Survey Shows Current Attitudes to Smart Homes

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Lowes recently released a survey on smart homes, and discovered that more than 70% of Americans who have smartphones would like to be able to control some feature within their home, without having to move. According to the article in RisMedia, the survey looked at people’s attitudes towards home automation as well as their experiences.

It also examined the most important features for home automation, and people’s reasons for owning or wanting to own particular smart home products. Overall, the study found Americans are generally open towards the idea of smart homes, and 62% thought a smart home would be a beneficial way of being able to monitor security and home safety. The Smart Home Survey was an online poll of more than 2,000 adults aged over 18, and it found that just over half of those surveyed feel that having a smart home is somewhat important. When it comes to purchasing the equipment required for smart home automation, some 26% say the overall cost of equipment is important, while 31% feel this way about the monthly fees. Some 13% feel the ease of use is important and just 11% think this about security.

The survey found that Americans generally feel positive towards products that could make their homes easier to manage, more energy efficient and more secure. When it comes to actually purchasing smart home products, Americans more than twice as likely to prefer a solution they can fit themselves and which doesn’t have a monthly fee associated with monitoring the system, or an installation fee. Around 40% feel the benefit of owning a smart home would be to make the home more energy-efficient, and to cut down on energy bills. Out of those polled, 62% felt home monitoring and security was the most beneficial reason for choosing a smart home. Americans aged 65 or older were more than twice as likely as those aged between 18 and 64 to rank ease of use as being the most important factor when considering a smart home purchase.

Most Americans aim is to be able to control something in their home without having to get out of bed. Nearly half would like to control the temperature of the property, so it is perfect when they get home. Other wishes includes being able to control lights and door locks. Not surprisingly, these wishes are the top three things most of us forget to do before leaving home, as 18% forget to turn off the lights, while 15% don’t adjust the thermostat and a worrying 5% fail to lock the door. Over half of those surveyed admitted to forgetting to do something when they went out.

Pending Home Sales Fell Slightly in August

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Even though pending homes sales fell slightly in August, contract signings were at their second highest level over the past twelve months, according to an article in Propertywire. These figures were based on data from the National Association of Realtors. Just one region bucked the trend which was at the West, where pending home sales increased for the fourth consecutive month. With the exception of the West, all major regions saw pending home sales figures decline. The index dropped from 105.8 in July to 104.7 in August, and was 2.2% to the below figures seen in August 2013 when the index was 107.1. In spite of the decline, the index is still above 100 and has been for four consecutive months. Anything above 100 is considered to be an average level of contract activity.

Real estate experts point out that even though figures did drop slightly, the number of contract signings is holding steady. The reason the figures declined is likely to be due to less investor activity and fewer distressed sales. Fewer distressed homes are available at knockdown prices, and this factor combined with the likelihood of rising interest rates may be causing investors to hesitate over purchases. The declining numbers of investors means the market is returning towards more normal conditions, relying on first-time buyers and traditional buyers who need a mortgage to purchase a home.

The National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers shows that 81% of first-time buyers who purchased the home last year used an FHA or conventional loan. During the housing market recovery first-time buyers have accounted for less than a third of all buyers every month over the last couple of years.

It’s expected that the numbers of first-time buyers should gradually rise, in spite of increasing interest rates and tight credit conditions. This is because employment prospects for young adults are beginning to improve and their incomes are increasing. More disposable cash will help them repay student loans and should lead to higher sales growth in this area during the next two years.

Levels of pending home sales in the North East fell by 3% to an index of 86.5 in August, but this figure is still 1.6% higher than a year earlier. In the Midwest levels fell by 2.1% to an index of 102.4, 7.6% lower than in August last year. In the South pending home sales fell 1.4% giving an index of 117 which is unchanged from a year earlier. In the West, figures rose for the fourth consecutive month by 2.6% to reach 102.1, but this is still 2.6% lower than August last year.

Study: Green Neighborhoods linked to healthier babies

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Pregnant women living in “green” neighborhoods are more likely to deliver healthier babies, suggests a new study from researchers at Oregon State University and the University of British Columbia.

