With inventory still low, more home buyers look to plan B: new builds. But that, too, has become tough with land and labor growing scarcer and supply chain struggles lingering. Help clients navigate alternatives. 3 Takeaways: As the pandemic housing boom continues, many buyers are still losing out on homes as they go up against …
Category: Real Estate Tips
Feb 20
Hot Housing Market Drives Home Fix-ups
More homeowners say they plan to renovate their homes this year, and they are increasingly planning to take advantage of higher home prices and use their home’s equity to complete the renovations, according to Bank of America’s “2021 Homebuyer Insights Report: Home Improvement and Equity Spotlight.” As home prices surge, more homeowners are tapping HELOCs …
Feb 19
Clear the Junk From Your Listings
One of the first steps before listing a home for sale is often clearing the clutter. But that can be tough for homeowners, who may already be overwhelmed with the prospects of moving, let alone going through all their items and deciding what stays and goes. The National Association of REALTORS® announced on Thursday a …
Feb 18
Popular Renovations Focus on Adding Entertainment Space
Home renovations have been surging during the pandemic, and homeowners aren’t shying away from major redos either. More than half—55%—of more than 2,000 U.S. homeowners recently surveyed reported making substantial improvements to their homes that they believe will boost their home’s value, according to a July survey commissioned by Selective Insurance and conducted by The …
Feb 17
Furniture Rental Service Feather Wins iOi Pitch Battle
Feather, a technology startup providing a sustainable furniture rental solution for home staging projects, emerged Wednesday as the winner of the third annual Pitch Battle at the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2021 Innovation, Opportunity & Investment Summit in Dallas. Twelve startups bringing innovative solutions to the commercial and residential real estate marketplaces competed in the …
Feb 14
Tiny Homes Offer Big Insurance Savings
Downsizing can help owners cut costs, particularly homeowners’ insurance. Downsizing from a full-sized home to a tiny home—often 400 square feet or less—could save homeowners 52% a year on the cost of insurance alone, according to a new study from ValuePenguin. Even in the most expensive states to insure a tiny home—like Oklahoma—homeowners could save …
Feb 13
3D Printed Homes Are Gaining Consumer Interest
The laser-fast building style is winning over buyers with promises of greater affordability, energy efficiency, and resistance to natural disasters. Press print for a home. More consumers are warming up to that idea. Sixty-six percent of more than 3,000 consumers—and 75% of millennials, in particular—say they’d consider living in a 3D printed home, according to …
Feb 12
Do Fences Boost Curb Appeal?
Another sign of the pandemic’s influence on home renovations is the increased construction of fences. Here are seven factors homeowners should consider before installation. Key Takeaways: Whether to keep newly adopted dogs safe or to increase privacy while making greater use of the backyard, the home renovation frenzy spurred by the pandemic has led many …
Feb 07
Owners Turn to Appliance Upgrades to Boost Home Value
Three out of four homeowners would rather fix or replace appliances than accept a lower offer when selling their home, according to a new survey of about 1,000 consumers from Cinch Home Services, a home warranty company. They believe upgrading the appliances can add more value to their home, too. On average, homeowners believe upgrading …
Feb 06
Survey: Americans Want Distance From Neighbors
Americans want more social distance from their neighbors. A new Pew Research Center study finds a shift in home preferences since the pandemic with more consumers saying they want a larger home, even if it means local amenities are further away. That marks a shift from 2019 when more Americans were desiring smaller houses that …
Feb 05
Home Flipping on the Rise, Even as Profit Margins Drop
The home flippers are returning to the market, even as their profit margins have dipped to a 10-year low. About 4.9% of all home sales in the second quarter were from home flipping—defined as a single-family home or condo transaction that was bought and sold within 12 months. The home flipping rate is up from …
