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Home Ownership: What Millennials and Gen-Z Are Looking For In Today’s Housing Market

Buying a home has changed dramatically in recent years, to say the least. However, the younger generation continues to jump in despite of the challenges in the market. Although Generation Y, also known as Millennials, and Generation Z have some things in common, there are some differences in their desire to own a home. Below is a brief overview of the similarities of these age groups and their differences when it comes to settling down.

First, what are the aspects of buying a house shared by the two groups? Most of them want a home of their own sooner rather than later. A 2021 study found that 21% of Gen Z adults plan to buy a home in the next 12 months. Much of the generation are too young to buy a home, but the vast majority, 87%, intend to buy before the age of 35. Millennials make up the majority of homebuyers today, buying 14% of homes sold from mid-2019 to mid-2020.

Another similarity is the desired location to buy a home. Both groups want to home shop in suburban areas with easy access to the best public schools, manicured parks, shopping and entertainment venues. The charm of Suburbia also includes affordability and private outdoor spaces.

Both generations love smart home technology. Gen Z is a digital native who always has internet and smartphone in his or her life. Millennials have also grown up with technology designed to make their lives easier and more connected. Hence, both generations place great value on simple and convenient smart home devices at the top of their wish list.

How are the two generations different? Gen Z values ​​space and common amenities more than their older counterparts. Many of them are more open to alternative forms of living and small apartments. They also find a dedicated “side hustle” workspace a big plus. Realtors and home builders who understand the realities of today’s gig economy can expect Gen Z buyers to want a workshop, craft room, design studio, or something resembling a recreation room in their dream home.

The millennial generation attaches great importance to the function of the space. They want an open concept with features that allow a seamless transition from indoor to outdoor living and entertainment. In fact, these shoppers prefer updated entertainment spaces over bedrooms and bathrooms because they love being together. Millennials also value ​​environmental protection. Sustainable building materials, energy-efficient appliances and household filtration systems are very popular with these young buyers.

As more and more of these younger shoppers embark on their home hunting journey, we are likely to see an increasing reliance on social media marketing and use of real estate apps. Such practical resources allow for advanced search options, allowing potential buyers to find exactly what they are looking for in a home.

For a comparison of Gen Z and Millennial home buying aspirations, see the companion resource by Renovo Financial.

This infographic was created by Renovo Financial, real estate investment loans

The Benefits of Buying New AC Units Online

Investing in a new air conditioning unit is a big investment. That said, it is important that you get the most value out of your purchase. For many homeowners, purchasing a new AC unit online is their best option. If this is something you are also considering, below are some of the benefits of buying AC online:

Benefit #01: You have a vast range of options.

The selection of AC units you can find online is much bigger than offered by merchants. You will also have access to the most reputable and trusted brands online. Also, if you are looking for leading air conditioning brands, you would be delighted to know that there is no shortage of options you can find online.

Benefit #02: You can purchase your AC unit from the comfort of your home.

One of the most obvious benefits of purchasing an AC unit online is you can do it right in the comforts of your own home. When you shop online, you can also do it any time and from anywhere with an internet connection.

Online shops can also provide secure payment methods for your security and added convenience. Also, since online shops have fewer overheads, you will likely find a much better deal.

Benefit #03: You get a better overview of the options available at your disposal.

When you shop online, it is easier to compare your options. Once you have chosen an air conditioning unit that ticks all the boxes, you can readily add it to your cart, pay for it, and wait for it to be delivered to your home.

Most online stores that offer air conditioning units for sale can give you a detailed overview of the product specifications so you can compare and make an educated decision. You can also check user reviews of the products you have shortlisted if you are still on the fence about what to buy.

Check the infographic below for the other peerless benefits of buying an AC online.

About the author

Rachel Watson is the Senior Content Editor of New AC Unit. Aside from heading the company’s content marketing strategies, she writes articles about how to stay fit and energy-efficient home living.

Psychology of Colour in Interiors – Infographic

It is believed that colours can have a psychological impact on how we as humans think, feel or act; there is a reason why it’s called ‘feeling blue’. With this in mind, it is wise to take into consideration what colours to put where when it comes to interior decor. Certain rooms should contain certain colours depending on the mood you want to be in each room; whether it’s the paint on the walls or a simple throw on a couch.

To take a deeper look into the psychology behind colours even different shades of one colour can have an impact. It is believed that a dark purple can seem dramatic so would be better suited to a living room; whereas a lighter shade can be more calming and could be put in a bedroom. Another thing to keep in mind is to avoid mixing more than three or more colours in a room, this can lead to the room being a bit chaotic and generally make people stressed.  

The following infographic by EZ Living entitled “Psychology of Colour in Interiors” discusses the colours that should be used in each room from the paint and wallpaper to the furniture and accessories; and how the psychology behind them (e.g. red in the entrance hall to create a strong first impression). The infographic looks at what the experts have to say on the matter of psychology of colours. While also looking at the age-old 60-30-10 rule for timeless decoration when putting together a cohesive colour scheme; this rule is meant to give balance to the colours used in any space by splitting the room into 60% (main colour – walls, couches, rugs), 30% (secondary colour- curtains, bed lined, painted furniture ) and 10% (accent colour – beds, lamps, bedside tables).

