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Hitting one of my pet peeves: "Real-a-tor"

David Fletcher over at Realty Times just commented on one of my pet peeves:

You would think after spending no doubt multimillions of dollars establishing the Realtor brand, that members of the NAR would know how to pronounce it as it is spelled, REALTOR, with two syllables and the emphasis on the first. It is awkward to say the least to be associated with an organization that its members cannot pronounce and the public doesn't understand. What's even worse is to be in front of a very sharp agent, fully competent in every way, who is introducing herself or himself as being a REAL-A-TOR when the consumer knows the agent is mispronouncing the word, Realtor.

Source: Are You A Realtor Or A Real-a-tor?

Less of us are moving...

A recent article reports the Census Bureau's findings that fewer Americans are moving with a rate that's among the lowest in over 50 years.

Of those who are moving, 51 percent move for housing-related reasons. For example, a bigger family prompting a move into a bigger house. Another 26 percent move for family reasons and 16 percent for work-related reasons.

Not surprisingly, young adults are the most frequent movers; about one-third of 20- to 29-year-olds had moved in the previous year. Mobility peaked during people's twenties and decreased with age. Among those who moved, those 55 and older were more likely to have moved to a different state.

Those of us who are homeowners had a much lower rate of moving last year -- about 1 in 14 compared iwth nearly 1 in 3 for those living in renter-occupied housing.

An interesting aside: people 55 and older now represent 21 percent of the American population. And, over the next 20 some-odd years, 82 million people (nearly 30 percent of the population) will turn 65 with the over 85 age group becoming the fastest growing segment of our population.

Source: More Americans Staying Put

Coming this year: FTC's Free Credit Report System

A program the FTC announced last year to allow consumers to request one free credit report per year is expected in California by December 1, 2004.

Realty Times: Home Buyers Should Benefit From New Free Credit Report System

This program will be a welcome addition to all consumers - many of whom probably don't even know that such information exists about them.

Under this program, each of us will be able to go to a central credit report service center to request one free credit report yearly; the data contained therein are those maintained by Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union - the "big three," if you will, of credit reporting.

One of the requirements is for you to receive these reports within 15 days of ordering them -- which should help all home buyers get a leg up on knowing their credit scores (called FICO scores) well in advance of applying for a home loan.