For the past two years, consumers have been spending more money at mom-and-pop retail stores than big-box chains, and America’s shopping malls are feeling the impact, according to credit card company Mastercard, Inc. “The consumer is shopping small,” Mastercard Senior Vice President Sarah Quinlan told Bloomberg.Big retail chains still account for the majority of purchases—but many of the wealthiest consumers are bypassing malls for more
Developers are continuing to shrink the size of new single-family homes, according third-quarter housing data compiled by the National Association of Home Builders. The median square footage of a single-family home was 2,378 square feet in the third quarter.In the years following the Great Recession, builders were focused on the higher end of the market, catering to larger-sized homes. But more recently, builders have renewed their focus on the e
Home buyers were taking out mortgages in higher numbers last week. Applications to purchase a home increased 5 percent and are now 4 percent higher than the same week one year ago, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported Wednesday.But higher home prices appear to be pushing more buyers toward adjustable-rate mortgages, the MBA reports. ARMs tend to carry lower initial interest rates. The ARM share of total mortgage applications is now 8 percent
It’s that time of year when everyone feels the need to share delicious treats, especially at the office. That’s why Lifehacker recently posed the question to its readers of how to work among junk food without pigging out. They collected a list of helpful habits to consider during a season that can sometimes lead to excess. Plan ahead: If you pack a lunch or healthy snacks, you’re much less likely to be tempted by the Christmas cookie tray a
Townhouse construction continues to post gains as home shoppers are lured to the sector. Single-family attached housing comprised 26,000 of total housing starts during the third quarter of 2017, according to Census data. That is 18 percent higher than a year prior, the National Association of Home Builders reports in its analysis.The share of new townhomes now stands at 11.8 percent of all single-family starts, NAHB reports. Still, the peak ma
It's all about warm shades, rugged textures and simple fixturesCool neutrals, white kitchen accessories and marble is out, and earth-toned shades, stonework and concrete accents are in, says Houzz for its 2018 home design predictions.Here are the ten design trends expected to define the upcoming year:Photo credit: Rikki Snyder © 2015 Houzz1. More color in kitchens. Houzz says white will always be a classic color for kitchen design, but homeown
A more luxe-looking home will sell for a higher priceAs a listing agent, it’s your job to help your clients get the most out of their sale. Anything you can do to make the house look more expensive is likely to help boost buyer interest and sales price.But how do you make listings look more expensive?The methods range from very simple to completely replacing older or dated items. Encourage your client to think of any updates as an investment i
Whether it’s dealing with an angry customer who’s fighting your company or an internet troll you’ve never met, it’s imperative that broker-owners, managers, or team leadership address any claims online immediately.Jeff Mowatt, who has trained customer service teams for more than 25 years and authored Becoming a Service Icon in 90 Minutes a Month, offers these four tips when dealing with negative comments, complaints, and even harassment
Half of the world’s population lives near active earthquake faults, and some may not even know it.“Small earthquakes are happening every day near you, and large earthquakes are happening somewhere around the globe that may not be in your mind,” Volkan Sevilgen, co-founder of Temblor, an app that estimates the likelihood of seismic shaking and home damage, told Curbed.com.States like California and Utah have thousands of fault lines running
A burglary occurs about every 20 seconds, and some homeowners may be making it too easy for intruders. A burglar may knock on the door first to check if a resident is home. Some will then test the doorknob—if it’s unlocked, they’ve got easy access.In a survey of 1,000 consumers across the country, home security review website SafeHome found that many residents lock their doors, but many also forget to do so. For example, residents in the
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