Tagged : Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Texas Realty

In 2020, Americans spent $420 billion remodeling their homes, according to a new report by The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) and The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI.) They remodeled to upgrade outdated worn-out surfaces, finishes and materials (30%), add features and improve livability (20%), and just enjoy a change (16%.)   While most consumers (83% of those surveyed) said they would have remodeled regardless of the pandemic, most found that they were happy with the results (57%), satisfied (39%), and felt a sense of accomplishment (69%).  

Homeowners reported that the best results from remodeling were better functionality and livability (35%), durability (22%), and beauty (14%). A whopping 84% of homeowners said

Do you need a home inspection when you buy a condominium or a co-op? According to BrickUnderground.com, home inspections are common for single-family homes, but they’re also increasingly being requested by urban homebuyers of condos and co-ops. Condo and co-op owners share common spaces such as elevators, lobbies, parking, and grounds, but where they differ is who’s responsible for maintenance and what the inspection can cover.   

Condos are privately-owned units within a community of other privately-owned units, explains Bankrate.com. Owners share common areas, but inside their apartments, they own the air space and interior walls of their units plus the structural components of the exterior walls. Condos are managed by a homeowner’s association

If you’re a homebuyer without a home to buy, the ongoing housing shortage is making housing to buy less affordable by the day. Certain factors should change with time, which should provide you with a better chance to buy a home in mid-to-late 2022.

One factor that helped fuel the current housing market boom was record low interest rates. According to the latest weekly Mortgage Bankers Association survey, the average contract interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) under $647,200 was 5.20% with 0.63 points. That’s a quick rise from the record low recorded by Freddie Mac in December 2020 of 2.68% for the same FRM loan.  As a borrower you could ask your lender about a hybrid mortgage that gives you a lower adjustable rate for a fixed

According to EyeonHousing.com, half of owner-occupied homes were built before 1980. That could be just one of many reasons why many homebuyers and homeowners are going more “retro” in their decorating styles. Retro pieces of furniture, art, and accessories, whether antique, reproduction or derivative, can bring unique personality to any home.

TheSpruce.com explains that home décor has always mixed the old with the new. Retro is widely thought to mean Mid-century design, but it can also include nods from other eras, including Art Deco and Modernism from the 1920s to the 1940s. Both post-war, these modernistic motifs reflect large lifestyle changes, and are based in the joys of progress and optimism for the future.

Art Deco décor: The 1920s was a

If you’ve been anxious about being able to buy a home, you’ll like the latest news in March 2022 from the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) and the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Housing sales are slowing down.

In February 2022, existing home sales were down 2.4% from one year ago and down 7.2% from January. Supplies of listed but not-yet-sold homes totaled 870,000 units, up 2.4% from January, but remain 15.5% lower than a year ago (1.03 million.) The supply is 1.7 months at the current sales pace, up from 1.6 months on hand in January.

As interest rates cross the 4% threshold and prices continue rising, monthly house payments have risen by 28%, says NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. The median existing-home sales price rose to

It’s time for fun in the sun, and not too late to make some improvements to your deck. Before you have family and friends over for summer barbeques, take a weekend to make your deck more attractive, comfortable and better integrated with your backyard.

You want your deck and yard to look like they flow together. One way to do that is to plan around what you’d like to view, such as side gardens with flowers. The deck steps can lead down to the landing area or pavers in the grass that allows you and your guests to walk around and admire the plants up close.

Just as you want to orient your deck to pleasing views, you want to block out views that aren’t as nice. It’s easy to add screens, outdoor curtains or lattices so that you can enjoy the fresh

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, the real estate industry in the U.S. is beginning to ask questions. How will the war affect the economy and how will it impact the housing market? At the very least, global conflict is unnerving, but is there hidden opportunity for American homebuyers?

According to REALTOR Magazine, stocks and cryptocurrency have been volatile. As sources of payment for homes, these may impact the luxury real estate market the most. Inflation is at a 40-year high, and only likely to get worse. Household budgets are already being tested with rising oil, gas and food prices. Rents, home prices and new construction are more expensive. Lumber prices have soared 40% in the last year. Higher mortgage rates will slow homebuying

A new study by the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) found that between 2010 and 2020, nearly 980,000 households shared $2.1 trillion in housing wealth. How did they do it? Time and patience.

NAR defines a middle-class homeowner as one earning an income of over 80% to 200% of the area median income in markets with 50,000 or over middle incomers. If they purchased in 2010 at $162,600, they were likely to accumulate $229,400 in housing wealth, 86% of which is attributable to price appreciation over time. Within these markets, median single-family residences appreciated by 8.3%.

The top 10 rising middle-income housing markets were Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale (103,690), Austin-Round Rock (61,323), Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin (55,252),

Summer is traditionally a busy time for buyers and sellers. This year has been no exception—and with lower interest rates, many homebuyers are finding the competitive environment challenging. With multiple buyers competing for properties, even terrific offers are often being outbid. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to make your offer more attractive to the sellers and increase the chances of getting the property.

• Have Full Pre-Approval – A step beyond pre-qualification, a pre-approval involves submitting your full application to underwriting. Your lender will collect all your financial data and submit for review. This is stronger than a pre-qualification; a pre-approval requires the buyer to provide the proof of their ability to

The popularity of home improvement television shows has increased the number of home projects. Unfortunately, not everyone is capable of knocking down walls and retiling their kitchen on their own. If you’re one of these non-DIY-ers, you will need to find service professionals to help, but choosing the right person for the job is critical. Here are a few simple tips to help ensure you hire the best person for your project.

• Check References and Reviews – One of the easiest ways to verify the experience and professionalism of a contractor is to read online reviews. If someone has been in the business for a few years or longer, you should expect to find plenty of reviews to read on Yelp, Angie’s List, and other sites. Asking for local references is