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As 2016 has drawn to a close and 2017 is beginning, it is time to make those resolutions to better your life in the New Year. Why not use this opportunity to set some goals for your home and create a fresh look. Here are a couple of our favorite trendy tips to improve the spunk and style of your abode in 2017.
With in-home virtual personal assistants, your home can be smarter than ever. Home automation devices and control tools can potentially manage and adjust many aspects of your home, making vacations and leaving your home less stressful than ever before.
You may also want to update your home with some copper accents. This has become an increasingly popular trend. The brass and reflection of the copper can bolster the colors of any room and improve the warmth of your home. This added feature accentuates the lighting and looks especially charming in kitchens.
Another one of our favorite home accessories is a rustic wood table. We have used these charming fixtures to add character to many of our models. The wood adds texture and depth to any room and brings new life to your home.
One of our last in-home updates takes some commitment and can also be a slower process; updating mattresses and bedding. Mattresses are recommended to be updated every 5-7 years, and if your mattresses are due for a facelift, the New Year is the perfect time to change them over. Replacing the bedding with updated linens can also improve the atmosphere of your home with a fresh new look.
The last year has been filled with great accomplishments and 2017 is filled with potential to be even better. Don’t miss this opportunity to give your home a fresh look. We look forward to seeing what new trends 2017 has in store.
Each season of the year can offer new home buyers specific advantages. If you’re looking to buy a home, January might be the best time to buy due to lower than average competition and pricing. This recent Nerd Wallet article by Daniel Tonkovich & Emily Starbuck Crone, shares three reasons why January is the best time to buy a new home.
Home prices in January typically take a dip compared with the summer buying season. In its report, NerdWallet analyzed two years of Realtor.com data for the 50 most populous U.S. metro areas and found that in January and February, home sales prices were 8.45% lower on average than in June through August.
The outlook for January 2017, though, is a little different after an abnormally strong fall housing market nationwide, says Jonathan Smoke, chief economist at Realtor.com. Even though the summer seasonal cycle was still in play in 2016, he says, sales in October and November were much stronger than average, and housing prices in January haven’t dropped as much as in past years.
“[Home] prices are likely to increase even more than you typically see in spring because of low levels of inventory and because we didn’t see the normal weakness we see in fall,” Smoke says.
Home prices may not have taken their usual dip this January, but Smoke says it’s still a favorable time to buy due to the ratio of inventory to sales — the number of homes on the market compared with the amount of competition. In 2016, there were almost twice as many people buying in June as there were in January, he says. This is in line with NerdWallet’s analysis of data from the previous two years, which found a 47% drop in sales in January when compared with July in the 50 largest metro areas.
Home inventory, meanwhile, doesn’t vary as much as price throughout the year, Smoke says, noting that there were 21% fewer homes on the market in the winter months of 2016 than in the summer.
“You basically face almost half of the competition with almost the same amount of inventory in the market,” Smoke says. This potentially means fewer homes with multiple bidders and more room for negotiating with sellers.
After hitting historic lows, mortgage rates started rising in fall 2016. This year, economists expect additional rate increases, which means higher monthly payments for future homeowners.
“As we look toward spring and later in 2017, that’s another reason to buy in January and February,” Smoke says. “Because rates are expected to be about 50 basis points, or half a percent, more as the year goes on.”
With mortgage rates likely the lowest they’ll be all year — and with lower prices and less competition — January is an ideal time to make your bid.
Tucson, Ariz. – January 2017 – Make this year the one where you elevate your lifestyle with a brand new home! There are so many reasons to purchase new, so make this year count. Lennar offers a variety of floorplans throughout Tucson, Marana and Oro Valley.
“We have so many great floorplans, there truly is something for everyone,” said Tom Ganshiemer, Division President for Lennar Tucson. “With interest rates beginning to rise, homebuyers are highly encouraged to act now!”
The reasons to buy a new home are plentiful. For starters, Lennar offers a variety of floorplans making it easy to find a home that fits you and your family’s needs. So often families are forced to fit into a resale home that may have less bedrooms or bathrooms than they originally desired.
Right now, Lennar Tucson has a few communities with quick move-in homes that ready as soon as you are! Discovery at Vistoso Reserve, set in Oro Valley, offers a few distinctive floorplans that are move-in ready. The Barbaro is a single-story home that provides three bedrooms and two bathrooms across 1,800 square feet of living space, and is priced from the upper $200,000s. The Lewis plan is a single-story home that provides four bedrooms and three bathrooms, and is also priced from the upper $200,000s. The Lewis plan, The Home Within a Home® floorplan, is also available as a quick move-in in this community and is priced from the upper $200,000s.
Eagles Summit, also in Oro Valley, has a few quick move-in’s available as well. The Oracle is another single-story The Home Within a Home that offers four bedrooms and 2,594 square feet of living space. The Aurora is a single-story home that provides four bedrooms with slightly more space at 2,856 square feet. Both of these homes are priced from the $400,000s.
At Star Valley, set in Tucson, the Barbaro plan is also available, along with the Cortes. The Cortes is a two-story, five-bedroom home that spans 2,577 square feet. The Barbaro is priced from the upper $100,000s while the Cortes is priced from the mid $200,000s.
Find your new home resolution on www.lennar.com/tucson today!
With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders. Lennar has a longstanding history of building homes of enduring quality in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
Sacramento, Calif. – January 2017 – Multigenerational living, typically defined as three generations together under one roof, has become a dominant trend in American homes with more than 50 million people living this way today nationwide. Lennar introduced The Home Within A Home® back in 2011 as a response to this trend and has since see this dynamic floorplan surge in popularity among homebuyers. In Greater Sacramento, Lennar offers Home Within A Home® floorplans at 11 communities across 6 cities.
