My wife and I spent most of our savings to buy an older house. We're planning to do some renovations, but are wondering whether we should restock our savings accounts before we start. What do you think? -- David, Tyler, Texas
For many homeowners, the warmer months is the prime time to remodel a kitchen or bathroom. But beware -- there are some contractors who may offer you a deal that's simply too good to be true.
Did you lose your house to foreclosure this year? Did your lender forgive some of your mortgage debt because the house sold for less than it the mortgage balance?
Not long ago, you could have your big remodeling project and get your money back too. Owners recouped an average of 87% of home improvement costs at resale in 2005, according to Remodeling magazine.
The Home Depot reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings Tuesday on strong sales, but revised its sales outlook lower for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Looking to spruce up your home and wondering what will give you the most bang for your buck at resell time?
Imagine outfitting your house with small, affordable solar panels that plug into a socket and pump power into your electrical system instead of taking it out.
Just a few years ago you could count on getting the bulk of your money back for almost any home-improvement project you took on. Today merely replacing a toilet seat can feel like throwing caution, and cash, to the wind. According to a study from Remodeling magazine, the average return on value for an upgrade declined from 87% in 2005 to 64% in 2009. But these six new rules will help you maximize your return on your remodeling investment.
Home remodelers are getting less bang for their bucks. For the fourth straight year, renovation jobs have added less to resale values relative to their costs, according to an annual Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report released this week by the National Association of Realtors.
If flippers were the poster children of the real estate boom, then nesters are becoming the icons of the new housing market.
Question: My home needs updating, but I'm planning to retire in five years and then move. Should I spend money on my house or should I continue putting my savings toward retirement? --Joyce, Pennsauken, New Jersey
Wherever the housing market goes, so too does Home Depot. The home improvement retailer's earnings have historically grown or struggled alongside home sales.
If you're struggling to see a silver lining in the beaten-down real estate market, consider this one: It may be a rotten moment to sell your house, but if you've postponed a much needed renovation project on your home - replacing a rotting deck, repairing a leaky roof or updating an antiquated bathroom - now just might be the best time in years to tackle that task.
Sen. Ted Stevens repeatedly asked for invoices to cover home renovations and otherwise complied with Senate rules on accepting and reporting gifts of value, his defense attorney said in closing arguments Tuesday.
updated: Mon Jul 07 2008 10:00:00
If you can't buy or sell a home right now, why not renovate or re-decorate?
Home Depot posted a 66% drop in quarterly profit Tuesday, as it paid to close stores and cut back on expansion plans amid the housing slump, although the results topped analysts' forecasts.
Lowe's Cos. cited a weak sales environment amid a continuing slump in the housing sector Monday as reasons for a 10.2 percent drop in third-quarter profit.
The 5:22 evening train from Philadelphia arrives in Wallingford, a leafy, peaceful suburb 11 miles west, at 5:48. Passengers depart holding briefcases and newspapers; some are met by cars, but most just walk home. And why not?
Lowe's CEO Robert Niblock said Tuesday that he's not yet ready to bet on how long it will take for the housing downturn - which is hurting Lowe's business on a regional basis - to bottom.
Who says girls can't do their own home improvement projects -- and like it? After many attempts to feather her own nest, Veronica Chambers has learned that there's much more to do-it-yourself than just knowing how to handle a power drill.
Adding a new bathroom will enhance your quality of life - and the value of your property - like few other home improvement projects will. Put in a master bath, and you won't have to take turns with the kids every morning. Install a powder room, and dinner guests won't have to traipse through your private terrain.
When two of the nation's biggest retailers - Wal-Mart and Home Depot - deliver profit duds on the same day, some investors might start making bets against the entire retail sector.
Some parts of the Northeast are still swimming in water from the weekend storm. We're going to tell you what you can do to protect your home from flooding.
LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER MOVING INTO HER new 2,100-square-foot house in Lenexa, Kans., Susan Sabin has strung up lemon lights in her front window. The lemons, she says, go perfectly with the home's m...
