On this week’s episode of “Mondays with Matthew,” Matthew Gardner discusses housing affordability and how he believes that despite the impact of COVID-19, affordability issues will remain and may actually get worse as we move forward.
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In recent months, homes have taken on additional roles as offices, schools, and places of entertainment as staying at home has become the norm. With the extra time spent inside and the additional wear and tear on your home, this is a perfect time for those Do-It-Yourself projects you’ve been wanting to get done.
Before getting out the power tools, take time to consider the projects you have in mind. If you’re questioning how the renovations will affect resale value, consult an expert, like your Windermere agent. Assess your budget to see if certain projects should be prioritized over others, or if you have the financial capacity for only one or two projects at this time.
Here are a few ideas:
Landscaping and garden projects: the steppingstones of your home’s DIY outdoor makeover.
Repainting a room: follow these steps to give any room a fresh look and feel.
Flooring projects: how to repair or add flooring that will have you walking through your house comfortably.
With so many people staying at home, DIY projects are at an all-time high. Doing projects like these yourself may not be easy, but it gives a greater sense of ownership, and can often save you money by not outsourcing the work. For additional help on these projects and to find new ones, check out YouTube’s vast DIY resources.
In this week’s episode of “Mondays with Matthew,” Windermere Chief Economist, Matthew Gardner, dives into the high-frequency data sets that he uses to help determine where the US economy is at with emerging from the impacts of COVID-19. Hint: there’s progress, but we aren’t out of the woods yet.
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When organizing your home, knowing where to start can often be the most difficult part. Breaking the process down room-by-room and keeping the following tips in mind will help you get started and keep your home organized in the long run.
Kitchen
Given how much time is spent in the kitchen, it can get disorganized easily. Kitchen countertops are also one of the most frequently touched and used surfaces in a home. Taking items off the counters and storing them on shelving above or below is an effective first step. Open shelves are a great fixture for easy access while preparing and cooking meals. Store the items you use the most here and stow away large tools that you don’t use as often.
A lazy Susan is a must-have for kitchen organization, bringing the back of the cabinet to your fingertips. A great home for kitchen items that are heavy, clumsy or messy, they are highly accessible. Cleaning out a lazy Susan is much simpler than cleaning out cabinets, which frees up shelf space for those items that usually sit out on your kitchen counter.
Living room
A good first step for your living room is to take inventory. See what items can be disposed and what might belong elsewhere in the house. Take time to think about the flow of the room and how you envision foot traffic will interact with the space.
Multifunctionality goes a long way in the living room. Coffee tables, side tables, and ottomans that are designed with more than one purpose in mind will help to declutter. Look for pieces with underneath storage, drawers, or magazine holders.
Bathroom
For both aesthetics and functional storage, open shelving will help take your bathroom to the next level. It provides plenty of room to stow bathroom supplies, towels, toiletries, and brings a more welcoming feel to the space.
This is a great time to go through your bathroom products. Discarding old, expired, and unused items will free up additional space and give the room a cleaner feel. Once you’ve cleaned everything out, take this time to reorganize your medicine cabinet with your newly reduced bathroom inventory.
Bedroom
Keeping your bedroom organized is a matter of maximizing space and minimizing clutter. If you have limited closet space, try placing a garment rack in a corner or against a wall, or store out-of-season clothing items elsewhere. The underside of your bed is useful for storage. Try functional organizers such as bins and roll-out shelving. Using your dresser as a nightstand or your bookshelf as a décor piece will add flair and cut down on clutter as well.
Making the most of the hanging space in your closet is a sure-fire way of keeping it decluttered. Position the most-used items at eye level and stow lesser-used clothes and accessories higher up. Not only does this give priority to your closet which helps you stay organized over time, but it can save you time when getting ready.
Garage
A common tactic for creating storage space in your garage is to go vertical. This will help free up space for your stuff while maintaining the space reserved for your vehicles. The garage is also a good home for large or bulky items that you don’t use every day.
Going room-by-room will help you piece together the look and feel of the organized home you want to achieve. Be comfortable with clearing out a space in order to put it back together the way you have in mind. Sometimes rooms have to get messier before they get organized.
On this week’s episode of “Mondays with Matthew,” Windermere Chief Economist Matthew Gardner provides an update on the forbearance program and what type of effect we can expect it to have on the US housing market.
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For some homeowners who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a high level of concern about paying their mortgage. Fortunately, there are options to aid struggling homeowners from governments, financial institutions, and loan providers. The following information is intended to provide clarity on which financial relief options are available to you during this time.
What are my mortgage relief options?
Newly placed into law, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, provides two protections for homeowners with federally backed mortgages:
Forbearance is…
Forbearance is not…
Which relief options do I qualify for?
The first step in discovering your mortgage assistance qualifications is to contact your mortgage provider. If you are unsure of how to get in touch with them, look at your mortgage statement for contact information or see what contact options are available online.
After you have successfully made contact, find out if your mortgage is federally backed. To be eligible for assistance under the CARES act, your mortgage must either be backed federally, or by one of the entities in the list below. These links show the agencies’ current advise and related loan information:
For non-federally backed loans, contact your lender or servicer to learn more about their forbearance repayment options.
Today’s financial landscape can be stressful for homeowners, especially those that are struggling to keep up financially. Fortunately, these entities, institutions, and servicers have provided options to help lessen the burden. Knowing which options apply to you and your household will help you navigate through hardship as your finances recover.
Twelve weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic and we are certainly seeing the impact it has had on the housing market. Today’s episode of “Mondays with Matthew” covers home prices now, and what to expect for the rest of 2020.
This week on “Mondays with Matthew”: Now that things have settled down somewhat following the initial impact of COVID-19, Matthew dives into the topic of mortgage rates. Will they go below 3%? Matthew discusses this and the factors that have formed his updated 2020 and 2021 mortgage rate forecast.