, FOMO (fear of missing out) and a sense of urgency. First-time home buyers, in particular, can be overwhelmed with everything that goes into finding and securing the home that’s right for them, from determining how much they can afford, working with a lender and choosing the agent that can best help them.   In this context, I believe one of the most important things we can do is to build confidence for anyone who’s buying or selling a home. We do that by giving people valid choices and decision-making control without sacrificing convenience – in essence, improving how we use technology to make the process easier and more enjoyable for consumers and real estate professionals alike.  HW: Should agents, brokers, lenders and title providers feel threatened by recent innovations in the industry? Why or why not? DD: My advice to real estate professionals is: Don’t be afraid of innovation or technology. Instead, embrace change, and make it work for you.  If you needed a doctor or a lawyer, you’d expect those professionals to be knowledgeable about the latest developments in treatment options or how changes in the law might affect your case. The same is true for buyers and sellers who want and need their agent, lender and title provider to understand and deploy the most current technology platforms and resources on their behalf. In today’s competitive marketplace, the ability to innovate and apply new ways of doing things can set real estate professionals apart.  For example, when we first introduced our referral model, ReadyConnect Concierge, some agents and brokers were concerned about the change, since it’s a departure from the more traditional online lead generation approach. But many who have embraced this approach are closing more deals by using in-app tools that help them collaborate and communicate with buyers, sellers, lenders and title providers more effectively throughout the process. In a recent survey, seven out of 10 of our concierge customers told us the program was critical or important to their business. HW: How can agents and brokers do a better job of embracing technology, such as iOffers, digital closings and AI, to alleviate consumer pain points?  DD: The first step is educating yourself about what’s available and possible for today’s home buyers and sellers.  In the iBuyer space, agents can benefit by becoming conversant in the pros and cons of the myriad ways to sell a home in today’s market. Becoming knowledgeable helps them provide valuable counsel to their clients. That was part of our thinking when we created Seller’s Marketplace. The companies that participate in Seller’s Marketplace provide a variety of home buying and selling models and lending solutions, including some that work with agents and their seller clients. Agents can visit the marketplace to learn about these options on behalf of the homeowners they work with.  Our data shows that the vast majority of visitors to Seller’s Marketplace come for education about iBuyers and other selling models but ultimately, for those who choose to sell, they list their home with an agent. Since we launched the experience in July 2020, more than half of the people who submitted an inquiry chose to connect with an agent. The digital closing process is another area of innovation in which agents can demonstrate their value. In states that allow fully remote closings, agents who give their clients the ability to e-close from the safety and security of their homes can set themselves apart from the competition.  Toward that end, we’re currently testing an experience with Qualia, a company that provides digital closing technologies to title providers, lenders and agents. In select markets, agents in our concierge network can select and help their clients close with a title provider already on Qualia’s platform or invite their own title partners into the network. Automatic status tracking, secure document sharing and task management tools allow for a seamless and guided closing experience from beginning to end. HW: How does Realtor.com empower agents and brokers to demonstrate their value to clients?  To build confidence, we’re offering choices to help people understand, evaluate and decide the options that are best for them. That’s the principle behind our open marketplace approach, and it’s how we help our customers – including agents, brokers, lenders and title providers – provide best-in-class service to their clients.  We’re creating a fully transparent process. Our approach helps professionals convert leads into closings at a very high rate, complete seamless transactions, and collaborate smoothly with buyers, sellers and each other. We’re collaborating with real estate professionals and industry stakeholders to build an open marketplace that offers choice, transparency and support for everyone. That means: Creating new experiences – like 3D content, virtual tours, commute time mapping, and AI that recommends listing photos that are most likely

