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Unique and Eye-Catching Shutters for Your Home’s Windows

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As a homeowner, you want to create a warm and inviting atmosphere in your home.

One way of achieving this is by paying attention to your window treatments. Window shutters are an excellent choice when it comes to window coverings. They provide excellent light control, privacy, as well as curb appeal to your home. In addition, they are easy to install and can be customized to suit your taste and home décor. If you are looking for unique and eye-catching shutters to elevate your home’s aesthetic appeal, explore some of the most creative and stunning shutter designs that will make your home stand out from the rest.

Louvre Shutter Design
Louvre shutters are a classic shutter design that dates back to the 18th century. They feature horizontal slats that are adjustable, allowing you to control the amount of light and air that enters your home. Louvre shutters are versatile and can be made of different materials, including wood, PVC and aluminum. They also come in various colors and sizes, making it easy to customize them to fit your home’s design theme.

Plantation Shutter Design
Plantation shutters are elegant and refined, making them popular in modern home décor. They feature wider slats than Louvre shutters, creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere in your home. Plantation shutters are also very durable and require little maintenance. They come in different materials, such as wood, vinyl and composite, allowing you to choose the best fit for your windows.

Cafe Shutter Design
Cafe shutters are a unique and innovative design that covers the lower half of your windows, allowing light to flow in while still providing privacy. They are perfect for homes located near busy roads where you want to create some privacy while keeping your home bright. Cafe shutters come in different materials, and you can also paint them to match your wall color or home design.

Arched Shutter Design
Arched shutters are ideal for homeowners looking to add a touch of class and elegance to their homes. They are designed to fit on arched windows and provide exceptional light control and privacy. Arched shutters come in different styles and materials, and you can also have them customized to fit your specific window size and shape.

Sliding Shutter Design
Sliding shutters are a unique and practical shutter design that saves space and provides maximum privacy and light control. They are perfect for homes with sliding glass doors, large windows and balconies. Sliding shutters can be made of different materials such as wood, MDF and vinyl, and you can also have them custom-painted to match your home décor.

Custom Shutter Design
Finding the perfect window shutter can be a daunting task. Sometimes, you can't find the right fit for your home, no matter how hard you search. That's where a custom-made window shutter can come in handy. By working with a professional, you can rest assured that your shutters will be crafted to fit your exact specifications and style preferences. Not only will this ensure a perfect fit for your windows, but you will also have the satisfaction of knowing that your shutters are uniquely made just for you.

There you have it—six unique and eye-catching shutter designs that will transform your home’s appearance and functionality. Whether you opt for the classic Louvre shutters, elegant plantation shutters, innovative cafe shutters, sophisticated arched shutters, practical sliding shutters or even custom-making your own, you can be assured of exceptional style, privacy and light control. Talk to your local shutter contractor to explore your options and find the best fit for your home. With the right shutter design, you can create a stunning and inviting home that you will be proud to call your own.

Read more at Rismedia.com

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Why Today’s Housing Supply Is a Sweet Spot for Sellers

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Wondering if it still makes sense to sell your house right now? The short answer is, yes. And if you look at the current number of homes for sale, you’ll see two reasons why.

An article from Calculated Risk shows there are 15.6% more homes for sale now compared to the same week last year. That tells us inventory has grown. But going back to 2019, the last normal year in the housing market, there are nearly 40% fewer homes available now:

 
 

Here’s a breakdown of how this benefits you when you sell.

1. You Have More Options for Your Move

Are you thinking about selling because your current house is too big, too small, or because your needs have changed? If so, the year-over-year growth gives you more options for your home search. That means it may be less of a challenge to find what you’re looking for.

So, if you were holding off on selling because you were worried you weren’t going to find a home you like, this may be just the good news you needed. Partnering with a local real estate professional can help you make sure you’re up to date on the homes available in your area.

2. You Still Won’t Have Much Competition When You Sell

But to put that into perspective, even though there are more homes for sale now, there still aren’t as many as there’d be in a normal year. Remember, the data from Calculated Risk shows we’re down nearly 40% compared to 2019. And that large a deficit won’t be solved overnight. As a recent article from Realtor.com explains:

“. . . the number of homes for sale and new listing activity continues to improve compared to last year. However the inventory of homes for sale still has a long journey back to pre-pandemic levels.”

