FRIDAY. PICK UP.

How to Hire the Right Architect: Comparing Fees

How to hire the right architect, why there aren't more homes for sale, school data and ratings fueling residential segregation, richest small cities in America (Silicon Valley has 2 of the 5) and more. Enjoy.


 As prices rise, housing recovery wobbles - Economists still expect the housing market to gain momentum this year as job and wage growth lead to more new households, credit conditions continue to ease, and builders ramp up production. Pending home sales increased in March for the first time in nine months, and real estate brokers in several regions say sales have been picking up.

 Why Aren’t There More Homes For Sale? Although some markets are bouncing back from their 2013 inventory lows, buyers in 2014 will continue to face limited options and competitive situations in most markets. Rising home values and new construction may help alleviate the low inventory problem in some places. Redfin calculates that all virtually all low equity homeowners could be in the black with five years of 5 percent price gains. Additionally, Redfin agents have already seen inventory rise in markets with significant home value appreciation, such as Southern California, Phoenix and Washington, D.C.

 Zell Says Homeownership Rate to Fall as Marriages Delayed - The U.S. homeownership rate may fall to as low as 55 percent because more Americans are choosing to rent as they postpone getting married and having children, said Sam Zell, chairman of landlord Equity Residential.

 Online school data and ratings fueling residential segregation - Inman News special report examines how online school information is influencing buyers and neighborhoods

Plastic surgeons and luxury car dealerships propel Palo Alto to second on list of richest small cities - A new report that factors in more tangible symbols of wealth — like plastic surgery, yachts and luxury cars — found that Silicon Valley is home to two of the five richest small cities in America. 

California may join New Mexico in the running for the Tesla battery factory - A couple of developments indicate that the Golden State may be a contender for the $5 billion factory that will make litihium-ion batteries.



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