May marks a golden opportunity for homeowners to assess their home and ensure everything is in tip-top shape before the summer months begin. HouseLogic recently provided a checklist that you can use to save both time and money.For smart homeowners, these four tasks are essential for the month of May: A new refrigerator. If your current fridge is leaky, not cooling enough, or tight on storage space, consider buying a new model this month. May is
Bathrooms have overtaken kitchens as the most popular remodeling project, according to a newly released survey by the National Association of Home Builders."Small-scale renovations are slowly becoming just as popular as large-scale projects, as seen with bathroom remodeling becoming more common than kitchens," says 2018 NAHB Remodelers Chair Joanne Theunissen. "Home owners are finding cost-effective and [faster] upgrades can also add comfort and
Gmail, the world’s most popular email service, underwent a big transformation this week. Among the changes, users can now do email snoozing, nudging, and confidential mode.The changes are being phased in gradually to Gmail’s 1.4 billion users. Jacob Bank, lead product manager for Gmail, told The Verge the redesign is to make “people safer and more productive” when using the email service.Here are a few of the changes Gmail users can expec
May is the best month to sell a home nationwide, according to a new analysis by ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate data firm. Researchers evaluated the sales of 14.7 million homes from 2011 to 2017 to pinpoint the month or date that offered the highest sales prices.May saw the largest premiums above the estimated market value of 5.9 percent, on average—higher than any other month during the year.Mark your calendars: The best day of the year to
Juwai.com, a Chinese international real estate website, announced it’s partnering with a tech firm to introduce a line of Mandarin-speaking robots that real estate agents and developers can use to serve Chinese buyers. The firm Singou Technology of Macau will develop the “Butler 1” artificial intelligence robots.The robots could be used in real estate offices to assist with Mandarin-speaking clients.“The robots are really designed to help
Homeowners and buyers are increasingly interested in sustainability, which is leading more real estate pros to promote environmentally responsible features and business practices. Sixty-one percent of REALTORS® recently surveyed say that consumers are interested in sustainability, according to the REALTORS® and Sustainability 2018 Report.Seventy-one percent of agents and brokers reported that promoting energy efficiency in listings is either s
Some places in the U.S. offer better odds of singles breaking out of renting and into homeownership. Nearly 83 percent of renters say they have a desire to buy a home, according to polls by the National Association of REALTORS®. But the reality is that many can’t afford to with rising home prices and mortgage rates. For singles, the move to homeownership can especially be tough.SmartAsset, a personal finance website, analyzed cities to find wh
The U.S. and Britain have issued a warning about Russian cyberattacks that could extend to individual homes. The warning was the first of its kind, The New York Times reports. The warning extends to possible cyberattacks to government and private organizations in both countries as well.The countries are asking the public to upgrade passwords and computer security to make themselves less vulnerable.Ciaran Martin, chief executive of Britain’s N
Wallpaper tends to be highly flammable and can be a major contributor to house fires. But researchers at Shanghai’s Institute of Ceramics are developing wallpaper that can detect fire and even act as a flame retardant.The wallpaper is made from fire-resistant materials like graphene oxide and hydroxyapatite nanowires. Graphene is electrically insulated and can be used like a sensor switch. When heat rises above a certain temperature, it will cl
Homeowners care about the entertainment value a backyard offers, and they’re devoting money to sprucing these spaces up, according to the latest Houzz Landscaping Survey, based on responses by more than 750 homeowners who are either in the middle of a landscaping project or planning one.Homeowners are investing in several landscaping projects to make their outdoor areas more livable, such as adding more seating with lounge furniture, dining fur
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