This article is part of a series put together by the Total Mortgage marketing team that provides loan officers and other sales professionals with a crash course in marketing and self-promotion. To read other articles in this series, click here.
Good business doesn’t change.
Or does it?
As the market recovers from the housing crisis, many loan officers and housing professionals are making the mistake of trying to return to a pre-crash business model.
Pre-crash, there was no such thing as a smartphone. Your average homebuyer hadn’t grown up with the internet. Most transactions were conducted over the phone, maybe with an email or two here and there. Unfortunately, this isn’t 2005. Reaching today’s homebuyers requires a different set of skills.
This guide will help start you down the right path.
Meet the next generation of homebuyers
You’ve probably heard the word “Millennials” thrown around to describe today’s college kids and recent grads, but that moniker actually applies to anyone born from the early 80’s up until around 2000.
So while one of the biggest myths out there right now is that Millennials are still years and years away from buying their first homes, that’s simply not true. They’re already here.
So is the intent to buy homes. According to a 2014 survey conducted by Fannie Mae, 76% of younger renters actually think that owning is more sensible than renting in the long term.
What’s more—there are a LOT of them. Millennials number around 76.6 million, more than even Baby Boomers. In a few years, they’ll make up a majority of buyers, and without an understanding of what separates them from past generations, you may find yourself struggling.
Marketing to Millennials
There’s one thing that will never change: a house is still a huge purchase, especially for a generation crippled student loan debt.
Winning over Millennials will be an uphill battle for most loan officers, as they may be the toughest generation to market to yet. In a 2012 Pew Research Center survey, just 19% said most people could be trusted, compared with 40% of Baby Boomers.
To earn the trust of Millennials, you’re going to have to be able to:
Meet them halfway, on the platforms they use most.
Be fast, accurate, and personable.
Promote yourself in ways that make them feel involved, understood, and educated, not marketed at.
Understand what they value and promote accordingly.
If all that has you scratching your head, don’t worry. We’ll go through the basics components of a good marketing plan next.
Going beyond the phone
Traditionally, the phone has been the key point of contact when it comes to mortgages. Regardless of where the lead came from or how it reached the loan officer, the goal has always been to get that lead on the phone.
But Millennials are much less likely to respond to offers of phone calls so you can talk about their concerns. In fact, many will try to get out of talking to you completely. A greater reliance on personal cell phones over a family landline has turned talking on the phone into a much more personal act.
Many other older marketing tactics also won’t work, either because younger generations have started to abandon the medium or grow wise to marketing lingo:
Direct mail
Radio ads
Print ads
Even email marketing can backfire if not done right. Millennials have grown up sifting through junk mail. They’ll have no problem deleting anything that isn’t relevant to their needs or interests. To learn more about email marketing the right way, our guide on email lead nurturing is a great start.
The importance of a CRM
We’ve already touched on Customer Relationship Management tools (or CRMs) in our blog on referral partners, but here are the basics.
CRMs are built to keep all of your contacts, accounts, leads, referral partners, and emails in one place, organized and ready for you. A CRM isn’t the sort of platform you can wave around to impress prospective clients or referral partners, but it will help you stay on top of all the channels you manage on a day to day basis.
There are tons of platforms out there. If a CRM sounds right for you, shop around before settling on one. At Total Mortgage, we offer our loan officers a few different CRM options just so they can find one that fits their workflow.
Creating content you can market
A great way to build a relationship with potential clients? Give them something valuable, no strings attached, with your name on it. This builds goodwill while attracting potential clients to a space you control—generally a blog or newsletter.
This isn’t a new idea. Way back in 1904, for instance a struggling Jell-O gave out free cookbooks full of Jell-O recipes, only to see their sales balloon to over one million (on a ten cent product).
The trick, of course, is knowing what sort of content will be most valuable to the kind of people who are likely to become your customers. That’s something we can definitely help you out with. We’ve run a popular industry blog for almost 10 years. Our guide to content will be a great jumping off point.
Once you’re ready to post, you encounter a whole new set of problems. In order for your content to reach as many people as possible, you have to make it friendly to search engines like Google. If you’re wondering how we do it, this guide on on-page optimization and this other one on generating links to your page will be a treat for you.
If you’re looking for a way to stand out from the crowd, though, you might want to check into our guide on marketing videos. Total Mortgage creates video for a wide range of uses, and we’ve found that it can really make a difference (especially if you use our tips).
Social media and you
Social media isn’t a hot new fad anymore—it’s a fact of life for a large percentage of the population, Millennials and Boomers alike. That makes it a great way for you to connect directly with your audience and give potential customers a feel for who you are.
Most companies big and small have a Facebook page these days. That’s a great first step, but it’s not going to get you far. If you’re wondering where to go next, we have some great resources on how to get started on other platforms and engaging with followers.
Of course, gathering followers and interacting with your peers isn’t the only thing social media is good for. It also makes for a great advertising platform. Facebook especially offer tons of options for targeting your ads to a specific audience. Take a look at our primer on social advertising here.
Mobile and apps
Housing is a slow and steady kind of industry. Many smaller companies and brokers still haven’t made the jump to online lending, much less considered the part mobile will play in their future.
However, that future is coming up quick. Right now about 56% of internet traffic already comes from mobile devices. That’s a huge number, and it’s only going to go up as new users age into the market.
While updating (or even creating) your site, consider optimizing for mobile, so that it will look nice and stay usable to potential borrowers on the go. Another thing to consider? An app. Our MyTotal Mortgage app has played a huge part in allowing us to reach a new set of homebuyers. It might not be right for everyone, but if you’re working with a larger company that has the resources, consider raising the issue with your sales manager.
Referral partners
In the face of all this talk of SEO and Twitter, it’s easy to overlook the old-school tactics that will still play well with this generation of homebuyers. Namely, building up a network of referral partners.
One thing that hasn’t changed about buying a house? It still takes a small army of people, including realtors, inspector, contractors—you get the picture. By creating a network of professionals you trust (and who trust you), you create opportunities for buyers to find you through word of mouth.
If you’re interested in seeing a breakdown of how Total Mortgage loan officers make this happen, guess what—we have a guide for it. Just click here to learn more.
To get more specifics about what the Total Mortgage marketing team does for our loan officers, check out other articles in this series, or by visiting our career portal.
The Las Vegas Summer Market, held in the 5.3-million-square-foot World Market Center, will bring tens of thousands of industry insiders from over 70 countries to Sin City this week.
Exhibitors at the biannual event, organized by Andmore, show off some of the latest trends and products in furniture, decor and gifts. Following a Monday tour of the market, the Las Vegas Review-Journal is showcasing some of the most interesting items — and award-winning — products on display from bar cabinets to personalized jewelry.
Moonglow, one company on the Summer Market’s show floor, makes jewelry and clothing products, including the phase of the moon from any date from 1920 to 2030, said Tara McGowan, Moonglow’s director of sales.
“You can choose any moon date of choice to remember a significant event whether it’s a birthday, wedding or anniversary,” she said.
