RESOURCES FOR YOU
Current news on the housing market, including articles on home trends, home buying, home selling, and homeowner advice.
An Outdoor Kitchen How-To Guide
Jeff Stone, owner of Artisan Outdoor Kitchens, explains the growing importance of the outdoor kitchen, and how to design the perfect, luxurious outdoor living space. Writing for KGA Studio Architects’ blog, Stone explains, “Investing in the beauty and function of an outdoor kitchen not only creates a perfect entertainment space, it also adds exceptional value to a home.”…
How the Great Recession destroyed the American dream
In the decade since the 2008 financial crisis, the American economy has, by most metrics, recovered what it lost. Most Americans are employed; inflation is acceptable; and GDP is currently expanding at the fastest rate in 13 years. But despite the economy’s recent strength, America has not addressed the deepening inequality that has been growing for three decades,…
Parents, stop working so hard: Kids can do these back-to-school tasks themselves
For some parents, back-to-school time feels like a mad rush to find school supplies and clothes, fill out paperwork and sign up for extracurricular activities. There’s a solution: Ask children to help. Yes, really: It reduces stress and encourages children to be engaged. “When we involve our kids in back to school preparation we help them take more responsibility for…
Helpful hints for first-time home buyers
There’s good news for Americans who think they can’t afford to buy a house: There’s a slew of government programs aimed at helping first-time homebuyers get a mortgage, often with very favorable terms. For instance, there are conventional mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that require a down payment of just 3 percent…
A 10-Year Anniversary Highlights Need for Housing Finance Reform
With Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now marking their tenth year of conservatorship, NAHB today called on Congress to make it a priority to enact comprehensive reform to the nation’s housing finance system. “To ensure a stable housing finance system that will support the future of homeownership and affordable multifamily housing in America, Congress must…
Gen Z gearing up to be homebuyers
The oldest members of Generation Z are setting their sights on home ownership nearly as often as millennials, according to a new survey.Property Shark, which provides data to real estate professionals, found in a recent survey that 83 percent of Gen Zers born between 1995 and 1999 plan to buy a home in the next five years.…
When millennial’s battle boomers over housing
In “Generation Priced Out,” Randy Shaw examines how boomers have blocked affordable housing in urban neighborhoods, leaving millennial homebuyers in the lurch. The baby boomer/millennial housing mismatch is well known: As boomers age, an upcoming glut of suburban and exurban homes will stand empty and unwanted, leaving both generations at a loss. Downsizing empty-nesters won’t find buyers,…
The easy way to get preapproved for a mortgage
Preapproval is how much a lender is willing to lend you to purchase a home, based on your credit and financial strength. While preapproval is just an estimate of how much mortgage you can afford, it’s one of the most important steps in the home-buying process. With a preapproval letter in hand, you can demonstrate to any…