Rob Howard- Realtor

10/14/2026

DID YOU KNOW?

* Where did home prices surge most in the US between 2021 and 2026? Florida? Texas? Nope! Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Wisconsin, South Carolina, and New Hampshire ......all above 50%! What do they have in common? Most have lots of regulations....Strict local zoning laws, extensive environmental reviews, and severe permitting delays.

* New York Federal Reserve President John Williams doesn’t see a reason for additional rate hikes in 2027 after one more increase this year, suggesting the Fed look at “underlying trends” in inflation amid price shocks connected to energy and artificial intelligence. (CNBC)

* Purchasers of the roughly 150 AMAN condo units at the massive $10 billion ONE Beverly Hills development are also providing debt to help Cain, an investment firm based in London, fund its project. The 17.5-acre site, set to be completed in 2029, will include high-end retail such as Dolce & Gabbana, upscale dining, 78 new AMAN hotel suites and acres of botanical gardens. The condo owners’ debt takes the form of a bond—named Founder Bonds—and buyers will receive a return of 5%. (WSJ)

* Share a ride? The average American spends between $2,000 and $8,500 per year on commuting to work, depending significantly on how the cost is measured. The average American could save between $1,500 and $4,200 per year by sharing a ride to work 50% of the time, depending on how vehicle expenses are calculated. Commuting factors differ wildly by transportation mode and region: studies categorize these expenses into distinct buckets. An annual budget of $8,500 for mortgage payments equals a monthly payment of $708.33 (principal and interest), which buys a loan amount of about $106,468 on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage or about $78,806 on a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage at a 7% interest rate.

* Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark are often described as utopian economies: Finland's unemployment is 10.3%, Sweden's is 8.7%, Norway 4.5%, and Denmark 5.9%....all higher than the US at 4.2%. Why is Sweden's unemployment so high?
- Sweden's highly automated, knowledge-intensive economy offers very few entry-level, low-skill jobs. Workers who lack higher education or specialized training struggle to find matching positions.
- Foreign-born individuals face notably higher unemployment rates (12-14%) compared to Swedish-born residents due to weak Swedish language proficiency and credentials that do not easily transfer.
- Sweden’s collective bargaining agreements and high minimum compensation floors make it expensive for employers to hire entry-level or inexperienced workers.
- Stagnant domestic demand, cooling construction sectors, and broader European economic headwinds have slowed down job creation, leading to an uptick in long-term unemployment.
- While Sweden has high taxes, it has zero inheritance or wealth taxes. It does have a .....25% VAT(sales tax)!

10/13/2026

DID YOU KNOW?

* I love my 'stupid' fridge.... Yes, smart refrigerators can be hacked. Because they connect to Wi-Fi and the internet as part of the Internet of Things (IoT), they share the same cyber risks as other smart home devices. French commercial fridges were hacked recently, causing massive food waste and fires, a new form of 'warfare'.... (CNBC)

* Land makes up about 60% of a home’s value in Hawaii and California, compared with less than 20% in West Virginia and Mississippi. (Visual Capitalist)

* The California Association of Realtors and labor unions are backing a ballot measure that would authorize the California Housing Finance Agency to issue $25 billion in government bonds to fund a home down payment assistance program. Another measure would authorize $11.25 billion in bonds to fund affordable housing. Loans could cover up to 17% of a home’s purchase price, so the buyer would only have to put 3% down. The down payment loan would be a 2nd mortgage, which a buyer would pay off over time. While aimed at helping middle-income households, buyers earning up to 200% of an area’s median income could qualify for homes costing as much as $1.5 million. The median is roughly $400,000 for a family of 4 in Silicon Valley. Voters have approved $12 billion in bonds for such projects since 2018, on top of nearly $20 billion in general fund spending, yet both homelessness and housing costs have increased. (WSJ)

* Quality healthcare has become a meaningful search criteria: The longest wait time for a cardiologist appointment is under 60 days in Miami, New York and Dallas. 17% of patients in the U.S. wait more than 2 months for an appointment with a specialist, still significantly less than in Canada (48%), France (45%) and the U.K. (43%).