[ad_1] The post The Trade Desk Stock Tanks on Earnings appeared first on Millennial Money. Shares of The Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD) completely tanked on Monday despite reporting strong first-quarter results that topped expectations. The advertising platform also issued strong guidance for the second quarter and even announced a stock split—which investors typically cheer—yet the stock still sold off relentlessly as investor sentiment for growth stocks has soured dramatically over the past three months. As of 5 p.m. EST, The Trade Desk shares were down 25.98%. Crushing Wall Street’s expectations Revenue in the first quarter increased 37% to $219.8 million, which was better than the consensus estimate of $217.3 million. That translated into adjusted net income of $70 million, or $1.41 per share, representing a significant beat compared to the $0.81 per share in adjusted profits that Wall Street analysts were forecasting.  The Trade Desk continues to enjoy strong customer retention of over 95%, while the company also partnered with Walmart (NYSE: WMT) during the quarter to launch a new demand side platform (DSP) that leverages The Trade Desk’s technology to analyze shopper data and sales measurement information.  The company continues to garner support for Unified ID 2.0, a new ad targeting framework it is pioneering to replace third-party cookies. AT&T’s (NYSE: T) ad unit Xandr, sports streaming platform fuboTV (NYSE: FUBO), and AcuityAds (OTC: ACUIF) have all recently pledged support for Unified ID 2.0, among other industry players. A rosy outlook Guidance for the second quarter also came in better than expected, with revenue forecast in the range of $259 million to $262 million. Analysts are looking for just $251.3 million in sales during the second quarter. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be at least $84 million. The Trade Desk notes that its business has been meaningfully impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to higher uncertainty than normal due to changing macroeconomic conditions caused by the public health crisis. The guidance assumes that the economy continues to recover and that economic conditions remain stable. Splitting 10-for-1 The Trade Desk also said that its board of directors has approved a 10-for-1 stock split, with shareholders of record as of June 9 receiving an additional nine shares. The new shares will be distributed on June 16 and the stock will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on June 17. That corporate action will divide the stock price by 10. Historically, the market generally reacts favorably to stock splits even though they do not result in any change to a company’s fundamentals. A lower share price supports the perception that the stock is more affordable in absolute terms, which can theoretically broaden the investor base.  Growth remains out of favor It’s unclear why investors are so disappointed with The Trade Desk’s news, as there were positive announcements on all fronts. The Trade Desk is benefitting from the ongoing shift of advertising dollars to connect TV platforms, which is expected to persist for years as consumers shift away from linear TV due to cord cutting. The broader context is that growth stocks have been punished for the past three months after putting up strong gains over the past year. The rally had potentially pushed valuations too high, in which case a pullback can be somewhat expected. Pick Like A Pro Where to invest $500 right now Before you buy Amazon, or Netflix, or Apple, consider this… The team at Motley Fool first recommended each of those stocks more than a dozen years ago! They discovered Netflix for $1.85 per share, back in the days of DVDs by mail. And recommended Amazon at $15.31 in 2002, before most people were comfortable using credit cards online. And even hit Apple at $4.97 per share, about a month before the release of the very first iPhone. Check out where those stocks are today. The bottom line: a $500 investment in all three of these stocks would be worth more than $200,000 today! And here’s why that’s important: The Motley Fool’s flagship investing service Stock Advisor just announced their top 10 “best buys now” across the entire stock market. Whether you’re starting with $100, $500, or more, you’ll want to get the full details! Click here to learn more The post The Trade Desk Stock Tanks on Earnings appeared first on Millennial Money. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] We got to babysit Champ twice last week again while his mama was working. We discovered that the babies loved playing with the empty Easter eggs! They spent the longest time opening them and trying to put them back together! If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I eat a salad with toast and lots of butter for lunch every day. It’s a habit I started a few years ago and it just stuck! I love coming up with fun variety using what we have on hand! Kaitlynn used some of her Curly Girl products on Kierstyn — and Kierstyn thought it was the absolute best to get sprayed with water! She kept begging for us to do it again! Did you see that my book, Love-Centered Parenting, is now available in audiobook form? Many people are finding it for free from their library on the Hoopla or Libby app. Silas turned 12 this past week!! So of course he got some Kansas City Chiefs gear! (If you’re new here, we’re originally from Kansas and are big Chiefs and Royals fans.) Champ wasn’t sure what to think of Baby D the first few times