Home improvement retailer Home Depot said early Wednesday that a recovery in the battered housing and homebuilding market is still as much as a year away, and warned that its sales and earnings will take a hit.
Remodeling projects can look very easy on television - but can end up being very hard for many do-it-yourselfers. Often hapless homeowners need help to complete the jobs they take on.
Renovation costs are shooting higher and homeowners are getting a lot less bang for their remodeling bucks, according to a report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and Remodeling Magazine.
Some of the latest trends in homebuilding and remodeling were not too hard to spot. Is anyone surprised that Americans, already living in monster homes, want even bigger ones?
Shares of home improvement retailer Home Depot jumped Friday on an unconfirmed report the company could be a takeover target for two powerful private equity firms.
U.S. homeowners took cash out of their homes in the third quarter at the highest rate in 16 years, spurred by high costs on other types of loans, according to home finance company Freddie Mac .
Considering a remodeling project to boost the value of your home? Before you drop $40,000 or more on a new kitchen or master bath, consider the newcomer on the renovation block: a rooftop solar-power system that not only will lower your overhead costs and insulate you from a volatile energy market but will likely add just as much to your home value over the long haul.
Home improvement retailer Lowe's, which warned on its full-year results Tuesday, expects it could take as long as 12 to 18 months for the slowdown in the housing market to stabilize.
Home improvement retailer Lowe's Cos. Inc. reported second-quarter profits Monday that were slightly shy of analysts' estimates, although its sales were modestly better than expected.
Home improvement retailer Home Depot edged past analysts' forecasts for second-quarter results Tuesday, but warned on its full-year results, citing a challenging second-half of the year.
Slapdash housing construction in fast-growing Chinese cities has generated strong demand for contractors to handle renovation projects.
Then
IT'S A PHRASE YOU HEAR OFTEN AS PEOPLE plan a renovation: "As long as we're doing..." Torben and Linda Winther found themselves uttering those words when, after 10 years in their Victorian farmhous...
Rising interest rates are supposed to be bad news for home improvement retailers. Higher rates should lead to a slowdown in the real estate market, and in turn, fewer visits to stores such as Lowe's and Home Depot.
Anyone looking to start a business must pay strict attention to cultural, demographic and technical trends. You don't want to go into a dying business -- you want to stay on top of the wave.
Americans are buying homes that are bigger and contain more luxury features than ever. By some accounts, the million-dollar-plus home is now the strongest segment of many housing markets.
The home renovation boom is simmering down, feeling the bite of higher loan rates, according to a news report Monday
Renovating an old-fashioned kitchen or fixing up that grungy bathroom reaps a bigger return on investment than ever before, according to a recent report by the National Association of Realtors and Remodeling magazine.
ate prices through the roof, you can't afford to trade up from the starter home you bought two children ago. So you've decided to upgrade instead. ...
The Northeast is still swimming in floodwater. And it doesn't look like all this wet weather is going to dry up anytime soon.
Dear Armchair Millionaire: Interest rates are low and the value of my home just keeps going up. It seems like it's a no-brainer to borrow against my home equity. Do you think this is a smart financial move?
With President Bush promising massive aid to rebuild the devastated Gulf Coast, investors are eyeing what companies stand to benefit from the rebuilding process.
You've just parted with serious cash to buy your first home. Now you need to part with more so the place no longer screams bad taste, broken pipes and bathrooms circa 1970. Or maybe, with real esta...
You've just parted with serious cash to buy your first home. Now you need to part with more so the place no longer screams bad taste, broken pipes and bathrooms circa 1970.
Owners of luxury homes are pouring cash into their properties, according to a report by Coldwell Banker. The company released its Luxury Index today, which revealed that many luxury homeowners are using income, money from tax returns, and home equity loans to pay for improvements to already expensive houses.
Dear Armchair Millionaire: I'm contemplating a major home remodel, but I'm worried about everything that could go wrong and end up costing me money. How should I protect myself?
Maybe it's our primal awareness that sustenance is essential to human survival. Or maybe it's that a gleaming granite countertop surrounded by a neat cuff of maple cabinetry and a few sleek shards of stainless steel is about as sexy as a house can get.
