Realtor’s Housing Market Recovery Index Foresees No Crash
According to Realtor.com’s latest recovery report, the Housing Market Recovery Index increased to 112.1 nationwide for the week ending December 12th, up 1.7 points over the prior week. Housing activity saw a boost compared to the same time in the previous year and the demand is set to break more records in December.
| Houisng Market Recovery: Week ending 12/12/2020 | Current Index | w/w change | No. of consecutive weeks above recovery (base value of 100) |
| Overall Housing Recovery Index | 112.1 | +1.7 | 22 |
| Housing Demand Growth Index | 129.6 | +5.7 | 32 |
| Listing Price Growth Index | 109.7 | -0.2 | 28 |
| New Supply Growth Index | 106.1 | +5.4 | 5 |
| The pace of Sales Index | 114.7 | -1.5 | 21 |
The graph above charts the index by showing how the real estate market started strong in early 2020, and then dropped dramatically at the beginning of March when the pandemic paused the economy. It also shows the strength of the recovery since the beginning of May. A V-shaped recovery can be seen.
Ralene Nelson, REALTOR®
Located in Trilogy, The Active Adult Community, don’t miss this great value. Carmel model, 2 bedroom, 2 full baths, carpet in bedrooms & living room. Granite tile kitchen countertops with white appliances & pantry. Home has 2 bay windows, nook & master bedroom, & all rooms have window blinds. Private backyard, grass just needs water. Community provides many activities, tennis, golf, bocce, 2 pools, billiards, gym, and make new friends. READ MORE
PENDING – 832 Summerset Dr. Rio Vista 2bd/2.5bths/2,334sf
Located in Trilogy, The Active Adult Community, don’t miss this great value. Carmel model, 2 bedroom, 2 full baths, carpet in bedrooms & living room. Granite tile kitchen countertops with white appliances & pantry. Home has 2 bay windows, nook & master bedroom, & all rooms have window blinds. Private backyard, grass just needs water. Community provides many activities, tennis, golf, bocce, 2 pools, billiards, gym, and make new friends. READ MORE
PENDING – 2131 Saint Andrews Dr, Rio Vista 2bd/2-1/2bths/2337sf
Islander model on the 16th fairway, located in the Active Adult Community, Trilogy at Rio Vista. New interior paint, carpet and new tile in the master bath, just bring your furniture to this gorgeous home and watch the beautiful sunsets. Gorgeous kitchen for the gourmet cook, gas cooktop, 2 built-in ovens & trash compactor. Cherry cabinets & granite slab counters, the island provides space for bar stools. Nook in kitchen overlooks the 16th fairway & patio. Great room w/fireplace & upgraded mantle & slider to patio. READ MORE
Real Estate News
Selling Your Home in a Hot Market
Real estate sellers might think that a “hot” market means fast, easy money for their home. After all, a hot market means low inventory combined with lots of buyers looking for the perfect place. In many instances, a hot market does indeed mean a faster sale at or above the asking price. However, there are some pitfalls that a house seller in a hot market needs to be aware of before watching the money roll in… READ MORE
Here’s what to do if you plan to buy a house in 2021
As mortgage rates remain near record lows, this year may be the right time to buy a new home.The average rate for the 30-year-fixed mortgage stands at 2.65%, dipping from 2.67% just a week earlier.“If you are looking to purchase a home in 2021, you must be prepared to go to war,” said Steve Laret, owner at The Steve Laret Team, a real estate agency. “Inventory is at an all-time low … there is still a lot of money out there looking to take advantage of the historically low rates.”As demand remains competitive, here’s what you should do, according to housing expertsREAD MORE
How to Organize Your Kitchen Once and For All
Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash
If you’ve searched endlessly for the right Tupperware lid, bought double the ingredients because you couldn’t find it in your pantry or struggle to keep the kitchen looking even somewhat clean, then it might be time to give your kitchen some attention. Contrary to what a lot of people think, you don’t need an enormous space to have a functional kitchen – it’s more about how you organize the space you do have!You also don’t need a major overhaul to banish clutter and become organized – just a few handy tips and tricks to get you started. Here’s what we suggest to optimize your space and get a functional kitchen space you actually enjoy being in!Pull it Out and PurgeTo start, it’s important to literally see every item in your kitchen and start from a blank slate. So pull it all out and assess the damage!Think about each item: is it necessary? Does it work? Do I love it?This step can be really hard but consider the goals – to have a functional space, to have as clear a counter as possible, and to actually enjoy being in the kitchen. Once you’ve gone through your items, you should have a keep section, a toss section, and a donate section.
Source: Cortney BishopDo a Deep CleanBecause you have everything out of your cabinets and drawers, this is the perfect time to give everything a good wipe down. You’d be surprised how great that will feel, especially when you go to put everything back in its place.Define Your ZonesBefore you start to put anything back, assess your entire kitchen and group cabinets and drawers into zones. The easiest way to do this is to have a notepad and pen and write it down, including which items belong in which zones. Here’s an example of what that would look like:
- Zone 1: Everyday (easiest to access, close to dishwasher if possible)
plates, bowls, basic glassware, cups, serveware, cutlery - Zone 2: Cooking (locate close to oven or range)
pots, pans, dishes, cutting boards, spatulas, wooden spoons, measuring cups/spoons, mixing bowls, any other baking items, etc. - Zone 3: Pantry
dry goods, spices, larger kitchen gadgets, etc. - Zone 4: Accessories & Storage (near fridge if possible)
tupperware, food storage, food wrap, ziploc bags, tin foil, to go items, etc. - Zone 5: Coffee and Bar
coffee cups, pods, coffee accessories, coffee pot or keurig, barware such as wine glasses, shot glasses, other glassware, bar accessories, etc. - Zone 6: Under the Sink
cleaning supplies, extra hand soap, garbage bags, recycling etc. - The 7th zone could be your special items, like serveware that you typically only use when hosting or special pottery/keepsakes. Our advice though would be to try and keep items you only genuinely use and if it’s not often, then perhaps storing in another area of the house like the dining room or garage would serve you better.
The same rules apply to your fridge – group items together and determine the best layout for your shelving inside!
Source: @patticakewagnerPosition CorrectlyNow that you know which items go where, think about how you position them. Keep items you use the most at eye level and the pieces that see a little less use further away or up higher. If you can’t easily see or access something, the less likely you are to use it.Same goes for the pantry! Consider unloading cereals, baking goods, pasta and rice for instance, into clear containers. You’ll have more room, they will keep better and you’ll actually be able to see everything! Position things you use the most, like cereal, where it’s easiest to access.
Source: Lonny
Get CreativeWant to take it a step further? Start to get creative with your organization and determine which hacks will work best in each zone.For example:Install a hanging rack for pots and pans to free up cupboard space
- Mount a rack for spices and actually alphabetize it
- Have a tall pantry door? Hang a clear shoe organizer to make use of that space
- Make use of drawer organizers and dividers to keep everything super accessible
- Use standing dividers for things like baking sheets and cutting boards
- Wire shelving or pull out units are mega handy – especially under the sink
- Utilize wall space (magnetic knife holders, fresh hanging herbs, hooks for hanging almost anything!)
- Install a corkboard on the inside of your cupboard doors to hang small items or display your most-used recipes
Source: Design SpongeKeep On ItAfter a month, take a moment to reflect on how the organization is going. Define any problem areas and reevaluate. Try to stay on top of the pantry and make it a yearly goal to do a declutter.