FRIDAY - SERIOUSLY. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE SUN DAZE.
Inching Toward a Smarter Home
Housing in 2015: Four Reasons for Optimism (And One for Worry)
Buying a Home in California is Harder for Middle Class Families
Five Things to Watch in Housing In 2015
Zillow: Bay Area saw nation's biggest rent hikes this year — and 2015 could be just as bad
6 Smart Ways to Work Your Square Footage
Enjoy!
Housing in 2015: Four Reasons for Optimism (And One for Worry) - Will 2015 be the year that the housing market finally breaks out of its tepid recovery and takes off as economic indicators point to strong improvement? According to economists, there are several factors to encourage optimism. Firstly, employers are hiring again, job growth is relatively strong, and consumer confidence is growing. Also, slower price appreciation in 2014 may have set the stage for a buying surge in 2015. Millennial entry into the market and high rents may also working in housing’s favor.
Buying a Home in California is Harder for Middle Class Families - The median income required to buy a home today in California is $30,000 higher than it was a few years ago, which means less than a third of California households can afford a home at the median price right now. According to Selma Hepp, senior economist with the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®, it’s much harder today than it was a year ago to buy a home in the state because there are very few affordable homes available in places most people want to live.
Five Things to Watch in Housing In 2015 - With lingering concerns about the recovery of the housing market, there are several key factors to watch in 2015, including affordability. It remains to be seen whether sales will pick up in 2015 if there’s more available for sale, and if those sellers realize prices aren’t rising the way they were one or two years ago. Slight loosening in access to credit may make the process of obtaining a mortgage less burdensome, but without an increase in incomes, there may not be sufficient buyers. Interest rates, inventory, and new construction are also important to monitor.
Zillow: Bay Area saw nation's biggest rent hikes this year — and 2015 could be just as bad - Zillow crunched the numbers and found that the Bay Area had the biggest cumulative rent increases in the nation and that next year could bring similar rent hikes.
6 Smart Ways to Work Your Square Footage - The Hardworking Home: From Juliet balconies to movable walls, here’s how to make a home of any size feel more open, flexible and fun. Some of my favorites:
