What We’re Reading: Feb. 11 – Feb. 17
Homeowners are hot, more Pinterest, and how Target knows you’re pregnant
Just in time for Valentines Day, a new study finds that home ownership is not only a smart move, it’s also sexy. Sponsored by Trulia (so the results aren’t too surprising really), the study surveyed singles and found that more than a third of women and 18% of men said they would much rather date a homeowner than a renter. Only 2% of women and 3% of men preferred renters.
If renters aren’t sexy, how about squatters? The Seattle Times covers the problem of empty foreclosures, abandoned properties, and their impact on cities and neighborhoods.
Quick – what’s your computer operating system, IP address, and screen resolution?
As it’s always wise to invest in what you know, many REALTORS are also landlords. If you’re new at the game, how do you deal with tenants who can no longer afford to pay the rent (or just aren’t paying)? Instead of eviction and that whole process, this landlord suggests a cash for keys strategy.
After our post last week, Pinterest continues gaining momentum. What makes it so special? Fast Company provides an insightful analysis: “When I pin or re-pin something related to a brand, I am saying that I care about this content enough that I want to hold onto it or that I want to show other people that it is important.” David Pogue is also a fan.
Companies know more about us than you imagine. So much so, that they have to play a little dumb so that they don’t spook us. It’s a long article, but the New York Times explores how habits form, what drives choice, and how companies are leveraging data to sell us more stuff.
Hopefully if you’re logged in to Pinterest, the laptop isn’t burning a hole in your pants. Overheating laptops are a real pain. Lifehacker gives some advice on taming the burn.
Machines might be taking over the world. Globally, mobile devices will outnumber humans this year, Cisco has predicted.
If you were old enough to listen to the radio in the early 1990s you undoubtedly remember Whitney Houston’s rendition of “I will always love you” from the film “The Bodyguard“. And you may even know it was originally written and sung by Dolly Parton, but did you know she wrote it not as a farewell to a lover, but to say goodbye to her mentor and business partner? And that the song barely made it into the movie? With the passing of Whitney this past weekend, Yahoo! recaps some interesting facts about a signature song.
What We’re Reading: Jan. 7 – Jan. 13
2012 Tech trends, preparing for taxes, CES duds
Social media guru Todd Carpenter asked several social-media-savvy real estate professionals, “What new tools or trends will have the biggest impact on the real estate industry in 2012?” Here’s what they had to say.
Maybe the economy is improving: shopping center leasing seems to be picking up as consumer confidence climbs, according to REIS.
Twitter has complained about changes made by Google to integrate its social network Google+ into search results.
The U.S. Mint circulated more quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies last year. And that’s a good thing.
A New Year, a New You! But the same old taxes. Yahoo! and Fox tell you what’s new, what’s changed, and what to watch out for as you prepare your taxes in the next few months.
Need another social network? Pinterest is visually pleasing site for collecting photos and links to stuff you like and sharing them with others. While there are tons of other options for social bookmarking (e.g., Digg and Reddit), Pinterest’s photo-rich interface has made it a great hit.
The annual giant Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is taking place this week in Las Vegas. While its stature is diminishing, it’s still the place to introduce new products and wares. Not all are a success. Fox takes a look at some of the CES duds to be introduced over the years.
8 Things You Shouldn’t Buy in the Winter: summer veggies, summer clothes, computers, snowblowers, etc.