he visited, but now he is a big fan and loves to hug him and tries to help take care of him. It’s the cutest! Champ is also a big fan of brooms. He always wants to get the big broom out of the pantry and try to sweep the kitchen floor! I need to get him a child-sized broom! Happy 12th birthday, Silas! You are a gift to our family! This past year, I’ve watched you go from being the baby of our family, to becoming a caring and confident big brother. You’ve learned how how to give bottles, change diapers, get babies dressed, calm fussy babies, and even how to deal with reflux (because we’ve sure had a lot of that here!). I love how the first thing you do almost every morning is come into our room to check on the babies and say good morning to them if they are awake. All three babies adore you so much. I love all of the in-depth conversations we have as you grapple through what you believe on a whole variety of topics. You have such wise insight and great questions. You always make me think! I love how God has wired you to be a strong leader, but I also love watching you learn to temper that with kindness and compassion. You are a loyal friend and you care deeply about others. Your sports card/eBay business has taken off this year and your entrepreneurial bent couldn’t make me more excited! You are constantly learning and thinking and trying new things — and it’s starting to really pay off! I have learned so much about eBay and sports cards from all you have shared with me and I can’t wait to see where this leads in the future. I’ve seen so maturity in you this past year. You’ve walked through the grief of saying goodbye to Champ and it’s given you more empathy and compassion for others. You’ve made mistakes and owned them like a man. You’ve had hard conversations. You’ve stuck up for the underdog. You’ve cheered for others when they got an opportunity you would have really loved. And you’ve faced your fears with bravery and courage. More than anything, I’ve loved observing your heart for the Lord and your desire to seek Him and honor Him with your life — even if it’s not popular or cool to do so. I’m so proud of you and love you more than you can even imagine. I got to host some of the ladies from my foster care support group for a fun evening of talking, laughing, and getting to know each other better. I’m grateful for the gift these women are in my life! We spend lots of time at the ball field right now. Kierstyn has been practicing her walking and just paced up and down the sidewalk at Saturday’s baseball game. She also loved getting to pet our friends’ dog (though she wasn’t quite sure what to do when she got licked by the dog!) I tried out these press-on nails instead of my usual dip polish. So far, I’ve been pretty impressed! Silas had a birthday party at a local trampoline park with some of his friends. The girls enjoyed getting to tag along! And then the week ended with a quick visit from my mom and youngest brother, Zachary. He graduated from BJU on Friday and he and my mom were driving back to Kansas. They swung by for a little while and it was so good to see them! I was excited that I got to see my mom on Mother’s Day weekend, as that usually doesn’t happen! My mom is one of the most giving, selfless people I’ve ever known. I sometimes wonder if she gets any sleep at all… she’s always thinking about other people before herself, looking for ways to bless and encourage others, staying up late or getting up early to pray for someone or write a note of encouragement to them One of my earliest childhood memories is of getting up to get a drink of water at 4 or 4:30 am and finding my mom out in the family room reading her Bible and praying. Thank you for the example you have set for me, Mom! I’m so grateful for you and love you! [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] Roblox revenue grows 140 percent in first earnings report since going public  CNBC Roblox Reports First Quarter 2021 Financial Results  Business Wire Roblox beats analysts’ expectations on revenue, as user growth jumps 79%  Yahoo Finance Roblox stock pares regular-session losses following first public earnings  MarketWatch Roblox reveals bookings jump in first post-debut report  Reuters View Full coverage on Google News [ad_2]

[ad_1] Market at odds with Fed as inflation expectations hit 10-year highs [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The move is in lines with the direction of the Union coal minister Pralhad Joshi to PSUs under its fold to set up oxygen plants to meet the rise in demand for medical oxygen in hospitals across the country. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] The post Building Rental Income for Retirement appeared first on Millennial Money. It’s time to ditch the concept that you have to retire at a certain age and start thinking about retirement purely in terms of finances.  You don’t have to wait until the traditional age of 65 to leave the workforce. It’s possible to build a plan that enables you to “retire” well before then. And one of the best ways to do so is with real estate. How to build rental income for retirement Start a side hustle Stick to a budget Learn real estate investing Make your first rental property count Grow and diversify your properties 1. Start a side hustle  Most people save for retirement purely by allocating money from their full-time job into tax-friendly retirement accounts.  