Sales of newly built single-family homes rose 18.9 percent last month, according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. This represented the highest sales rate since October 2007, with a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 667,000 units, after an upwardly revised August reading. Compared to last year, new-home sales are 8.6 percent above their level during the same period in 2016."New-home sal
The home-sharing service Airbnb may increase home prices and rental rates, The Wall Street Journal reports from an as-yet unpublished working paper.Between 2012 and 2016, researchers analyzed rents and home prices in the 100 largest metro areas. They found that a 10 percent increase in Airbnb listings leads to a 0.39 percent increase in rents and a 0.64 percent increase in home prices."That may sound minuscule, but between 2012 and 2016, rents
A Victorian home's mansard roof, gables, and ornate pillars poised under moonlight may give some people the chills. After all, the dilapidated Victorian home has become the hallmark of all things spooky, often used in tales to set an eerie mood. From movies like "The Addams Family" to "Psycho," the Victorian has played a prominent role in creeping us out. But why has this architecture earned a haunted reputation?Victorians draw some of their dr
Painting can be one of the most cost-effective ways to spruce up a listing. But homeowners can also make a lot of mistakes with this common DIY job. Realtor.com® recently spoke with staging and color experts to find out some of the most obvious mistakes that they see most often.1. Choosing the wrong finish.Homeowners need to select a paint finish that correlates with the room’s purpose. "Many homeowners are nervous about using shiny semigloss
Looking to get your listing noticed on the higher end of the market? Condo developers in this segment say they lure affluent buyers with models that feature brand-name goods and high-end finishes."You want customers to daydream a little bit. Everyone always buys what they see," Alexander Hovnanian, developer of Nine on the Hudson, a 13-story luxury condo under construction in New Jersey, told The Wall Street Journal. The building’s units will
Boulder, Colo., is the happiest city in the U.S., according to the National Geographic Gallup Special/Blue Zones Index. The city’s sense of community, access to nature, sustainable urban development, preservation policies, and its clean mountain air help make its residents feel upbeat, according to the index. More people walk to work in Boulder than any other U.S. city per capita—the city has high rates of exercise and low rates of smokin
Smaller farmers are being driven out of business as the deepest slump hits since the 1980s. Low prices for corn, wheat, and other commodities are causing a greater number of smaller American farmers to go out of business. This has left a larger share of the nation’s farms within supersized family farms, which could transform America’s rural economy, The Wall Street Journal reports.Farms with $1 million or more in annual sales now produ
With home prices skyrocketing across the country, finding a cash-flowing rental property may prove more challenging. The rising costs of owning the property are squeezing out more investors’ profits.ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate tracking firm, identified the places where landlords can still find income-producing properties. The research team looked at 8,841 U.S. ZIP codes to find the best rental properties with cash-producing opportunitie
Homeowners affected by the California wildfires may be eligible to defer their mortgage payments for up to 12 months. Mortgage financing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have issued guidelines for wildfire victims with single-family mortgages.Victims may be eligible to stop making mortgage payments in three-month intervals, up to 12 months. They also may be eligible to avoid late fees during this temporary payment break, and to not have delinq
Key Takeaways Humor, returning to normal routines, taking care of yourself, reducing workload, focusing on what can be done and sharing gratitude can help guide you past trauma.Hurricanes, floods, fires, the mass shooting in Las Vegas, rape and sexual abuse scandals in Hollywood, fears about a nuclear attack from North Korea — the horrific news keeps piling up with no apparent relief in sight.What steps can you take to find your footing in th
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