With inflation jacking up the price of groceries to gas and beyond, just about everything has more expensive these days - and rent is no exception.
According to the most recent Realtor.com rental report, the median rent in the 50 largest U.S. cities has been setting record highs for 17 months straight, currently hovering at $1,879.
With numbers like that, finding ways to save money while renting - to buy a house, pay for a vacation, or fund other life goals - may seem like a daunting exercise in self-deprivation. But experts insist that today’s renters can still amass some cash reserves without feeling much of a pinch. It all comes down to pinpointing your priorities, and shedding the rest.
Renters just need to focus their search on what...
If you're just starting out on your home renovation journey, you will quickly find yourself overwhelmed with the practicalities of bringing your dream home to life. From finding out what permits you need to finding the professionals that will help you to realize your home’s potential.
When it comes to renovating a house you can easily be blindsided by technical jargon and legal requirements all the while trying to figure out where to start. Thankfully, these six steps will set you on the right track to ensure a successful home remodel.
HOME RENOVATION – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
So you’ve decided that this is the year that you’re going to transform your house into your dreams home. But what next? Whether you’re planning a home addition, seeking to make eco home...
Aside from rising mortgage rates and home prices, buyers are being squeezed by another escalating expense: the growing cost of moving services. This year has become the priciest for hiring movers in the nation's history, according to a new study from HireAHelper. Some states and metros are seeing costs rise by 40% year over year.
The average cost of a move was $427 nationwide in May, about 15% higher than a year earlier, the study shows. Ballooning gas prices, supply-chain disruptions and 40-year-high inflation are primarily fueling moving expenses. This means tha people need to spend more of their budget on housing. This additional cost may discourage people from moving, resulting in an even lower mover rate in 2022.
The demand for moving services has climbed with the rising homebuying...
Whether you live in a manson or a condo, homes consume a ton of expensive energy - in the form of electricity, water, or gas. The good news? You can lower these bills and free up cash for other pursiots. What's more, these changes are far from complicated - some are as simple as switching your lightbulbs or tweaking the settings on your appliances.
Collectively, these tiny changes can add up to huge savings. So try a few or all to reap the benefits of a fatter bank account in 2022, and beyond.
1. Save on Electric Bill
One way to cut down on your electric bill? By killing what we call the "enery vampires" in your home.
Those are the little lights all over your house that indicate printers and chargeers are plugged in and ready but not in use. Energy vampires suck dollars out of your wallet, an average of $250 a year for a typical household.
The low-tech solution? Unplug these items before bed, which will save you as much as 10% on your energy...
Owning a home comes with a lot of responsibilites. While there are certain repairs and improvements in which it would be a wise decision to utilize a professional, there are many maintenance jobs that can be handled on your own. Here is a list of basic skills to help make oneself a better homeowner.
1. Clear Out the Gutters
Even the ladder-averse can clean the gutters twice a year to prevent pests and ice dams. Remove leaves by hand or with the assistance of a leaf blower, garden hose, or wet-dry vac. When you're up on a ladder, be sure to use a stabilizer. If sticking to ground level is more your style, you can still get the job done if you have special attachments for your leaf blower or wet-dry vac.
2. Fix a Dripping Faucet
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Baby boomers hold the majority of real estate wealth in the U.S.—and as they age, they increasingly say they plan to stay put in their current homes. Sixty-six percent of U.S. adults aged 55 and older say they expect to age in place, according to a new Freddie Mac survey.
The housing supply in the U.S. has dropped to record lows over the past two years. This shortage of inventory has resulted in a sense of uneasiness from prospective aging adults who would be otherwise interested in selling and downsizing. Baby boomers in particular are straying away from these traditional selling patterns, which again, helps to exacerbate the housing shortage.
While these plans of moving are put to a halt due to a low amount of inventory, on a financial level, previous homeowners have been enjoying the upside of the past two years' worth of record breaking price increases. While this prospect for financial gain is definitely a factor of consideration for any home owner in this position, it goes...
In today's day and age, it's easy to succumb to the trends. When it comes to interior design, not every trend is a breeze to implement. Trying to keep up with the current look can be a headache and become outdated as the one-time trend becomes dated.
Here are some ways to make your home feel stylish, cozy, and trend-proof.
1. Rotate Accessories
Updating your accessories to match the trends is the ideal solution. Along with color, you can play with texture and scale, too.
2. Rely on Color to Change the Vibe of a Room
If a room's canvas beings with a neutral base, it's easy to upgrade the accent colors and change a room's entire vibe. Colors such as biscuity beige, bright white, and cool greys...
"Multigenerational living has grown sharply in the U.S. over the past five decades and shows no sign of peaking. When asked why they share their home with relatives, Americans often give practical reasons related to finances or family caregiving. But the experience also has an emotional component. About a quarter of adults in multigenerational homes say it is stressful all or most of the time, and more than twice that share say it is mostly or always rewarding.
These experiences with multigenerational living vary by demographic group, especially by age and income, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2021. There also are generational differences, especially in terms of stress and money, between the views of adult children and parents who share a home.
According to an analysis of census data from 1971-2021, the number of people living in...