Common Signs That You Have a Leaking Pipe at Home

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that approximately 1 trillion gallons of water are wasted yearly due to leaking pipes. What’s even more alarming? Research shows that 10% of homeowners waste a staggering 90 gallons per day!

If anything, the importance of early leak detection cannot be overstated. When leaks go undetected for a long time, you will not only waste water, you will also be wasting money. Ultimately, you might also cause severe damage to your property.

Spot leaky pipes at home early by looking for the following telltale signs:

Skyrocketing water bills

Expect the bill to be high during the summer if you have a pool or sprinkler. However, a skyrocketing water bill can also be a sign of something else: a leaking pipe. Keep an eye on your monthly water bill. If you notice a dramatic increase, look for possible leaks immediately.

Visible mildew and mold

A little mildew and mold in your shower are normal. However, if you notice mold and mildew outside your tub, it is likely that you have a pipe leak. Mold in your baseboards, walls, floors, and ceilings are also not normal. Often, they are clear indicators of a leaking pipe.

Stained walls, ceilings, and floors

Even small stains on your walls, ceilings, and floors can be attributed to a pipe leak. If not fixed right away, the leak can end up causing significant damage. For a comprehensive list of signs that point to a leaking pipe, check out the infographic below.

Common Signs That You Have A Leaking Pipe At Home

Staying Organized During Home Improvement Projects

If you’ve ever dealt with the process of doing a major home improvement projects before, then you probably know that one of the biggest problems with major projects like this is taking all of your things out of the area you’re working on and storing them safely, only to have to put them back in their place when the project is complete. During this process, items can get misplaced or lost, leading to even more headaches once the project is complete.

Luckily, there are lots of technological advancements to help with home organization and one of the best things to use for keeping track of your belongings is a home inventory app.

Having the right system to organize your belongings will not only make the packing process easier, it will speed up the process of getting everything back on track when you’re ready to unpack again after all the work is complete. 

What Is A Home Inventory App? 

A home inventory app is the modern day solution to doing inventory of all your possessions. Keeping a list the old fashioned way is not only slow and inefficient, it’s easy to lose track of things this way in-between the packing and unpacking process. Wondering where something goes, which drawer was it in, was this in the kitchen or the laundry room? All these questions can be solved with a home inventory app. 

A home inventory app is an application on your smartphone or tablet that contains a number of features to help with organization, whether you’re trying to declutter your home before a big remodeling project, or just trying to put everything back in place, a home inventory app is accessible on the go and stores all the information of your items so that you can get things back together with as little hassle as possible.

What Does A Home Inventory App Do Exactly? 

A home inventory app is more than just a simple list of all your belongings. Firstly, a home inventory app is accessible from anywhere thanks to smartphones and tablets. This means you can carry your inventory throughout the entire house. 

The ability to print labels for all your items is a great feature for putting everything back in its place. Then you can organize the items by location, use or description for easy unpacking. 

Another benefit of a home inventory app is the ability to take pictures or video of all your items so that in the event that an item is damaged or lost during a home renovation project, you can seek a replacement or file a claim with insurance. Sometimes during a renovation or the subsequent cleanup, items get unintentionally shuffled around and keeping track of everything and the shape it was in can be a bit hectic. A home inventory app keeps track of all the items, the paperwork, the notes and anything else you might need once your home is complete 

Finding A Home Inventory App 

Now that you know some of the benefits of a home inventory app during your next home renovation, you can start looking for the one that’s right for you. Check out the suggestions below for the best home inventory apps from the team at Hippo.

Images and illustrations of home inventory apps and tips


A Stress-Free Move

Moving can be an exciting time as well as a stressful time. Whether you’re moving down the street or across the country, we have some tips that can help alleviate some those anxieties that you may be feeling because moving is a time-consuming ordeal that can take a toll on even the best planners. Fortunately, there are strategies you can utilize before and during the move to make the lengthy process as efficient as possible. Here are some tips for a smooth and seamless transition to your new home.

When sorting belongings, you’re likely to come across items you no longer need or use. Consider hosting a garage sale. It could help offset some expenses and save you space while packing. Moreover, a garage sale gives you the opportunity to earn money for other items you might need, such as furniture or appliances for the new home.

Hiring a professional moving company to transport your belongings may help relieve some of the stress from moving and the burden of carrying heavy boxes. Alternatively, if you are looking to save money and are willing to do most of the work, you could hire movers to do only the heavy lifting and driving. Be sure to shop around and get quotes or estimates from a variety of businesses to find the best deal.

Moving day can be chaotic and disruptive for children, too, who often rely on consistency and routine. If you have little ones, try putting together fun projects for the big day to help keep them occupied and entertained. Load tablets with their favorite movies and get them activity books and travel-friendly games to play during transit.

Moving can be an incredibly stressful life event. However, incorporating these tips can help you make the process easier and more efficient. For more hacks to organize a stress-free transition to your new home, check out the accompanying resource.

