10 Repurposed Shipping Containers Are Now Beautiful Houses

10 Repurposed Shipping Containers Are Now Beautiful Houses
We like the idea of a shipping container as vacation getaway—it’s mobile, inexpensive, and an example of creative reuse at its best. Here, we’ve …

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Where Senior Home Buyers Are Looking

Where Senior Home Buyers Are Looking
Baby boomers are the wealthiest generation in the country, and they remain one of the most active in the housing market. LendingTree researchers …

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Worst DIY Home Blunders Over the Past Year

Worst DIY Home Blunders Over the Past Year
The DIY industry has been booming since the pandemic as more homeowners tackle house projects while sheltering in. But some projects may be doomed to …

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Wachiratham Villa / AplusCon Architects

Wachiratham Villa / AplusCon Architects
“Wachiratham Villa” site constraints are narrow and long-The width is only 8 meters long and 24 meters in depth. It is braced with 4 storey of …

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These tiny backyard studios can be used for anything you want

These tiny backyard studios can be used for anything you want
Tiny home purveyor Escape is known for its handsome range of tiny houses on wheels. After venturing into everything from a tiny house rental program to a getaway tiny house village to a shipping container model, the company is going back to basics and introducing a line of versatile tiny …

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Bright Days Are Ahead When You Move Up This Summer [INFOGRAPHIC]

Bright Days Are Ahead When You Move Up This Summer [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Bright Days Are Ahead When You Move Up This Summer [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Some Highlights

  • Warmer weather and longer days mean summer is almost here. Celebrate by upgrading to the home of your dreams so you can enjoy all the season has to offer.
  • When you list your house, you can capitalize on today’s sellers’ market to fuel your upgrade. Then, you can move to a home with the features you want, like space to entertain or rooms for work and play.
  • If you’re ready to upgrade to a home that matches your changing needs, let’s connect.
Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

* This article was originally published here

Why Summer Is a Great Time To Buy a Vacation Home

Why Summer Is a Great Time To Buy a Vacation Home | Simplifying The Market

You may be someone who looks forward to summer each year because it gives you an opportunity to rest, unwind, and enjoy more quality time with your loved ones. Now that summer is just around the corner, it’s worthwhile to start thinking about your plans and where you want to spend your vacations this year. Here are a few reasons a vacation home could be right for you.

Why You May Want To Consider a Vacation Home Today

Over the past two years, a lot has changed. You may be one of many people who now work from home and have added flexibility in where you live. You may also be someone who delayed trips for personal or health reasons. If either is true for you, there could be a unique opportunity to use the flexibility that comes with remote work or the money saved while not traveling to invest in your future by buying a vacation home.

Bankrate explains why a second home, or a vacation home, may be something worth considering:

“For those who are able, buying a second home is suddenly more appealing, as remote working became the norm for many professionals during the pandemic. Why not work from the place where you like to vacation — the place where you want to live?

If you don’t work remotely, a vacation home could still be at the top of your wish list if you have a favorite getaway spot that you visit often. It beats staying in a tiny hotel room or worrying about rental rates each time you want to take a trip.”

How a Professional Can Help You Find the Right One

So, if you’re looking for an oasis, you may be able to make it a second home rather than just the destination for a trip. If you could see yourself soaking up the sun in a vacation home, you may want to start your search. Summer is a popular time to buy vacation homes. By beginning the process now, you could get ahead of the competition.

The first step is working with a local real estate advisor who can help you find a home in your desired location. A professional has the knowledge and resources to help you understand the market, what homes are available and at what price points, and more. They can also walk you through all the perks of owning a second home and how it can benefit you.

A recent article from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), mentions some of the top reasons buyers today are looking into purchasing a second, or a vacation, home:

“According to Google’s data, the top reasons that homeowners cited for purchasing a second home were to diversify their investments, earn money renting, and use as a vacation home.”

If any of the reasons covered here resonate with you, connect with a real estate professional to learn more. They can give you expert advice based on what you need, your goals, and what you’re hoping to get out of your second home.

Bottom Line

Owning a vacation home is an investment in your future and your lifestyle. If this is one of your goals this year, you still have time to buy and enjoy spending the summer in your vacation home. When you’re ready to get started, let’s connect.

Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

* This article was originally published here

LeapHome: a new way of living inspired by nature

LeapHome: a new way of living inspired by nature
16/06/2017 - LeapHome is born from the experience of LEAPfactory, gained through building in high altitude, in extreme and difficult environments. …

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Sprucing Up the Outdoors: Tips and Trends

Sprucing Up the Outdoors: Tips and Trends
Home design expert Tim Bakke offers insights into maximizing the appeal of the yard.

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Take A Look At The World’s Best Tiny Houses

Take A Look At The World’s Best Tiny Houses
Don’t you wish you lived here? With rising rents, a short supply of housing, and more people flocking to cities, it’s no wonder that micro-dwellings have become a zeitgeisty solution for modern living. In Big Little House (Routledge, 2015), Houston-based architect Donna Kacmar chronicles the economic …

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Can a Shipping Container Home Be Stylish? Check This One Out!

Can a Shipping Container Home Be Stylish? Check This One Out!
A shipping container for hauling heavy freight in trains, trucks, and ships isn’t often associated with anything glamorous. But the housing industry …

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Treehouse Solling / baumraum

Treehouse Solling / baumraum
The site of this treehouse near the town of Uslar in Lower Saxony is located beside an old forester’s house in a small side valley. Access to the …

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The Most Incredible Tiny Houses You'll Ever See - The List

The Most Incredible Tiny Houses You'll Ever See - The List
The Most Incredible Tiny Houses You'll Ever See By AND /Updated: Feb. 22, 2022 3:58 pm EDT While the "tiny house" movement started back in the late …

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Thank You To Our Followers

Thank You To Our Followers
Never thought the blog would take off the way it has. Thank you to our many followers and readers - we are grateful that you find the content …

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A Shipping Container Penthouse Lists for $995K in New York City

A Shipping Container Penthouse Lists for $995K in New York City
Formerly a mechanical room and overhauled by LOT-EK, the Manhattan pad recasts a 20-foot shipping container as an upstairs bedroom. It’s not everyday that a shipping container home appears on the market—and much less so in New York City, which makes this two-story penthouse particularly noteworthy. …

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9 Shipping Container Home Floor Plans

9 Shipping Container Home Floor Plans
Container Atlas: A Practical Guide to Container Architecture Container Atlas seeks out luxurious remote hideaways, urban dwellings, community centers, and more, all showing how the humble container can put the fab into pre-fab. Container architecture has become an essential part of our twenty-first …

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Fact or Fiction: Do Inspectors Have to Determine the Presence of Mold?

Fact or Fiction: Do Inspectors Have to Determine the Presence of Mold?
A real estate inspector is not required to determine the presence or risk of mold. Fact. The Texas Real Estate Commission’s standards of practice for …

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Lapinha Studio by Plano Livre

Lapinha Studio by Plano Livre
The compact, modular design was originally showcased at an exhibition before finding a permanent location in the village of Lapinha da Serra. At this year’s Casacor Minas Gerais in Brazil—one of the country’s leading architecture and interiors exhibitions—architecture studio Plano Livre showcased a …

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Affordable Shipping Container Homes

Affordable Shipping Container Homes
Modern Container Architecture Container architecture is one of the most sustainable building types in the modern day world and is already widely used in many countries. Architects and artists incorporate containers' unique aesthetic value to house various functions such as stores, exhibitions, …

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Rogers Ranch Homes For Sale

Rogers Ranch Homes For Sale
Key Factors That Impact Affordability Today You can’t read an article about residential real estate without the author mentioning the affordability …

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This Tiny Cabin Is Biodegradable, Recyclable, and Relocatable

This Tiny Cabin Is Biodegradable, Recyclable, and Relocatable
This Tiny Cabin Is Biodegradable, Recyclable, and Relocatable Polygoon Architecture creates a compact home that blends into the woods of northern Belgium. In Brasschaat, Belgium, Polygoon Architecture designed a holiday house that appears to hover above the forest floor. The clients, Wim and Joosie, …

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c-Home by LOT-EK

c-Home by LOT-EK
With a prefab structure near Hudson, LOT-EK—the pioneers of shipping container architecture—make a new case for the genre. It was in the early 1990s that Giuseppe Lignano and Ada Tolla, lifelong friends and founding partners of the design firm LOT-EK, stumbled on a giant depot of shipping containers …

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DFW shines as 'hidden gem' housing market in 2022, experts predict

DFW shines as 'hidden gem' housing market in 2022, experts predict
For many reasons, residents of Dallas-Fort Worth consider the region a gem. Now, the metro area has been declared a 2022 "hidden gem" among U.S. …

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Remember the tiny house movement? How’s that working out?

