Developing financial knowledge and effective money management habits are important steppingstones for teenagers to become financially stable adults who aspire to build assets and achieve personal goals. For example, most teens (88%) would like to own a home someday, according to a survey conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Junior Achievement USA and Fannie […]
real estate
Posted inAt Home
West Sound Area Home Construction Brisker than National Average
Rising real estate values and increasing rents have stretched budgets for homebuyers and renters over the last two years. The median home sales price in the United States jumped by nearly $100,000 from the first quarter of 2020 to the first quarter of 2022 amid low interest rates and a stronger-than-expected pandemic economy. Rents were […]
Posted inAt Home
Tips to Attract Buyers When Selling Your Home
Preparing your home for sale may start with ideas for staging the house or spackling and painting over nail holes; however, it also requires a considerable amount of planning and organization. Before opening your home to tours, either virtual or in person, be aware of what buyers might notice. “Getting your home ready for sale […]
Posted inAt Home
What You Need to Know About Insurance when Moving and Buying a Home
Much of the country is still in the middle of a red-hot real estate market. Home values have been rising due to high demand and first-time homebuyers should be aware of how the value of their home impacts the way their insurance premiums are calculated. Location and structure type are two examples of considerations that […]
Posted inGardeners Corner
Landscaping Tips for Instant Curb Appeal
One of the best ways to achieve instant curb appeal, according to the experts, is to effectively layer shrubs, plants and flowers in your front yard. Doing so can create a cohesive visual experience that naturally guides visitors to the front door. Landscape designer Doug Scott describes plant layering in art terms: “Just like in […]
Posted inAt Home
A National Look at the Homebuying Market
What might the housing market look like in 2022? Mortgage Cadence, a digital mortgage lending company, surveyed over 1,000 Americans to better understand this year’s opinions. For many people, 2021 was the year to buy a home. Whether it was first-time home buyers, or people finally finding their dream homes, chances are someone you know […]
Posted inAt Home
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard Area Has Larger-than-Average Homes
The size of new single-family homes has increased substantially in the last few decades. However, a recent trend in slightly smaller homes that began several years ago might be reversed by the COVID-19 pandemic. As homebuyers spend more time at home, they are seeking houses with more space. According to data from Realtor.com, the median […]
Posted inHome
Preparing Your Home for the Resale Market
The real estate market in the Pacific Northwest continues to thrive. Buyer demand is high due to extremely low inventory. The Northwest MLS reports 2020 inventory at a staggering 25 percent lower than 2019. Sale prices are higher across the region, and days on the market decreased by 40 percent compared with 2019. Combine this […]
Posted inHome
The Ol’ Garage Door — From Functional to Smart and Classy
National Curb Appeal Month (apparently, it’s a thing) was in August, and this year the focus was on garage doors. And for good reason. Once the sole domain of the family car, today’s garage serves a multitude of purposes. People play in them, work in them, store belongings in them, keep supplies in them. The […]