Learn what to do before the season is over to protect plants and make improvements in anticipation for next spring. Before COVID-19, millions of Americans had never gardened. Now, many have the time at home to plant perennial beds and borders, vegetable and herb patches, and fruit trees to improve their yards’ aesthetics and provide food for their families. They also may construct outdoor spaces for lounging, cooking, dining, and to simply have
(Bloomberg) -- Bank of America Corp. started a trial program aimed at helping first-time homebuyers in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods by offering mortgages that don’t require down payments, closing costs or minimum credit scores, all considered longtime obstacles to narrowing the gap between White and minority ownership.Customers using the program will be evaluated for a home loan not by credit scores, but rather factors such as their history
The quest for organized storage and space for pandemic reprieve spurred interest in transforming garages, but nowadays the sky’s the limit on how the space is used and looks. When it comes to a garage, most clients won’t require the space to house 12 cars like a recent client of Los Angeles architecture firm KAA Design Group. In fact, the client himself didn’t need that much space. He owned only two cars but was thinking about resale value
In another sign of a reversal of fortune for homebuilders, new-home sales in July tumbled to their slowest pace in six years. Just a year ago, homebuilders were overflowing with new contracts and, at times, raffling off their few remaining lots to wait-listed buyers. But since then, buyer traffic has slowed significantly as costs have soared. Rising mortgage rates and high inflation have crashed the homebuilding party.New-home sales in July reach
Mortgage rates appear to be settling in the 5% range after recent dramatic climbs that shocked home buyers. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.13% this week, down slightly from its 5.22% average a week ago, Freddie Mac reports.Mortgage rates peaked at 6% in early June, which prompted a pullback in housing demand. However, “home sales may soon stabilize since mortgage rates have fallen to near 5%, thereby giving an additional boost
Mortgage rates fell slightly last week, but not enough to fuel any kind of recovery in consumer demand for home loans.Total mortgage application volume fell 2% from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. Demand stands at the lowest level since 2000. It hit a similar low in July.Applications for a mortgage to purchase a home dropped 1% for the week and were 18% lower than the same week
The U.S. government is providing almost $12 million to help residents pay rent and mortgages in south Florida, a place that has been called the epicenter of the nation’s affordable housing crisis.The South Florida Times news site reported that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide $11.7 million for Miami-Dade County, which has seen housing prices and rents soar in recent months. Hillsborough County will see $2.8 mill
Water views for less than $300,000? A realtor.com® study identifies where buyers can snag waterfront property at an affordable price. Lakefront homes may offer home buyers a chance to buy a waterfront property at a more affordable price than a vacation home on the ocean. Some of the least expensive lake towns may not be as well-known, but they offer house hunters a chance to live on the water and still enjoy the activities and views that go alo
Check out these before-and-after virtual renderings to see what a difference a few style updates can make to an outdoor space. First impressions matter, and the outside of a home has become a key area to spotlight to make sure a property gets noticed. The startup Dzinly offers virtual exterior renderings done by designers that give homeowners ideas of the possibilities before they commit to a pricey remodel.Matt Mosher, founder of Dzinl
Though weekly changes in borrowing costs are volatile, housing activity is reaching more balanced levels—which is ultimately good for buyers, says Freddie Mac’s chief economist. Home buyers are having difficulty gauging opportunities to save on a property purchase as mortgage rates become more volatile. The average for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage swung above 5% again this week, clocking in at 5.22%, Freddie Mac reports. Last week, the ave
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