Google Issues Warning to Sites With Pop Ups

Google Issues Warning to Sites With Pop Ups

If your site has a pop-up ad, you may want to change it soon. Google says it plans to punish sites that have pop-up ads on mobile by factoring it into their search algorithm. It also is going after interstitial, web pages displayed before or after an expected content page, which are often advertisements.

Google says it will start lowering the rank of sites “where content is not easily accessible.”

Google says such ads annoy users and so sites that use pop-ups and interstitial may start to come in lower in search results because of it.

That said, many factors go into Google’s search result rankings. Sites that continue to use such features won’t necessarily be bumped in the ranking, if it still contains the most relevant information. However, relevant sites that are about equal to the other site but doesn’t use pop-ups and interstitial may see a benefit in the rankings, The Verge reports.

Google wants to pressure sites to remove the pop-ups. Sites may gray out the content beneath to prevent users from reading a website for a few seconds or until users click on an X to dismiss the pop-up. Google also says it will count ads that may not be a pop-up but occupy most of the page after a site is loaded. Small banners across the top of screen or ads that occupy a “reasonable amount of screen space” will not be flagged by Google, according to The Verge’s report.

The changes are part of Google’s updates to its search algorithm. Last year, Google changed its search algorithm to give websites that are “mobile friendly” more of an edge. In 2014, sites with encryption also saw a boost in rank.

The latest change to its search algorithm targeting pop-ups will take effect Jan. 10, 2017.

Source: “Google Will Punish Sites That Use Annoying Pop-Up Ads,” The Verge (Aug. 23, 2016)

Redesign Slated for Loan Forms

Loan Forms

Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced Wednesday a redesign for the standardized form borrowers use to apply for a loan, the first substantial revision in more than two decades. The changes to the Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA) include simplified terminology and new data fields capturing borrower information in an easier-to-read format, the GSEs said. The forms will have clearer instructions so that borrowers will need less help from lenders.

“The redesigned URLA is the result of extensive collaboration with industry stakeholders,” says Andrew Bon Salle, Fannie Mae’s executive vice president of single-family business. “We are proud to be a part of this effort that enables lenders to better serve their customers by providing ease and clarity to borrowers during the loan origination process.”

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have collaborated with lenders, technology solution providers, mortgage insurers, trade associations, and government agencies, among others, in creating the new forms. They also conducted consumer usability testing across the U.S. to gather feedback on the designs.

To allow ample time to adjust to the new forms, lenders won’t begin using them until Jan. 1, 2018, the GSEs said.

Source: Fannie Mae

Clients Expect Social Media Responses Within 1 Hour

Clients Expect Social Media Responses Within 1 Hour

If customers contact you via your social media channels, they expect to get a response immediately. In fact, 53 percent of customers who tweet a brand expect a response within an hour. If their tweet references a problem, 72 percent then say they expect a response within an hour, according to a study by Millward Brown Digital, a market research firm.

However, for most brands, the average response time on Twitter is at least more than four hours. Some companies fail to respond at all.

Customers who fail to get a prompt response get mad and say they feel ignored. As such, 60 percent say if it’s a problem they were communicating about in the first place that doesn’t get a quick response, they’ll share their displeasure.

“Before long, brands can have a PR disaster on their hands,” according to a Forbes.com article detailing the study. “Most brands have seen – or even experienced – the potential harm of being late on social media.” When that happens, what should you do to resolve negative comments on social media?

Source: “How Timely Social Media Can Keep Your Customers Happy,” Forbes.com (Aug. 22, 2016)

Buzzwords That Bump Up a Sales Price

Buzzwords That Bump Up a Sales Price

Certain words included on the MLS public remarks section about your listing can help bring about a higher sales price than ads that don’t have any comments, finds real estate data firm CoreLogic.

The firm analyzed the public comments on 81,025 MLS-listed property sales between January 2015 and January 2016 in Los Angeles County. Researchers then grouped the comments into three categories: location, condition, and design. They found that keywords related to great locations, such as “overlook,” “step” (as in, steps to the beach), “hill,” and “park” sell for a higher final price than those that do not list such positive location attributes.

The study also found that in describing property condition words like “finish” and “best” tended to net higher sales prices. Also, in describing design, researchers found the following buzzwords: “slide,” “central” (central AC), “dual” and “Spanish” (Spanish style) to result in higher sales prices.

