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Remodeling Homeowners Choosing Style Over Profit

remodeling style tips
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Even as new and existing home sales and prices climb, homeowners are prioritizing aesthetics before profit, according to a recent Houzz & Home Survey. Houzz is a leading online platform for home design and remodeling, with more than four million unique users each month. Among homeowners planning to build, remodel or decorate in the next [...]

Six Keys to Selling Your Home in Today’s Market

6 keys to selling your home
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According to the National Association of Realtors®, more than 4.25 million homes sold in 2011. That’s a lot of real estate and such numbers raise the question: How are sellers doing it? “Because individual homes are unique, there isn’t one single strategy that works equally well for every property,” says Wendy Forsythe, the executive vice [...]

Remodeling projects inspired by green building materials

green remodeling materials
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Now that the warm weather has arrived, homeowners are ready to tackle their to-do lists and take on home remodeling projects that were put on hold throughout the winter months. If you’re ready to turn your dreams into reality, it’s important to not only focus on the project’s design, but to also pay attention to [...]

Summer Outdoor Lighting – Top Ideas for Curb Appeal and Energy Savings

summer outdoor lighting
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Now that summer is fast approaching most of us tend to push thoughts of outdoor lighting to the back of our minds. After all, who needs much lighting when the days are long and the beautiful sunlight is plentiful? Most people would agree with the writer Henry James when he said, “Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to [...]

Remodeling Homeowners Choosing Style Over Profit

remodeling style tips
Share

Even as new and existing home sales and prices climb, homeowners are prioritizing aesthetics before profit, according to a recent Houzz & Home Survey. Houzz is a leading online platform for home design and remodeling, with more than four million unique users each month.

Among homeowners planning to build, remodel or decorate in the next two years, 86 percent cited “improving the look and feel of the space” as an important driver for remodeling projects, while only 47 percent cited “increasing home value.” The gap between these priorities was consistent across all income levels and demographic groups. Read more

Six Keys to Selling Your Home in Today’s Market

6 keys to selling your home
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According to the National Association of Realtors®, more than 4.25 million homes sold in 2011. That’s a lot of real estate and such numbers raise the question: How are sellers doing it?

“Because individual homes are unique, there isn’t one single strategy that works equally well for every property,” says Wendy Forsythe, the executive vice president of a real estate company. “The real trick is understanding that today’s marketplace is cash driven, quick and highly competitive. Owners who understand their local markets and work with a knowledgeable agent are those most likely to succeed.” Read more

Remodeling projects inspired by green building materials

green remodeling materials
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Now that the warm weather has arrived, homeowners are ready to tackle their to-do lists and take on home remodeling projects that were put on hold throughout the winter months. If you’re ready to turn your dreams into reality, it’s important to not only focus on the project’s design, but to also pay attention to the materials used.

While new techniques and radically re-thought living concepts are responsible for many green building advancements, it is the materials themselves that have the biggest impact. Read more

Summer Outdoor Lighting – Top Ideas for Curb Appeal and Energy Savings

summer outdoor lighting
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Now that summer is fast approaching most of us tend to push thoughts of outdoor lighting to the back of our minds. After all, who needs much lighting when the days are long and the beautiful sunlight is plentiful? Most people would agree with the writer Henry James when he said, “Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language,” and leave it at that. Read more

Move Over Generation Z, Hispanic Group Declares ‘Bebe Boomers’ Are the New Demographic Cohort

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Hispanic Group, an independent, minority-owned agency that specializes in customized communications solutions across all disciplines of advertising, traditional, digital and social media, branded content, direct response services and experiential marketing to the varied and fast-growing segments of the Hispanic population, today coined a new term “Bebe Boomers,” to describe the growing Latino population boom and the shifting cultural landscape in the U.S. Read more

Check Your Deck: May Is National Deck Safety Month

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As homeowners rev into full spring and summer entertaining season, everyone should make time to check their decks for safety concerns that could lead to accidents and injuries.

“Many of us have delayed home repairs and improvement until they are absolutely essential,” says Rob Haislip, vice president of Archadeck. “Even then, sometimes homeowners don’t have enough information to decide when something is optional or truly a safety hazard that could result in an injury.” Read more

Remodeling? Notify Your Insurance Company

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According to a recent study by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, there will be a 5.9 percent increase in spending on remodeling projects in 2012. If you are one of the many Americans planning to remodel your home this year, it is important to have the right amount and type of insurance both during and after the renovation, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I). Read more

Giving your tax refund legs

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One way to give your tax refund legs is to invest it in your home. While the housing market may still be experiencing difficulties, real estate remains a great long-term investment. BMO Financial Group offers the following real estate-related options for your tax refund: Read more

2016 will see an Exponential Increase for Green Homes

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As home builders and homeowners become increasingly aware of the quality design and cost value associated with environmentally-sound construction, production of green homes will rise significantly over the next several years. In fact, according to a survey released at the 2012 International Builder’s Show in Orlando, Fla., green homes—which comprised 17 percent of the overall residential construction market in 2011—are expected to grow to between 29 percent and 38 percent of the market by 2016. By value, this equates to a five-fold increase, growing from $17 billion in 2011 to $87-$114 billion in 2016, based on the five-year forecast for overall residential construction. Read more

Appealing Your Property Tax Assessment

protesting your property taxes in texas
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Your assessment is what your local unit of government – typically your county or municipality – calculates your home is worth for tax purposes. It’s similar to, but different from, an appraisal, which is an estimate of property value for purposes of obtaining or refinancing a mortgage. Read more