Ikea was curious about what Americans want from their homes. Surprisingly, it has nothing to do with expensive upgrades. The Swedish retailer’s first annual “US Life at Home Report” uncovered that, above all else, 95% of Americans consider comfort a top home feature. We’re not talking about cushy furniture or other features that makes life […]
Intriguing ‘Life at Home’ Study Findings from Ikea Read More »
U.S. existing-home sales were flat in March as sales gains in the Northeast and Midwest were offset by declines in the West and South. The median existing-home price reached $198,500, up 7.9% from March 2013, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. NAR measures sales and prices of existing single-family homes for the nation overall,
U.S. Home Sales Soft in March 2014 Read More »
Imagine getting an annual insurance bill in the mail that rose from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. That’s what happened to some homeowners across the country after Congress passed flood insurance reform legislation two years ago that raised premiums by more than 25% in a single year. Thankfully, Congress and
Big Flood Insurance Price Hikes Rescinded Read More »
Vacation-home sales were up by nearly 30% in 2013, as high-net-worth households returned to the recreational property markets, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. NAR’s “2014 Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey” shows vacation-home sales jumped 29.7%. About 717,000 vacation homes changed hands last year, up from 553,000 in 2012. Despite the increase, vacation-home
Vacation-Home Sales Surge in 2013 Read More »
The real estate market held steady in January, although homebuyers continued to struggle with tight credit, a lack of inventory, and frigid winter weather. The number of homes under contract to sell but not yet closed was essentially unchanged from December 2013, data from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® shows. Monthly gains in the South
Homes Under Contract Hold Steady Despite Bad Weather, Tight Credit Read More »
The limited inventory of homes for sale in February meant home prices rose in most of the country. But fewer people could afford to buy, so fewer homes sold. Existing-home sales dropped 0.4% in February when the home sales pace slowed to its lowest level since July 2012, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.
Just Released: February 2014 Existing-Home Sales Remain Subdued Read More »
A lack of houses for sale continued to lift home prices in much of the country, but also pushed down the number of existing homes sold in January, data from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® shows. The weather wasn’t helping either. “Disruptive and prolonged winter weather patterns across the country are impacting a wide range
Home Prices Rise, Market Challenged by Tight Inventory Read More »
A USDA home loan program helping low- and moderate-income borrowers buy and refinance homes in rural areas got a boost in the recent farm bill signed into law by President Obama. The program had been threatened in 900 rural areas where populations have grown. But the law allows the status quo on population count to
Home Loan Program Just for Rural Households Saved by Farm Bill Read More »
There’s a different kind of cabin fever breaking out — the kind you catch when you’re stuck inside staring at your walls during a cold, wicked winter. When you realize you don’t have quite enough storage space. Or your kitchen is really dark and dingy. And your bathroom? Well, let’s not go there. There’s no
The Best of the 2014 Kitchen and Bath Show Read More »
The number of homes under contract to sell measurably dropped in December, as abnormal weather kept buyers from venturing out to shop for homes in much of the U.S., according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. NAR’s Pending-Home Sales Index fell 8.7% in December and is 8.8% below December 2012. The PHSI measures the number
Weather Slows Home Sales in December 2013 Read More »
