These days, it seems everyone's got a case of the budget blues. Not surprisingly, turbulent economic times also tend to sideline home renovation projects, at least for the short term. But if you have the savings or financing available for your remodeling adventure, the timing for some improvements couldn't be better. Why? Well, for starters,…
With a minimal budget and a little sweat equity, your home can go from a "so-so" to a "wow" in no time. Whether you want to update your existing living space or add value to a house you are trying to sell, investing in some basic home renovations can make a huge impact. So what…
'Twas only a few years ago, when the housing boom was in full roar, that homeowners didn't have to fret too much over whether the money they invested in remodeling would be paid back at resale time. Indeed, it was practically a no-brainer: Home sale prices were going up so high and so fast that…
Taking elected office is often a Cinderella-like experience. Normal people with private lives are thrust into a strange and magical public world where their dreams really do come true. Maybe no singing birds or supernatural pumpkins accompany them, but they are beset with many other surreal experiences: instant celebrity, power, deference and hundreds of new…
Remodeling is a better investment in some years than others. This year is among the worst if you’re hoping to recoup much money when you sell, says a newly released report. Homeowners are getting back just 64%, on average, of a project’s cost, compared with 87% in 2005, according to Remodeling Magazine’s 2009-2010 Cost vs.…
The troubled housing market isn’t just hurting homeowners who want to sell, it’s torpedoing incomes for builders and remodelers as well. As a result, contractors have cut bids by 20% in many parts of the country, according to a survey by The Wall Street Journal, which adds that many contractors are willing to take on…
It may feel a little creepy to think of your washing machine talking to the power company, but that's among the bells and whistles appliance manufacturers are coming up with to perk up a market that's been smacked down hard by the recession. For now, Whirlpool Corp. (WHR) wants to get an edge by protecting…
A new national survey released today finds Americans once again prefer aesthetic home improvements – a refinished kitchen or bathroom – over money-saving improvements, such as energy-efficient windows or a high-efficiency furnace. The survey, the fifth annual Energy Pulse survey conducted by Shelton Group, found that consumers are reverting to their old priorities as the…
Fixer-uppers are not the darlings of the New York City real estate market right now. With so many well-groomed apartments for sale to choose from, why bother? But when there is a lot of inventory on the market, the price gap between the renovated and unrenovated often grows. “What you see now,” said Jonathan J.…
People who refrained from splurging on big home-improvement projects during the housing boom are reaping the rewards now. Depending on the region and the job, some homeowners are paying as much as 20% less for home-remodeling projects than they would have a few years ago. Many contractors are willing to accept smaller jobs and "handyman"…