Whitney Minnich Real Estate and Community Updates

5 Ways to Future-proof Your Kitchen January 11, 2019 Revamping a kitchen can be a costly undertaking, with the median price of a remodeling job coming in at $60,000. So, how do you make sure the changes you make won’t look dated in a few years? HouseLogic, a home improvement website by the National Association of REALTORS®, offers ideas to future-proof your kitchen, including: Stick with white White has remained the top choice of the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s annual survey for years. “It’s a bright color that reflects light and makes even small kitchens feel larger,” notes HouseLogic, adding that white appears to be the “most marketable color” in the kitchen. Put in hardwood flooring Not having hardwood floors apparently comes with later regrets. More than half of home shoppers who purchased a home without hardwood floors say they would have paid an extra $2,080 for them, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ Home Feature...

Homeowners Aren’t Shy When It Comes to DIY January 4, 2019 Many homeowners are attracted to do-it-yourself home projects, particularly members of younger generations, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ “ 2019 Remodeling Impact Report: DIY .” In fact, homeowners may even be happier when they DIY than when they hire a professional to handle a project. Homeowners reported a “joy score” of 9.9 for projects they do themselves (joy scores range from 1 to 10, with higher scores indicating greater joy). Projects completed by professionals rate slightly below, with a 9.6 joy score. Homeowners who take on projects themselves report a greater sense of accomplishment with a finished project, too. The top reason homeowners who participated in the survey cited for undertaking a DIY project is increasing the functionality and livability of the home. That's followed by increasing the home’s aesthetics or adding durable, long-lasting ma...

How Homeowners Are Funding Home Renovations December 6, 2018 Secured financing is the key to how many homeowners are paying for home upgrades, according to a new survey from home remodeling website Houzz and Bank of America. Owners who used secured financing were able to fund much larger home improvement projects, too, at nearly three times the median spending of those who paid for renovations with cash only ($32,000 versus $13,000), the study showed. More homeowners are turning to the equity they’ve accumulated in their homes. Those with mortgages have seen their home equity more than double since 2011. HELOCs—home equity line of credit—are the most common form of secured financing. HELOC originations totaled $157 billion in 2017, which is more than 60 percent of consumer real estate–secured financing, according to the study. Consumers surveyed said the top motivations for using a HELOC were ease of use (39 percent), low cost (38 percent), quick access t...

Why Kitchen and Bath Remodels Could Take Longer November 15, 2018 A labor shortage of remodelers is prolonging or delaying kitchen and bath projects, according to a new report released by the National Kitchen & Bath Association. The labor shortage could also lead to higher project costs. NKBA members cite delays on 30 percent of jobs due to a shortage of contractors, according to the report. Installers, carpenters, and kitchen and bath designers are among the toughest jobs to fill. “The shortage of tradespeople will continue to have a significant impact on the United States’ macro economy, and we are concerned with how this shortage is impacting the kitchen and bath industry,” says Bill Darcy, CEO of the NKBA. “We will work with the industry and similar trade associations to focus on attracting strong next-generation talent to take on these important jobs that fuel the economy.” NKBA members say the shortages are likely due to the limited number of you...

How to Save 20% to 40% on Your Kitchen Remodel Without Even Trying By Oliver Marks The average cost for an upscale  kitchen remodel  was a whopping $113,097 in 2014, according to “Remodeling” magazine’s annual “ Cost vs. Value Report .” Still, you can get the job done for less — much less — without forgoing anything on your wish list. Below are seven great recommendations for ways to shave costs off your kitchen remodel. Each recommendation includes a percentage of the savings you can expect to trim off the overall cost of your kitchen remodeling. Because of variables, such as the price of materials in your area, the percentages are given as a range. If you do all the recommendations, you’ll knock 20% to 40% off the cost of your project. 1. Skip the custom cabinet shop.  All of the major  cabinet  manufacturers offer a range of styles and finishes in their stock product lines. The only compromise you’ll make is that you can’t get cabinet widths sized to...

The Most Common Remodeling Mistakes The weekend is when most people work on projects around their house. If you're planning on starting a project this weekend or in the near future, check out this list of the biggest and most common remodeling mistakes. Source:  Fixr contractors

Redesign Ideas to Grow Old With DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015 A home can be comfortable and functional, even well into retirement. A  recent study  found that 36 percent of respondents would rather stay put in their current residence in retirement, instead of moving, because they felt a strong connection to their home and their neighborhood, and had relatives and friends living in the area. "It is really hard to accept that we are all getting older and less able to do what we used to do, but these types of changes can make living into your golden years easier and more enjoyable," says Julia Caswell Daitch, principal architect of Caswell Daitch Architects in Silver Spring, Md. "And it can even extend your age by seamlessly making that transition, with peace of mind, in your beloved home." The baby boomer population is expected to climb to 73 million by 2030, and affordable housing inventory for this group is getting harder to find. Often...

Budget Kitchen Remodeling: 5 Money-Saving Steps By:  Gretchen Roberts Can't afford an entire kitchen remodel in one fell swoop? You can complete the work in 5 budget-saving stages (and still cook dinner during the down time). Major kitchen remodels are among the most popular home improvements, but a revamped cooking and gathering space can set you back a pretty penny. According to "Remodeling" magazine's 2015 "Cost vs. Value Report," a major, 200-square-foot kitchen remodel costs $56,768, with a 67.8% return on investment come selling time. If you can’t come up with all that cash or take out a loan to do the remodel in one shot, a good strategy is to proceed in stages. By breaking down the kitchen remodeling process, you’ll be able to proceed at your own pace, as time and money allow. Stage One: Start with a Complete Design Plan  Your plan should be comprehensive and detailed — everything from the location of the refrigerator to which directi...

Millennials Are Active Home Remodelers Too DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015 As home prices rise, home owners – across all age groups -- are sprucing up their homes again, according to the fourth annual Houzz & Home survey, based on responses from more than 170,000 U.S. respondents and 260,000 respondents globally. Millennial home owners were found to be just as active when it comes to remodeling as other generations. The key motivation for renovation projects among the 25-34-year-old crowd is making a newly purchased home their own. "While still a small group, millennial home owners are just as active as older generations when it comes to renovating and decorating," says Nino Sitchinava, principal economist at Houzz. "Because of delayed home ownership, we have historically known very little about their preferences when it comes to their home updates. However our data show that millennial views on resale value, energy efficiency, healthy ho...

10 Cheap Ways to Increase a Home’s Value Posted in  Remodeling Adviser , by  Blog Contributor  on May 25, 2015