Remember the tiny house movement? How’s that working out?
This article is reprinted by permission from NextAvenue.org. When my husband, Dale and I moved in 2007 to our 480-square-foot lake cabin in the Ozark …

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Gaia Off-Grid Shipping Container House by Pin-Up Houses

Gaia Off-Grid Shipping Container House by Pin-Up Houses
The eco-friendly escape is powered by solar panels and a wind turbine—and it even includes a full bath. Czech Republic–based designer Joshua Woodsman (aka VojtÄ›ch Valda) recently transformed a 132-square-foot shipping container into a livable home for just over $23,000. Dubbed Gaia, the experimental …

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Will Your Clients Print Their Homes?

Will Your Clients Print Their Homes?
While 3D printing is not new, having your home printed is. However, the possibility is not far off. For example, in Austin this year there are plans …

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Portable Cabin by Wiercinski Studio

Portable Cabin by Wiercinski Studio
The prefab design by Wiercinski Studio looks right at home tucked into its lush surrounds, but it was born to roam. In a community garden near Szelagowski Park in Poznan, Poland, architect Adam Wiercinski of Wiercinski Studio installed a shipping container home in a matter of a day. Portable Cabin, …

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Photo 41 of 46 in 25 Cozy Winter Cabins We’d Love to Hole Up In

Photo 41 of 46 in 25 Cozy Winter Cabins We’d Love to Hole Up In
Standing in harmony with the nature that surrounds them, these contemporary cabins embrace the simple life. Winter is the perfect time to rally family and friends for a cabin getaway with days full of adventures in the unspoiled snow and nights spent nursing hot (spiked) cider around the fireplace. …

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Development Profile: Weston Urban receives Bexar County tax abatement for 32-story apartment tower

Development Profile: Weston Urban receives Bexar County tax abatement for 32-story apartment tower
Weston Urban plans to complete construction of 300 Main, its 32-story apartment tower on the northeast corner of North Main Avenue and East Travis …

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Mansfield Container House by Robbie Walker

Mansfield Container House by Robbie Walker
Melbourne designer Robbie Walker reconfigures two containers with plywood paneling, a hydraulic deck, and steel screens to create a rugged, all-weather escape. When Melbourne designer Robbie Walker bought a plot of land in the small town of Mansfield at the foothills of the Victorian Alps, he wanted …

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Your REALTOR® Gives You Resources You Can Trust

Your REALTOR® Gives You Resources You Can Trust
You know that REALTORS® are knowledgeable, trusted professionals who can help you buy or sell a home, lease a property, or assist with other real …

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What's Happened to the Tiny House Movement?

What's Happened to the Tiny House Movement?
When my husband, Dale and I moved in 2007 to our 480-square foot lake cabin in the Ozark Mountains, we had no idea we would accidentally become trend …

* View the article originally published here. ** More curations: Al Cannistra at San Antonio ONE here.

Woman Transforms Shipping Containers Into Off-Grid Tiny Home

Woman Transforms Shipping Containers Into Off-Grid Tiny Home
The tiny home runs using solar power, a composting toilet, and rainwater.

* View the article originally published here. ** More curations: Al Cannistra at San Antonio ONE here.

Rental companies picking up more S.A. homes as Zillow exits

Rental companies picking up more S.A. homes as Zillow exits
Fifteen years later, the second owners decided to sell the home, its brick façade now half hidden behind a sprawling oak. Rather than worrying about …

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An Australian Tiny Home Built From Recycled Materials Reaches New Heights With an Expandable Roof

An Australian Tiny Home Built From Recycled Materials Reaches New Heights With an Expandable Roof
An Australian Tiny Home Built From Recycled Materials Reaches New Heights With an Expandable Roof Designer Nick Lane and builder Aaron Shields devise a 128-square-foot, transportable dwelling using local hardwoods, volcanic bluestone, steel, and glass. The Brook—a compact, off-grid dwelling by …

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Vibrant Modular Micro-Dwelling Made With Shipping Containers

Vibrant Modular Micro-Dwelling Made With Shipping Containers
It's designed to be low-cost and easily relocated. Over the years, we here at Treehugger have asked whether habitable buildings made out of recycled …

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15 Tiny Houses You Can Buy on Amazon

15 Tiny Houses You Can Buy on Amazon
Hello, new guest house/home office/backyard retreat! Tiny houses are hotter than ever, and it's no wonder: There seems to be an infinite number of ways to design them and so many amazing uses for them—a backyard tiny house or shed can easily be a guest house, a fitness studio, a work-from-home space …

* View the article originally published here. ** More curations: Al Cannistra at San Antonio ONE here.

