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Bathtubs are out, big showers are in – 6 kitchen and bath trends for the year ahead

  The shower gets more use than the bathtub in many households. That’s why some homeowners are ripping out their tubs completely, creating bigger showers instead. Extra shower space allows for multiple shower heads, a built-in seat and designs without shower doors, said John Petrie, president of the National Kitchen and Bath Association, in an email interview about current kitchen and bath trends. They can be designed without a threshold — which look more contemporary and are easier for people to use as … [Read more...]

When Renting Out Your Home Can Help You Buy a New One

One of the biggest obstacles homebuyers will face is being able to show enough income to offset their debts — in addition to a proposed housing payment. If you don’t show enough income to offset your debts according to the bank’s requirements, you may have trouble getting the loan. With that in mind, there is a little-known lending guideline that allows you to show more income, which can help you seal the deal. In order to take advantage of this guideline, however, you have to turn either your new home or your … [Read more...]

Wall Street: Home price appreciation still expected to hit 7%

Despite a weak first quarter, home prices are still expected to rise by 7% in 2014, according to Wall Street analysts. “We continue to expect home price appreciation to moderate from the torrid pace of mid-2012-13, supported by improving employment and growth prospects,” said analysts from Morgan Stanley (MS). “We leave our 2014 projections for new home sales (450-500 thousand units) and home prices (up 5-7% for the year) unchanged.” Analysts from Barclays (BCS) agree. “Our base case projection for 2014 US … [Read more...]

Pending Home Sales Gain for First Time in 9 Months

The housing market is showing signs of picking up again after a sluggish few months. Pending home sales rose 3.4 percent in March over February, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings. Contracts were most on the rise in the West and South, increasing 5.7 percent and 5.6 percent in March, respectively. The Northeast saw an uptick of 1.4 percent in contracts month-over-month, while contracts in the Midwest fell by 0.8 … [Read more...]

Phoenix housing market has worst February in 4 years; prices could stay flat in 2014

It was the weakest February in four years for the metro Phoenix housing market, and it’s possible prices may stay flat in 2014. After a steep plunge and then a dramatic turnaround within that four-year span, this pause in the market could be both disappointing and relieving, depending on your perspective.  The number of homes sold in February (5,398) fell by more than one quarter versus a year ago, while total cash spent in those transactions ($1.4 billion) was down 16 percent, according to Arizona State … [Read more...]

Adjustable-Rate Mortgages Make a Comeback

Adjustable-rate mortgages, one of the main culprits of the housing crisis, are back in vogue. But banks say this time is different. Financial groups are sweetening terms to entice customers to take out these loans, known as ARMs, whose rates can jump after a few years. Some ARMs are cheaper, when compared with fixed-rate mortgages, than they have been in more than a decade. The tactics are reminiscent of the period before the 2008 crisis, when ARMs exploded in popularity as banks and mortgage brokers touted … [Read more...]

Buying a Home 38% Cheaper Than Renting – But How Risky Is It?

Though the gap is narrowing, buying costs less than renting in all 100 large U.S. metros. But uncertainty about future home price appreciation means buying isn’t always a safe bet. Homeownership remains cheaper than renting nationally and in all of the 100 largest metro areas. Rising mortgage rates and home prices have narrowed the gap over the past year, though rates have recently dropped and price gains are slowing. Now, at a 30-year fixed rate of 4.5%, buying is 38% cheaper than renting nationally, versus … [Read more...]

Everything a Man Space Needs

Power recliner? Check. Bar and pool table? Of course. Get the comfy hangout you deserve with these masculine-leaning finds With college basketball’s March madness upon us, we thought it would be the perfect time to give a nod to the man caves of the world. They will be in big demand this month when sports enthusiasts gather around the tube to see if their teams win or lose. After all, there is a payday on the line for the person who scores the perfect winning bracket.Man spaces come in many forms: the masculine … [Read more...]

Generational Differences Drive Housing Preferences?

Younger home buyers tend to view their home as a strong investment, more so than older buyers who tend to view their homes as a match to their lifestyle, according to the 2014 NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends study, based on a survey of more than 8,700 responses from buyers and sellers. The survey provided an in-depth look at the generational differences of recent home buyers and sellers. The largest group of recent buyers is millennials, those under the age of 34, who comprised 31 percent of … [Read more...]

Open House Marketing: 4 Things Sellers Should Avoid

Most of us are all too familiar with the television channel HGTV (Home & Garden Television) with its lavish home remodels and spunky hosts. Although it has given the common man both firsthand glimpses into the ins and outs of home maintenance and great tips for buying and selling a home, it has also provided a dramatic exaggeration of real-life residences and homeowners. And when it comes to open houses, the TV entertainment may have on display fine art showings and free-flowing Champagne. Even though … [Read more...]

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