JD Composites, a Canadian homebuilder, has constructed a three-bedroom home in Nova Scotia that is made of 612,000 recycled plastic soda bottles. But the attention has mostly centered on how the home can withstand extreme winds—even a category 5 hurricane.The builder, which melted thousands of plastic bottles and injected them with gas to form the walls of the home, tested the plastic panels for hurricane resistance and found they could withsta
Tropical Storm Barry, which crashed into Louisiana as a Category 1 hurricane over the weekend, may still bring heavy rain and flooding to the Gulf Coast for days. Barry largely spared New Orleans, which was expected to feel the brunt of the storm, but Louisiana and the Gulf Coast still could get up to 20 inches of rain in some areas.Life-threatening flash floods and possible tornadoes are still possible in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, southe
Purchasing real estate has become an increasingly costly endeavor over the last half-century. Median home prices have surged 121% nationwide since 1960, but median household income has only increased 29%, according to a new study by Clever Real Estate. Renters have faced escalating prices, too. Median gross rent has risen 72% since 1960, more than double the growth in adjusted incomes.“Rising rents and increasing home prices make it harder than
How do you measure residents’ happiness? It may come down to having social relationships, financial security, strong ties to the community, good physical health, and plenty of career prospects, according to a new survey.The 2019 Gallup Well-Being Index examined responses from more than 115,000 adults ages 18 and older on how they feel about their lives and what they experience on a daily basis. Overall, well-being in the U.S. has seen a gradual
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill this week that would cut the cost of upfront mortgage insurance fees on Federal Housing Administration loans for first-time home buyers who take part in housing counseling. The bill requires first-time buyers to complete a housing counseling program about sustaining homeownership in order to be eligible for the 25-basis-point discount on their FHA mortgage insurance loan.The Housing Financial Lite
After steady declines since the beginning of the year, mortgage rates appear to be leveling off. But that still bodes well for home buyers.“While rates have moderated, we’re still at nearly three-year lows, which is good news for buyers looking to purchase a home before school starts,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “The recent stabilization mortgage rates reflects modestly improving U.S. economic data and a more accomm
Home buyers over 55 are relying on technology to find their home, just like their younger counterparts, and they say internet searches and social media greatly influence their homebuying decisions, according to a new survey conducted by Immersion Active, a marketing solutions agency, of home buyers 55 and older. More baby boomers are turning to social media and community websites in their house hunts.Eighty-nine percent of the 55-plus consumers s
The backyard can be a selling point in your listing, no matter the size. Up your listing’s backyard appeal by transforming it into an entertaining space. Houselogic, a home remodeling, and design website offer some key areas to address to achieve the look:1. Create privacy.Make the backyard a private sanctuary for homeowners. Precast concrete geometric blocks, for example, can protect privacy without blocking light, Houselogic suggests. They ca
Borrowers found it easier to access credit in June, but it was jumbo mortgage credit that saw some of the highest growth. According to a new report from the Mortgage Bankers Association, jumbo loans—mortgages with higher debt—are on the rise and were easier to get in June than any other month in the past eight years.Jumbo mortgage credit rose for the sixth straight month, rising to its highest level since 2011, when the MBA’s survey began.A
About 1.4 million burglaries occurred in 2017, and more than two in three break-ins were of residential properties, according to FBI data.Cove, a home security firm, surveyed nearly 1,000 people who have experienced a break-in at least once to learn more about how burglars entered the home and what they wished they had done in hindsight to better protect their property.Home invasions aren’t always random. Studies show that many break-ins are co
Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends, valuable tips, and company news.
This website includes images sourced from third party websites including Adobe, Getty Images, and as otherwise noted.
