The U.S. finally has moved beyond attention-grabbing predictions from housing “experts” that housing is bottoming. The numbers are now convincing. Nearly seven years after the housing bubble burst, most indexes of house prices are bending up. “We finally saw some rising home prices,” S&P’s David Blitzer said a few weeks ago as he reported the first monthly increase in the slow-moving S&P/Case-Shiller house-price data after seven months of declines. Nearly 10% [...]
It looks like home values hit bottom in late 2011 — retreating to 2002 levels — and are creeping upward now.But experts caution that the trend may not last. Say good riddance to the bottom of the housing market. After giving up a decade of value, home prices are on the upswing in South Florida and ahead of much of the nation, according to two key national indices released Tuesday. Some [...]
The media has it all wrong – securing mortgage approval and satisfying credit underwriting guidelines are not the difficulties plaguing mortgage consumers. It’s in meeting the rigorous documentation requirements that most people fall flat. The good news is, the fix is simple. Just scan, photocopy, fax, and deliver every aspect of your financial life. Then, shortly before closing, check everything again. Mortgage consumers who enter the mortgage approval process ready to [...]
Kitchens have become so serious. All that granite, dark wood and stainless steel. The heart of the home these days is more like a sleek and severe shrine to haute cuisine. But kitchens don’t have to be as stressful as an episode of Top Chef. Designers are increasingly turning to retro, whimsical touches like coffee cup wallpaper, bright vintage dishware patterns, and colorful appliances and electronics to bring the fun [...]
Being in my home is like sitting inside a paint-store catalog or brochure. Although the rooms in our house are far, faaaaar from paint-store catalog perfect, I do believe in using lots of wall colors. A buttery yellow by Benjamin Moore greets visitors to my home, whose foyer, living room, stairway and upstairs hall walls all evoke sunshine. The kitchen and family room walls are awash in [...]
RISMEDIA, April 26, 2011—Given the pressing environmental challenges facing the world, one day just doesn’t seem like enough to celebrate the earth and make long-term environmental changes. Why not use this month as inspiration and make a commitment to do environmentally friendly activities throughout the year? (more…)
