Gary Pierpont Blog

Insurance payments can be burdensome, but they are a necessity for you, your family, and your home. A few things you can do to help reduce your insurance costs are: Don’t switch companies too often, this may help reduce your payments or provide you with free credit from companies who reward for loyalty. Shop around for the best prices; check out comparison sites on the internet. Have plenty of smoke alarms throughout the house, and a burglar alarm to reinforce the fact that you are low-risk. Don’t be afraid to ask about discounts, you may be surprised by special perks. Bundling can sometimes reduce costs, consider bundling your auto and home insurance together for a discount. Also, maintain a good credit score, and if your score is low, take steps to improve it. More here

Garage doors get a great deal of use and require special care to continue working properly. A few things you can do to keep your garage door well maintained are: Check all components of your door to make sure they are functioning correctly. Look for broken or bent pieces that may need repair. Lubricate the axles and rails and be sure they are in place and tight. If adjusting the sensitivity of your door, be certain the setting is in accordance with the manual. The weather sealant should be intact and free from cracks. You can also wash your garage door with car wax to control dirt and extra moisture. More here

According to recent data, foreclosure inventory in the United States declined this month, falling to the lowest level seen since February of 2008. There are currently around 893,000 loans in or starting the foreclosure process, down 435,000 from this time last year, and a 3.9% decrease from last month. Additionally, seriously delinquent loan inventory, mortgages 90 days late or more, has also decreased by 25,000, the lowest rate since August of 2008. More here

Analysts predict that home prices will decrease and stabilize in 2015. Many Americans have expressed concern about the possibility of another housing bubble, but experts suggest that the decline and stabilization in home prices will be positive for the housing market. Home prices have fallen over the last few months with the average home price now at $176,500. Zillow’s chief economist, Stan Humphries said, “we’re transitioning from a fast form of recovery to a slow form of recovery, particularly since a lot of those factors driving us forward – household formation rates and income growth – have not fully recovered.” More here

Existing home sales in the U.S. jumped 2.4% to an annual rate of 5.17 million units, the highest reading since September, 2013 according to the National Association of Realtors. September’s existing home sales exceeded what many economists had previously predicted, though the increase is not yet considered to be above average. Sophia Kearney-Lederman, an economist at FTN Financial said, “the housing recovery continues to move along sluggishly, as consumers are stuck between tight credit standards and limited wage growth.” More here

Winter is approaching, and if you have the luxury of owning an indoor fireplace it is time to start cleaning it up and making sure it is working safely and efficiently for those cold winter nights. A few things to do in order to get your home and chimney ready for winter are: Hire a professional chimney sweep to clean and inspect the outside and inside of your chimney and fireplace to be sure it is clear of any creosote build-up. Install or replace batteries in smoke alarms inside your home, also replace batteries in carbon monoxide detectors. And finally, be sure you have a working fire extinguisher close by in case of an emergency. More here

As the year comes to an end, experts predict home remodeling spending will decline, ending the year 1.9% lower than last year. However, experts expect a jump in remodeling spending as we begin the new year and head into spring buying/selling season. Home sales have a strong correlation with home improvements as people selling their homes usually make small improvements and repairs before the sale, and homebuyers usually make larger improvements within the first year of purchasing. More here

According to many recent news articles, tiny houses are trending across the country, but the latest Census report proves different. The median house size in the United States has increased 25 square feet yearly over the last ten years and is approximately 2,384 square feet, up from 1,525 square feet in 1970. While some may be attracted to smaller living spaces, the average American enjoys large rooms and plenty of living space. Many experts say that homes are indeed getting bigger and are expected to continue to grow over the coming years. More here

Thinking about adding on? There are a few important few things you should consider before getting started: Hiring professionals; be sure you hire an architect before hiring a builder. The addition should look as if it was a part of the original design.  Also, thoroughly research prospective professionals before you hire them. Cost; have a clear idea of your budget, but, be realistic. A good resource is CostHelper.com; this site will help you roughly estimate the cost of the project. And finally, prepare yourself for a mess, people will be in and out of your home; it will be noisy and inconvenient at times but, in the end it will be worth it. More here

Housing starts and permits jumped last month as groundbreaking increased 6.3%, averaging 1.02 million-unit pace annually according to the Commerce Department. With interest rates falling this year, the housing market has made great strides toward recovery since 2007. An economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Michelle Meyers  said, “if you look at the trend, you are still seeing an upward trajectory.” New single-family housing starts increased 1.1% last month, and volatile multi-family homes segment rose 16.7%. More here