“Granny flats” or in-law units are surging in popularity in some housing-starved areas. Some lawmakers are leading the charge by changing laws to allow accessory dwellings units in backyards, converted basements, or garages of existing homes.In the San Francisco Bay Area, the number of people applying to build these units has grown by more than 1,000 percent over the past year, due to a change in laws that now allow for these small dwellings.
As you build your sphere of influence, you may connect with the deaf or hard of hearing. If you don't know how to communicate with them, you may strain the relationship through etiquette blunders or even just inefficiency. Always ask them how they prefer to communicate, but start with these guidelines from Lifehacker.com and you'll quickly pick up the rest.To get their attention, a few options include moving into their field of vision, gently tap
The population of the U.S. is growing, rising by 2.2 million people in 2016, according to the latest Census data. But the population growth is not even across the country. For instance, the South and West saw their populations rise by 1.1 percent in 2016, while the Northeast and Midwest saw just a 0.1 percent uptick.Eight states saw populations grow by more than 1.6 percent in 2016. Many of the fastest-growing states tend to be affordable, midsiz
Where can a home buyer’s money stretch the furthest? The Rust Belt and Midwest may offer some of the best bargains.The realtor.com® research team scoured across 500 of the largest metros to rank the ones with the lowest median home prices. The results were limited to one city per state for the purposes of geographic diversity.“There are a lot of people in that first-time home buyer group looking for starter homes, and they can’t afford it
A real estate professional has been identified as one of 17 people killed this week after mudslides pummeled a Southern California neighborhood. Rebecca Riskin, a REALTOR® and founder of Riskin Partners in Santa Barbara, Calif., died in the natural disaster that hit Montecito, Calif.Riskin, 61, was described by colleagues as an “exceptional woman” who demonstrated strength, grace, and elegance, her company posted in memoriam on Facebook.
A new program allows employers to help workers' down payment on a home, similar to how companies contribute to a 401(k).HomeFundMe, a Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-approved down payment crowdfunding platform, allows borrowers to crowdfund their down payment from several sources, including their employer. CMG Financial, a mortgage banking firm, created the HomeFundMe program. Employers can contribute directly to employees’ HomeFundMe accounts to
Despite rising prices, buying a home makes more sense than paying increasingly high rents in more than half of the U.S. Buying a median-priced home is more affordable than renting a three-bedroom property in 240 of 447—or 54 percent—of U.S. counties analyzed, according to a new report released by ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate data firm.Renting a three-bedroom property requires an average of nearly 39 percent of weekly wages across the
The cryptocurrency bitcoin is increasingly coming into play in real estate transactions across the globe. One recent listing describes a 9,000-square-foot beachfront Malibu home on the market for $45 million, and the owner says he’s willing to accept bitcoin as part of the payment from a buyer.“I’ve been interested since [bitcoin] started, and I’m always watching what’s going on,” Wei Tzuoh Chen told CNBC. “It’s going to be the
In some situations, it might make sense to actually increase the list price to get buyers’ attention, according to a new article at realtor.com®. The article provides several scenarios where increasing the asking price may be justified on a home for sale, including:Market conditions have changed since the home was first listed. When comparable properties start selling for more than the list price, raising a home’s price may actually garner
Technology has been a disruptor in the real estate industry, as more customers head online. But while it may cause many brokerages to rethink how they do business, technology has proven a huge differentiator as well, David Marine, senior vice president of marketing at Coldwell Banker, said during the session “Every Company is a Tech Company” at CES 2018 in Las Vegas on Wednesday.“Technology has helped the real estate industry better compe
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