Category: Home Living

  • What is San Francisco Doing to Combat its Astronomical Housing Prices?

    What is San Francisco Doing to Combat its Astronomical Housing Prices?

    With housing prices in San Francisco and across the Bay Area showing no signs of letting up on their precipitous rise, affordable-housing activists have tried nearly every avenue of protest in the book. They haven’t, however, tried taking legal action against high housing prices — until now. According to the Inquisitr, the housing activist group…

  • Mortgage Interest Rates Rise to Highest Level This Year

    Mortgage Interest Rates Rise to Highest Level This Year

    Mortgage rates rose modestly in the week preceding Aug. 20, according to the Bankrate regular report, with the average rate on the benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reaching its highest point since October of 2014. Bankrate calculated the rate at 4.06%, a slightly more conservative figure than the 4.29% reported by Ellie Mae the day before.…

  • Are Solar Shingles Finally Catching On? No, No They’re Not

    Are Solar Shingles Finally Catching On? No, No They’re Not

    In sun-parched California, improved solar shingles are becoming a favorite roofing option for sustainable energy advocates, and this July, solar shingle maker Integrated Solar Technology finalized a partnership with Solar Roof Dynamics, which will install the panels on homes. But although solar shingles might be seen as a viable roofing option for California energy activists,…

  • Don’t Fall For This Shockingly Common Scam Targeting Baby Boomers

    Don’t Fall For This Shockingly Common Scam Targeting Baby Boomers

    Con men disguised as contractors have long targeted aging Americans for their home improvement scams, but new trends in home remodeling put elderly U.S. citizens at even more risk than ever before. U.S. homeowners are expected to spend more than $151 billion on remodeling projects this year, and scammers are eager to siphon off some…

  • Con Artists Pulling Home Improvement Fraud Arrested After Allegedly Taking $50,000 From Elderly Woman

    Con Artists Pulling Home Improvement Fraud Arrested After Allegedly Taking $50,000 From Elderly Woman

    Homeowners love working on their houses, but they have to be careful. According to a Houzz survey from 2013, 84% of respondents planned to decorate or redecorate, 40% planned to remodel or build an addition, and 10% of participants were in the process of building a custom home. However, not all contractors are as trustworthy…

  • Canadians Have Begun Living in Homes Made Out of Old Shipping Containers

    Canadians Have Begun Living in Homes Made Out of Old Shipping Containers

    Only about 33% of consumers are willing to purchase a car online, despite the incredible growth of online shopping marketplaces and “shopping mall” smartphone apps in the past few years. But maybe more consumers would be willing to purchase homes made out of the shipping containers that were once intended for all those car sales?…

  • Santa Barbara Remains Strong in Face of Drought

    Santa Barbara Remains Strong in Face of Drought

    With the crippling drought affecting California, residents are being asked to take as many steps as possible to conserve water. From checking appliances for leaks to taking shorter showers, Californians are altering their lifestyles to reduce their water consumption. Californians have been asked to voluntarily reduce water consumption by 20% since July, but have managed…

  • Builders Donate Time to Families in Need

    Builders Donate Time to Families in Need

    Home renovations are a necessary part of house ownership for many people, but they are often expensive, intrusive, and time consuming. For many homeowners, obtaining the renovations they desperately need seems out of reach, even though their quality of life may decrease without the renovations. Fortunately, many home remodeling companies try to give back to…

  • Wounded Veteran to Receive New Custom Home in San Angelo, Texas

    Wounded Veteran to Receive New Custom Home in San Angelo, Texas

    On Thursday, Feb. 26, construction crews broke ground on a property in a subdivision of San Angelo, TX. Unlike other building projects in the area, however, two organizations are collaborating to help support an important cause: creating a custom home for a decorated veteran and his family. Staff Seargent Chris Campbell joined the United States…

  • Small Outdoor Projects Predicted To Have the Biggest Return on Investment in Home Remodeling Trends for 2015

    Small Outdoor Projects Predicted To Have the Biggest Return on Investment in Home Remodeling Trends for 2015

    When it comes to home remodeling trends, there’s one thing that should always be at the front of your mind: Will the return on investment be worth the cost of this particular project? According to the 17th annual Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report for 2015, it’s clear that smaller outdoor projects are most likely to…