The Moonglow jewelry also can glow in the dark.
Another interesting product on the show floor were candles and tabletop fire pits made by Lovinflame, which offers wind-resistant and clean-burning flames using water-soluable, nontoxic and ethanol-free fuel, according to Allen Phan, the business development manager for Lovinflame.
“We focus on portability with fire so you can carry one of these products from inside your home to sitting out on a patio easily,” he said.
The flames are hot enough to warm an area and only light in the stainless steel wick of each product and can be put out easily with water.
People’s Choice awards
Four products at the Summer Market won “People’s Choice” awards in the following categories: gift, furniture, home decor and temporary gift. The winning products were voted on by buyers at the market and were selected among a group of 40 finalists.
Winning in the furniture category is a mahogany carved bar cabinet made by Virgina-based Hooker Furnishings. The cabinet is part of a new brand for Hooker Furnishings called M, which is focused on millennial and Gen Z customers and have sleeker and more modern designs, said Kristin Hawkins, the senior director of public relations for Hooker Furnishings.
She said the company was glad to receive the award for the bar cabinet since it wanted to use the Summer Market to push out the M brand and “broaden” the company’s presence in the Western U.S.
This sentiment of attracting business on the West Coast was shared by Propac Images, the company behind the winning product for the home decor category — Chroma Brush Set images, which is abstract art in a white mat frame. The company was “excited” to get the distinction from voters since it can generate more attention for the Alabama-based wall decor company, said Leeanne Vaughn, the key accounts manager for Propac Images.
“This showroom and event helps us get connected to West Coast customers and this award can boost our sales reputation,” she said.
The Summer Market is seen as the natural place for manufacturers to begin a dialogue with buyers especially in the West since this is the only trade show of its kind in the region, said Stephen Young, the president of his namesake Stephen Young company, a Los Angeles-based sales agency that represents more than 60 companies.
“There are no other Western cities that host this size of show or have this large of a permanent showroom,” he said. “Las Vegas really is the only city in the Western region with the right scale.”
Young’s company represented the winning product for the gift category — the Sienna Sage Collection, which includes hand washes, body lotions and candles.
The winning product in the temporary gift category was the Maileg House of Miniatures, a mini-toy house made by Maileg, a Danish children’s toy company. Winning the award helps the company sell its mission of getting kids to return to more imaginative forms of play, according to Jessica Barber, the wholesale account manager for Maileg’s North and South America operations.
“This shows we are doing something right,” Barber said.
Contact Sean Hemmersmeier at [email protected] or @seanhemmers34 on Twitter.
When it comes to buying a home, most individuals choose to purchase something already on the market. However, in some situations, it can sometimes be advantageous to buy raw land and have a home built for you from the ground up.
For instance, in a seller’s market when there aren’t too many homes on the market but a huge demand for home purchases, you can bypass the costly process of haggling with sellers and paying way above the asking price for a home. And, of course, you’ll get to design a home that’s exactly the way you want it.
CNBC Select rounded up four of the best construction loan lenders to consider if you’re thinking of building a brand-new home or doing a major renovation of your existing home. We evaluated lenders based on a number of factors including the types of loans offered, customer support and others (see our methodology below).
Best construction loan lenders
Best for in-person service
TD Bank Mortgage
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
Apply online for personalized rates; fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages included
Types of loans
Fixed-rate, adjustable-rate mortgage, jumbo loans, construction-to-permanent loan, VA loan, FHA loan, medical professional mortgage
Terms
Up to 30 years
Credit needed
Not disclosed
Minimum down payment
Options as low as 3%
Pros
Carries loan option that allows for a slightly smaller downpayment at 3%
Has both online and in-person service
Online support available
Mobile app available
Refinance options available
Cons
Doesn’t offer USDA loans
Who’s this for? TD Bank is a household name in the banking industry, even calling itself “America’s Most Convenient Bank.” In addition to offering service online and through a mobile app, TD Bank has over 1,100 physical branches throughout the U.S., making it an ideal lender for those who prefer an in-person process.
This lender offers what’s known as a construction-to-permanent loan option. This means that your construction loan converts into a regular mortgage upon completion of the build. This loan option is typically advantageous for many aspiring homeowners since you only have to submit one application and pay one set of closing costs.
TD Bank’s construction loan has fixed-rate and adjustable-rate options and can be used for primary residences of 1 to 4 units and for second or vacation homes.
Best for loan variety
Flagstar® Bank
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
Apply online for personalized rates; fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages included
Types of loans
Conventional loans, FHA loans, VA loans, USDA loans, jumbo loans, adjustable-rate mortgages, construction loans, professional loans and Community Loans
Terms
8 – 30 years
Credit needed
Minimum down payment
0% if moving forward with a USDA loan
Pros
Offers a wide variety of loans to suit an array of customer needs
Fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages available
Borrowers who qualify for a jumbo loan can apply for up to $3 million
Has an online process but also in-person branches
Cons
Home equity loans are only available in limited geographic areas
Who’s this for? Flagstar Bank offers a couple of different construction loan options: It offers a renovation loan, a construction draw and a one-close construction loan. The renovation loan is meant for those who are purchasing a property that needs significant repairs; instead of applying for two loans (a mortgage and a separate renovation loan) this option lets you roll both expenses into one loan. This way, you’ll pay just one set of closing costs and have just one monthly payment.
The construction draw option lets you pay only interest during the phase where your home is being built (the build must be completed within 12 months, though). Once your build is complete, you’ll need to apply for a mortgage to cover the principal payments plus the monthly interest. This is called an end loan. With this option, you’ll have to submit more than one application and pay more than one set of closing costs.
With the one-close construction loan, you’ll pay interest during the home’s building phase (similar to the construction draw option) except your construction loan will convert to a traditional mortgage upon completion of the build. This means you only have to submit one application and pay one set of closing costs.
Best for a longer construction period
Citizens Bank Mortgage
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
Apply online for personalized rates; fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages included
Types of loans
Fixed-rate mortgage, construction loans
Terms
15 – 30 years
Credit needed
Not disclosed
Minimum down payment
Not disclosed
Pros
0.125% mortgage rate discount available to existing customers in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan
Has both online and in-person service
Online support available
Cons
Mortgage rate discount isn’t available in all states
Who’s this for? Citizens Bank offers a construction-to-permanent loan option, which means borrowers will only submit one application and pay for one set of closing costs. But the most appealing feature of this loan is that borrowers can take up to 18 months to complete construction on their homes. Typically, construction loan lenders only allow borrowers 12 months to finish construction, so the extra time allows your project to recover from any snags in the plan or delays.
For your permanent financing, you can choose from fixed or adjustable-rate options.
