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Craig Diez - Diez & Sigg Properties

Corona Virus and Housing Market

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There is so much going on with Corona Virus right now that one of the best things to do is to adhere to the advice given by health officials and the surgeon general. Stay safe and healthy as it seems that there is updated advice and tips every few hours.

Jaymi Naciri passes on her tips on the current market with the Corona Virus. It could be adjusted somewhat based on the market that you are in. Utilize your local real estate expert for tips as well as they will have first-hand knowledge on your housing market.

Everyone is talking about coronavirus. Stores are selling out of staples like bottled water and toilet paper. Searches for homemade hand sanitizers are exploding since you can’t find it at Walmart or Kroger. People are skipping conferences and festivals, canceling travel plans, and opting to work from home rather than expose themselves to germs.

But what impact is coronavirus and its rapid spread having on the housing market in this country, and what can we expect? A lot remains unknown at this point, but there are a few things you should be thinking about if you’re looking to buy, sell, invest in real estate, or refinance an existing loan.

Carefully consider new construction

One of the fears associated with coronavirus as it relates to the housing market: supply chain issues. If building materials are held up, it could seriously impact the timeline of new builds. “Homebuilders rely on China, where the coronavirus or COVID-19 originated, for construction materials and any disruption in the supply chain could impact their ability to deliver much-needed new inventory into the market,” said Yahoo! Finance. If you’re set on buying a brand-new home, be sure to ask the builders you’re considering what the impact could be.

“About 30% of building products imported to the U.S. come from China, including both residential and nonresidential construction, according to Richard Branch, chief economist for Dodge Data & Analytics,” said MSN. “The products include wallboard, lighting, and other materials. Homebuilder Toll Brothers recently said the coronavirus outbreak in China led to shortages of lighting fixtures and small appliances, forcing it to delay the sales of 11 homes in California.”

You also may want to look to builders and communities that have standing inventory. That means homes were built before they were sold, so they are move-in ready, brand-new, and have never been lived in. You will have to live with the finishes that were pre-chosen, but, in many cases, you’ll get nicer and more expensive finishes than you may have been able to afford otherwise.

Think twice about remodeling or renovating

Those same supply chain issues that are impacting new-home construction may also make it more difficult and/or expensive to renovate.

Reconsider open houses

As the coronavirus continues to spread, people are reconsidering their exposure to multiple people. If you’re selling your house, that may mean limiting showings to individual families instead of holding open houses. You may feel it’s necessary to follow the same precautionary measures if you’re looking for a home, opting to tour homes individually instead of attending open houses.

Refinance!

“Mortgage rates in the United States have fallen to the lowest level ever on the heels of concerns stemming from the coronavirus outbreak. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped to 3.29% during the week ending March 5, a major decrease of 16 basis points from the previous week,” said MarketWatch. “The decline in rates presents a major windfall for millions of homeowners across the country, who stand to save thousands of dollars in interest by refinancing. Furthermore, an estimated 44.7 million homeowners have $6.2 trillion in home equity that they could access through a cash-out refinance, according to real-estate data firm Black Knight, and now they have the chance to access that cash at a lower interest rate.”

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A Few Things to Know Before Building Your Dream Home

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When I am having a vision on my dream home, it is normally after I have visited a house or neighborhood that I really like. I have never looked at a step by step process of my dream home as the family inside the home is what makes the dream come to life.

Gary Bordeaux sees it a little different than myself. His dream home is pretty awesome as well. Read on.

You are ready to build your dream home, but you are not sure where to start. There are production homes that you can purchase, or you can hire a contractor and build your custom home. This is where you have to balance costs against your lifestyle. A factor to consider is how your lifestyle will change over the years. Most families have children while living in their house. The children then grow up and leave home. A production house may be able to have changes made during this process. A custom house can be built with the future in mind.

The following is some information that will make it helpful when making the decision to build a production house or to build a custom one. You will want to do your research and weigh the pros and cons on what type of house suits you. Either way, you want to hire a professional to walk you through the process. When choosing the professional ask others whom they worked with and how they felt about the experience. Word of mouth is the best recommendation. You can also contact the better business bureau to get suggestions on whom you want to hire.

Choosing a Production or a Custom House

When building a custom home, you will need to hire an architect. They charge a percentage of the cost of the home. This fee is the base charge. They may be more fees for additional drawings or if you have the architect handle ordering materials and administering the contract. With an architect in charge, your house can be designed the way you want it plus it easier to make changes as needed.

