As your family or lifestyle changes you may consider adding extra space to your home rather than moving into a new space. Here are some tips you should consider before adding extra living space to your home: Look at your options and decide if you want to hire an architect or skip that step and hire a construction company straight-away. Decide how much you are willing to spend. You can use helpful sites like CostHelper.com to estimate your total expense. Consider adding the room to an existing base of your home, like the basement in order to cut costs. Lastly, prepare yourself for a noisy atmosphere or other discomfort while the work is being done. You may want to make arrangements to stay with family or friends while the construction crew is on site. More here

Home prices have gradually increased this year, and while that trend is expected to continue into the first of the year, Capital Economics has stated that home price gains will begin to level out. Experts believe that as we progress into 2015, price gains will average around 4%. Supply is expected to increase helping home price growth become more stable in the coming year. Experts are also expecting interest rates to jump. Paul Diggle, a property economist for Capital Economics said, “a March rate hike is not out of the question. Thereafter, we expect the Fed to continue raising rates more aggressively than the markets expect, with the Fed funds rate reaching 3% by the end of 2016. In turn, that means that 30-year mortgage rates will increase from 4.1% now to 5.5% by the end of 2015 and 5.8% by the end of 2016. Housing affordability will deteriorate, but even by end-2016 affordability will be more favorable than the historical norm.” More here

According to Realtor.com, 2015 may be a big year for the housing market. First-time homebuyers are expected to make a significant return to the market next year, and home sales are predicted to increase by approximately 25%. Experts have compiled a list of some expected hot housing markets in 2015 that take into account affordability, employment rates, and growing population. A few cities that top the list are Atlanta, Des Moines, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Denver. More here

Mortgage rates have fallen to the lowest level since May 2013, according to recent data released by Freddie Mac. The 30-year fixed-rate loan averaged 3.8% nationally this week, while the 15-year fixed-rate loan averaged 3.1% nationally. 10-year Treasury yields have also fallen to the lowest rate seen in 7 months. The vice president of HSH.com said, “plunging oil prices, due to a slowdown in Russia and other global economies, have been sending investors into safe havens like U.S. Treasuries. This is again driving down yields and pulling mortgage rates right along with them.” More here

A new study From Harvard Business School has found that the warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you give a gift might not be a coincidence. Giving has now been linked to long-term positive health benefits. The study involved a focus group, with some people giving various amounts of money to shoppers while the other group kept the money to spend on themselves. Those who gave the money away to shoppers were in better spirits when compared to those who kept the money to spend on themselves. Happier people tend to have lower blood pressure, lower stress levels, and lower heart rates. So give this holiday season and be happier and healthier! More here

Taking care of the siding on your home can save you the expense of major repairs, or having to replace the siding entirely due to neglect. A few things you can do to ensure your home’s siding looks great and works efficiently are: Clean your siding with soap, water and trisodium phosphate (you should be able to find this chemical at your local hardware store). Use a soft bristled brush to clean off bird droppings, mildew, and hardened mud. You can also use bleach and water for harder-to-clean mildew stains. Be sure to check your siding for any cracks or damage; If you spot something that looks like it needs repair, act fast before it turns into a larger problem. More here

According to Zillow’s third quarter Negative Equity Report, underwater homes have decreased approximately 40% since the beginning of 2012. The percentage of homeowners with negative equity averaged 16.9%  last quarter, a 4.2% drop from 2013. Stan Humphries, Zillow’s Chief Economist said, “the market has made terrific strides since bottoming out in late 2011 and early 2012, with millions of underwater homeowners freed in just the past few years, and millions more set to surface in coming months and years.” More here

During the holiday months, burglaries in the U.S. increase significantly according to the FBI. Taking a few extra measures to keep your home safe may help decrease your risk. A few things you can do to keep your home free from burglars are: Make sure all of your doors and windows are locked at all times. If you are visiting family or friends for a few days ask your neighbor(s) to watch over your house and get your mail for you while you are gone. Don’t leave hide-a-keys out, hand your spare keys out directly to trusted family members and friends. More here

Buying a house in a booming city usually takes time and possibly a little more money than you plan to spend. A few tips that may help home-seekers get the house of their dreams in an active market are: Do your math; In most cases of this nature, you will need to bid over the asking price. Find out how much other homes around are selling for and crunch your numbers. Factor in the amount of work the home needs and the square footage. Many homes, unless you build, will not have every amenity you desire. Consider going for a less expensive home with less competition, and turn it into the home you have always wanted. Come prepared; Create a letter describing yourself and why you want to buy the home, be pre-qualified for the loan, and bring an inspector or engineer along with you to view the home for the first time. You will increase your chances of success by using a little fore-thought. More here

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are implementing new guidelines that will ease the mortgage process, and in turn, help boost the housing market. The new guidelines will decrease down payment amounts, making 3% down payments an option again, and will allow two missed payments before initiating foreclosure. Many loan officers are reporting that their banks have been more lenient with borrowers over the last few months, putting many first-time homebuyers in a position to qualify for a loan. More here