Best for lower credit scores
Cardinal Financial Mortgage
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
Apply online for personalized rates; fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages included
Types of loans
Conventional loan, FHA loan, VA loan, USDA loan, jumbo loans and construction loans
Terms
Not disclosed
Credit needed
Minimum of 550 for some loan types
Minimum down payment
Not disclosed
Pros
Wide variety of home loan options
More accessible loan options for borrowers with low credit scores
Online support available
Down payment assistance available in all 50 states
Cons
Doesn’t offer HELOC’s
Who’s this for? Cardinal Financial is an online lender that boasts low credit requirements for its various home loan options. According to one blog post on the company’s website, it accepts credit scores as low as 550 for VA and FHA loans. FHA loans typically require a credit score of at least 580. Jumbo loans typically have a credit score requirement of 700 but Cardinal Financial considers jumbo loan applicants with a minimum credit score of 660.
This lender offers construction loans for both home renovations and brand-new home construction.
FAQs
What is a construction loan?
A construction loan is a short-term loan that can be used to cover the cost of building a brand-new home. Typically, the funds get disbursed in increments as the home-building project progresses, and the construction must be completed within 12 months.
This option can be ideal for individuals who want a home that’s extremely customized to their liking, but the process can often be very costly since you’ll need to purchase land to build on.
How do construction loans work?
Once you’re approved for a construction loan, the funds get disbursed to your checking account incrementally as your construction progresses. An appraiser will usually check in during different stages of the build to approve more fund disbursements for you.
During the building stage, you’ll typically only pay interest on the loan. Once the build is complete, the loan converts to a traditional mortgage (if you choose a construction-to-permanent loan) and you make payments toward both principal and interest. If you chose a construction-only loan, you’ll need to apply for a separate mortgage (called an end loan) to pay off the principal on the construction loan, or you can pay the principal off out of pocket in one lump sum.
What is the best credit score for a construction loan?
Most lenders consider a credit score of at least 680 for a construction loan. Some may actually require a minimum of 720. As with any other form of credit, though, a higher credit score means you’re more likely to get approved for your desired funding amount. Plus, you’ll be able to qualify for some of the lowest interest rates offered by the lender.
If your credit score isn’t yet considered to be in a healthy range, it’s recommended that you take steps to improve your score before submitting loan applications.
What is the difference between a construction loan and a regular loan?
A construction loan is used to finance the cost of a property that hasn’t been built yet. A regular or traditional mortgage is used to purchase an existing property. Construction loans are also meant to be short-term loans, lasting only up to 12 months before you’ll have to conclude your build and convert the loan into a traditional mortgage. Regular mortgages, though, are long-term loans, which are typically meant to be paid off in as little as 10 years and as long as 30 years.
Will I pay a fixed rate on my loan?
Various lenders offer both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate loans for new builds. Once you lock in a rate for the construction phase of the project, that same rate typically carries over into the traditional mortgage payment phase as long as you choose a fixed-rate loan.
Can you act as your own general contractor/builder?
Construction loans require a licensed contractor or builder to carry out the construction phase (plans for the home and for the contractor must be confirmed and submitted before you can be approved for a loan). If you are not a licensed contractor, you cannot act as your own general contractor for the construction of your home.
Bottom line
Building a home can be a very exciting but taxing process, especially since construction loans can sometimes be tougher to come by. Still, borrowers should do their homework to make sure they agree with all the terms set forth by a lender and that the loan they ultimately go with is best for their needs.
Subscribe to the CNBC Select Newsletter!
Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox. Sign up here.
Our methodology
To determine which construction loan lenders are the best, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of U.S. mortgages offered by both online and brick-and-mortar banks, including large credit unions, that come with fixed-rate APRs and flexible loan amounts and terms to suit an array of financing needs.
When narrowing down and ranking the best construction loans, we focused on the following features:
Fixed-rate APR: Variable rates can go up and down over the lifetime of your loan. With a fixed rate APR, you’ll lock in an interest rate for the duration of the loan’s term, which means your monthly payment won’t vary, making your budget easier to plan.
Types of loans offered: The most common kinds of construction loans include construction-to-permanent loans, construction-only loans and renovation loans. Having more options available means the lender can cater to a wider range of applicants.
Fees: Common fees associated with mortgage applications include origination fees, application fees, underwriting fees, processing fees and administrative fees. We evaluate these fees in addition to other features when determining the overall offer from each lender. Though some lenders on this list do not charge these fees, we have noted any instances where a lender does.
Flexible minimum and maximum loan amounts/terms: Each mortgage lender provides a variety of financing options that you can customize based on your monthly budget and how long you need to pay back your loan.
No early payoff penalties: The mortgage lenders on our list do not charge borrowers for paying off the loan early.
Streamlined application process: We considered whether lenders offered a convenient, fast online application process and/or an in-person procedure at local branches.
Customer support: Every mortgage lender on our list provides customer service via telephone, email or secure online messaging. We also opted for lenders with an online resource hub or advice center to help you educate yourself about the personal loan process and your finances.
Minimum down payment: Although minimum down payment amounts depend on the type of loan a borrower applies for, we noted lenders that offer additional specialty loans that come with a lower minimum down payment amount.
After reviewing the above features, we sorted our recommendations by best for in-person service, loan variety, a longer construction period and lower credit scores.
Note that the rates and fee structures advertised for mortgages are subject to fluctuate in accordance with the Fed rate. However, once you accept your mortgage agreement, a fixed-rate APR will guarantee your interest rate and monthly payment remain consistent throughout the entire term of the loan, unless you choose to refinance your mortgage at a later date for a potentially lower APR. Your APR, monthly payment and loan amount depend on your credit history, creditworthiness, debt-to-income ratio and the desired loan term. To take out a mortgage, lenders will conduct a hard credit inquiry and request a full application, which could require proof of income, identity verification, proof of address and more.
Catch up on CNBC Select’s in-depth coverage of credit cards, banking and money, and follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
A lot of homebuyers are calling it quits after mortgage rates topped 7%.
The volume of mortgage applications for a home purchase was the smallest in 28 years last week, according to an index from the Mortgage Bankers Association released Wednesday. The seasonally adjusted index dropped by 5% for the week ending Aug. 18 from the previous week, and was 30% percent lower than a year ago on an unadjusted basis.
The retreat in applications largely reflects the recent run-up in mortgage rates, with the rate on the popular 30-year fixed mortgage surpassing 7% and pricing out many buyers.
“Applications for home purchase mortgages dropped to their lowest level since April 1995, as homebuyers withdrew from the market due to the elevated rate environment and the erosion of purchasing power,” MBA Deputy Chief Economist Joel Kan said in a statement. “Low housing supply is also keeping home prices high in many markets, adding to the affordability hurdles buyers are facing.”
Rates continue to track the movement of the 10-year Treasury yield, which have spiked on concerns that the robust economy will keep inflation too high.
According to MBA’s tracker, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to 7.31% last week, the highest level since December 2000. A separate measure of rates from Freddie Mac showed that the average rate hit 7.09% last week, the highest point since the first week of April 2002 — and just the third time the rate crested 7% since then.
Rates have been on a choppy rise this summer, stifling demand as the peak homebuying season winds down.