What makes a neighborhood green: the presence of trees, leaves, grass, and other greenery. Mothers who live in such greener spaces are more likely to deliver at full-term and have babies born at higher weights compared to mothers who live in urban areas that aren’t as green, according to the study recently published in Environmental Health Perspectives. “This was a surprise,” says lead author Petty Hystad, an environmental epidemiologist at the College of Public Health and Human Services at Oregon State. “We expected the association between greenness and birth outcomes to disappear once we accounted for other environmental exposures, such as air pollution and noise. The research really suggests that greenness affects birth outcomes in other ways, such as psychologically or socially.” Researchers controlled for factors such as neighborhood income, exposure to air pollution, noise, and neighborhood walkability. Between 1999 and 2002, researchers tracked more than 64,000 births in Vancouver, British Columbia. They found that when mothers lived in greener neighborhoods, pre-term births were 20 percent lower, and moderate pre-term births were 13 percent lower for infants. The study also found that infants from greener neighborhoods tended to be of a healthier weight: They weighed 45 grams more at birth than infants from less-green neighborhoods. Why the link to healthier pregnancies and green neighborhoods? More research needs to be done to determine if green space opens the door to more social opportunities and enhances a woman’s sense of belonging in the community, or if it has a psychological effect in reducing stress and depression, Hystad says. The study also was not clear on what type of green space is most beneficial to pregnant women, but Hystad says that adding a planter to a patio or a tree to a sidewalk wouldn’t make a large difference in birth outcomes. The study is one of several recently that shows the health benefits of green space, Hystad says. “We know a lot about the negative influences, such as living closer to major roads, but demonstrating that a design choice can have benefits is really uplifting,” says the study’s senior author Michael Brauer of the University of British Columbia. “With the high cost of health care, modifying urban design features, such as increasing green space, may turn out to be extremely cost-effective strategies to prevent disease, while at the same time also providing ecological benefits.”

Students Face Challenges Over Home Buying

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Buying your first home is never a cheap process and most of us will initially struggle, but it is much more difficult for students who can graduate with substantial amounts of debt. This means they often need to earn substantially more money in order to buy a home. An estimate by RealtyTrac found students typically need annual salaries of approximately one third more compared to those first time buyers without student debt. This equates to around $8,700. ReatlyTrac arrived at this figure by taking the median home price for each county and state, and calculating the minimum amount needed to qualify for a loan on this home. This assumed the buyer had a 20% deposit and was based on a 30 year 4.13% loan.

The article in the Wall Street Journal does point out that this figure is dependent on where the student is living, and the average amount of student debt can vary from state to state. Interestingly, some of the areas with the most expensive housing also have the lowest rates of student debt. A good example is California, where house prices are amongst the highest in the country, yet it has one of the lowest levels of student loan debt. Those states where graduates with student loans need to make more income to qualify for loans, compared to those without debt include Pennsylvania at 49%, Ohio at 53% and Michigan at 55% and Rhode Island at 56% and Connecticut at 58%. In comparison, students in California only need to earn 12% more than graduates without student loan debt. This figure is 17% for New York and Virginia, rising to 19% for those in Wyoming, and to 20% for graduates in Utah. The good news is that graduates with student loans, and who are earning the median household income for the US are able to afford the monthly payments on median priced homes in 96% of the markets analyzed by RealtyTrac. Apparently a graduate with a bachelor’s degree can expect a starting salary averaging $45,000, but is likely to have an average of $33,000 debt, a figure that has tripled in the last two decades. However other figures show that graduates who have managed to find well-paid jobs are pretty lucky, as around 40% of those unemployed are millennials, and many are either college age or recent graduates. In addition, recent graduates with student loans seem to find it harder to build wealth.

Tips For Using Interior Design To Beautify Your Surroundings

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Interior design isn't just for professionals; it can be for everyday people like you too! Designing the home of your dreams doesn't have to require an expansive wallet or a hoard of professionals. Start your journey of interior design with the simple tips below and you are sure to see your way to success!

If you have children, you should take them into consideration before planning your interior-design project. For example, you will probably want to stay away from furniture pieces that have extremely sharp corners, as your children can easily harm themselves on them. It would be a waste if you were to purchase's pieces that end up breaking or causing harm to your children.

Consider adding some artwork to your room. A nice piece of art can really make a room look "finished." Make sure you choose a piece of art work that goes with the colors and feel of the room. You don't want it to compete with other things in te room for attention.

A great interior design tip is to always be aware of space when you're designing. If you go crazy with a room it might end up getting cluttered. No matter how nice looking and well decorated a room is, if there isn't enough space to move around no one will even bother to go in it.

