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The pandemic has already caused a mini-exodus out of New York City, and with lower taxes, lower interest rates, and — for the wealthiest among us — higher earnings thanks to stock market gains and some helpful bailouts, the housing market is roaring outside of urban America. What will be the impact on real estate […]

DIY home improvements can be great feel-good projects. You get to learn a new skill, use your hands, and take pride in something you create yourself. But let’s face it: Your DIY project doesn’t make sense if it won’t make cents. In other words, it needs to pay off when it comes time to sell […]

Today’s real estate trends reflect the reality that, after months of quarantine, Americans who have not been economically impacted by the pandemic are looking at their homes and realizing that they want something bigger and better. “Everybody that ever wanted to do anything is doing it now,” says Stacey Oestreich, a saleswoman for Douglas Elliman in Westchester County, New York. “There […]

By Matthew Speakman on Aug. 25, 2020 July new home sales were up 13.9% from June and 36.3% from July 2019, to 901,000 (SAAR), according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The median price of new houses sold in July 2020 was $330,600, up 7.2% from a year ago.  Inventory of new homes available for sale in July fell […]

From Realtor.com In January, Rita Slavin‘s daughter signed an ironclad lease on an apartment near the University of California, Davis, to secure housing for her senior year of college. There was no way Slavin could have known that just a few months later her daughter Nicole‘s college classes would be held entirely online. She also had no […]

From Trulia  Online and on-the-ground strategies for finding out how pedestrian-friendly a place is—before you buy or rent. Strolling to a cafe for breakfast, walking around the corner to yoga—isn’t that the life? Before you buy or rent, here’s how to suss out whether a neighborhood you’re interested in will let you get out from […]

From House Rules  Can I have friends over for dinner? I’m going to say a provisional yes. After over three months of total self-isolation in which I went without any IRL social interaction at all, I understand the importance of spending time with friends and loved ones. In the last month or so I’ve hosted […]

From Houzz Moving can be physically and mentally overwhelming in the best of times, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic adds new challenges. The recommendations on social distancing mean you’ll need more coordination to manage your move to ensure that you and those working for you stay safe. As professional home organizers, one of our services […]

From Forbes Mortgage rates are searching for a historic bottom. Home prices are inching up toward record highs. Home shoppers are looking for deals. Homeowners are weighing selling versus refinancing. A lot is going on in the U.S. housing market on the backdrop of an even messier national state of affairs. After an unprecedented first […]

There’s a basic rule of thumb to follow when choosing paint sheens: The higher the sheen, the higher the shine — and the higher the shine, the more durable it will be. Flat paint has no shine; high-gloss is all shine. In between are eggshell, satin, and semi-gloss, each with its own practical and decorative […]