When you put money into renovating your home, you do it for you and your family, right?
In the 1990s, Flippers were stock jockeys who finagled their way into initial public offerings, only to flip them days or hours later for big profits. These days the go-go market is homes, not stoc...
In the 1990s, Flippers were stock jockeys who finagled their way into initial public offerings, only to flip them days or hours later for big profits.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Our home in Palm Beach County was buffeted by two of this season's hurricanes - Hurricane Frances (slow moving, maddening and big as the state of Texas) and Jeanne (the REALLY bad one).
Midautumn means pumpkins and football, crisp days and cooler nights. And for many homeowners it means the toil of getting their places ready for winter.
If you've ever dreamed of adding that master suite or converting your basement into an entertainment center, now may be the best time. That's because contractors -- who are much in demand in the spring and summer -- usually have far fewer jobs in the fall.
Summer's here and it's time to get that deck into shape -- or better yet, build a new one. While figures vary regionally, decks offer the highest payback of any upgrade to your home, returning 104 percent of the cost on average, according to Remodeling Online.
Like reality TV and cutting carbs, home improvement has become a national obsession. Americans spent a record $124 billion on remodeling projects in 2003, and we didn't scrimp. We're treating ourse...
Lowe's Cos. CEO Robert Tillman said Monday that a moderate rise in interest rates would "not have a significant impact" on the home improvement retailer.
Don't bust your budget on home renovations.
Dreaming of adding a master suite or converting your basement into an entertainment center, but worried that you could lose your shirt? Well, you're not alone.
Excited about that new family room? Your kitchen makeover? So is your property tax assessor. For cash-strapped local governments, the $163 billion that Americans spent on remodeling last year offer...
The pictures need hanging, the sink needs fixing and the shelf unit needs assembling. You wouldn't be caught dead in a tool belt, but you sure could use its contents right about now. Enter Rubberma...
YOUR REAL ESTATE QUESTIONS ANSWERED
THE STOCK MARKET'S STUCK IN THE BASEMENT. NO WONDER HOME IS WHERE OUR HEARTS (AND WALLETS) ARE THESE DAYS. WE'RE POURING MORE AND MORE OF OUR NET WORTH INTO HOUSING--AND TAKING MORE AND MORE OUT, T...
Real estate prices are still on the rise, but rumors that housing is poised for a fall has some investment-minded homeowners ready to cash out and rent for awhile.
The story almost always begins the same way: Jane and Joe Homeowner need more space. The value of their three-bedroom 1930s Cape has skyrocketed over the past five years, so they figure it's time t...
The story almost always begins the same: Jane and Joe Homeowner need more space. The value of their three-bedroom 1930s Cape has skyrocketed over the past five years, so they figure it's time to trade up.
For 20 years, Home Depot made growth look as easy as changing a lightbulb. Since opening its first three stores in Atlanta in 1979, the retailer has swelled into a home improvement colossus, with m...
To say that I found the antique coin, or the creaky house that came with it, would be vastly overstating my control over the forces that compel mortals to buy and renovate old homes. What really ha...
In addition to tools, hardware and raw materials, Home Depot is stocking its shelves with another convenience: an instant loan. But the best way to use this product is a bit tricky.
Having already dominated malls and highways across the United States, Home Depot will stake its turf in cyberspace this summer when the home improvement behemoth starts selling paints, tools and li...
Throughout the summer of 1999, Gail Aknin, vice president of sales at Teledynamic Communications of Hayward, Calif., knew her company had better figure out a way to offer its wares online, and fast...
Twenty-one years ago, Arthur Blank was fired as an executive at Handy Dan Home Improvement Centers. Blank, who'd lost out in a management squabble, quickly joined forces with Bernie Marcus, a fello...
Home Depot is growing like angry crabgrass these days. Its monstrous orange crates are already as much Americana as the Golden Arches. Two new stores open every week. In three years the landscape w...
Everybody has at least one outrageous home renovation story to tell, but the one that remodeling consultant Richard Connolly relates may top them all. "I once met a guy who wanted to save a few tho...