Read more: What the Fed rate hike means for mortgage rates and loans
“We are seeing [buyers] decide to maybe stay back on the sidelines a little bit because now they’ve seen changes of $200 to $300 per month in that monthly obligation, which may be a difference maker,” Jason Mata, a mortgage professional with American Pacific Mortgage, told Yahoo Finance.
That’s apparent in the newest sales data. Closed sales of previously owned homes declined 2.2% in July from the month before — the lowest sales pace for the month of July since 2010. It also marked the third lowest sales pace in the current housing cycle, according to data released by the National Association of Realtors on Tuesday.
“Two factors are driving current sales activity — inventory availability and mortgage rates,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement. “Unfortunately, both have been unfavorable to buyers.”
Elevated mortgage rates are also behind some of the inventory challenges. Homeowners simply don’t want to sell their current home and give up their existing mortgage rate for one that is twice as high when they buy a new property.
That’s largely left newly built homes as the big game in town. But that’s not enough to fill in the shortfall.
As a result, home prices are rising again because supply is so low. That, in turn, makes financing even more costly.
For buyers determined to stay in the market, many are turning to adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs, to make the numbers work. ARM applications — which increased 4% last week — made up 7.6% of all applications last week, the highest level in five months, according to MBA.
These mortgages typically feature an initial rate that’s lower than the one on a fixed-rate home loan. The rate on the ARM typically adjusts higher after the initial fixed-rate period ends — such as after five or 10 years.
“Some homebuyers are looking to lower their monthly payments by accepting some interest rate risk after the initial fixed period,” Kan said.
For example, per Bankrate, a 5/1 ARM — meaning five years fixed and adjustable every year after — currently averages 6.50% as of Tuesday. That compares to an average of 7.62% for a 30-year fixed loan.
“I think you’re going to see more of an urgency with those that truly do need to buy because they don’t really know what to expect now from interest rates,” Mata said. “Every time you hit a new level of interest rate, it takes a bit of time for the consumer mindset to say, ‘okay, this is the new norm.'”
Janna Herron is the personal finance and real estate editor for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @JannaHerron.
Click here for the latest economic news and economic indicators to help you in your investing decisions
Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
In February 2020, Tenisha Tate-Austin and Paul Austin decided to erase all traces of their existence in the Northern California home the Black couple had created for themselves and their children.
They “whitewashed” their home by removing their family photographs and African art displayed around the house. They had a white friend place some of her own family photographs around the home and greet the appraiser as if she were the homeowner.
The couple wanted to see if they’d get a better home appraisal than the one they had received three weeks earlier.
The experiment worked. This time, the appraisal (by a different appraiser from the same appraisal management firm) was almost 50% higher. In three weeks, the value of their Marin City home, 11 miles north of San Francisco, had gone from $995,000 to $1,482,500.
In March, the Austins settled a fair housing lawsuit alleging race discrimination against the licensed real estate appraiser; they’d reached a settlement in October with the appraisal management company.
Sixty years after Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his most iconic speech calling for civil and economic rights and an end to racism, one of the biggest roadblocks to building wealth for Black Americans is still in place: The housing gap has widened from the time it was legal to discriminate based on race.
In 1960, eight years before the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits property owners, financial institutions and landlords from discriminating based on race, the homeownership gap between white (65%) and Black (38%) stood at 27 percentage points. In 2021, or 60 years later, that gap had grown: 73% of white households owned a home compared with Black homeownership at 44%, a difference of 29 percentage points, according to the Urban Institute.
“We missed out on a better interest rate because of the unfair appraisal we received,” Tenisha Tate-Austin said in statement through her lawyer. “Having to erase our identity to get a better appraisal was a wrenching experience. We know of other Black families who either couldn’t get a loan because of a discriminatory appraisal and therefore either lost the opportunity to buy or sell a home, or they had to sell their home because they had an unaffordable loan.”
Explore the series:MLK’s ‘I have a dream’ speech looms large 60 years later
Housing gap:‘We are a broken people’: The importance of Black homeownership and why the wealth gap is widening
King fought racist housing practices in ChicagoThough King knew housing was an important topic when he made his 1963 speech (it included the line “We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one,” his focus was ending segregation in the South, said Beryl Satter, professor of history at Rutgers University in New Jersey and author of “Family Properties: Race, Real Estate, and the Exploitation of Black Urban America.”“The speech was about jobs and ending segregation of drinking fountains and restaurants, buses, trains, movie theaters and swimming pools to help pass the Civil Rights Act,” she said. Once that was accomplished, King trained his sights on housing in the North, particularly Chicago, where he focused on enforcing a pre-existing law on open housing, Satter said.The open housing laws in Chicago already forbade real estate agents from steering Black families into Black neighborhoods and dictated that housing should be made available regardless of race.“But like many such open housing laws, it was not enforced,” Satter said.In January 1966, King moved with his family into an apartment in North Lawndale on the West Side of Chicago to bring attention to the poor living conditions of Black families living without water, electricity and heat. He marched with Black and white supporters into segregated white neighborhoods to call for open housing.“And there he was met with the most violence he had ever been met with in any of his civil rights struggles. He said that the violence in Chicago made the whites in Mississippi look good,” Satter said. “He was hit with a stone while marching in Chicago, and he kept going.”Fair Housing Act became law after King’s deathFrom 1966 to 1967, Congress regularly considered a fair-housing bill, but it was ultimately defeated.“It was the first time that a Civil Rights Act had been defeated since the ’50s,” Satter said. “There was massive white resistance to any law or direct action that threatened racial segregation and housing. It was something that whites in the North fought to the death to keep.”After King was assassinated in 1968, President Lyndon Johnson pushed through the national Fair Housing Act as a memorial to King, whose name had become closely associated with the fair housing legislation.The undervaluation of homes in Black neighborhoods, decadeslong housing segregation, a systemic denial of loans or insurance in predominantly minority areas, a persistent income gap, and a historically limited ability of Black parents to leave their families an inheritance have contributed to the nation’s financial disparity, experts say.
During the housing boom of the early 2000s, Black Americans ages 45 to 75 disproportionately held subprime mortgages, loans offered at higher interest rates to borrowers characterized as having tarnished credit histories. Many of these mortgage holders lost their homes and have been unable to return to homeownership.
These trends will affect retirement prospects for Black Americans and their ability to pass down wealth to the next generation, making it not just one generation’s problems but an intergeneration disparity, experts say.
White wealth surpasses Black wealth
In 2016, white families posted the highest median family wealth at $171,000. Black families, in contrast, had a median family wealth of $17,600, according to the Federal Reserve. Homeownership has long been considered the best path to build long-term wealth, so increasing the rate of homeownership can play an important role in closing the wealth gap, experts say.
Over the past decade, the median-priced home in the United States gained $190,000 in value, making the typical homeowner 40 times wealthier than if they had remained a renter, according to a report released in April by the National Association of Realtors.
Some signs of hope emerged during the coronavirus pandemic, when mortgage rates were at historic lows.
