Home Sales Climb Nationwide
Two factors in March led to an increase in national home sales. Continued job creation meant more buyers could afford to move out of their rental units, while low interest rates made that new home more affordable. For the sixth consecutive month, home sales climbed year-over-year; in March, sales were up 10.4 percent from a year earlier. Forty percent of all homes sold stayed on the market for less than a month. On average, it took only 52 days... Read More
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3 Methods Appraisers Use to Find Your Home's Value
An appraisal is frequently viewed as an inconvenience and a "nuisance" cost, but if you are buying, selling, or refinancing your home, an appraisal will likely be required. Here are three methods appraisers use to find your home's value.
1. Sales Comparison
To develop this analysis, the appraiser will research sales of other houses (known in the industry as "comparables") that have recently sold... Read More |
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Energy-Efficiency Ranks Highest in New Home Features
A recent survey from the National Association of Home Builders found that energy efficiency has become one of the most sought after home features. One group in particular—millennials—would pay up to three percent more for an energy-efficient home that could lower their utility bills.
New and Improved
With improved insulation and sustainable building materials, new homes... Read More
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Increase Your Property Value with Landscaping
If you don't consider landscaping a long-term investment, you probably should. According to the Appraisal Institute, good landscaping makes a great impression on would-be buyers, and helps to sell a property quicker than a comparable home with lackluster landscaping. Desirable gardens—ones that combine functionality with aesthetic appeal—can even raise the value of your home by seven to 15 percent.
Take Care of the Practicalities
While your landscaping needs to look good, it also needs to be functional. Before designing a scheme, check that you have an accessible area to park the car and store the trash cans... Read More
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Avoid These 7 Kitchen Design Disasters
Kitchen designers may be trained to help customers avoid mistakes, but they all have war stories of being brought into projects only after big problems arise. What are the kitchen-planning gaffes designers for Decora Cabinets see most often?
1. Appliance Fever
This commonly occurs when clients insist on having a 72-inch Viking range in an 8- by 10-foot kitchen. They may have six burners, but nowhere to store a pan. This problem can usually be fixed by choosing appliance options like double oven ranges, dishwashers that are incorporated into the sink, counter-depth refrigerators, and even under-the-counter... Read More |
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