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Home Owners Hit
The Mother Lode
Real estate has become the "psychological equivalent of gold" to investors flocking to a tangible asset to find shelter from the economic storm.
Days before Wall Street began it's latest tumble, the Milken Institute published "A New Kind of Gold? Investment In Housing In Times Of Economic Uncertainty" revealing a growing real estate investment trend with home buyers making the most of the land grab.
Of the $23.5 trillion invested in various types of residential real estate in the U.S., the household sector is by far
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the largest single sector, with a more than $11 trillion share, the institute said.
The share increased this year as sales of new and existing homes hit $522 billion during the first six months, up about 16 percent from $451.3 billion a
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Tips for Surviving a
Remodeling Project
You've been dreaming about getting your kitchen remodel project under way for months - the nice new countertops, the beautiful cabinets, the perfect floor, and the chic appliances. But have you thought about how you're going to live - or eat - while the project is under construction? You should.
It's a situation that is occurring more frequently as households throughout the country upgrade, replace, and transform their homes on the heels of rising home appreciation rates and low interest rates. Each year about 26 million Americans spend more than $180 billion on improvements to their homes, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
But whether you're undergoing a two-week or two-month remodel, you'll need to know how the process will go - how you'll cook if you're going through a kitchen remodel, and how you'll shower and primp for work if you're having a bathroom remodel. And how you'll live
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What to Do If You Can't Get Homeowners Insurance
Purchasing and keeping your homeowners insurance policy is increasingly difficult these days. Premium costs are escalating at double-digit rates, many companies' renewal policies are tightening, some companies aren't even selling new policies in some states, and if you live in a wildfire- or hurricane-prone area, or have a history of numerous claims, getting insurance is sometimes a complicated - and expensive -matter.
And that can make the whole home-buying process more difficult, especially if you're buying your first house.
One of the biggest triggers leading to these new restrictions and rate increases is the emergence of mold lawsuits and the direction jury verdicts and judicial interpretations are taking, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
While damage from mold is specifically excluded from the standard homeowners policy, it is covered if it is the result of a covered peril, like a pipe that bursts causing water damage.
But now insurers say that if they are going to be asked, by juries and court rulings, to pay for what isn't covered, that consumers will suffer.
"Potential rate increases needed to cover the cost of mold claims threaten to make home insurance coverage
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What's New in Home Building?
If you've been shopping for a new home, or simply enjoy looking at model homes in and around your community, then you may be impressed with modern floor plans, materials, and energy-efficient features, like windows and appliances. So what can you expect to see next?
At the recent Pacific Coast Builders Conference, known by just PCBC to those in the industry, more than 600 companies exhibited the latest in home
building wares and services. Nearly 24,000 builders, developers, architects, sales and marketing types, designers, and others in the home building industry attended the show, held annually in San Francisco.
And a random selection of 500 registered attendees voted online to pinpoint the "cool products."
Daily News and Advice
Read about the events shaping the Real Estate market today, find current interest rates, or browse the extensive library of advice and how-to articles written by some of the top experts in Real Estate. Updated each weekday.
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