The U.S. Census Bureau Report: Characteristics of New Housing
June 15, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Want to stay on top of new construction trends? The U.S. Census Bureau has a great, new interactive infographic that explains their Characteristics of New Housing report. Just click on the graphic below and see for yourself.
A View of Seattle from Above
June 12, 2017 By Leave a Comment
We love this city.
Posted by ABOVE Seattle on Monday, June 12, 2017
A Humorous Look at the Basics of Meditation
June 11, 2017 By Leave a Comment
There is absolutely no reason to associate meditation with religion these days, not if you’re atheist or agnostic. It’s totally possible to be secular and still consider it just as valuable. Which it is. There’s also no reason to associate it with claims about superpowers, enlightenment, seeing other dimensions, or suddenly being able to do triple backflips with a jam sandwich on your head. The last one would be cool though.
As mentioned in the video, it’s essentially the art of gaining conscious control of the rest of you mind, just by observation. Lots of folk have explained it better than I ever could:
[pb_vidembed title=”” caption=”” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3rl5O_92Co” type=”yt” w=”680″ h=”385″]
Music Review: The Lost Fingers
June 9, 2017 By Leave a Comment
I’ve been listening to CD that I just can’t get enough of. The Lost Fingers is a Quebec jazz trio named in tribute to Django Reinhardt’s 2 lost fingers (who turned a terrible manual injury into a technical advantage on the guitar). Performing jazz swing covers, double bassist Alex Morrisette and guitarists Christian Roberge and Byron Mikaloff have all their fingers, and have them poking about in the 80’s hit parade for tunes to twist in a lively, acoustic style. Material ranging from AC/DC and Soft Cell to Paula Abdul and George Michael. The first track is telling—the trio’s cover of Technotronic’s “Pump Up the Jam” may be the most absurd inclusion, but possibly the strongest.
The Lost Fingers—Lost in the 80’s is just plain fun! Who would have ever thought that Samantha Fox’s “Touch Me” could be sung in a gypsy swing? What would Stevie Wonder say about his“Part-time Lover” sung with Quebecer’s bouncing jazz harmonies…? Maybe it’s because the 80’s represent my high school and college years, but I can’t help but smile when I hear a boggie swing of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean”. When you listen to “You Shook Me All Night Long”, you might think that Randy Newman was on the disc playing and singing a cameo. The fact that a Jazz trio could take an AC/DC song and put doo-wops and scat in it is nothing short of genius! I was never a Paula Abdul fan, but it is a kick to tap your foot to her “Straight Up” without the aid of drum machines (BTW: no drums at all on the disc) or synthesizers.
Though it may be a little bit of a shtick, The Lost Fingers have a really cool concept here. Idiosyncratic, unusual and entertaining are all words to describe this musical escapade you’ll be sure to enjoy.
5 Tips for buying in a competitive market
June 7, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Home shoppers are increasingly facing steep competition for the limited number of homes for sale.
“Attempting to purchase a house in this type of market can make the already complex process of buying a home even more overwhelming,” the National Association of REALTORS® notes in a recent release.
Read more: Bidding Wars to Heat Up This Spring
NAR offers up five suggestions for home buyers navigating today’s competitive market:
1. Stick to a budget.
Have buyers get preapproved by one or more lenders to ensure eligibility. Be sure to also take into account extra costs of homeownership, such as taxes, utilities, and insurance. “When listings are scarce, bidding wars can drive up prices, so buyers must be prepared to walk away if the asking price surpasses their budget,” according to NAR.
2. Identify home wants versus needs.
Buyers likely will need to compromise on their wish lists when competition is tight. For example, buyers may have to compromise on amenities like stainless appliances or hardwood flooring, which can always be added later. “However, if a buyer wants to be in a specific school district or have a decent-sized backyard, those cannot be addressed later and must be taken into account during the house hunting process,” according to NAR’s tip sheet for buyers.
3. Be prepared to make decisions quickly.
Homes rarely stay on the market long in a seller’s market. Buyers should not hesitate when they find a house that matches their needs within their budget. Submit offers quickly.
4. Make bids competitive.
A low offer as a starting bid won’t likely work in a seller’s market. Buyers need to be ready to put forward their highest offer from the beginning or they may lose the home. In multiple bidding situations, the highest offer doesn’t always win either. But the bid with the fewest contingencies often becomes the most attractive to sellers. “Removing restrictions related to the sale of a current home and being flexible with things like the move-in date can make a bid stand out to a seller,” NAR notes.
5. Find a REALTOR®.
Buyers may need to be reminded about the importance of working with a real estate professional. Real estate pros are familiar with the areas and neighborhoods in the local areas. “They can give buyers the competitive advantage needed in a tight market,” NAR states.
Source: realtor.com®
How to Mix Patterns Like a Pro
June 5, 2017 By Leave a Comment
See which combinations of stripes, geometrics, florals and more work best to give a personality boost to your rooms
Introducing a new pattern to a space adds a lot of life, energy and personality in a way a solid color rarely can. But why restrict yourself to playing with just one pattern? Combining two or more may seem daunting, but if you follow some of these formulas, you’ll be mixing and matching like a pro in no time.
5 Trade-Offs to Consider When Remodeling Your Kitchen
June 3, 2017 By Leave a Comment
These big-picture questions can help you decide where to invest — and where to compromise — in your kitchen remodel
It would be great to have an unlimited budget for a kitchen renovation. But the fact is most of us do not. And that’s OK. Compromises of one form or another are part of the process, even for the rare homeowner who enjoys a bottomless budget and expansive square footage.
But how, exactly, do you decide between two compelling options with different pros and cons? The most critical tool to have on hand to help you make tough choices is a clear picture of your remodel goals. To get clarity on what matters most to you, read about some key trade-offs you’ll want to consider.
Buyers Face ‘Double Whammy’ This Spring
June 1, 2017 By Leave a Comment
For the second consecutive month, pending home sales scaled back as significantly weak supply levels of homes for sale continue to press on affordability conditions, the National Association of REALTORS® reported Wednesday.
NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, fell 1.3 percent in April to a 109.9 reading. The index is now 3.3 percent below a year ago. All four major regions saw a decrease in contract signings last month, except for the West.
“Much of the country for the second straight month saw a pullback in pending sales as the rate of new listings continues to lag the quicker pace of homes coming off the market,” says Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “REALTORS® are indicating that foot traffic is higher than a year ago, but it’s obviously not translating to more sales. Prospective buyers are feeling the double whammy this spring of inventory that’s down 9 percent from a year ago and price appreciation that’s much faster than any rise they’ve likely seen in their income.”
Low inventory levels likely won’t go away anytime soon either, Yun says. Homebuilding activity remains constrained and too few homeowners are listing their homes for sale, Yun notes.
“The unloading of the single-family homes purchased by real estate investors during the downturn for rental purposes would also go a long way in helping relieve these inventory shortages,” Yun says. “To date, there are no indications investors are ready to sell. However, they should be mindful of the fact that rental demand will soften as the overall population of young adults starts to shrink in roughly five years.”
Yun’s housing forecast calls for existing-home sales to be around 5.64 million this year, an uptick of 3.5 percent from 2016 (5.45 million). NAR forecasts that median existing-home prices will rise about 5 percent.