For you, that means if you work with an agent to price your house right, it should still get a lot of attention from eager buyers and could sell fast.

Bottom Line

If you're a homeowner looking to sell, now's a good time. You'll have more options when buying your next home, and there's still not a ton of competition from other sellers. If you’re ready to move, talk to a local real estate agent to get the ball rolling.

Read more at KeepingCurrentMatters.com

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Women Homebuyers Rule: Here’s Where They Own More Homes Than Men—and the Surprising Reasons Why

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Even though women still earn 83 cents for every dollar made by men, they trump men in another key financial area: owning a home.

A LendingTree analysis of the latest (2022) U.S. Census Bureau data finds that more single women than single men own homes. Overall, single women own 2.71 million more homes than single men, an increase of 70,000 homes from 2021.

Here are the top 10 states with a larger share of single-female homeowners than single men:

  1. Delaware

  2. Louisiana

  3. Mississippi

  4. Alabama

  5. Florida

  6. New Mexico

  7. South Carolina

  8. West Virginia

  9. Maryland

  10. Illinois

Single women lead the homeownership charge in all but three states: Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Given that women still lag behind men in terms of salary and overall wealth, why are they ahead in the homeownership game?

In short: It’s just more important to women.

 
 

Why women prioritize homeownership more than men

“Women seem to be very interested in homeownership, and the data suggest that they have been more successful at becoming homeowners without a spouse,” says Realtor.com® Chief Economist Danielle Hale. “Without getting too gender stereotypical here, I suspect it’s because they’re more determined and likely place a higher priority on having a home.”

According to LendingTree’s analysis, “There’s evidence that single women are more willing than single men to make sacrifices to become homeowners.”

Women also tend to be more risk-averse—and owning a home is still considered one of the safest investments out there.

“The steady return of homeownership, coupled with the fact that your investment provides a tangible benefit—i.e., a roof over your head—likely makes a home a favored purchase for women,” says Hale.

Another reason single women might own more homes than men is the simple fact that on average, women outlive men.

“Some of those women have likely outlived their spouses,” Hale notes.

Indeed, in the LendingTree analysis, single-female homeowners tend to be older than single-male homeowners.

Why women may negotiate a better real estate deal

Women not only have the edge in homeownership, but they might also be better at negotiating a real estate deal than men, according to research by Cindy Watson, attorney and author of “The Art of Feminine Negotiation.”

“The myth or misconception is the belief that negotiation is all about toughness, the bark and bite,” Watson says. But the reality, in her analysis, is that 5 of the 6 important skill sets of effective negotiators are characteristics that might be considered more feminine, such as compromise and empathy.

In trying to close a deal, for instance, a man might aggressively try to drive too hard of a bargain by saying something like, “This place is a dump. You can’t expect me to pay full price.” But a woman might say something like, “I know you love this house, and I love it, too. I want to create wonderful memories here. But my budget only goes so far.”

Read more at Realtor.com

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Why You Want an Agent’s Advice for Your Move

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No matter how you slice it, buying or selling a home is a big decision.

And when you’re going through any change in your life and you need some guidance, what do you do? You get advice from people who know what they’re talking about.

Moving is no exception. You need insights from the pros to help you feel confident in your decision. Freddie Mac explains it like this:

“As you set out to find the right home for your family, be sure to select experienced, trusted professionals who will help you make informed decisions and avoid pitfalls.”

And while perfect advice isn’t possible – not even from the experts, what you can get is the very best advice out there.

The Power of Expert Advice

For example, let’s say you need an attorney. You start off by finding an expert in the type of law required for your case. Once you do, they won’t immediately tell you how the case is going to end, or how the judge or jury will rule. But what a good attorney can do is walk you through the most effective strategies based on their experience and help you put a plan together. They’ll even use their knowledge to adjust that plan as new information becomes available.