Hiring a Professional

You can also hire a designer-builder. The design-builder handles the entire process of building a custom home. In the construction industry, this is a project delivery system. The designer built house has one person responsible for everything from the contract to the completion of the house. This minimizes risks for the owner of the house. In the past, there was one person responsible for the design of the house and one person responsible for the building. Having more than one person in charge can cause things to slip through the cracks without realizing that it is happening.

The building of the house is led by a professional sometimes it is the general contractor. Other times it may be an architect or engineer. Some design-builder firms use professionals from all aspects of the project. It can also be a team venture with both the general contractor and the designer working together on the project. Which one you choose should be the one you are comfortable with as you will be working closely with them as they build your dream house.

When using a general contractor as the lead on the building of the house they work with the owner. They also work with subcontractors. While they are working with others, they are solely responsible for all the work being done. The subcontractors are responsible to the general contractor and the general contractor is responsible to the owner of the house. The owner has to deal with only one person which makes building the home much easier. The architect would be considered an employee of the general contractor.

When the architect is the lead on the project they work with the owner and hires the other professionals as needed. But it is the architect who is responsible for all the work. The architect starts as the designer and ends as the site supervisor. They make sure they complete the house according to the wishes of the owner. Once again one person is responsible for the work being completed on the house. In this case it is the architect.

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The Home Improvement Decisions that You will Never Regret

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When I think about home improvement decisions for the house, I tend to see what my wife has up next on her major home to
do list. Of course, then I check the budget to see what we have available for funds.

Lidia Staron gives us some insight on decisions we make that are just right.

When it comes to home improvement, homeowners have a myriad of options at their disposal. However, this is not to mean that all of these options are the best. While some fixes and renovations in a home can turn your home into a perfect setting, others end up causing more harm than good. Right from landscaping to wiring and kitchen renovation, home remodeling needs careful consideration to avoid future regrets.

What to Avoid
While some home remodeling options may look trendy on the surface, they may not be ideal for a long term engagement. For instance, one of the trends you would not want to get involved in is specialty finishes on hardware. While most homeowners find specialty finishes on the bathroom or kitchen trendy, their relevance does not last long. Furthermore, they are expensive to have them installed or changed. So considering their up-charges and the fact that they are a thing of the moment, it may not be worth the effort.

In most cases, homeowners would try to do all they can to improve the overall outlook of their bathroom. However, some of these additions may be unnecessary. For instance, while adding a veined marble wall to your bathroom is a beautiful endeavor, going overboard can prove overwhelming since, in a few years, it will look outdated. The same applies to graphic tiling that seems trendy at the moment. At this age, Pinterest and Instagram, soon everybody will be going for it, and it will not be desirable in a few years to come.

What to Focus on in Home Remodeling
So you have everything figured out and are set up to make your investment in home renovation. Before starting your renovation project, make sure to budget all your expenses. With a detailed budget, you will know, whether is it better to consider a personal loan for home improvement or to use your savings and pay with cash.

Where do you start? With funds ready, you ought to go for priority aspects of your home remodeling. The following are some of the notable areas to lay your emphasis.

Storage
Come to think of it; a building is essentially meant for storage apart from being home. This fact explains why one will go to great lengths to create several rooms of various storage purposes. Over time, we accumulate a lot of stuff, and it only makes sense to create enough space for the same. Consider both your current and future storage needs when creating these spaces. This applies to both the interior and exterior storage.

Infrastructure
Apart from location, the home’s infrastructure can become a make or break point for your home remodeling design. By building a custom home, you have the autonomy to decide where each of the main features will be located. This is in addition to the assurance that whatever is used under the floor and behind the walls is high quality. Some of the notable infrastructural considerations in home remodeling include electrical systems, cooling systems, siding, plumbing, insulation, and windows. Work hand in hand with your architect or designer to ensure each of these works to improve the overall performance

Is it Time to Renovate Your Home

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To me, sometimes this answer is pretty obvious. If everything in the house is still from 1986 when you bought it, change is due. When all homes around you seem to capture your eye with something fresh but yours doesn’t, then it may be time for some renovation help.

Here are some tips from Anna-Maria Sanders to help you know that it is time.