10/08/2026

YOU KNOW?

* New technology for solar panels, known as tandem solar, involves adding second and third layers of material, like a layer cake, to allow panels to convert around 25% more of the sun’s radiance into electricity. Coming Soon and made in the US.... The technology for modern solar panels was created at AT&T’s Bell Labs in 1954. But broad use of it didn’t take off until the 1980s as the devices became more efficient at converting sunshine into electricity. Solar and batteries accounted for 70% of the capacity added to U.S. grids in the first half of 2026. 9% of electricity comes from solar in the US , up 200% since 2020. (NY TIMES)

"The psychological force that holds an

ideological group together is not a shared

understanding of reality, but a shared

commitment to a myth."

This quote might apply to some of those in our industry who claim/believe current 'rules' have been around forever and are 'the law' when in reality they are relatively new policies/rules created to profit certain entities and individuals at the expense of others?

* Things change and evolve: Broadcast TV used to be the ONLY place for big TV events: now, as of 2029, the EMMYS will be streamed for the first time .....on AMAZON. In July, 49% of all television viewing in the US was on a streaming service, dwarfing broadcast’s 19.5%. In 1996, all home buyers looked in the New York Times, Village Voice, Wall Street Journal, etc column ads. Today they search online on Streeteasy, Zillow, Realtor, Compass, Corcoran,, etc..... not one channel/outlet has ALL the content in TV land. Its called....COMPETITION.

* Copper prices are up around 17% this year so far..... copper supply—excluding scrap—could be 25% lower than demand by 2035. An average U.S. single-family home contains about 400 to 439 pounds of copper. The average data center need between 5,000 and 15,000 tons of copper, while a large artificial intelligence (AI) hyperscale facility can require up to 50,000 tons.

* Aspen -East? Stowe, Vermont has the highest home prices of all East Coast ski towns....now with a median home price approaching $1 million. (WSJ)

10/07/2026

Why is the Philly area so popular ? One of the many reasons is , we have some of the Nations leading School Districts. Here is latest ranking and where local districts fall not only regionally but nationally as well. Per Philadelphia Business Journal

Here's a look at the 25 top-ranked districts in Greater Philadelphia, according to Niche's 2027 Best School Districts in America list:

Tredyffrin-Easttown School District (No. 27)
Lower Merion School District (No. 48)
Radnor Township School District (No. 60)
Colonial School District (No. 129)
Wallingford-Swarthmore School District (No. 150)
Haddonfield School District (No. 154)
New Hope-Solebury School District (No. 165)
Garnet Valley School District (No. 182)
Moorestown Township Public School District (No. 206)
Spring-Ford Area School District (No. 212)
Unionville-Chadds Ford School District (No. 221)
Wissahickon School District (No. 244)
Central Bucks School District (No. 264)
Downingtown Area School District (No. 276)
School District of Upper Dublin (No. 299)
School District of Haverford Township (No. 343)
Perkiomen Valley School District (No. 401)
Great Valley School District (No. 448)
West Chester Area School District (No. 498)
Springfield School District (No. 504)
Council Rock School District (No. 515)
Lower Moreland Township School District (No. 531)
Marple Newtown School District (No. 570)
Owen J. Roberts School District (No. 578)
Springfield Township School District (No. 610)

10/06/2026

IMPORTANT INFO. BE AWARE SEE BELOW

Scammers are coming for your money. Here’s the one thing you must never do.

By Carol Roth
Published September 17, 2026

Imagine getting a phone call from your bank. The bank's name is listed on the caller ID with the correct phone number. They know key details about you — your name, your account numbers, maybe even your Social Security number or mother's maiden name.
They warn you that you have fallen victim to a financial scam. But the plot twist is that they are the scammers!

YOUR FAMILY COULD BE ONE PHONE CALL FROM A BANK SCAM

This is happening across the country at an alarming rate.