The job of a real estate agent is similar. Just like you can’t find a lawyer to give you perfect advice, you won’t find a real estate professional who can either. That’s because it’s impossible to know everything that’s going to happen throughout your transaction. Their role is to give you the best advice they can.

To do that, an agent will draw on their experience, industry knowledge, and market data. They know the latest trends, the ins and outs of the homebuying and selling processes, and what’s worked for other people in the same situation as you.

With that expertise, a real estate advisor can anticipate what could happen next and work with you to put together a solid plan. Then, they’ll guide you through the process, helping you make decisions along the way. That’s the very definition of getting the best – not perfect – advice. And that’s the power of working with a real estate advisor.

Bottom Line

If you’re looking to buy or sell a home, you want an expert on your side to help you each step of the way. Connect with a real estate professional so you have advice you can count on.

Read more at KeepingCurrentMatters.com

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‘If your parents are homeowners, you’re more likely to be a homeowner,’ housing expert says. Here’s why

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Several factors may affect your path toward homeownership — one may be your parents.

“If your parents are homeowners, you’re more likely to be a homeowner,” said Susan M. Wachter, a professor of real estate and finance at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Homeowner parents are more likely to directly assist their children with down payments through gifted money or loans, create multigenerational households to help young adults save money and even pass along firsthand knowledge of how to achieve homeownership, experts say.

The tendency follows a broader underlying phenomenon or “an intergenerational transmission of status,” said Dowell Myers, a professor at the University of Southern California’s Sol Price School of Public Policy.

“If your parents are more educated, you’re more educated. If a parent’s more educated and they have more money, then you have more money,” said Myers, whose research focuses on linking demographic data with housing trends.

‘The bank of mom and dad’ helps fund down payments

In 2023, about 23% of first-time buyers used a gift or a loan from friends or family for the down payment of their house, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Separately, Zillow’s chief economist Skylar Olsen said in August on CNBC’s “Last Call” that 40% of first-time homebuyers source money “from the bank of mom and dad” to make their down payments, up from one-third pre-pandemic.

“Some of that is hard-won savings,” she said. “The other part is, say, a gift from family and friends.”

“Intergenerational wealth is clearly associated with homeownership,” said Wachter. If a parent is a homeowner, they are more likely to assist with their kid’s down payment, she said.

In fact, a young adult’s homeownership rate increases with household income and the effect is compounded with the parent’s homeownership status, according to a 2018 report by the Urban Institute, an economic and social policy think tank based in Washington, D.C.

If your parent is not a homeowner, “then you are less likely to have intergenerational wealth or transferred gifts from your parent for a down payment, which has become quite important as down payments have increased,” she said.

Myers agreed: “As prices rise, down payments have to get bigger. No one can save up $100,000; that’s just not realistic.”

The lack of affordable housing keeps Gen Zers at home

Nearly a third, 31%, of adult Gen Zers, or those born in 1996 or later, live at home with their parents or a family member because they can’t afford to buy or rent their own place, a report by Intuit Credit Karma found.

The lack of affordable housing options is pushing young adults to live with their parents, and multigenerational living can help young people build savings to become homeowners, Wachter said.

But it’s harder for those with parents who are not homeowners: “Renter households are often precluded from bringing more people into their home. As a homeowner, you have more space, flexibility; you’re able to do so,” she said. “There’s this intergenerational propensity to be renters.”

Having homeowner parents is ‘like a 5 percentage point bonus’

Young adults with homeowner parents are more likely to become homeowners themselves because they can obtain more information about the mortgage application process directly from their parents, the Urban Institute found.

“Because the parents are so knowledgeable about homeownership, they’re more likely to encourage their kids to do it and show them how to do it,” Myers said. “It’s like a 5 percentage point bonus by having parents who are homeowners.”

Renter parents may express more “sour grapes” about the idea of owning a home, he said: “If they didn’t do it, they’re not going to talk it up.”

Cultural factors during someone’s upbringing can also influence their potential home buying and renting activity. “It’s a valid component,” Myers said.

If a young adult grew up with homeowner parents, they are more motivated to achieve the same status because they know the benefits firsthand.

Read more at CNBC.com

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