Lifestyle

September 21, 2023

Planning to Retire? Your Equity Can Help You Make a Move

From our friends in KCM Reaching retirement is a significant milestone in life, bringing with it a lot of change and new opportunities. As the door to this exciting chapter opens, one thing you may be considering is selling your house and finding a home better suited for your evolving needs. Fortunately, you may be in a better position to make a move than you realize. Here are a few reasons why. Consider How Long You’ve Been in Your Home From 1985 to 2009, the average length of time homeowners stayed in their homes was roughly six years. But according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), that number is higher today. Since 2010, the average home tenure is just...

by Jenn Pfeiffer

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September 13, 2023

Lifestyle

How to Organize a House Renovation

The Spruce | By: Lee Wallender Home renovation is complex and difficult, especially when renovating an entire home. Whole-home renovations can upset your life, strain relationships, and tax your budget. But this is balanced out by the prospect of significantly increased resale value, more and better living space, and a gorgeous home that you'll enjoy living in. It's important to understand what you're getting into when you choose a whole home renovation. A look at the elements and the basic flow of a major home renovation will give you a sense of what's involved and help you effectively plan the project. Design and Plan Whether it's a sketch on a piece of paper or...

by Jenn Pfeiffer

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August 24, 2023

Buying, Lifestyle, Living

Behr’s 2024 Color of the Year Is Made for Dramatic Exteriors

Modern farmhouses and beyond. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Stanly Ranch, an Auberge resort in Napa, California, isn’t your typical hotel. Instead of one big elevator building, a slew of modern black houses dot the 700-acre property. The sleek villas served as an inspiring setting for Behr’s annual color of the year announcement. The paint purveyor revealed today that Cracked Pepper is its top choice for 2024, and it’s a no-brainer as to where to use it. “It’s the perfect exterior color,” says Sarah Fishburne, Home Depot’s director of trend and design. Photography by Emily Dorio Of course, the “soft black,” as Erika Woelfel,...

by Jenn Pfeiffer

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August 15, 2023

Buying, Lifestyle

Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-August

By: CALCULATEDRISK BY BILL MCBRIDE On Friday, in Part 1: Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-August I reviewed home inventory and sales. House Prices Reported YoY house price growth remained negative in May, with the Case-Shiller National Index down 0.5%. The MoM increase in the seasonally adjusted Case-Shiller National Index was at 0.74%. This was the fourth consecutive MoM increase following seven straight MoM decreases. Most measures of house prices have shown an increase in prices over the last several months, and a key question is Will house prices decline further later this year? Other measures of house prices suggest prices will be up YoY soon in the Case-Shiller index. The NAR reported median prices were down 0.9%...

by Jenn Pfeiffer

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July 28, 2023

Buying, Lifestyle, News

MacKenzie Scott’s foundation is donating $10 million for affordable housing (exclusive)

The National Housing Trust will likely use some of the funding to modernize homes to be more climate-friendly—which should also drive down rents. By: Fast Company When Priya Jayachandran received an email from MacKenzie Scott’s foundation informing her that it was donating $10 million to her organization, she thought it was a hoax. She almost deleted the message. But the offer was legitimate. Scott’s philanthropic organization, Yield Giving, is providing National Housing Trust, founded in Washington, D.C., in 1986, with a onetime donation of $10 million—the largest NHT has ever received—to further its work. That includes creating and preserving affordable housing, supporting affordable rent payments for tenants, and making the homes more...

by Jenn Pfeiffer

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July 19, 2023

Home and Garden, Home Staging, Lifestyle, Living

Renting or Selling Your House: What’s the Best Move?

By: KCM If you’re a homeowner ready to make a move, you may be thinking about using your current house as a short-term rental property instead of selling it. A short-term rental (STR) is typically offered as an alternative to a hotel, and they’re an investment that’s gained popularity in recent years. While a short-term rental can be a tempting idea, you may find the reality of being responsible for one difficult to take on. Here are some of the challenges you could face if you rent out your house instead of selling it. A Short-Term Rental Comes with Responsibilities Successfully managing your house as a short-term rental takes a lot of time and effort....

by Jenn Pfeiffer

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July 10, 2023

Buying, Home and Garden, Home Staging, Lifestyle, Living, Neighborhood, News, Open House

Why Homeownership Wins in the Long Run

From our friends in KCM Today’s higher mortgage rates, inflationary pressures, and concerns about a potential recession have some people questioning: should I still buy a home this year? While it’s true this year has unique challenges for homebuyers, it’s important to think about the long-term benefits of homeownership when making your decision. Consider this: if you know people who bought a home 5, 10, or even 30 years ago, you’re probably going to have a hard time finding someone who regrets their decision. Why is that? The reason is tied to how home values grow with time and how, by extension, that grows your own wealth. That may be why, in a recent Fannie Mae survey, 70% of respondents...

by Jenn Pfeiffer

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June 22, 2023

Lifestyle, Living

Mortgage Rates Inch Down But Remain Above 6.5%

REALTOR® Magazine As inflation decelerates, the potential for lower mortgage rates is becoming a greater possibility. Mortgage rates decreased for the second consecutive week but still remain above 6.5%, a far cry from a year ago, muting any celebration from borrowers. Freddie Mac reports the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.69% this week. The weekly drop comes on the heels of better economic news: The Federal Reserve on Wednesday voted to pause hikes to its benchmark interest rate in June—here’s how that could affect mortgage rates—and inflation dropped to 4%, the lowest level in two years. “As inflation continues to decelerate, economic growth is slowing and the tightening cycle of monetary policy...

by Jenn Pfeiffer

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June 21, 2023

Buying, Home and Garden, Home Staging, Lifestyle, Open House

35 Corte Dorado, Greenbrae

35 Corte Dorado, Greenbrae Living Your Best Life in the Heart of Greenbrae Offered at $2,495,000 Experience luxury and serenity with this elegant 4 BR/3BA home in Greenbrae. This two story home has the spacious primary suite with full Mt. Tam views and a large guest bedroom on the main level with two bedrooms, a bath, family room, laundry room on the lower level. Situated on a cul-de-sac in a sylvan setting, walking distance to top-rated schools, this home was rebuilt in 2000 using gorgeous finishes including slate, granite, marble, limestone and wood. It is on a large lot that slopes gently to a seasonal creek and affords tremendous privacy. With large...

by Jenn Pfeiffer

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December 15, 2022

Buying, Home and Garden, Home Staging, Lifestyle

Things to Confess to Your Partner Before Buying

Thinking of taking the next BIG step with your partner?! 💑 We recommend clearing the air 🌬️ before starting your house-hunting journey 🏡 :::Things To Discuss::: 📐 Features: The number of bedrooms, bathrooms and layout can make a big difference in your day-to-day life. Does one of you want a larger suburban home to grow into and the other a low-maintenance bungalow in the city? 📍 Location & Lifestyle: What will commuting look like for each of you? Where are your interests and hobbies located, and do they differ? 💳 Credit Score: Does one of you have great credit and the other… well, not so much? Discuss how this could impact...

by Jenn Pfeiffer

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Planning to Retire? Your Equity Can Help You Make a Move

How to Organize a House Renovation

Behr’s 2024 Color of the Year Is Made for Dramatic Exteriors

Current State of the Housing Market; Overview for mid-August

MacKenzie Scott’s foundation is donating $10 million for affordable housing (exclusive)

Renting or Selling Your House: What’s the Best Move?

Why Homeownership Wins in the Long Run

Mortgage Rates Inch Down But Remain Above 6.5%

35 Corte Dorado, Greenbrae

Things to Confess to Your Partner Before Buying

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