The profile of first time home buyers is changing. For example, single women now represent 21% of first time home owners. The real estate industry publishes statistics such as the National Association of Real Estate Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2008. This report provides insight into home buyers, to help Realtors working with them understand how they can provide better service throughout the buying process.

Technology is one of the changes highlighted in this report. In the past, Realtors with access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) controlled the buying process, today 32% of home buyers are finding their homes online. This equals the 33% of buyers who found their home through their real estate agent.

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Your home seems complicated until you compare it to home repairs on the space station, and then anything is easy. One of the goals of this shuttle was to add additional living space in space, something akin to putting an addition on a house on earth. There’s a big difference though — you can’t run out to the hardware store if you forgot something.

Some homeowners need to update their home to accommodate a new family member, a baby or elderly parent. Rarely do they need to consider what changes their home would need if the size of their family were to double although it does happen with blended families and multiple births. READ MORE

Fireplaces used to heat our homes and cook our food but today, fireplaces are more about creating an environment for relaxing at home. Strangely fireplaces aren’t very good at heating a house because most of the heat goes up the flue, and draws more of your furnace heated air up the flue too.

Today’s fireplaces are more efficient but wood stoves are better at heating your home. The National Association of Home Builders says a fireplace is one of the top three features home buyers want so lets look at the many different ways  fireplaces have been integrated into our homes and lifestyles. READ MORE

Repairing a roof is important because your home’s roof acts like an umbrella. You grab an umbrella when it’s raining, or maybe you keep one in the car? You rarely think about your roof until it’s raining, snowing, the leaves are collecting in the gutters … or you suddenly find you’ve got a leak because there’s water dripping  or a stain on a ceiling.

The roof is a key component of your home’s envelope or skin, keeping the rest of the house dry. A good roof is like insurance, protecting your home from serious damage that occurs when water seeps into the attic ruining insulation and whatever you’re storing up there. Delaying roof repairs or a new roof is like asking for trouble. READ MORE