“We’ve had great success with our innovative design and love to see so many happy families finding their perfect fit in one of these homes,” said Laura Kilgore, Director of Marketing. “These are truly unlike anything you’ve seen from other builders, they are not dual master suites! They offer a true sense of separation between the main home and Home Within A Home® suite that at the same time, allows both easy and quick access to both areas.”
The Home Within A Home® designs were created to allow extended families to live all in one place without sacrificing privacy. These unique home designs include an attached private suite that comes with a separate entrance, bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette and laundry area, and in some cases a private one-car garage. A lockable door that connects the Home Within A Home® suite to the interior of the main home allows for as much privacy from or direct access to both areas that each situation requires.
“We’ve seen so many different family types benefit from living in our multigenerational homes,” Kilgore said. “Sometimes it’s a family with young kids whose live-in grandparents act as full time nannies. Other times it’s families with young adults still living at home, or families with children who have special needs. Home Within A Home® by Lennar is all about keeping these families together in a functional environment, all under one roof.”
Lennar Sacramento offers The Home Within A Home® designs in the cities of Roseville, Rancho Cordova, Elk Grove, Sacramento, Woodland and El Dorado Hills. For a full list, visit www.lennar.com/sacramento.
With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders and proudly remains steadfast in their commitment toward quality, value and integrity. Lennar has a longstanding history of building exceptional homes in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
If buying a new home is one of your New Year’s resolutions, the goal may be more achievable than you’d think. Here are five factors that make now a great time to buy a new home in Tampa Bay:
One of the best reasons to buy a new home in 2017 is the simple fact that the economy looks pretty good right now. The national unemployment rate is down to 4.7 percent, the lowest it’s been in years, and job growth in the Tampa Bay area is healthy. Additionally, home prices have almost fully recovered from the economic downturn, making homeownership a stable and valuable investment.
Mortgage rates are slowly beginning to rise, but they are expected to remain relatively low for the first part of 2017. With rates in the mid-4 percent range – compared to 6.4 percent in 2006 – the numbers are still low for homebuyers. According to Realtor.com, however, mortgage rates could go up by as much .75 percent over the course of 2017. Those looking to buy a home this year should act quickly to lock in rates before they go up.
Trulia reports that nationally, buying a home is currently 37.7 percent cheaper than renting. In the Tampa Bay area, rents are rising faster than in any other metro area in Florida, according to the Tampa Bay Times. In the past year, Tampa Bay rents increased by about 4 percent, on average.
Renters considering signing a new lease may want to look into the possibilities of buying a home as an economical alternative.
As the value of a home rises, the homeowner gains equity and the property becomes a stronger investment. Home prices have been increasing steadily as the economy has recovered, but they have not yet reached a peak in the current market cycle. There is still time for your home to appreciate in value. However, rising interest rates may cause home prices to stabilize later in the year, so buying in early 2017 will give homebuyers the best opportunity to gain property value.
And to make the home buying process even easier, Lennar will pay up to $15,000 in closing costs in all our Tampa Bay communities.
Each of the factors outlined above is contributing to an increased demand for homes for sale in prime locations. Many current homeowners are taking advantage of the good economy and low mortgage rates to upgrade, downsize or move to a more desirable area.
Similarly, long-time renters recognize the value in buying a home versus renting and jump at the opportunity to buy while the market is favorable. This has led to an influx of first-time buyers, including many millennials, in the Tampa Bay market.
Although new home inventory in the Tampa Bay area is healthy, anyone thinking about buying a home in 2017 should consider doing so soon to avoid the possibility of increased demand from buyers leading to fewer choices in the market.
Lennar offers a wide range of price points in more than 50 communities in the Tampa Bay area to meet the needs of homeowners at all stages of life, such as young families and first-time homebuyers. To learn more about Lennar communities in Tampa Bay and the homes available, visit the Tampa homepage or call 877-205-1328.
Year over year, Charlotte, North Carolina has been listed as one of the fastest growing cities in the country. Its location, size and housing market have been consistent draws for people considering moving, not to mention the continuous influx of jobs. But if you’re in need of a few more convincing factors that Charlotte is the place for you, keep these in mind:
You can successfully start your own business
It’s no secret that the small business sector of Charlotte is booming. According to a WalletHub survey of 150 cities, Charlotte was voted the #7 Best City to Start a Business In. From art to craft breweries to law offices, there is no short supply of privately owned businesses in the Queen City.
You won’t break the bank
In 2015, Forbes listed Charlotte as the #16 City Where a Paycheck Will Go the Furthest out of the major U.S. cities. The housing market is huge, allowing affordability and variability in locations and types of homes to live in. Gas prices are generally lower than the country average, and being on the South Carolina border is very convenient when oil prices rise. But don’t forget – you can still get a cup of coffee for less than $4.
You can easily raise a family
Charlotte is currently swarming with young professionals and retirees. However, in 2014 Charlotte was voted the #4 U.S. City Attracting the Most Families by a Forbes survey of the 52 biggest U.S. cities. Single family homes are spreading like wildfire in the suburban areas of the city, and there is a massive amount of recreation for all ages (i.e. U.S National Whitewater Center, Carowinds amusement park, Carolina Panthers football, Charlotte Knights baseball, and plenty of parks and greenways).
For more information on Charlotte’s rankings and accolades, visit the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce website: http://charlotte.global/index.php?submenu=Accolades&src=gendocs&ref=Rankings&category=Business_Profile