Renovating your home requires a significant investment. To make the most out of each penny you spend, you must renovate only when it’s needed.

So how do you know if it’s high time that you renovate your home?

Check out these tell-tale signs:

Your Home is Deteriorating

The rate at which your home deteriorates depends on many factors, such as the quality of its construction, the materials used, and the type of climate you live in. Deterioration is a major reason for renovating a house. However, it isn’t always easy to spot deterioration because not all signs can be seen directly.

So what are the signs that your home has gotten substantial wear and tear?

• The tiling system in your home starts to detach. This is most common in areas like the kitchen and the bathroom.
• The roof is leaking.
• The wall paint is chipping, plumbing fixtures are damaged, and the floors are creaking.

As mentioned, other structural problems are not noticeable. It’s a great idea to enlist the help of a professional home inspector at least every year to spot problems early on and have them repaired.

You Have Enough Funds

Every renovation project – big or small – requires money. According to Home Advisor, the cost of home remodeling ranges from $18,466 – $75,350. Yes, it can be very expensive that’s why you need to be financially prepared. To save on the cost, consider tackling necessary projects first, such as home repairs. Note that a lot of times, you might go overboard with your budget. It’s inevitable. But you want to at least keep the unexpected costs at a minimum. If you have sufficient equity in your home, you can use that to finance your home renovation project.

You Need More or Less Space

You could be expecting an additional member in your family soon, your teens wanted a little more privacy and ask to have their own bedroom, or your grownups may have decided to move out. Renovating your home is a great way to meet the changing needs of your family.

You Lack Enough Storage

Is your kitchen looking crowded? Do the contents of your cabinet fall out whenever you open its doors? Has it come to the point when you rather order takeout because cooking at home has become incredibly difficult? Renovating your home to add more storage space can make you stay organized and keep your home clutter-free. Thankfully, modern designs of cabinets and storage systems are not only stylish but also space-saving. Examples are hanging cabinets, multifunctional furniture, built-in wall shelves, and the like.

 


Upgrade Your Home Office

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It is always good to have a professional appearance to your home office. For me, I like it to stay like home. I keep a neat area for me and my clients to meet but still maintain a relaxed atmosphere. Normally, the dogs come out and help relax everyone.

Mikkie Mills adds on some tips to help create the right atmosphere in your home office.

Whether you’ve just moved into your home, or you lived there for years now, you might be looking to improve your home office. Your home office is where you can focus without distractions and work in an environment where you feel comfortable. To help you achieve the perfect aesthetic for your home office, here are some ideal updates that you can make that will help you focus, and stay on task for as long as you need to.

1. Natural Lighting

One of the most important things that you can do for your home office is to have natural lighting. Natural lighting helps people to stay more focused and is easier on the eyes than artificial lighting. Artificial lighting has a tendency to fatigue the eyes fast and can even cause headaches for some people. Natural lighting has the opposite effect. It helps you to stay alert and focused for as long as you need to since it regulates your natural circadian sleep cycle. If you want to focus in your home office and get the most out of your work day, the very first thing that you should do is enhance the amount of natural lighting that you get in your home office. If you’re currently looking for a home, find one that has large windows in one of the smaller rooms (a room that you’ll likely turn into a work office). If you already have your office set up, pull the blinds away from the windows and allow the sunlight to stream into the room all day long.

2. Clear Up Space

The last thing that you would want to do in your home office is put so much stuff in the room that you feel cramped. Clutter is the notorious creative jammer. It’s hard to focus when the office is messy, disorganized, or it just feels “full.” To avoid this feeling, make sure that your office is clean and clutter-free. Don’t use it as a storage closet. In fact, move everything out of the office so it’s nearly impossible for it to get full of clutter. You want the room to feel open like you could lie down on the carpet and stretch in the middle of the workday if you felt like it. The carpet should be clean and free of junk, the windows washed, and the desk wiped down before you sit down for the day.

3. Set Up Mobile Printing

You might want to set up mobile printing to avoid any extra equipment in the office space and to help you better access and organize your home office. Mobile printing is one of the easiest things to set up and it can help you to organize your materials, create a breathable workplace, and allow you to have access to your work through the ease of your phone. If you’re on the go and need to quickly print something from work, you can simply connect to the nearest printer through your phone and print the material.

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Craig Diez

916-425-5884|Contact Craig