A homeowner’s personality can have a big influence on their behavior when it comes to home improvement projects, according to a new survey by the Home Projects Council, a group of home improvement experts that aims to help homeowners improve their property values.The Home Projects Council identified the following five home improvement personality types: The Sensible Improver, the Project Planner, the Reliable Renovator, the Visionary, and the
Community water systems must test and monitor drinking water supplies to ensure safe, clean and good-tasting water. But what happens once water hits neighborhoods and homes?The answer: It varies. Which is why homesellers, especially those in older homes, should test their water to ensure they support clean, healthy water. And their listing agents should support them, because home water quality issues can complicate a sale.The water quality tests
Sellers may be shooting themselves in the foot when they leave an empty, dark, or cluttered room unstaged, according to a recent realtor.com® article. Empty rooms, for example, can “kill a home sale, especially if the other rooms are furnished,” says Allison Bethell of FitSmallBusiness.com. Imperfections stand out more in an empty room, and the absence of furnishings could make it more difficult for buyers to visualize how to use the space.A
Location, crime, and neighborhood comps can certainly affect a home’s value. But what are some of the more invisible factors that influence sales prices? HouseCanary, a data analytics real estate platform, analyzed more than 1,500 counties to identify the top five hidden factors that influence home values.They pinpointed the following: The view angle from the backyard: The maximum angle that opens up to scenery or nature from your backyard (me
More millennials are bypassing high-priced coastal markets in favor of the Rust Belt and Midwest, shows a new analysis by LendingTree, an online loan marketplace.The report shows that millennials in Pittsburgh, Des Moines, Iowa, and Buffalo, N.Y., are pursuing homeownership more than their counterparts in any of the nation’s 100 largest cities. LendingTree analyzed mortgage requests and offers of borrowers ages 35 years old and under between Fe
Homeowners who want to increase their property’s value don’t necessarily have to start knocking down walls or adding extra rooms. In fact, a coat of paint can go a long way toward enhancing the look of a space. Modern Garden Rooms offers the following infographic that shows numerous ways you can add value to a property.Source: Modern Garden Rooms
Be careful: You may be under surveillance when touring a property. Some sellers are using surveillance cameras inside their home to record the sight and sound as prospective buyers walk through.The increase in these home recordings—many from security systems that owners already have installed—are raising some concerns surrounding privacy in real estate transactions, MarketWatch reports.Jill Comfort, a real estate pro in Phoenix, told MarketW
Replace lightbulbs. The typical American household spends 5 to 10 percent of its energy budget on lighting alone, according to the DOE. Replace incandescent lightbulbs with LEDs, which on average are 85 percent more energy-efficient. You can shave $100 a year on your energy costs by making the switch.Unplug. Leaving cellphones, TVs, computers, and other electronic devices plugged in can continue to pull power from the grid. That can add up over
Fifty-eight percent of homeowners plan to spend money on home improvement projects this year, according to a recent survey by LightStream Home Improvement, a national online lending division of SunTrust Banks Inc.Outdoor improvements, including decks, patios, and landscaping, remained highest on owners’ to-do lists for the fifth consecutive year. Interior renovations also are popular: Nearly a third of homeowners say they plan to remodel a bath
Investors can see big returns on real estate, but the most successful tend to have a strong understanding of how to evaluate their options before purchasing. Forbes.com recently highlighted some winning strategies for profitable real estate investing: Focus on potential income, not personal like and dislikes. Purchasing an investment property is different than buying residential real estate. Investments need to center on the numbers—the combin
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