Start saving by completing these energy-efficiency upgrades

Would you spend a dollar today to save one hundred dollars over the course of the year? By making your home more energy-efficient, you’re setting yourself up for years of future savings through lower utility bills. Here are some of the best money-saving upgrades you can complete.

Add insulation

If you’ve been seeing your home’s cooling and heating costs escalating out-of-control, the best place to start is by adding more insulation. Many U.S. homes, regardless of their age, lack sufficient attic insulation. This allows heat energy to penetrate into the home during the summer and heat to rise out of the roof in the winter.

Talk to an HVAC or home energy specialist in your area to learn more about attic insulation, and whether or not your home currently has enough of it. This all depends on where you live. Homes in colder winter climates generally need more insulation than those in sunny, warmer ones. After all, heat rises—in the winter, insulation prevents the heat generated by your furnace from escaping right out of your home.

Seal your ducts

Your home can have the most-efficient air conditioner or furnace on the market. If it’s pushing heated or cooled air through leaky ducts, you’re going to have major efficiency problems. Cracks, pinholes, and other leaks in your ducts allow air to escape through the attic before it even gets inside your home. Over the course of a year, this can result in major energy waste—and much higher bills.

The solution is sealing your ducts. Talk to a local home energy audit and upgrade specialist in your area that tests and repairs air ducts. Using specialized equipment, they’ll be able to pinpoint exactly where your air ducts are wasting energy. Then, they can seal them for good, ensuring your ducts operate as they should.

Replace your windows

The same basic problem (heat transfer) that affects your attic and roof also impacts your windows. If your home has single-pane windows, you’re probably wasting a lot of energy cooling your home in the summer. As the sun beats down on the glass, heat energy easily enters your home. Any air leaks around the window frame only compound your problems by allowing cooler air from inside your home to escape outside.

Speak with a window specialist and ask them what your options are. You’ll want to replace single-pane windows with dual-pane ones. These windows feature two panes of glass with a thin air pocket between them. This pocket is typically filled with an insulating gas, such as argon or krypton. When sunlight hits the glass, this greatly slows down the heat transfer process. 

Put your home on the road to a more efficient future

There’s so much more you can do to make your home more efficient. Check out this infographic for an in-depth look at the projects discussed above, as well as a few others that can help save you money—both now and in the future.


When Should You Move? Where Should You Live?

Young people living on their own for the first time typically move into apartments. Then life changes. The couple has a baby or plans to have children — they need more living space. An apartment dweller may want to own a dog — now a yard and sidewalks are necessary. Young people who are well on their way to successful careers may be ready to invest in property. These are a few of the many reasons that cause people to move from a multifamily dwelling into a single-family home of their own.

Once someone makes the decision to move from an apartment or condo to a house, how does he or she choose where this new home should be? Buying a house is the biggest investment most people will ever make, so careful consideration of the location is extremely important. What should you look for when deciding where to live?

The below infographic, Go Big AND Go Home … Deciding When to Move and Where to Live, provides a list of the top five reasons people move from apartments and condominiums into single-family homes. It also offers tips for what you should look for in a new neighborhood based on your unique situation.

Graphic created by New City Moving.

Declutter Your Home. De-Stress Your Life.

Is one of your goals to lose weight or become a healthier person? Perhaps you simply want to get your home more organized? If so, we’ve got great news — decluttering your home can not only help you get organized, but may help you lose a few pounds, lower stress levels and improve your overall health as well!

First, a cluttered or disorganized home makes it harder to find items you need, and you are more likely to misplace your cellphone, wallet, or keys — causing stress and wasting time. Studies have also found that simply being exposed to a messy or chaotic environment makes you more likely to overeat greasy or unhealthy foods, which can result in weight gain. Other research has found that if you find the inside of your home stressful, you’re more likely to feel depressed and have higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that is linked to a greater risk of poor health.

The good news is that making some small modifications to declutter your home could make it more organized and feel more peaceful, decreasing stress and improving your health. The below infographic, The Organization Diet: Cut the Clutter & Improve Your Life, presents proven, practical tips to help you streamline your home. Give the “organization diet” a try. Chances are you’ll shed not only unnecessary clutter but stress and extra pounds as well, setting you up for better overall physical and mental health.

Graphic created by Closet Works.

Choose Your Residential Contractor With Care

Hiring a contractor for your home remodel can be an intimidating and nerve-racking task. How do you know if you are hiring the right professional for the job? What questions do you ask to make sure you’re dealing with a legitimate contractor, and not a scam artist who will take your money and leave your property a mess?

Most contractors are legitimate, reliable, and skilled professionals who produce high-quality work and coordinate activities efficiently to complete projects on time and within budget. However, like any industry, home contracting has its share of bad players — and it is up to you, the homeowner, to identify them before you agree on the project rather than after the fact, when it’s too late.

The accompanying infographic, Red Flags Before Hiring a Home Contractor, offers tips for anyone thinking about a renovation or remodeling project. The infographic tells you what to look for when interviewing a contractor, and describes the warning signs that the person you’re talking to is not the one to hire. A 10-minute time-out to digest this information could end up saving you thousands of dollars and preventing months of stress and anger.

Graphic created by CraftJack, a provider of remodeling contractor leads.

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