Technology can help increase our productivity, but it can also boost scammers by enabling increasingly sophisticated tac􀆟cs that allow them to impersonate companies, access sensitive information and create a panic that causes even the savviest people to unwittily help them complete their scams.

So, how can you protect yourself from these growing scams, including those in which the
scammer is impersonating your bank?

Don't Answer Any Calls You Aren't Expected

If you see your bank, credit card company, Amazon, Microso􀅌 or any other company with whom you do business calling, and you aren't immediately expecting that call, do not answer your phone.

Scammers are "spoofing" phone numbers so that the phone number shows up on your phone with the name of a big company even though they are not affiliated with it. Sometimes, it even shows the correct phone number even though they are calling from another number. If you don't answer your phone, you take away a huge tool for scammers: their ability to create urgency and panic. When you are told that you are the subject of fraud, that your money is at risk, or something similar, and you need to take action, you panic.

In a state of panic, you do not think clearly, and this can lead you to take actions that you would never undertake in a calm state.

I personally suggest not answering any phone calls. If you receive a call, try calling the person or business back using the number in your contacts if they leave a message.

Only Contact Companies Using a Trusted Phone Number or Touchpoint

If you get a voicemail message about an issue (such as supposedly being the victim of a scam) or a text or email, again, do not panic. Instead, find a trusted touchpoint.

For banks, credit card companies and other financial providers, find their phone number on the back of your bank card or on an old paper statement that you know is legitimate.
You can also go to their website and look for a phone number or customer service email
address.

This puts you in control of the contact, and you can safely find out if there is legitimately an issue or if you have been contacted by a scammer. Controlling the contact instead of letting the scammer be in control is key to fighting scams.

Don't Give Out Sensitive Information

If you do let a text or phone call break through (and you shouldn't, but I know it happens), do not respond or give out sensitive information in response to their requests.

For example, they may send you a text and ask for a security code sent to your phone.
Again, this is them trying to scam you, not help you. Giving up codes like this could help them drain your bank account. Instead, again, seek out a trusted phone number and call the company to verify whether there is a problem. If there is, they can help you directly.
Much of the time, you will find out it was a scam attempt.

Don't Fall for Urgency

Creating urgency is key for scammers. They make you worried. As noted above, you get into a state of panic, and you take action without thinking. If you are asked to take any urgent action, such as going to a bank immediately, withdrawing or moving funds, buying gift cards, immediately giving out information or anything else, stop and take a beat.

The same goes for secrecy. If they tell you not to contact the police or not to tell the bank teller what is going on because they might be in on it, do not listen. You are not James Bond, and you are not caught up in an international stakeout — you are simply a person whom a fraudster is trying to trick. Reset and call your financial institution or the police for guidance. This may sound obvious while you are reading it, but thousands of well-meaning people have fallen victim to the psychological manipulation of scammers.

10/06/2026

Fantastic community and Floor plans! You will love it here!

10/06/2026

Want easier living? And a location that is premier in the greater Philly area? And simple condo ownership ?? Here it is! Walk to train to get to center city and beyond , or stroll along the River or into town and grab a bite and drinks, with endless options! Low taxes help make the payments more manageable! Get in now as when rates decrease will already add fuel to fire on a already still hot market around here

Conshohocken!! 1-2 bedrooms available! Buy smart!! Save $ overall

431 Washington St, Unit 2102, Conshohocken, PA 19428 is a condo listed for sale at $416,390. This is a 2-bed, 1-bath, 1,130 sqft property.

10/03/2026

DID YOU KNOW?

* Nonfarm payrolls rose by just 29,000 in September, well below the 84,000 forecast. The unemployment rate increased to 4.2%, though largely due to an influx of members in the labor force.

* Switzerland, Sweden, the USA, South Korea, Singapore, the UK, Netherlands, Finland, Denmark and China are the world's TOP 10 most innovative countries according to The Economist.

