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June 21, 2018 Home prices have risen 6.4% over the past twelve months, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA).  This covers the period from April 2017 to April 2018.  The rate of price increase was greatest in the Mountain Region, where prices rose 8.9%. Although the rate of appreciation was strong over the…

June 20, 2018 New data on existing home sales just out from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) for May show that sales volume is now 3.0 percent below a year ago and has fallen year-over-year for three straight months.  And NAR revised the number for the prior month downward, so the reading is even…

Every quarter, HomeAdvisor and The Farnsworth Group conduct a survey to track business confidence among thousands of trade professionals and small businesses in 13 different categories. The responses vary from quarter to quarter, and the questions span from “How do you expect your revenue to change over the next year?” to “What type of impact…

What’s the must-have holiday gift for 2017? Smart money is on smart home devices, which consumers everywhere are embracing in a big way. A recent HomeAdvisor survey found that home service professionals are getting requests for smart home installs on a weekly, if not daily basis. And major retailers like Best Buy, Home Depot, and…

The holiday season is just around the corner, which means your kitchen is about to go into overdrive. But cooking for a crowd can be much less stressful with the latest smart appliances and gadgets. Here are five ways to take advantage of the smart technology to help keep your holiday kitchen under control. 1….

This year, there were enough inspiring decor and remodel trends to make you want a complete home makeover. However, not all of those trends are made to last. Before you plan a renovation or buy a piece of fashionable hardware, look into the future. Will that color make you happy a few years from now?…

In the past five years, the country’s homeowner equity has doubled – and this is driving billions of dollars’ worth of home improvement. But homeowners in which states are benefitting the most? According to a recent report from the mortgage data firm CoreLogic, five states stand out as the ones that have gained the most…

13 is usually an unlucky number. But what about $13.7 trillion? That’s the total amount of home equity in the country (as of the first quarter of 2017), according to recent data from Freddie Mac. That’s double than what it was five years ago – and it’s predicted to increase even more as we move…

Why a smart home? In answering that question for consumers, the industry has focused on things like convenience, security, and comfort. Consider the results of a recent HomeAdvisor survey of smart home professionals: When we asked nearly 1,500 pros for the most common reasons they’re installing smart home technology, three responses rose to the top….

Cold weather is just around the corner, bringing higher energy costs for many homeowners, especially if fuel prices skyrocket the way they did last year. A smart thermostat is one of the best ways to keep these costs in check. The device replaces the traditional thermometer on your wall, and enables you to program your…