During that time, Black homeownership rates increased by 2 percentage points, surpassing the white homeownership rate, which increased just 1 percentage point.
The historically low mortgage rates enabled high-earning, highly educated Black households to boost homeownership rates. Most high-income white households already were homeowners, which explains the smaller magnitude of growth, according to the analysis.
Black homeownership rate saw small improvements
From 2019 to 2021, the homeownership rate for Black households went from 42% to 44%; for white households it went from 72% to 73%.
After experiencing a continuous decline since the Great Recession, the Black homeownership rate finally made gains between 2019 and 2021. The reason was pent-up demand, said Jung Choi, a researcher at the Urban Institute.
“This suggests that affordability really matters,” Choi said. “Now, with the surge in interest rates, we are already seeing a sharp decline in Black homebuyers as well as younger homebuyers.”
Satter said King’s final book, 1967’s “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” cautions against complacency simply because there are laws on the books.
“He really understood that having a law in books was the beginning, not the end. Today we have the Fair Housing Act of 1968, and there are ongoing local, state and national laws that are supposed to stop housing discrimination,” Satter said. “I think King would have predicted that they would not be effective if there wasn’t a larger public will to enforce it and a strong political organization pushing to enforce it.”
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a housing and economy correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on Twitter @SwapnaVenugopal and sign up for our Daily Money newsletter here.
It wasn’t long ago that real estate was deemed toxic, untouchable, whatever bad thing you want to call it.
But times have changed, thanks to low interest rates and massive price cuts. And one group seems to be taking advantage, namely, the Millennials.
If you’re not familiar, they are a group of youngsters born between 1980 and 1995, who also go by the name “Generation Y” and “Generation Next.”
Interestingly, it is this group that purchased the most real estate between July 2012 and June 2013, according to the 2014 NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends study released today.
Gen Y = Largest Share of Recent Home Buyers
Millennials don’t just text, play around on Twitter, and create cool Tumblr blogs. They also make money and buy things.
In fact, the group accounted for 31% of recent residential real estate purchases, leading all other generational groups.
At the same time, Generation Next had the smallest share of home sellers at just 12%, which makes sense given the young age.
The median age of a Millennial home buyer was 29 and median income was $73,600. An overwhelming 75% were first-home home buyers.
They were most likely to buy a property in an urban or central city area and stay in their homes for 10 years.
Interestingly, they purchase homes primarily for the “desire to own” a home, not to get rich.
In the home buying department, they were followed very closely by Gen X, which includes individuals born between 1965 and 1979.
For the record, I am part of Gen X, though just barely seeing that I was born in the summer of 1979. My group accounted for 30% of recent home purchases and the largest share of home sellers at 29%.
I’m assuming there was a lot of buying and selling in my generation because there were those that bought early and are now unloading, perhaps because of newly gained home equity.
Though 19% indicated that they had to pump the brakes on a home sale because of equity constraints.
Then there are those that did not buy during the boom, and wanted in after prices and rates tumbled. Fortunately for this latter group, they probably have good jobs, plenty of assets, and decent credit.
Gen X buyers plan to stay in their current homes for 15 years, and are most likely to think their home is a good financial investment (87%).
Boomers Aren’t Booming Anymore
The other generations in the study included Younger Boomers (1955-1964), Older Boomers (1946-54), and the so-called Silent Generation, those born between 1925 and 1945.
All three groups were relatively quiet on the home buying front, with 16% of recent home purchases coming from Younger Boomers, 14% from Older Boomers, and just nine percent from the Silent Generation.
This all makes sense, given the fact that most from these generations are already established and in homes they purchased years ago.
Most from these groups, along with Gen Xers, bought homes in suburban areas, as opposed to the city.
And roughly a quarter of both sets of Boomers own more than one home, including an investment property and/or vacation home.
Almost nine out of 10 buyers used a mortgage to purchase their home, and the all-cash share increased with age, as expected.
Entering 2023, the U.S. housing market found its footing across many regions, achieving a semblance of stability after weathering a mild price correction in the second half of 2022. A combination of factors, including mortgage rates slipping below the 6.5% mark, a shortage of available homes for sale, and the seasonal uptick in demand during the early spring months, contributed to this newfound equilibrium.
However, just as the housing market braces itself for the traditionally subdued fall and winter period, real estate professionals are closely watching the reemergence of a familiar threat: 7% mortgage rates.
On Tuesday, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate ticked up to 7.13%. This figure stands in stark contrast to the sunnier days in February when the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate got as low as 5.99%. This latest jump puts mortgage rates just below the peak of 7.37% witnessed last October.
When considering current house price and income levels, researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta estimate that affordability, or rather the lack of affordability, reaches levels comparable to the peak of the housing bubble whenever mortgage rates approach the 7% range.
This sudden resurgence of 7% mortgage rates prompts a pressing question that now hangs over the housing market: Are we poised for a resumption of month-over-month home price declines, particularly as the market enters the historically subdued fall and winter? After U.S. home prices, as tracked by the Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, dipped 5.1% between June 2022 and January 2023, the index rebounded with vigor, showcasing a 4.2% surge from February 2023 to May 2023.
Housing economists are fairly divided as to whether the recent uptick in mortgage rates puts the housing market at risk for further house price declines. Economists at firms like Morgan Stanley, Moody’s Analytics, and Freddie Mac expect national house prices will decline enough in the second half of 2023 to wipe out all the national gains notched in the first half of the year. Property economists at Capital Economics also believe month-over-month house price declines are about to resume.
Meanwhile, housing economists at AEI Housing Center, Zillow, and CoreLogic believe U.S. home prices have bottomed. In their eyes, the lack of homes for sale—which according to Realtor.com in June 2023 was 49.7% below June 2019 levels—will be enough to prevent further house price declines even if mortgage rates do remain elevated for a prolonged period of time.
And while housing affordability has deteriorated significantly, economists at AEI Housing Center say onlookers should remember that the resilient labor market—which boosts a historically low 3.6% unemployment rate—also acts as support for national home price growth.
Keep in mind that whenever a group like Morgan Stanley or CoreLogic says “U.S. home prices,” it’s talking about a national aggregate. On a regional level the story might vary, with some overheated markets like Austin continuing to fall while relatively more affordable markets like Scranton keep inching higher.
Want to stay updated on the housing market? Follow me on Twitter at @NewsLambert.
Subscribe to Well Adjusted, our newsletter full of simple strategies to work smarter and live better, from the Fortune Well team. Sign up today.
Today’s guest, Matt Tallent, took his real estate sales from $1,000,000 to $8,000,000 in just 12 months! On this Real Estate Rockstars, we discuss the habits, the strategies, and the systems that an agent needs to rapidly scale sales. Matt also shares his experience with Tom Ferry’s coaching program, what it’s like transitioning from leases to listings, and how to build a real estate business based on SOI. Don’t miss it!
