This is what home buyers are having to do to compete in this market

Hopeful buyers should expect to jump through a few hoops. Home sellers have the upper hand in today’s market, and higher prices aren’t all they’re commanding. Buyers are forced to make increasing sacrifices in hopes of landing a new home. “In this strong seller’s market, sellers are drunk with power,” says Holden Lewis, NerdWallet’s home expert. “They know in this competitive landscape they can force buyers to flatter them and give up protective contingencies. It happens when a house attracts multiple offers and buyers have to stand out from the crowd.” Also read: Thinking of selling your home? Do it before 2020, economists say Here are some common things buyers today can expect to encounter, or hoops they might have to jump through. Surveillance cameras at an open house It’s not unheard of for a seller to put home security cameras to use during an open house, and a good number of Americans think it’s perfectly fine. A recent NerdWallet survey, conducted online by The Harris Poll, found that 90% of Americans think it would be helpful for a home seller to put up such cameras for buyer showings. And more than one-fourth (26%) say such footage would be helpful to get a better idea of who the home buyers are before accepting an offer. Read: Even with mortgage rates up, buying instead of renting makes sense for many Depending on how the footage is used, it could teeter on discrimination. But 36% say it’d be helpful just to get feedback on the home. Higher earnest deposits Earnest money is a sum buyers put up as a show of good faith — if they walk away from the sale for reasons that aren’t spelled out in the contract, that money goes to the seller. In a seller’s market, the amount sellers ask for can trend higher, requiring potential home buyers to dig deeper into their pockets. Love letters Personalized offer letters are common, in which buyers tell the current homeowner why their offer should be considered above all others. Some such letters include family photos and other details that scream, “Like me!” Money talks, but likability could make one offer stand out. Cash buyers Traditional buyers, with a lender’s preapproval letter in hand, might be competing today with more all-cash buyers. The historic average rate of all-cash buyers is 10%, according to Freddie Mac. This rate peaked at 35% during the housing crisis. In 2017, it fell to 21%, according to the National Association of Realtors. Though no longer dramatically high, buyers now are far more likely to compete with investors and other cash buyers than they were before the crisis. Noncontingent offers An offer that isn’t contingent on the positive outcomes of a home inspection or appraisal, or on the sale of a buyer’s current home, may be more attractive to sellers. These contingencies are typically written into contracts to protect buyers’ interests, but leaving out the protections could entice sellers who want a smooth transaction. “You know, it’s hard out here for a home buyer,” Lewis says. “Eventually the power imbalance between sellers and buyers will lessen. Until then, buyers will have to swallow the indignities of the homebuying process and have persistence, knowing that they might have to make a few offers before finally snagging a home.” More from NerdWallet: Elizabeth Renter is a writer at NerdWallet. Email: elizabeth@nerdwallet.com . Twitter: @elizabethrenter.

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Security company in Bellevue vandalized

BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) - An Omaha home security company based out of Bellevue is using its own camera to help track down a thief who stole items from outside their building. Chris Malmberg, the owner of Omaha Security Systems Inc. says an unidentified man stole nearly $300 worth of landscaping Sunday night. "The motion sensors went off and I got a notification on my phone that he was there. We saw him take the plants, we watched him drive away and then immediately contacted police," said Malmberg. "He was real nervous, but he ended up stealing shrubbery, Hosta plants, I mean - never in my life have I ever known somebody to steal landscaping." Malmberg said the plants could be replaced, but what's frustrating is that this is one of several vandalism incidents his business has experienced since OSSI moved into the building near Jefferson and Mission Ave. "We've had vandalism, we've had items stolen, or attempted to be stolen, with the security that we...

Study: Majority of U.S. Broadband Households Concerned About Security of IoT Devices

As Internet-connected devices become more ubiquitous, security and privacy concerns of end users are also on the rise. Simply installing security systems in smart homes is no longer enough. Security integrators must also consider bolstering cybersecurity measures when installing their systems. A recently released whitepaper from IoT research firm Parks Associates, titled “Residential Security and Encryption: Setting the Standard, Protecting Consumers,” reveals that 64% of U.S. broadband households are concerned about security and privacy when using their connected devices. Parks Associates also found that the majority of homeowners assume security integrators are addressing their cybersecurity concerns. In fact, a Parks Associates survey of U.S. security owners found 63% of professionally monitored subscribers believe the wireless signals from their system are encrypted, even though encryption is currently not the industry-wide standard. While the whitepaper outlines a few ...

Ring Alarm review: A great DIY home security system with the potential to become even better

Ring builds some of our favorite video doorbells and security camera/outdoor lighting mashups. Now the company—recently acquired by Amazon—is moving inside the home with a strong and inexpensive DIY home security system: Ring Alarm. It’s a fantastic product today, and Ring says it will only get better with time. Ring Alarm is positioned as a mainstream home security system, and while you won’t find a great deal of innovation here (there’s nothing like the Nest Detect sensor that comes with the much-more-expensive Nest Secure system , for example), it’s already equipped with everything it needs to grow into a comprehensive smart home system. Ring Alarm doesn’t support smart lighting controls, door locks, thermostats, garage-door openers, or other common smart home products today, and there’s a very short list of supported third-party products. But it lacks nothing needed to support those and similar devices down the road. And in an intervi...

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