Millennials Are House Hunting Virtually to Save Time
The days of homebuyers going from one house to another, looking for the perfect fit, may be over. Real estate agents now want to bring listings to you!
Bill Brown, the CEO of virtual and 3D camera company Matterport, says that millennials welcome the added convenience.
“People can go and see 20 or 30 properties in the time that it’ll take them to drive and see 1 or 2 properties,” Brown said. “It makes the process that much more efficient, you don’t waste a lot of time going and walking through properties that you could’ve easily eliminated upfront.”
Matterport’s technology allows homebuyers to digitally tour and explore a home they might want to move into through headsets, tablets, or other devices.
The trend is catching on. Real estate firm [Redfin](https://www.redfin.com/) says that 1 in 3 people buy homes they have not seen in real life. And the number of people making offers on properties they’ve only visited virtually grew 19 percent in 2017.
Millennials particularly are jumping on board. Redfin says the demographic is three times more likely than Baby Boomers to bid on a home, sight unseen.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-reality-of-real-estate).
Crab fishermen in Alaska have been scrambling to stay afloat after two years of the Bering Sea fishery being closed or severely curtailed due to plummeting crab numbers. And they're concerned that more of the same awaits this October when officials decide on catch limits for the upcoming season.
Most major car brands admit they may be selling your personal data — though they are vague on the buyers, and half say they would share it with the government or law enforcement without a court order.
Tourism-related businesses have always been at the mercy of the weather. But with heat waves, fires and storms becoming more frequent and intense, small businesses increasingly see extreme weather as their next long-term challenge.
Student loan interest payments have restarted and many questions have arisen about them. Jade Warshaw, a financial expert with Ramsey Solutions, joined Cheddar News to explain what borrowers should know and what to look out for.