Listen to today’s show and learn:
How Matt Tallent got into real estate [1:21]
Quitting a W-2 job for a new career as a Realtor [3:12]
Matt’s first year as a full-time real estate agent [5:44]
Transitioning from leases to listings [9:07]
Having 20 real estate conversations per day [10:26]
Working in sales without sales experience [11:37]
Two transformational books for entrepreneurs [12:54]
Building a business based on SOI [14:04]
Sources for real estate leads [14:56]
Conversations to conversions [16:39]
A tool for tracking conversions [18:23]
Coaching and the cost of doing it via Tom Ferry’s program [19:40]
Matt’s current CRM and how he uses it [25:31]
Matt’s daily routine and social calendar [27:01]
Systems for leverage and why your should hire out tasks [29:26]
Matt’s vision for the next few years [32:39]
Shelby’s thoughts on running a large real estate team [34:10]
Matt’s words of wisdom for new real estate agents [36:05]
Where to find and follow Matt Tallent [37:19]
Matt Tallent
Matt’s background in construction and real estate investing gives him a unique perspective to serve his clients. Matt not only understands what work homes will need but what his clients need also. His main concern is responsiveness to his clients in this important step in life.
Matt not only helps his clients find their dream home. Matt loves keeping in touch with his clients and helping them find contractors with any home projects they may have. In his free time he loves designing homes, gardening, going to concerts, and biking!
Related Links and Resources:
It might go without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway: We really value listeners like you. We’re constantly working to improve the show, so why not leave us a review? If you love the content and can’t stand the thought of missing the nuggets our Rockstar guests share every week, please subscribe; it’ll get you instant access to our latest episodes and is the best way to support your favorite real estate podcast. Have questions? Suggestions? Want to say hi? Shoot me a message via Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or Email.
Do you want to learn how to get free clothes? There are many ways to get free clothes online and in-person, which means you can save money and have a new outfit. From online shopping to community groups and social media, there are many platforms where you can find free clothes for yourself and your…
Do you want to learn how to get free clothes?
There are many ways to get free clothes online and in-person, which means you can save money and have a new outfit.
From online shopping to community groups and social media, there are many platforms where you can find free clothes for yourself and your family. In this article, I will help you find free clothing both online and near you.
Whether you’re an expert bargain hunter or just learning the ropes, taking advantage of free outfits can be the key to sprucing up your wardrobe without spending a ton of money. Read on to learn more about how to get free clothes, discounts, and clever hacks to get free clothes while maintaining your budget.
Key Takeaways
Explore online platforms, like Facebook Buy Nothing groups, Craigslist, and Freecycle.org, for free clothing options.
Connect with friends and communities to organize clothing swaps.
Blogging or social media can lead to free clothing items and discounts.
How To Get Free Clothes
1. Facebook Buy Nothing Groups
If you’re looking for the easiest way to learn how to get free clothes, Facebook Buy Nothing groups can be one of the best options in your local area. These local groups on Facebook are part of the Buy Nothing Project, which aims to connect neighbors who are willing to give items away for free, including clothing.
I have given away many, many things in my Facebook Buy Nothing group, and I see lots of clothes given away all the time. You can find free clothes for women, men, children, and babies in your local Facebook Buy Nothing group.
To get started with Facebook Buy Nothing groups, simply search for a Buy Nothing group in your town or city. If you live in a large city, there might be multiple groups for different neighborhoods. Once you find the right group, send a request to join. You can start by searching “your city name Buy Nothing Group” as an example.
After you’ve been accepted into the group, you can start looking for free clothes. Keep an eye out for posts from group members offering clothing items they no longer need, and don’t hesitate to ask questions and state your interest in the items you like. When you find something you’d like to have, simply comment on the post to let the person know that you’re interested. The person may choose to gift the item to the first person who comments, or they might decide to draw names at random.
Another way you can learn how to get free clothes on Buy Nothing is by hosting a clothing round-robin. This is when people put together a box of clothes together that goes person to person. You can try items on in your home, take clothing you like, add to the box, and pass it along to the next person.
Facebook Marketplace may also have free clothing listed as well.
2. Look at Craigslist for free clothing
Craigslist has a free section on their website where you can find clothing and other items that people are giving away.
To get started, go to Craigslist.org and head to the free section of the website. Then type “clothes” or whatever specific article of clothing you are looking for in the Craigslist search bar.
Then when you find a free clothing listing that you like, simply click on the title or image to view more information about the offer and send an email to the person.
Note: For your safety, it is a good idea to meet the person in a public place and bring a friend along when you pick up the clothes.
3. Check Freecycle.org for clothing and shoes
Freecycle.org is a great resource for where to get free clothes online.
Freecycle is a nonprofit movement/website that allows members to give away and receive items for free in their local area. Freecycle is all about reducing waste and keeping items out of landfills.
To get started, create a free account on Freecycle.org and start looking at what is available in your area.
When you find something you like, simply respond to the listing, and the person will give you details on how to pick up the items.
For more content related to how to get free clothes, check out: 15 Awesome Ways To Get Free Stuff.
4. Organize a swap with friends to get free clothes
Setting up a clothing swap with friends and family is a fun way to refresh your wardrobe while also learning how to get free clothes.
Here are some steps to host a fun clothing swap:
Set a date and location – Choose a date and time that works for you and your friends. It’s a good idea to host the swap at your home or another comfortable space where everyone feels welcome. Make sure there is enough room for everyone to display and try on clothes.
Invite your friends – Create a guest list and send out invites. You can use social media, email, or text message to invite your friends. Make some ground rules for how the swap will work, and ask everyone to bring clean, gently used clothes that they no longer wear.
Prepare the space – Set up an area where friends can display their clothing items. This can be as simple as just using a dining room table or everyone sitting on the couch in the living room.
You can make it even more fun by asking everyone to bring snacks and food as well and make it more of a potluck.
I also recommend checking out the website Rehash. This is an online swap website where you can trade clothing with others online.
5. Birthday freebies
Many stores give you discounts or free stuff on your birthday when you sign up for their email lists or by joining customer loyalty programs.
These offers can be in the form of discounts, coupons, or even free items for a limited time.
Related: 31 Birthday Freebies You Should Sign Up For
6. Participate in sweepstakes and contests
If you want to learn how to get free clothes from companies, participating in sweepstakes and contests is a great option. Many stores and clothing brands have contests on their social media platforms, offering free clothing or clothing gift cards.
You can often find these by simply following your favorite stores and brands on social media – like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – to see when they hold a giveaway.
Another way to find sweepstakes and giveaways to enter is to search related hashtags on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Many times, sweepstakes and giveaways are tagged with these hashtags in order to grow even more and so that people can find them. I used to enter giveaways all the time, and this is exactly how I would find giveaways to enter. Some hashtags to find free online clothing giveaways include:
#sweepstakes
#giveaway
#clothinggiveaway
#contest
7. Find money-making apps that will pay you in clothing gift cards
If you’re looking to add some new clothing to your wardrobe without spending a lot of money, you can try using money-making apps that give you free gift cards or PayPal cash.