In general, the researchers concluded: “properties in good locations, under good conditions, and with desirable designs are more attractive than properties without these attributes. These attributes are true measurements of the properties and, in many ways, contribute more to the prices than expected by the sellers/REALTORS®, if marketed appropriately.”

Source: “Good Words Don’t Cost Much, But Can Accomplish A Lot When Selling a Home,” CoreLogic Insights Blog (Aug. 18, 2016)

Foreclosures on the Rise in a Few Pockets

Foreclosures on the Rise in a Few Pockets

oreclosure starts nationwide plummeted to an 11-year low in July, but not everywhere is seeing the drop. In fact, a handful of cities and counties are seeing the opposite, with even one state seeing a jump by more than 100 percent in starts.

Thirteen states posted a year-over-year increase in foreclosure starts in July, according to new foreclosure data released by ATTOM Data Solutions. Those states seeing an increase include:

• Delaware: foreclosure starts jumped 113%
• Arizona: +76%
• Utah: +63%
• Connecticut: +50%
• Oregon: +20%
• South Carolina: +3%
• Massachusetts: +3%
• Virginia: +3%

Of the 1,713 counties analyzed with foreclosure starts in July, 36 percent posted year-over-year increases, including Maricopa County (up 43 percent); Prince George’s County, Md. (up 33 percent); Baltimore City, Maryland (up 11 percent); Cuyahoga County, Ohio (up 3 percent); and Broward County, Fla. (up 2 percent).

In July, the metros with populations of at least 200,000 that had the highest overall foreclosure rate were:

• Atlantic City, N.J.: 1 in every 232 housing units with a foreclosure filing)
• Trenton, N.J.: 1 in every 515
• Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.: 1 in every 565
• Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, Fla.: 1 in every 568
• Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.: 1 in every 698

Nationally, one in every 1,540 housing units received a foreclosure filing in July.

Household Chores to Tackle Now

Household Chores to Tackle Now

While spring is a popular time to tidy up a home, there is also summer cleaning to be done. Before summer winds down completely, home owners may want to tackle a few chores around the house, particularly before the cold weather makes these household chores more difficult.

1. Windows and screens: Dust and grime that accumulates daily can get below the surface of the glass and make windows appear cloudy. The problem can be accented if home owners often leave the windows open during the summer. “The quality of your glass will deteriorate over time with age and exposure to the sun,” Trevor Cook, owner of Shine Bright San Diego, a window cleaning service, told realtor.com®. Try some dish soap or white vinegar and water with a squeegee to get the windows shining again.

2. Grill: Try rubbing the top rack of your barbecue with an onion – a method the experts recommend. Make sure the grill is off and disconnect it to the propane before you clean. You’ll also want to use cleaner specially designed for cleaning a grill’s surface. Be sure to remove the grates and metal plates beneath. Soak them in hot soapy water for up to 10 minutes.

3. Houseplants: Yes, your plants need cleaning too. Grime can pile up on leaves and even reduce a plant’s ability to photosynthesize light (remember, they need that to thrive!). Use a dry or damp cloth and clean each leaf, carefully.

4. Blinds: Wipe each slat of a metal or vinyl blind with a soft cloth moistened with warm water and dish soap. For wooden blinds, use a damp cloth instead. “Metal and plastic blinds are some of the most important household items people should take time to deep-clean, but they tend to be neglected because it’s a timely chore and is frankly a pain,” says Antonio Shellman, owner of Kelan Freaks, a residential and commercial cleaning service in New York City. “You’ll find if you don’t maintain dusting them on a regular basis, dust will start packing on, dulling the surface and blocking the light, which makes everything so much harder to clean.”

5. Kitchen cabinets: Use dish soap and water to give your exterior cabinets a good clean. Commercial-grade cleaners may be needed if the buildup is heavy (test first and look for ones made with orange oil). Don’t forget about the inside of the cabinets either. Use a cloth soaked in soap and water to clean, and then a damp cloth to collect any extra moisture. Leave cabinets open for two hours afterwards.

6. Refrigerator and freezer: Trash any expired items. Remove and soak drawers in warm, soapy water. Vacuum the refrigerator coil and grill. Be sure to clean the outside door too, with two tablespoons of baking soda mixed with hot water or for stainless steel use a stainless-steel cleaner and wipe in the direction of the grain.

Source: “12 Things You Shouldn’t Forget to Deep-Clean Before Summer Ends,” realtor.com® (Aug. 17, 2016)