How Today’s Mortgage Rates Impact Your Home Purchase

How Today’s Mortgage Rates Impact Your Home Purchase | Simplifying The Market

If you’re planning to buy a home, it’s critical to understand the relationship between mortgage rates and your purchasing power. Purchasing power is the amount of home you can afford to buy that’s within your financial reach. Mortgage rates directly impact the monthly payment you’ll have on the home you purchase. So, when rates rise, so does the monthly payment you’re able to lock in on your home loan. In a rising-rate environment like we’re in today, that could limit your future purchasing power.

Today, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is above 5%, and in the near term, experts say that’ll likely go up in the months ahead. You have the opportunity to get ahead of that increase if you buy now before that impacts your purchasing power.

Mortgage Rates Play a Large Role in Your Home Search

The chart below can help you understand the general relationship between mortgage rates and a typical monthly mortgage payment within a range of loan amounts. Let’s say your budget allows for a monthly mortgage payment in the $2,100-$2,200 range. The green in the chart indicates a payment within that range, while the red is a payment that exceeds it (see chart below):

How Today’s Mortgage Rates Impact Your Home Purchase | Simplifying The Market

As the chart shows, you’re more likely to exceed your target payment range as mortgage rates increase unless you pursue a lower home loan amount. If you’re ready to buy a home, use this as your motivation to purchase now so you can get ahead of rising rates before you have to make the decision to decrease what you borrow in order to stay comfortably within your budget.

Work with Trusted Advisors To Know Your Budget and Make a Plan

It’s critical to keep your budget top of mind as you’re searching for a home. Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at realtor.com, puts it best, advising that buyers should:

Get preapproved with where rates are today, but also consider what would happen if rates were to go up, say another quarter of a point, . . . Know what that would do to your monthly costs and how comfortable you are with that, so that if rates do move higher, you already know how you need to adjust in response.”

No matter what, the best strategy is to work with your real estate advisor and a trusted lender to create a plan that takes rising mortgage rates into consideration. Together, you can look at your budget based on where rates are today and craft a strategy so you’re ready to adjust as rates change.

Bottom Line

Even small increases in mortgage rates can impact your purchasing power. If you’re in the process of buying a home, it’s more important than ever to have a strong plan. Let’s connect so you have a trusted real estate advisor and a lender on your side who can help you strategize to achieve your dream of homeownership this season.

Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

* This article was originally published here

2022 Housing Market Forecast [INFOGRAPHIC]

2022 Housing Market Forecast [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

2022 Housing Market Forecast [INFOGRAPHIC] | Simplifying The Market

Some Highlights

Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

* This article was originally published here

Three Tips for First-Time Homebuyers

Three Tips for First-Time Homebuyers | Simplifying The Market

Buying your first home is a major decision and an exciting milestone. Even though it can feel daunting at times, it has the power to change your life for the better. If you’re looking to purchase your first home, you may be wondering what’s happening in the housing market today, how much you need to save, and where to start.

Here are three things that can help give you the information you need to confidently pursue your dream of homeownership.

1. Consider All Options When the Number of Homes for Sale Is Low

Today, there are far more buyers in the market than there are homes available for sale. When that happens, it’s a good idea to do what you can to increase your pool of options. That could mean expanding your search to include additional housing types. For first-time buyers, considering condominiums (condos) and townhomes can be an excellent way to increase your choices. According to Bankrate:

“Townhomes often cost less than single-family homes of a similar size in the same location.”

In another article, Bankrate also says:

“Buying a condo can be a great way to dive into homeownership without worrying about the upkeep that comes with single-family homes and townhouses.”

Condos and townhomes are both great entryways into homeownership. When you buy either one, you can start building equity which increases your net worth and can fuel a future move.

