FRIDAY - planet gazing after sunset
- To-Dos: Your August Home Checklist
- Most Home Sellers Think Now is a Good Time to Sell
- Landlord Nation: Boomers’ New Retirement Plan Is Millennials Paying Rent
- The plight of the modern-day renter
- U.S. Treasury Expands All Cash Buyer Rule to California
- Silicon Valley’s Latest Innovation: Next-Level Maternity and Family Benefits
- Small, Slim and Super: Compact Kitchen Islands That Offer Big Function
Enjoy!
Most Home Sellers Think Now is a Good Time to Sell - According to a Redfin Survey of home sellers conducted this month, 52 percent think now is a good time to sell in their neighborhood (up from 34 percent last year) and 58 percent think sellers have more power than buyers (up from 44 percent last year). This is the second consecutive quarter in which the majority of sellers think now is a good time to sell and nearly the highest level of seller confidence we’ve recorded.
Landlord Nation: Boomers’ New Retirement Plan Is Millennials Paying Rent - Redfin Chief Executive Glenn Kelman says an increasing number of Americans are joining the ranks of what he deems the “Landlord Nation,” a group of mom-and-pop investors who have seized on low mortgage rates and robust rent growth to plow savings into rental properties. As a result, the percentage of single-family houses used as rental properties has risen to stratospheric heights. The share of single-family homes used as rental properties has surged to a 30-year high, while the number of starter homes on the market dropped by more than 44 percent from the first quarter of 2012 to the first quarter of this year. When the housing bubble burst, millions of homeowners were pushed into foreclosure, creating a ripe patch of cheap housing for would-be landlords—and a new pool of renters to absorb the supply.
The plight of the modern-day renter - Housing is becoming more cramped for many across the U.S., as 14.7 percent of households had fewer bedrooms than family members, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from 2009, according to a new report from Trulia. The study found that only 8.1 percent of households who own their home experience a space crunch versus 26.4 percent of households who rent. Homeowners experiencing a space crunch decreased 0.3 percentage points from 2009’s 8.4 percent. On the other hand, the percentage of renter-households with a space crunch increased 0.6 percentage points since 2009.
U.S. Treasury Expands All Cash Buyer Rule to California - The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) announced last week that it has expanded its Geographic Targeting Orders (GTO), temporarily requiring U.S. title insurance companies to identify the natural persons behind shell companies used to pay “all cash” for high-end residential real estate in six major metropolitan areas, including five in California. Expanding the GTOs is a continued effort to monitor financial real estate transactions to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The additional areas in California now include Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara, and San Diego counties.
Silicon Valley’s Latest Innovation: Next-Level Maternity and Family Benefits - Silicon Valley technology companies have long been known for offering employees a wide range of benefits—from nap pods and snack bars to flexible work schedules and stock options—in a bid to lure the country’s top tech talent. However where Bay-area companies really shine these days is when it comes to family-friendly policies—in particular through innovative programs for new mothers.
Small, Slim and Super: Compact Kitchen Islands That Offer Big Function - Movable carts and narrow tables bring flexibility to these space-constrained kitchens. Some of my favorites:
