Homebuilders have been pointing to a severe labor shortage of contractors that are prompting project delays and new-home prices to rise. Could they turn to robots to make up for the shortage of workers?Japan’s Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Institute is showing off a humanoid bot called HRP-5P that can complete several construction tasks, such as installing drywall by hoisting up boards and fastening them in with a screwdriver. The
Hogweed is popping up in more backyards, and environmental agencies are warning of the dangers of coming into contact with it. For those who do, the giant weed can reportedly give you blisters, cause third-degree burns, and even permanently blind you if you get in your eyes.The towering weed may look unassuming. Realtor.com® describes it as looking similar to Queen Anne’s lace. However, it can grow up to 14 feet high and it can reproduce quick
If you’re wondering whether heroes still exist in a world where greed and power seemingly reign supreme, we found five.The National Association of REALTORS®’ 2018 Good Neighbor Award winners have shown incomparable dedication to improving the lives of people in their communities and beyond, stepping in to provide aid in desperate situations when no one else could or would. They’ve waded through toxic floodwaters in Puerto Rico to pull Hurr
Everything is bigger in Texas. The Lone Star state boasted three of the top five cities with the largest homes in the country in new rankings released by LendingTree, an online lending resource.In fact, Southern cities in general tend to have larger homes than elsewhere across the country. Houston topped LendingTree’s list with a median size of 1,952 square feet, followed by Atlanta at a median of 1,914 square feet.Researchers from LendingTree
Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community say they fear discrimination when buying a home and try to seek LGBT-safe neighborhoods if they were to buy, finds new research from Freddie Mac of more than 2,300 consumers.Surveyed LGBT community members were largely positive about homeownership. Three-quarters of LGBT renters said they believe owning is a good financial investment, and 72 percent said they want to own a home in t
Higher rent costs are prompting some tenants to take part in rent strikes, which are often seen as renters’ last option to not get priced out. During a rent strike, tenants withhold their rent checks in an attempt to pressure landlords to negotiate rents and typically to improve building maintenance, too.The move forces landlords to comply or take each of the tenants who are striking to eviction court individually to argue their case. That mov
Amazon is partnering with homebuilders to bring its Alexa voice assistant to more new housing units as a standard smart-home feature. The online retailer recently announced it has partnered with Plant Prefab, a California-based company that uses sustainable materials to build prefabricated single-family and multifamily homes. The move comes after Amazon introduced more than a dozen Alexa-controlled smart-home devices, including a microwave oven a
Loud music, voices, and parties are the most annoying disturbances that make homeowners complain about their neighbors, according to a new survey conducted by home improvement website Improvenet.com. The site surveyed 2,500 consumers from 24 of the nation’s largest cities to find what they call the most offensive traits in their neighbors. Overall, the most annoying neighbors can be found in Dallas; Miami; Austin, Texas; Philadelphia; and Los A
High-income millennials are the force behind a nearly 10 percent decrease in the amount of time homes spend on the market in the most popular areas of the country, according to a new realtor.com® report. Young adults are driving demand for homes in smaller, more suburban locales, and realtor.com® pinpointed the following as the hottest ZIP codes: Kentwood, Mich. (49508); Peabody, Mass. (01960); Boise, Idaho (83704); Rochester, N.Y. (14624); and
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has proposed a bill that sets out to make homes more affordable for low-income and middle-class Americans. The American Housing and Economic Mobility Act of 2018 calls for construction of new homes and more renovations of existing ones by removing some red tape for builders on regulatory costs and offering more incentives for them to build more affordable homes.For example, the bill proposes giving local government
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