This may include taking surveys and shopping online, you can earn points that can be redeemed for gift cards to popular clothing stores. Here are some apps to consider using for free gift cards:
Swagbucks is a popular site that rewards you for completing tasks, such as watching videos, taking surveys, and shopping online. You can earn points and redeem them for gift cards from popular stores, like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Adidas, and Under Armour, where you can purchase clothing.
American Consumer Opinion is a popular survey website where you can get paid around $1 to $5 (longer surveys pay more than shorter ones) for each survey you answer.
Branded Surveys is an online survey company that pays around from $0.50 to $5.00 per survey that you answer. Like with all survey companies that I recommend, it is free to join.
Fetch Rewards is a grocery rewards app where you can redeem your points for clothing gift cards. You scan your receipts from grocery shopping and earn points that can be exchanged for gift cards at various clothing stores, like American Eagle, Gap, Lululemon, Old Navy, and more.
Upside is a cell phone app that gives you cash back for using the gas stations that are listed in their app. You simply sign up for a free account, and then look at the Upside app to find gas stations located near you. With Upside, you can make up to $0.25 per gallon cash back at gas stations. You can then redeem your earnings for cash to your bank account, but also for free gift cards to H&M, Nike, Target, Walmart, and more.
Ibotta is an app where you can unlock rebates and rewards, go shopping, verify your purchases, and then get cash.
By using these apps, you can earn gift cards to clothing stores without spending a dime.
Related: 16 Real Ways To Earn Free Gift Cards (Amazon, Target, Visa)
8. Redeem credit card rewards points to put towards free gift cards for clothes
You can benefit from using your credit card rewards points to score free gift cards for clothes!
Many credit card issuers offer reward programs, which give you points for every dollar you spend. By accumulating these points, you can redeem them for various rewards, including gift cards to your favorite clothing stores.
The way that rewards credit cards work is that every time you use your credit card, you can earn points for spending money. Yes, spending money just like how you normally spend money.
Two rewards credit cards that I personally like include:
Note: Using credit cards for their rewards is only wise if you are a responsible credit card user. You do not want to add debt to your life to earn credit card rewards, as debt that gains interest is not free or worth it! You need to make sure you’re paying your credit card balance in full each month for the gift card rewards to be worth it so that you are not taking on debt that you don’t need.
9. Start a clothing blog or social media account
Starting a clothing blog or social media account can be a fun way to get free clothes to promote. By building a following, clothing brands may want to partner with you and give you free clothing.
To begin, choose a platform where you want to focus your time, such as starting a fashion blog or setting up an Instagram account. For example, if you’re passionate about taking pictures, Instagram can be a perfect platform for this. If you want to focus on writing, then a blog may be better. If you prefer video, then starting a YouTube channel or TikTok may be for you.
Next, you’ll want to focus on growing your audience. You can grow your following by regularly posting high-quality content and replying to comments.
Once you are ready, you can start reaching out to clothing brands for possible partnerships by sending emails or social media messages, telling them that you are interested in promoting their products and discussing how the collaboration can benefit the both of you. You may be asked to share statistics about your blog or social media account, including your follower count and engagement rate to show that the partnership would be worthwhile.
In addition to receiving free clothing, partnering with clothing companies can lead to other benefits, such as promo codes for your readers or even earning referral income for any purchases from followers made through your affiliate links.
You can learn how to start a blog in my free How To Start a Blog Course.
Note: Please keep in mind that being a trustworthy blogger or social media influencer means always disclosing when a post is sponsored or when you receive a product for free. Adding disclaimers is also the law when using affiliate links or sharing sponsored posts.
10. Get a job at a clothing store
When I was younger, I worked at a clothing store. If we beat our monthly sales goals, we were given a percentage of that in a gift card to the store. This was a great way to get free clothing!
Now, not all clothing stores have this perk, but you may be able to ask around and see if others do.
Another perk of working at a clothing store is the employee discount that you can get. As an employee, you typically receive a good employee discount – sometimes up to 50% off. This could be a great way for you to save money on clothes while earning a paycheck.
11. Reach out to a local nonprofit or charitable group
Many nonprofits or charitable groups offer free clothing to those in need.
Shelters, religious organizations, and other groups often have clothing banks available. Don’t be afraid to reach out to these organizations if you find yourself needing how to get free clothes for everyday or work.
12. School donation programs
Some schools and universities host clothing donation programs, which can help students who may be struggling financially.
You can keep an eye out for these events to get free clothes for yourself or your children. Schools might even have partnerships with local retailers, providing designer clothing at no cost, along with essentials.
I recommend reaching out to your school and asking what options are available for you.
13. Local yard sales
Yard sales are a great place to find cheap or even free clothes. Some homeowners may be willing to part with clothes for very cheap or free, especially towards the end of the day when they are packing up and they want to get rid of the items that are remaining.
14. Pregnancy and baby sample boxes
If you are pregnant, then you can probably get a free baby box filled with items you’ll want and need.
You typically get a free baby box when you create a baby registry. These boxes are often filled with free baby samples, such as a baby onesie, baby bottles, diapers, pacifiers, and more.
I got both the Amazon baby box and the Babylist baby box when I was pregnant, and they were both great and free! I simply created a registry through both sites (which is something that I was already doing), and I received the free baby box once someone purchased something off my baby registry.
In each, there was one baby onesie. So it wasn’t a lot of free baby clothing, but it was fun to receive and there were lots of other free items in the box as well.
Related: Best Baby Gear – Guide For New Parents
15. Refer friends to your favorite stores
Referral programs are offered by many online clothing companies, and this may get you some free clothing.
When you refer a friend to the website, both you and your friend often receive a discount or credit towards your next purchase. You can share your unique referral link with friends and family, or promote it on social media to reach a larger audience.
Some online stores which have a referral program include Lulus, Poshmark, ThreadUP, Stitch Fix, Rent The Runway, and many more.
Make the most of online shopping to get money to put towards clothes
When shopping online, there are ways that you can save money. While these won’t lead you to getting entirely free clothing, these tips can make clothing more affordable.
Use coupons and promo codes –Always keep an eye out for coupons and promo codes before making a purchase to save money on clothes. Websites, like Honey, often have promo codes available for online stores. This way, you can save on your purchases and have more money to put towards new clothes. You can install the Honey browser extension, which automatically finds and applies available coupon codes and promo codes when you shop online. Then shop like normal and when you’re ready to checkout, Honey will instantly find and apply the best coupon codes directly to your shopping cart.
Cash-back sites –Using cash-back sites is another smart way to save money on your apparel purchases. Rakuten offers cash back (up to 40% cash back!) for shopping at many different online retailers (they have thousands of options). Simply browse the Rakuten website, find stores you normally shop at, and earn a percentage of cash back for every purchase.
Loyalty programs –Signing up for loyalty programs can be a great way to earn points or rewards that can be put towards new clothes. Many clothing stores offer rewards programs for their customers. As a member, you can earn points with each purchase that can be redeemed for discounts or even free clothing items.