2. Know Your Down Payment Could Be More Within Reach Than You Think

Saving for a down payment can feel like one of the biggest obstacles for homebuyers, but that doesn’t have to be the case. As the National Association of Realtors (NAR) says:

One of the biggest misconceptions among housing consumers is what the typical down payment is and what amount is needed to enter homeownership.”

Data from NAR shows the median down payment hasn’t been over 20% since 2005. The graph below breaks down the median down payment by age group for recent homebuyers according to the 2022 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report from NAR (see graph below):

Three Tips for First-Time Homebuyers | Simplifying The Market

Based on the data above, the median down payment for all homebuyers is only 13%. That’s well below the common misconception of 20%, and it’s even lower for younger buyers. This could mean you may not need to save as much for a down payment as you initially thought.

There are also down payment assistance programs available for many buyers. Not to mention, some loan options require as little as 3.5% (or even 0%) down for buyers who qualify. While there are advantages to putting 20% down, especially in today’s competitive market, know that you have options.  To get more information on how much you may need to save and the help that’s available, talk with a professional.

3. Work with a Trusted Real Estate Advisor Throughout the Process

Finally, no matter where you’re at in your homeownership journey, the best way to make sure you’re set up for success is to work with a real estate professional.

If you’re just starting out, they can help you with the initial steps, like educating you on the process and connecting you with a trusted lender to get pre-approved. Once you’re ready to begin your search, a real estate professional can help you understand your local market and search for available homes. And when it’s time to make an offer, they’ll be an expert advisor and negotiator to help your offer stand out above the rest.

Bottom Line

Knowledge is key to succeeding on your homebuying journey. Knowing market trends, what you need for a down payment, and what options you have as a buyer today can give you the confidence you need to buy a home. Let’s connect so you have an expert on your side who can help you navigate the homebuying process.

Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

* This article was originally published here

Today’s Home Price Appreciation Is Great News for Existing Homeowners

Today’s Home Price Appreciation Is Great News for Existing Homeowners | Simplifying The Market

If you’re planning to sell your home this season, rising prices are great news for you. But it’s important to understand why prices are rising to begin with. One major factor is supply and demand.

In any industry, when there are more buyers for an item than there are of that item available, prices naturally rise. In those situations, buyers are willing to pay more to get the product or service they’re looking for when options are scarce. And that’s exactly what’s happening in the current real estate market.

Selma Hepp, Executive, Research & Insights and Deputy Chief Economist at CoreLogic, puts it like this:

With so few homes, buyers are once again left with fierce competition that’s driving the share of homes that sold over the listing price up to 66% . . . With the continued imbalance between supply and demand, home prices are likely to have another year of strong gains and are expected to average about 10% growth for the year.”

Because it will take some time for housing supply to increase, experts believe prices will continue rising. The latest Home Price Expectations Survey forecasts what will happen with home prices over the next 5 years. As the graph below shows, while the rate of appreciation will moderate over the next few years, prices will continue rising through 2026:

Today’s Home Price Appreciation Is Great News for Existing Homeowners | Simplifying The Market

What This Means When You Sell Your House

If you’re a homeowner, the projection for continued price appreciation this year opens up an opportunity to move. That’s because it may give your equity a major boost. Equity is the difference between what you owe on your house and its market value. The amount of equity you have increases as you make your monthly payments and as rising home prices drive up the market value for your home.

Growing equity is a powerful tool for homeowners. When you sell your house, the equity you’ve built comes back to you in the sale. That money could be enough to cover some (if not all) of your down payment on your next home.

Of course, if you want to know how much equity you have in your current house, it’s crucial to work with a real estate professional. They follow current market trends and can help you understand your home’s value when you’re ready to sell.

What This Means for Your Next Purchase

But today’s rising home values aren’t just good news if you’re ready to sell. Because price appreciation is forecast to continue in the years ahead, you can rest assured your next home will be an investment that should grow in value with time. That’s one of several reasons why real estate has been rated the best investment in a recent Gallup poll.

Bottom Line

If you’re weighing whether or not you should sell your house this season, know rising home values may be opening up an opportunity to use equity to fuel your move. Let’s connect so you can find out how much your home is worth and to learn more about all the benefits you have in today’s market.

Content previously posted on Keeping Current Matters

* This article was originally published here