Choose colors of the same hue. When you do this, even if the colors seem like they would not "match," they are in the same color family. That makes them blend in a way that is pleasing to the eye. When you get color swatches from a store, check out the colors in the same position on each card. Those are the ones with similar hue values.

Interior design has something to offer everyone, including you. Don't feel overwhelmed by the ideas you have just read, take notes instead. Take the time and think your inspired designs through. The tips in the article above can just be the starting point in the wonderful world of interior design!

Debt Consolidation Can Be Easy With These Tips

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Debt is a four letter word none of us like to think about. The fact is that the less you think about it, the more it tends to pile up. Reading the below article will give you all the tips and tricks you need to use debt consolidation to deal with your problems.

If you're trying to pay down your debt, try borrowing a bit from your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement account. Be careful with this, though. While you're able to borrow from your retirement plan for low interest, failing to pay it back as you agreed, losing your job, or being unable to pay it all back, the loan will be considered dismemberment. Your taxes and penalties will then be assessed as for why funds were withdrawn early.

Consider borrowing from your retirement account to pay your debt off. Contact the financial institution you opened a 401K plan with to see if you can borrow part of the money you saved up. This is a good way to pay your debt off quickly but you will have to replace the money you took from your retirement plan.

Before you start debt consolidation, make sure to check your credit report. When you know exactly where your problem are, you can take the initial steps to solve them. Make sure you calculate whom you owe money to and the current status of that, your total debt, and more. It's nearly impossible to restructure your finances if you don't know anything about them.

When it comes to taking control of your financial future, debt consolidation can do the trick. You need to learn all you can about it to make it work for you. This article has been a great start, but continue to read as much as possible so you can finally tackle your debt.

The Purpose of Commercial Real Estate is to Service Society

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When you consider the future of commercial real estate, what is your number one consideration? It should be the direction that society is going in. From manufacturing to warehousing to retail to apartment buildings, commercial real estate is all about servicing society.

Manufacturers that don’t keep up with technology won’t be able to produce customized products in mere days. The automotive industry has been moving in this direction for years. Manufacturers that master technology that quickly delivers customized products will thrive. Those that don’t will go bust.

Commercial Sectors Behind the Power Curve

Full service malls are already on the decline. Mall anchors such as Sears and J.C. Penny’s are going dark all over the country and causing the smaller stores to shutdown with them. These once major chains might survive in a much smaller online version but the mall format is doomed on two fronts. Both from the continuing growth of internet sales and from the proliferation of discount sellers like Wal-Mart and Target. Mall properties may soon be worth no more that the land they stand on. Warehouses are another sector of commercial real estate in dire trouble. While the high tech distribution centers like Amazon and FedEx have heavily modernized and automated their facilities, most warehouses have not and are way behind the power curve. Most warehouses are nowhere near having the ability to make one day or same day deliveries. This is analogous to car manufacturers that can quickly deliver customized products. The highly automated warehouse will thrive in the future and the antiquated ones will go the way of the large malls. Our population insists on instant gratification and only distributers that can deliver will survive.

The Country Will Urbanize

One sliver of hope for malls is they could be repurposed into the town centers that Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Gen Y are demanding. These massive sections of the population want the charms of city living where they can to live, work and play in a compact area. But just any old building on any old block in the city won’t do. The commercial properties that will thrive are those that reinvent themselves for old technology into modern mixed-use properties. The younger generations work to live instead of living to work as the Baby Boomers did. The younger generations want to take frequent breaks from work and demand amenities in or near the work place. This could lead to a repurposing of malls and older office buildings.

Suburbs Need to be Modernized As Well

The transition into city life doesn’t mean that suburbs will be abandoned. Millennials still like this life style. But as is true for much of our aging infrastructure, suburbs need a major facelift. Millennials want the same compact lifestyle as the other generations except they want it outside of the hustle and bustle of the city. They too want a work-play environment. Suburbs will become more walk able communities with high-speed public transportation into the cities. Besides technology, the other big change to commercial real estate will be the green movement. Society will demand a small carbon footprint that is more ecologically friendly. While “going green” is happening across Europe, it’s still mostly a buzzword here. Still, commercial properties that want to thrive will need to greatly improve technology and go green in the years to come.