Shop at thrift stores and consignment shops –Thrift stores can be a great source of free or inexpensive clothes. There are even online thrift stores, such as ThredUP and OfferUp.
Frequently asked questions about how to get free clothes
Below, I answer common questions about ways to get clothing for free.
Where can I find free clothing giveaways?
One way to find free clothes that are being given away is to search for online giveaways and contests. You can find these by going to giveaway websites, or searching hashtags on Twitter and Instagram, such as #giveaway and #clothinggiveaway.
There are many if you want to learn how to get free clothes, such as reaching out to nonprofit organizations, shelters, and churches in your local area. You can also check out websites, like Freecycle.org or Craigslist, for listings of free clothing resources in your community. Also, joining local Facebook Groups for clothing swaps or free items may help you find free clothes near you.
How can I receive free clothes delivered to my door?
By participating in referral programs, product testing programs, or signing up for clothing site rewards, you can potentially receive free clothes delivered to your door.
How to get free items from SHEIN?
There are a few ways to get free Shein clothes, and this is a very popular question about how to get free clothes!
There is a Shein Free Trial Center where you may be able to test out outfits for free. You will have to write a product review for the item you get for free with the Shein product testing program.
There are also Shein giveaways on social media all the time that you can enter as well.
How do I manage to have a great wardrobe on a tight budget?
To have a great wardrobe on a tight budget, you may want to focus on versatile and timeless pieces that can be mixed and matched. This may include shopping sales, clearance sections, and secondhand stores to find affordable clothing items. You can also swap clothes with friends or attend clothing swap events to save money.
How can I get a lot of clothes with little money?
You can get a lot of clothes with little money by shopping at thrift stores, discount stores, and clearance sales.
How do I get free athletic wear?
Many running shoes have a product testing program for athletes and runners, such as the Saucony product testing program, Reebok product testing program, New Balance tester community, and the Nike product testing program.
These companies will need your shoe size and some other information from you before they can send you anything. There will most likely be an in-depth questionnaire for you to answer after you try the shoes.
In some cases, you will not be able to keep the shoes, just so you know.
How To Get Free Clothes Online Without Paying – Summary
I hope you enjoyed today’s article on my best tips and tricks on how to get free clothing. As you can see, there are many ways to get started!
Whether you are looking for free t-shirts, jeans, shoes, work clothes, or something else, there is plenty of free apparel if you look around.
With Facebook Buy Nothing groups, Craigslist, and Freecycle.org, you can connect with like-minded individuals and exchange items without needing to pay. Also, connecting with friends, family, and online communities by organizing clothing swaps, working with money-making apps that offer gift cards, and blogging or engaging on social media can lead to free clothing items as well.
Remember, when you maximize your online shopping by using loyalty programs, cash-back apps, referral programs, and coupons, you’ll have more money to put towards new clothing items.
Do you know how to get free clothes? What’s your favorite way?
World of Hyatt members know how to benefit from the loyalty program, especially if they have World of Hyatt elite status.
But, if you need to reach Hyatt hotel customer service, what’s the easiest way? There are numerous ways that you can contact World of Hyatt customer service to help with your account, make a travel booking or request other assistance.
Depending on the nature of your request, there are multiple ways to reach out to the brand. These are all of the ways to reach Hyatt Hotels customer service.
Contacting the hotel directly
It is easiest to contact the hotel directly for many requests, such as reviewing a past invoice, checking on missing points or searching for a lost item. You can call the hotel’s phone number, which is available on its website, or contact them by email (if one is listed online).
Reaching out to the source of information rather than calling a Hyatt customer service phone number will be the fastest way to solve the issue.
Often, a customer service department may put you on hold while they contact the hotel directly (or connect you to the hotel). Leave out the middleman and contact the hotel independently for the fastest service.
Calling the Hyatt customer service number
Reservations
In the United States, the toll-free number is 800-233-1234. With this option, you’ll want to pay attention to the Hyatt customer service hours to be sure someone is available to answer the phone.
World of Hyatt
If your query is about the World of Hyatt rewards program, there is a different number for these types of account issues. Each country has its own toll-free number and email contact online. In the United States, the toll-free number is 888-344-9288. Luckily, if you’re inquiring about missing points, there is an online form that expedites the process, which we will cover.
Events
Can you chat with World of Hyatt?
Yes! It’s easy through the World of Hyatt app, which offers messaging service options where you can make special requests about a future stay or request account services.
You can also chat with some hotels directly within the app. Other options include connecting directly with Hyatt’s social media team through the app by way of X, formerly known as Twitter, or Facebook.
This is an easy way to connect with the brand when traveling or if picking up the phone isn’t convenient. You’re able to chat, much like direct messaging a friend.
How to get a copy of your Hyatt bill
If you need a past invoice, it can be done through a dedicated online form. Enter the requested details online; you’ll need the dates of travel and the credit card used during the stay. With many people doing online checkout, this can be a helpful way to get a copy of your invoice.
World of Hyatt Globalist members will want to review their invoice since elite status benefits members include special perks such as waived parking, breakfast, and resort fees on award stays. In fact, no World of Hyatt members get charged resort fees when staying on an award. You’ll want to make sure these charges are removed from your invoice.
Request missing World of Hyatt credit
Earning points is one of the best benefits of a loyalty program, especially the bonus you might receive when having elite status or using World of Hyatt Credit Card, which can offer as many as 9x points on Hyatt stays. If your points don’t process properly, you can contact World of Hyatt customer service online.
Fill out a “past stay request” to locate points that may not have been correctly posted. Be sure to allow two to three weeks following a stay before making a request, as it can take time for them to post.
How to make a compliment or complaint to Hyatt
If you want to share feedback on a recent Hyatt stay, there is an online form that requests particular stay details. Then you can share a compliment or complaint so the brand can get back to you. Another option is to use the World of Hyatt app’s messaging function.
How to complete a best rate guarantee claim
World of Hyatt has a best rate guarantee (similar to other brands like Marriott), assuring you will find the lowest rate when booking directly through a Hyatt channel. You’ll need to complete the online claim form within 24 hours of making the original reservation. If it is accepted, you will receive either 5,000 World of Hyatt bonus points or a 20% discount on the cost of the stay.
Even faster customer service with the World of Hyatt elite status
If you’ve earned elite status with World of Hyatt, there is an even quicker path to customer service since these members have dedicated phone numbers. Access to a private support line is one of the benefits of elite status membership with Hyatt.
For those that want a fast path to elite status, the World of Hyatt Credit Card comes with Discoverist status. This means that you earn bonus points for a stay (even more when paying for the stay with this card) and faster customer service assistance.
If you need to contact World of Hyatt
Your options are plentiful, which means no matter what your preference, you can get in touch with Hyatt customer service.
From picking up the phone, texting through an app, reaching out on social media, or sending an email, World of Hyatt and Hyatt Place customer service (among all other brands) are accessible with just a few touches of a button.
(Top photo courtesy of Hyatt)
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for: