From the way furniture is arranged to the colors of the paint, a home’s space can cause your body to respond in a variety of ways, both positive and negative. Distaste for the way something in a home looks can even raise your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone associated with a wide range of health problems.The Patch Boys, a drywall repair franchisor, highlights some of the biggest stressors when it comes to design, and
Home interiors are softening up with lighter neutrals and more casually designed modern spaces, according to PulteGroup’s in-house team of interior designers that furnish model homes nationwide.“Much like a change to spring weather, warm natural elements are brightening up homes this season, in combination with a clean, modern approach that does not sacrifice comfort,” says Angela Nuessle, national director of interior design
Buyers financing their home purchase can save hundreds of dollars in their first year of owning just by shopping around for a mortgage, according to new study from NerdWallet, a personal finance website.Home shoppers who compare interest rates between five different lenders can pocket $430 in savings in their first year alone, according to NerdWallet’s analysis using a 30-year fixed-rate, $260,000 mortgage.“That savings would accumulate and c
Most young adults have financial regrets about their home purchase, a new Bankrate survey shows, but much of their grief could have been avoided with proper planning. That’s where you come in: Younger buyers have a need for more professional guidance about the costs of homeownership.Sixty-three percent of millennial homeowners—more than any other generation—expressed buyer’s remorse, most often pertaining to closing costs, home maintenanc
First-time buyers are finding the housing market challenging to break into. On average, they have to put in 3.8 offers before their offer is accepted, which is higher than the 2.5 offers that repeat buyers typically make, according to a new survey of about 2,000 U.S. adults from NerdWallet, a personal finance website.Further, 56 percent of first-time buyers say they offered more than the asking price before they were successful in their home purc
Even in cold, snowy, or icy weather, real estate professionals can do a lot to make a property more appealing to potential buyers. After all, 50 percent of real estate professionals surveyed say that staging a home before a sale increases the amount of an offer by from 1 to 10 percent—and that was regardless of the season, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ “2017 Profile of Home Staging” report.Here are a few tips for wi
Some homeowners bypass the permit process when they remodel their home. They may find the process too expensive or cumbersome. Permitting fees can sometimes cost hundreds of dollars or more. Some homeowners may believe that if they go ahead with a kitchen or bath remodel without a permit, they’ll likely never get caught.But failing to get a permit could be troublesome when they go to sell the home.Most states require homeowners to fil
Designing houses with features buyers want is a continuous process for the home building industry. During a Feb. 19 session at the 2019 International Builders' Show in Las Vegas, builders and designers took a break from their work to talk about some of the changes they're seeing.Curved entryway staircases step back.A curved stairway leading to the upper floor can make for a grand entrance into a home, and certainly serves as a focal poi
Spacious areas can sometimes feel cold and unwelcoming. How can you make a large living room with high ceilings feel more inviting? Houzz, a home remodeling website resource, provides some of the following tips:Leverage tall potted plants.For a room with tall ceilings, incorporate tall plants. It’ll help fill in vertical height gaps while also drawing the eyes up to help accentuate the high ceilings.Paint two-tone walls.To make the ceiling feel
Home inspections have been uncovering much-needed property repairs. More than 1 million repairs needed more than $11,000 in costs, according to a February review of 50,000 home inspection reports by Repair Pricer, a home repair estimating resource.Nearly 55 percent of homes analyzed across the country had doors that needed adjusting, which could be an indicator of foundation issues, the report showed. More than half—or 54 percent
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