A kitchen remodel that delivers style and function for your family is great. A remodel that delivers resale value is better. Consider these bestselling trends when remaking your kitchen: 1) Granite or quartz countertops are constant favorites. 2) Varying countertop options, from prep space to the island. 3) Ever-popular, stainless steel lends a gourmet feel. […]
Planning a Remodel? Check Your Financing Options
Plans to gut the kitchen or re-tile the roof? Consider the pros and cons of these three financing options: 1) Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). This option is like credit card with a huge limit. Watch out for problems that may arise regarding rates, interest-only payments and refinancing. 2) Mortgage Cash Out. Though the […]
Heating with a Minisplit Heat Pump
Could heating your home with electricity be the more efficient choice? It is, if you use a heat pump. Pumps move heat around while upgrading the heat temperature; they extract heat from cold spaces and send it to warmer spaces. A simple switch changes a pump from from heater to a cooler. There are two […]
Gardens Grow as Latest Green Home Amenity
Gardens are being used to grow more than vegetables; they are growing tighter knit communities, common purpose, and environmental awareness. From housing projects to luxury condos, builders are now seeing the benefit of including gardens in their planned amenities. Housing projects use gardens to emphasize the local food movement. Senior living developments often draw in […]
5 Kitchen Remodeling Trends That Are Here To Stay (For Now)
While square footage is nice, what many kitchen remodelers value is a calm, cozy space to gather. According to the first Kitchen Remodeling Survey, conducted by the design site, Houzz, more than 75,000 homeowners have ripped out the “before” portions of their kitchens and are well into “after” phases of their home makeovers. Most of […]
Green Building as a Health Issue
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) came into existence thirteen years ago, when the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) launched it with the idea in mind that the construction and real estate industries would utilize it to improve the energy efficiency and environmentally friendly practices in their projects in order to gain recognition […]
Consumer Confidence Falls Again
The Thomson Reuters and University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index fell for the second month straight in October for the lowest result since December of 2012: a 73.2 value. In addition, the Consumer Confidence Index (as reported by the Conference Board) fell nine points, or 11.2 percent, to a month to month seasonally adjusted value […]
Real Rents Up 1.2% Over Last Year
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has recently released data showing that consumer prices rose 0.2% in September on a seasonally adjusted month over month basis. This contributes to an overall 1.2% increase for urban consumers in the past year, though before seasonal adjustments. The September numbers also show a slight increase over August, with […]
Rise of Solar Powered Homes
Homes powered by photovoltaic (PV) systems, more commonly referred to as solar-powered homes, are still a small share of the total housing stock, but their numbers are rising thanks to both government incentive and also the preference of home buyers. Energy efficiency is one of the top features in current demand for housing, and a […]
Unfilled Construction Jobs Rose in August
Though the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) was delayed, due to the government shutdown, it’s eventual publication brought some good news in that it showed the number of unfilled positions in the construction sector rising during August. This increase in unfilled positions matches the increasing activity in the construction sector, but unfortunately […]