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Savvy Storage for the Smaller Home

Many homebuyers may hesitate to consider a smaller home that lacks sufficient storage space. While this often means getting rid of—or acquiring fewer—belongings, there is still a need for accessible, efficient storage throughout the home. Short of adding or constructing areas specifically for storage, there are ways to coax more usability out of existing space. […]
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Failure to Launch Syndrome Can Hurt Household Budgets

Budget-conscious Americans say they are feeling the pinch from the responsibility of providing financial support for adult children, according to a new survey by American Consumer Credit Counseling. Half of those polled during the month of September by ACCC says they are footing at least some of the bills for at least one adult child over […]
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Don’t Overlook the Tax Break Given for Mortgage Points

(TNS)—Homeowners already know the major tax advantage available by deducting mortgage interest payments. But many homeowners overlook another home loan tax break: the deduction for points paid to get their home loans. In some cases, the points also could cut tax bills for folks who refinanced or got an equity loan or line of credit. […]
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For 69 Percent of Renters, Location Is a Decision-Maker

It may surprise some housing professionals to know that when it comes to renting, location—not price or size—seems to be the major decision-maker. This news comes from For Rent Media Solutions’ recently released white paper, Engaging Today’s Consumer: The Modern Apartment Search. After surveying more than 13,500 consumers, FRMS has gained key insights into the search […]
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Homeowners Overvalued Their Properties again in August

Homeowner estimates of their home’s value exceeded appraiser opinions by a wider margin than in July, making August the seventh consecutive month of an increasingly wider gap between opinions. This news is according to Quicken Loans’ recent report that appraiser opinions of home values were 2.65 percent lower than homeowner estimates in August, according to […]
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Consumer Confidence Hikes in August

Despite the August increase in overall confidence, respondents’ appraisals of current conditions and expectations for the next six months were mixed. While 82 percent of respondents rated current business conditions “good” (23 percent) or “normal” (59 percent), 56 percent of respondents characterized employment conditions as “jobs not so plentiful.” The remaining 44 percent were split […]
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Home Improvement Hot Spots: Who’s Rebuilding?

(TNS)–After doing just enough to maintain their homes in the wake of the Great Recession, Americans are starting to ramp up spending on backyard decks, spa-like bathrooms and other vanity improvements. The amount people spend on home remodeling and repair is anticipated to hit $325 billion this year, a level that hasn’t been reached since […]
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Better to Own Near Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods?

Two of our most basic needs as humans are food and shelter, and a recently released RealtyTrac report takes an enlightening look at an analysis combining these two elements. For this analysis, RealtyTrac looked at home values, appreciation and property taxes in U.S. zip codes with a Whole Foods or a Trader Joe’s to determine […]
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Consumers Expect Slower Growth in Spending

The July 2015 Survey of Consumer Expectationsresults suggest relatively stable expectations about the economy. The median one-year and three-year-ahead expected rates of inflation remained unchanged at 3.0 percent. While earnings and household income growth expectations were largely unchanged, median household spending growth expectations retreated substantially to their lowest level since the inception of the survey in […]