Kathleen Strombeck was horrified last June when her husband Tom first walked her through the three-story St. Paul house that he had his eye on. Orange countertops, 30-year-old rust-colored carpetin...
Our national anthem should be the Star Spackled Banner. This year Americans are expected to spend a record $119 billion on home improvements, and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) be...
If TV imitates life, look for these plot lines in prime time next season. On NBC's Seinfeld, Jerry puzzles over the value of the stock options he gets from a network TV mogul. On ABC's Home Improve...
It's Saturday morning. The bathroom faucet is leaking. There's a gutter dangling from the garage. There's a nasty brown water spot on the guest room ceiling. And when are you ever going to get star...
It is a sunny, breezy, Thursday afternoon in Kirkland, Washington, and the denizens of this middle-class Seattle suburb are playing seek-and-hoard. In their Ford Explorers and Dodge Caravans and Ch...
YOU'VE SEEN this guy, and admit it, you hate him. He's the one who built that fancy new deck on the back of his house all by himself. A few months ago he finished off the basement, and lately he's ...
The economy may not get much help from new-home construction in the 1990s. The pool of typical first-time house buyers ages 25 to 34 is shrinking fast, courtesy of the baby bust. But a related busi...
Lke the last stubborn slab of ice on a Rocky Mountain lake, the recession that has kept the U.S. economy frozen for nearly two years seems finally to be melting away. The nation's gross domestic pr...
With attractive mortgage rates beckoning (see Money Update on page 35), millions of Americans are thinking about refinancing. If you're among them and you haven't factored in the tax-related costs,...
It seems unpatriotic, but in 1989 Americans spent less on home improvements, maintenance, and repairs than they did in 1988. One interpretation: In some parts of the country, they are uncertain abo...
ACTOR DON JOHNSON WAS the perfect expression of mid-'80s cool when he played detective Sonny Crockett on Miami Vice. But in real life, Johnson can get hot. Just ask him about building contractors. ...
When DeLane and Carol Ihli, 44 and 43, bought their five-bedroom, two-bath 70- year-old Denver house for $110,000 last fall, they knew it needed work. Lots of it. But since he is a contractor and s...
Actor Don Johnson was the perfect expression of mid-'80s cool when he played detective Sonny Crockett on Miami Vice. But in real life, Johnson can get hot. Just ask him about building contractors. ...
Looking for a quick, perfectly legal way to slash the interest rate on your renovation loan? Simple. Choose one whose interest payments are fully tax deductible on Schedule A of your 1040 tax form....
As anyone who has ever undertaken a home improvement project surely knows, the best way to learn how to do it yourself is to watch someone else do it first. That fact largely explains the success o...
When DeLane and Carol Ihli, 44 and 43, bought their five-bedroom, two-bath 70- year-old Denver house for $110,000 last fall, they knew it needed work. Lots of it. But since he is a contractor and s...
If you own a house, you've undoubtedly also daydreamed about living in the perfect one: with spacious sun-filled rooms, a regal bath, a country kitchen chockablock with cabinets and counter space, ...
Picking the ideal loan to bankroll your home improvement project isn't nearly as much fun as shopping for the perfect whirlpool tub. But to prevent your hard-earned bucks from being drained away by...
''Sweat equity'' was one of the catchwords of the last bull market in real estate. Refurbish your home, promised gurus like William Nickerson, author of How I Turned $1,000 into Five Million in Rea...
Escape from Paradise The Browns' dilemma: Should they risk the standard of living they worked so hard for in the '80s to improve their quality of life in the '90s?
To move or to improve? That is the question facing owners who have grown dissatisfied with the house they currently call home. Whether the problem is cramped living quarters, antiquated amenities o...
The charge to borrowers these days: learn about lenders and what they have to offer. By doing a thorough credit check of your own, you are more likely to borrow on your own terms. To be sure, the r...
In his gray flannel suit, with the Wall Street Journal tucked under one arm and his bulging briefcase firmly in hand, Mike Garbutt, 36, looks like all the other determined Concord, Calif. commuters...
© 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|