This approach can work. But it usually takes decades to pan out.  You can fast-track retirement by starting a side hustle and taking everything you make to the bank. Babysit, walk dogs, and manage social media accounts for businesses, for starters.  Keep banking your side hustle money until you reach a threshold of at least $30,000 to $50,000 and try not to spend it. You’re going to need this money to fund your first real estate investment and absorb closing costs.  Plus, your side hustle can also help you cover property taxes and even pay for a property manager to look after your investment on your behalf.  Learn more: Best Side Hustles for 2021 A Guide to Saving for Retirement How to Make Money on the Side 2. Stick to a budget  The more your money accumulates, the more tempted you’ll be to spend it. Avoid this at all costs. Form a budget using a program like You Need a Budget and set firm guidelines governing how much you can spend on necessities over the course of a month.  For the best results, put your side hustle money and any additional funds you scrape together into high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs), money market accounts, or certificates of deposit (CDs) to maximize interest rates and sit back while your money accumulates.  Make sure to avoid locking all your money up in CDs so you can access it when it’s time to put a down payment on a property. 3. Learn everything you can about real estate investing  Here’s a disclaimer: Saving for a property could feel draining, especially if you’re working nights and weekends to make it happen and paying another mortgage in the process. Depending on how hard you work, it can take anywhere from three to five years to save up enough money to make a splash in real estate.  Use this time to your advantage and learn everything you can about real estate. Start with “The Millionaire Real Estate Investor” by Gary Keller and “The Book on Rental Property Investing” by Brandon Turner. You should also consider “The Remote Real Estate Investor” podcast hosted Roofstock. It’s critical to have a foundation of knowledge before getting started in the market. The more you learn, the better off you’ll be.  Investing in REITs It’s also a good idea to start investing in real estate by putting money into real estate investment trusts (REITs), which you can purchase through most online brokers. This will let you get your feet wet in the real estate market without having to purchase properties directly.  These funds are required by law to pay out dividends, which can give you steady cash flow. Some of the top REITs for 2021 include American Tower ($AMT) and AmeriCold Realty Trust ($COLD).  Learn more: Best Investment Books for Beginners 3 REITS for Monthly Passive Income How To Invest in REITS (Real Estate Investment Trusts) 4. Make your first rental property count  At a certain point, you’re going to have a large reserve of cash on hand, and a wealth of knowledge about real estate investing. You may even have some REITs growing in a brokerage account, enabling you to profit off commercial properties.  Next, you’ll want to consider buying a direct rental property of your own, so you can start collecting a steady residual cash flow. Your first rental property purchase is critical because it’ll set you up for your next one—and the one after that. As such, it’s vital to purchase a property that can help you get ahead instead of holding you back and pushing you into debt. Here are some tips to help you get started on the right foot. Location is everything Location is critical when buying a rental property. This holds true whether you’re buying a place to house short-term vacationers and travelers or long-term tenants. Spend some time scoping out areas that have heavy tourism or in popular areas that can house tenants. Your property should be in a neighborhood that’s crime-free, with solid property values and long-term growth potential.  It’s also beneficial to find a place that has plenty of jobs, public transportation, and nearby amenities like bars, restaurants, and stores.  Do your due diligence when selecting a property Information is critical when buying a rental property. Make it a point to find out everything you possibly can about your property before you make a purchase. Consult with your real estate agent and try to collect information about the property and surrounding area. Speak with neighbors, lenders, town officials, and anyone who can give you an inside scoop on what it’s like in the area. The more informed you are about your investment, the better off you’ll be.  It’s also a good idea to try and get a sense as to why the seller is getting rid of their rental property. Most people don’t walk away from great retirement properties without a reason. Request documents like disclosure forms and insurance claim histories and see if you can uncover any hidden information.  Negotiate  Don’t be afraid to play hardball when it comes to pricing. You want to get the best purchase price possible and avoid overpaying at all costs.  Hire a

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