Over the last few years, the housing market has made significant strides toward recovery. Housing markets all over the United States have improved, and prices have grown to reach all-time highs in some areas. Some of the counties with the best housing markets in the U.S. are San Francisco County, California, Johnson County, Iowa, Henderson County, Texas, Marion County, Indiana and Delaware County, Philadelphia. More here
As the heat of summer arrives, energy costs are expected to increase along with the number of false ads promising to reduce your energy costs. Experts have compiled a list of ways you can avoid false ads and be protected against lower energy costs scams. A few tips mentioned are: Look for accreditation and/or certification from environmental companies who specialize in energy savings and then verify your findings, exercise caution when dealing with businesses that promise to cut your current bill by a large sum and ask to see the offer in writing, and check out any business offering assistance with the BBB to ensure legitimacy. More here
According to research, new metropolitan properties are smaller than properties built between 2003 and 2009. New properties are now on average around 950 square feet, compared to properties a few years ago that averaged 1,000 square feet. Experts say there are two primary reasons new properties in metros are being made smaller: Building smaller units helps reduce construction costs, and will also help sales due to lower prices. More here#img#
As warm weather makes its way into most of the United States, many people are looking for landscaping and lawn-care bargains. Prices change from season to season, and it is always smart to pay attention to value when beginning a project, as costs can add up quickly. Experts have compiled a list of tips to help reduce costs when doing landscaping work. A few tips are: Plan before making any purchases, estimate how much you may spend, try not to buy everything all at once, talk with professionals and accept any advice they may offer, and research prices at many different stores and companies. More here
New data suggests that rent prices have begun to relax as inventory picks up, providing people with many more options than before. At the beginning of this year, 54,000 new apartments were created while the demand required approximately 27,000. As the number of vacant apartments increase, landlords will be forced to lower their rent prices in order to keep their units occupied. Experts warn that not all markets are experiencing the same decrease in rent as supply differs in many locales. More here
As the housing market heats up, an increasing number of home seekers are losing out on home price bids. Experts explain that the higher bid may not always be the best offer, and offer tips on how you can better your chances of winning a bidding war. Sellers don’t want to waste time, and an offer that may be lower but make the transaction easier and faster may be accepted over a higher bid. A few tips that may improve the chances of your offer being accepted over another offer are: Pay with cash as the sale will seem more immediate and grab the seller’s attention, try to be smart and flexible with contingencies, and quickly place your bid so you will have a better chance of being the first bidder. More here
A large number of Americans are set to retire in the next couple of years, and many have made plans to either downsize their living areas or move to a more attractive location upon retirement. Moving can be expensive at any age, but during retirement it can be particularly costly. A few expenses to remember when moving during retirement are: Compute commission costs to your real-estate agent when selling your home. Include taxes, insurance, closing costs, and a lawyer fee for certain paperwork when buying a home. Plan for moving-assistance costs, as many can not make the move alone and will need additional help from professionals. More here
According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, mortgage applications increased 10.3% on a seasonally adjusted basis last week from the week prior. The Refinance Index also improved, increasing 11% while the adjustable Purchase Index jumped 9%, and the unadjusted Purchase Index grew 19%. This is positive news for the housing market as buying activity picks up. Many homeowners are beginning to feel comfortable listing their homes for sale as inventory grows. More here
U.S. Home prices in many large cities increased last month according to Trulia. Home prices have increased at the slowest rate seen in over a year showing signs of stabilizing according to recent data. This may suggest that the housing market is becoming healthier. Fast home price growth can be worrisome for buyers causing them to quickly buy an already expensive home, or delay buying due to uncertainty of future costs. Jed Kolko, Trulia’s chief economist said that large price jumps in homes can “fuel unreasonable expectations about where prices are going to go in the future.” More here
Remodeling any room can become an expensive job, but according to the Remodeling 2014 Cost vs. Value report, kitchen remodeling tops the list of most expensive rooms to remodel in the house. The cost of a major kitchen remodel averages around $54,909, while a minor remodel can still cost about $18,856. Experts say the materials and labor used can drive costs up significantly, and they have listed a few tips to help decrease the costs when remodeling a kitchen: Keep gas and plumbing lines in the same location, explore prices on both materials and labor, consider using used materials or remnants of granite or marble, shop online to find the best deals, remember that paint and paint labor is much cheaper than stain, and plan everything in advance. More here