* Castle Hook Partners - an $11 billion hedge fund - will move into the penthouse of 625 Madison Avenue, a new office tower under construction owned by Related, in the second half of 2029.....and pay $350 and $400 per square foot in yearly rent for 53,000sf of space, a new global record! (FT)

* There is no US federal law or regulation that forces any manufacturer or service provider to advertise on an online marketplace. Almost all business owners retain the legal right to choose where they market and sell their products. Are the "rules" being applied to real estate agents today anti-competitive rules created by certain entities, NOT government, or those that vote for governments? Before Zillow, Realtor, etc, existed, these 'rules and laws' would have prevented them from becoming the search engines they are today.....the rules that originally allowed Zillow and Realtor.com to thrive are now the rules preventing competition. Decades ago, brokerages created data-sharing rules strictly to cooperate with each other. Tech platforms like Zillow, Realtor, etc simply tapped into those existing pipelines. Today, the rules forcing data into the MLS mean they get a guaranteed, free, automated stream of nationwide property data. If those rules were removed today, brokerages could withhold listings from profiteering public feeds based on client choices, forcing buyers or their agents to go directly to the broker's site, effectively fracturing the aggregators complete view of the housing market......yet still providing a simple, open means to access these listings, globally via brokerage websites.

Search homes for sale, new construction homes, apartments, and houses for rent. See property values. Shop mortgages.

10/02/2026

DID YOU KNOW?

* The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage jumped to 7.28% from 7.03%, the largest weekly increase in 4 years. (WSJ)

* In the past year American markets have digested the largest-ever initial public offering (SpaceX), equity raise by a public company (Google) or a foreign firm (SK Hynix), private-funding round (OpenAI) and private-debt deal (Broadcom), as well as most of the biggest bond issue in history (Amazon). There was the first $1trn exchange-traded fund, or ETF (Vanguard), a record-breaking cash pile (Berkshire Hathaway) and stock-buyback programme (Nvidia), and the consummation of the largest-ever leveraged buyout (Electronic Arts). Then there are the enormous mergers in railways (Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern), utilities (NextEra and Dominion Energy) and media (Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery). (THE ECONOMIST)

* A study of IRS data by the Boston-based Pioneer Institute found that Massachusetts lost over $4 billion in adjusted gross income in 2023 from high earners leaving the state. The state ranked 4th in total outmigration for the year, behind California, New York and Illinois. Of the income lost in 2023, 70% came from the departure of high-earning taxpayers, or those making more than $200,000 a year, according to the study......while 9% is the highest local tax bracket in Massachusetts, compare that to New York City's 13,526%....50% higher! However, the new tax added notably more tax income than budgeted which shows how those who 'remain behind' almost always end up paying more.....

* Mark Wong reports from Silicon Valley where at least 34 properties sold for $200,000 or more above their list prices in September, including 14 that closed for more than $400,000 over asking. Three homes sold for more than $1 million over asking, Atherton is still leading the pack as a hot market. (COMPASSinsights)

* 61% of voters don’t believe the wealthy pay their fair share, despite the top 1% paying 40% of all federal income taxes, and the highest average tax rate of all income groups (23% versus the average rate of 14.5%).

* Hot rock massage energy? Mazama Energy drills into extremely hot rock then circulates water through engineered cracks to bring heat back to the surface to generate carbon-free electricity, enabling it to generate more energy from fewer wells, reducing the cost of power.... In 2025, Mazama drilled into rock at its Oregon pilot site that reached 629°F, the hottest engineered geothermal system on record.

* Elevated inflation is global as the supply chain for energy remains disrupted: Consumer prices in the Eurozone were 3.8% higher in September than the same month of last year, up from an annual rate of inflation of 3.2% in August, the fastest rise in prices since September 2023 as the Russia-Ukraine war raged.

10/01/2026

Take a Virtual Walk with me. Check out this amazing “Westmont” Floor-plan in Maple Glen Pointe. This builder builds right, from functional floor plans and options that you really want to be done at construction, such as crown molding , trim walls, and two tone painting and more. These are selling fast , bc you are in a fantastic location!!! Upper Dublin Township !!!!!

Too much to mention here.

Let’s go and let’s get you the right place!