Monday, April 6, 2026

Survey Reveals Drastic Shift in Homeowner Behavior One Year Into the Pandemic

Wed, 24 March 2021  |  pandemic housing 

A new survey from Hippo, a home insurance company, finds a drastic shift in homeowner behavior during the pandemic. Hippo’s findings signal a new era of homeownership in which homeowners take on a more active role in investing in their homes, driven by an increased desire for added comfort and an inherent need to protect what has become most Americans’ largest financial asset. In the past year, twice as many homeowners spent $10,000 or more on their home than in the previous year. Even as pandemic-fueled social restrictions decline and people begin to return to work and school, 71... Read More

Home Sellers In Driver's Seat

Wed, 24 March 2021  |  housing real estate 

With a red-hot real estate market coming out of the pandemic, many homebuyers are finding that they must tour more homes, cut bigger checks and waive more contingencies in order to win, according to a new report from Redfin. Remote work and low mortgage rates have prompted scores of Americans to buy homes during the pandemic, and this has resulted in a severe housing shortage that's fueling record-high prices, cutthroat competition, and putting sellers in the driver's seat.

Redfin's analysis reveals just how much homebuying has changed during the coronavirus pandemic.

<... Read More

Existing-Home Sales Drop 6.6% in February

Mon, 22 March 2021  |  housing 

Existing-home sales declined in February, following two prior months of gains, according to the National Association of Realtors^®. Month-over-month, only one major region saw an increase in February, but all four U.S. regions recorded year-over-year gains.

Total existing-home sales completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, decreased 6.6% from January to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 6.22 million in February. Sales in total climbed year-over-year, up 9.1% from a year ago (5.70 million in February 2020).

Cash Trumps Bids in Home Buying

Mon, 22 March 2021  |  housing real estate 

Homebuyers who offer all cash improve their chances of winning a bidding war by 290%, making it the most effective strategy to win a home in a competitive situation, according to a new report from Redfin (www.redfin.com). The report is based on an analysis of data on thousands of offers written by Redfin agents on behalf of their homebuying clients from July 2020 to February 2021.

Finding ways to make a buyer's offer more attractive is particularly important in today's hot housing market. Nationwide, 56% of Redfin offers faced bidding wars in January, the ninth consecutive mont... Read More

Hybrid Work - The Next Great Disruption

Mon, 22 March 2021  |  workplace 

New findings from Microsoft Corporation's first-annual Work Trend Index finds hybrid work to be the next great disruption, and identifies seven hybrid work trends every business leader must know as we enter a new era of work. The report indicates that business leaders should resist the urge to see hybrid work as business as usual. It will require the rethinking of long-held assumptions.

"The choices you make today will impact your organization for years to come. It's a moment that requires clear vision and a growth mindset," said Jared Spataro, corpor... Read More

COVID-19 One Year In

Sun, 21 March 2021  |  pandemic 

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic consumers report their lowest anxiety levels since April 2020 and safety perceptions have improved considerably, however they feel a lot of their pandemic-period habits are going to remain. Overall anxiety levels declined by 10% in the United States. Worldwide, anxiety is at the lowest level since April 2020. After months of decline, consumer safety perceptions are improving with more than half of consumers (53%) globally feeling safe going to the store; in the U.S. that number jumped from 51% in late December to 64%. However, consumers are balancing ... Read More