Market Gets Tense for Home Buyers

By Gino Blefari, President and CEO, Intero Real Estate Services, Inc.

Have consumers in the market to buy a home already missed the boat? That's the question on a lot of peoples' minds as we dive into monthly sales statistics that keep painting an intensifying picture: more sales, more price increases, rising interest rates and fewer available homes for sale.

Existing-home sales increased 4.2% in May from April to an adjusted annual rate of 5.18 million homes, according to the most recent report from the National Association of Realtors. The number of sales was up 12.9% from the same month a year ago, when the annual rate stood at 4.59 million homes.

Energy Tips for Summer Cooling to Save Money and Reduce Pollution

There's lots of talk around here about the heat lately. Here's another post with helpful tips on how to stay cool. Enjoy, and stay cool!

The average home spends almost 20 percent of its utility bill on cooling. Increased energy production to run cooling systems not only raises costs, it also can contribute to pollution that adversely affects the quality of the air we breathe.

Which Way Should Your Ceiling Fan Turn in Summer?

The Cool Way!

Make sure your ceiling fans rotate in the correct direction to cool you in summer.

We’re having a heat wave; so make sure your ceiling fans are spinning in the right direction to move air around the room.

Most fans are reversible: One direction pushes air down, creating a nice summer breeze; the other direction sucks air up, helping you distribute heat in winter. There's normally a switch on the motor to change the fan's direction.

Is your fan turning in the right direction for summer?

Stand beneath the running fan, and if you feel a cooling breeze, it’s turning correctly. If not, change directions, usually by flicking a switch on the fan’s base. Typically, it's counterclockwise or left for summer and clockwise for winter, but the best method is to follow the steps above.

Funny note: We read on Yahoo! that one clever person used bubbles to see which direction his fan was blowing.

By: Lisa Kaplan Gordon for HouseLogic

It's hot this week-end. Want Summer comfort but hate the AC? Maybe, like many homes in this area, you don't have AC in your house. Follow these tips, and you’ll keep your house cool without frosty air conditioning.

Block that Sun!
When sunlight enters your house, it turns into heat. You’ll keep your house cooler if you reduce solar heat gain by keeping sunlight out.

Close the drapes: Line them with light-colored fabric that reflects the sun, and close them during the hottest part of the day. Let them pillow onto the floor to block air movement.

Add awnings: Install them on south- and west-facing windows to reduce solar heat gain by up to 77%, says the U.S. Department of Energy. Make your own by tacking up sheets outside your windows and draping the ends over a railing or lawn chair.

Mortgage Loan Terms

With interest rates on the rise it may be time for some of us to think about something other than that ever popular 30-year fixed loan. Here’s a comparison that may make your decision easier.

How to buy a home with a pool

While the decision of whether or not to buy a home with a pool is a personal choice for homebuyers, there are several factors to consider which will have a serious financial impact over the short and long term.

Beyond deciding whether or not you want to own a pool, there are additional issues to consider, such as the insurance, maintenance and safety costs associated with pool ownership.

"Owning a pool can be a wonderful experience and can add to the beauty and desirability of your home," says Doug Hill, a real estate agent at Coldwell Banker in Phoenix, Ariz. "But, we recommend that buyers consider the pros and cons of pool ownership before they dive in."

7 Design Secrets for a House You Can Live in Forever

The words dream house may conjure up fantasy amenities and custom trims. But smart homeowners also imagine a home they can live in forever — with a young family, through busy midlife, and with many of the common physical limitations that getting older can bring, from arthritis to needing a wheelchair.

Universal design (UD) is the design of products and environments that are usable by most people, regardless of their level of ability or disability, and at little or no extra cost. From entryways to kitchens and bathrooms to bedrooms, they often increase the value of a home. UD brings together the principles of accessible design (meeting standards for handicapped access, using “adaptable” design, meaning “normal”-looking design that can be revised later for disabled use), ergonomic design (allowing people and things to interact most effectively and safely), and green design (environmentally friendly spaces). UD is sometimes also called “lifespan design.”

Strong Price Gains Fuel Market Confidence

By Gino Blefari, President & CEO, Intero Real Estate Services, Inc.

Intero value #14 is confidence.  Confidence /con·fi·dence/ •noun.  Freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities.

Confidence is also the word in housing this week. At least that's what we're hearing from some of the top companies in housing finance.

JPMorgan Chase revised its forecasts for the industry, prompted by large gains in home prices. And Fannie Mae released its monthly national housing survey, showing a sharp increase in consumer confidence in the housing market.

Home prices could grow as high as 7.2% this year, according to JPMorgan's new report. Analysts at the bank studied prices and demand conditions as the market moves into summer. They revised 2013 predictions higher as well as projections for 2014 and 2015, with an expected 3.9% and 3.2% growth, respectively.

Home for Sale: 68 Victoria Drive, Gilroy

Excited to have a beautiful new listing. Don't miss seeing it even if it's not the home for you because it is so meticulously maintained and presented. A real show piece!

Decorate for the Season

Looking to freshen up and "Summerize" your décor? Here's some suggestions for the room with your fireplace. Do you like any of them?

14 Ways to Style Your Mantel for Spring and Summer

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