It’s been a rough five and a half years for the American homeowner. Since the housing bubble reached its peak in early 2007, Americans have watched helplessly as $7 trillion in housing wealth evaporated. At many points during this ugly plunge, pundits have erroneously called the “bottom” of the housing market – saying things could finally get no worse. And then they got worse.

The American public can therefore be forgiven for eyeing the latest round of predictions that the market has turned a corner with skepticism. Of course, the housing market will heal at some point, so perhaps the boy is crying about an actual wolf this time.

The best reason to shed your hard-won dubiousness is a report issued today by the The Demand Institute, a think tank jointly operated by the well-respected and non-partisan research organizations The Conference Board and Nielsen. The fifty-page study is definitively labeling 2012 the year of the housing bottom. It says:

“The double-digit increases in U.S. housing prices over the first half of the past decade proved unsustainable. But the freefall is over. The point has been reached where housing prices will start to climb, albeit at single-digit rates in most markets over the next five years.”

The report argues that the recovery will come in two stages. The first will be driven by rental demand. Over the past several years plummeting home prices have been coupled with rising rents, and this dynamic has made landlording very profitable. This is evidenced by the recent rebound of the apartment-building business. According to the report, “The only segment of the home building sector now showing clear signs of recovery is multifamily housing,” noting that housing starts for multi-family units have increased 54 percent in 2011 over the previous year.

(MORE: Is Freddie Mac Betting Against the American Homeowner?)

The Demand Institute also believes the dynamics buoying the multifamily market — rising rents, low interest rates, and cheap real estate — are starting to boost the single-family housing sector as well: “Investors attracted by high yields are buying up single-family properties that can generate rental income.”

So who are these investors? Lousie Keely, Chief Research Officer at The Demand Institute, says that there are range of different companies and individuals who are poised to take advantage of the situation. “In some regions of the country, rental management companies are moving into single-family homes,” she says. Though managing single-family homes isn’t as efficient as managing an apartment building, current prices are making the strategy attractive. Buyers will also include individuals looking for higher yields on their savings as well as investment vehicles like real estate investment trusts.

The second stage of the recovery will occur after this investor intervention causes prices to stabilize. Price stabilization is crucial for banks to loosen their stingy lending standards. When home prices are falling, it’s bad business to issue mortgages to all but the most credit-worthy borrowers. But in an environment of even slowly appreciating real estate, banks can afford to offer more generous terms.

Perhaps most crucial to The Demand Institute’s vision for a recovering housing market is evidence that Americans are still strongly attracted to the idea of homeownership. “The American Dream has not gone away,” says Keely, adding:

“The majority of Americans think that owning a home is a good investment; the majority of people who plan to move in the next six years plan to buy a house even if they’re not currently homeowners. There are several pieces of evidence that lead us to believe that we’ll see a rise back to home ownership levels that we saw in the mid ’90s and early 2000s.”

Though American consumers have too much debt and probably won’t see their incomes rise in real terms in the next few years, Keely argues that homeownership is still an achievable goal if lending standards loosen and if consumers stay disciplined about paying down debt and saving.

There are of course caveats attached to these predictions. The report relies on Conference Board forecasts which call for slow but steady growth and a similarly gradual decline in the unemployment rate. If the situation in Europe were to worsen significantly, or some other unforeseen event were to shock the American economy, then these forecasts will turn out to have been too optimistic. But even with such stipulations, The Demand Institute’s report is one of the most comprehensive and substantive arguments we’ve seen yet that the housing market is nearing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Read more: http://business.time.com/2012/05/15/report-housing-market-recovery-has-officially-begun/#ixzz1v3MnhFRt

Suzanne Shelton: Yes, for many of us, even though we may think our energy use is going down.

HL: How come?

SS: Energy is the only product we buy on a daily basis where we have no idea how much we pay for it. It would be different if we had to feed dollars into a machine to make the power run in our homes.

The way we use energy now is the equivalent of walking into a convenience store every day and filling our pockets with candy and walking out. Then the bill comes at the end of the month and we’re saying, “There’s no way I ate that much candy!”

This is an inherent problem with the way we use energy, or it will be, at least, until we live like the Jetsons and have nifty energy dashboards in our homes.

HL: Why are we using more energy now — what are the main culprits? 

SS: Several things. We simply have more stuff plugged in now than we did five or 10 years ago — Xboxes, electronics chargers, iPads — and some of those things are energy hogs.

For example, plasma TVs use as much energy as a refrigerator. They’re getting more efficient now, but if you had the old square CRT and replaced it with a flat-screen plasma, you’re instantly paying the utility much more than you did before.

People are buying an Energy Star refrigerator, but then putting the old one in the garage as a beer fridge. For example, a friend of mine was in the process of selling her house. She wasn’t living there and she had the HVAC turned off, but she had an old refrigerator inside, plus a freezer plugged in on the back porch. Her utility bill came in at $50 a month and she was furious. “I’m never there!” she said. “The lights are off, the heat’s off, how can this be right?”

I said, “Are your appliances plugged in?” And so she unplugged the freezer and her refrigerator inside. It cut her bill in half.

HL: Do we also think that if we’re saving energy in one way, we can use more of something else?

SS: Yes. People tell us in focus groups, “I bought these CFLs so now I can leave the lights on and not pay more. I bought a high-efficiency washer and dryer because I want to do more laundry without paying more. I ate the salad, so I can have the chocolate cake.”

Psychologists call it “moral licensing,” but we at Shelton Group call it the “Snackwells Effect,” as in, they’re low-fat, so I can eat all of them.

HL: What’s the reason for this disconnect?

SS: Most of us have no idea how our homes really work, so we don’t know how to make the biggest impact. That’s why consumers run out and replace their windows first, when that should probably be fifth or sixth on the list of energy-efficient improvements to make, and they totally ignore effective activities like caulking and sealing that cost far less. 

HL: I’m surprised people replace their windows first.

SS: The aesthetic draw of new windows is really strong; we love to be around pretty things. You can also talk yourself into it because you think it’ll improve your resale value. But more than that, if you put your hand up to a window, even an energy-efficient window, you can feel that it’s hot or cold, so people just assume that’s where the biggest problem is.

But for the average home owner, new windows aren’t the best use of your home improvement dollar in terms of saving money on your energy bills. Everyone’s situation is different, but other projects usually cost far less and offer a faster return on your investment.

HL note: Consider this: If you spend $12,000 on windows and save 7% to 15% on your energy bill, according to Department of Energy data, when you could have spent around $1,000 for new insulation, caulking, and sealing and saved 20% on your energy bill, you made the wrong choice if your only reason for undertaking the project was reducing energy costs.

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/blog/whats-really-green/energy-savings-at-home/#ixzz1siwD7l42

You wouldn’t drive your car without checking all the internal gauges and determining your destination, so why would you lead your life that way? If you let life happen to you and you’re just a passenger along for the ride, you have given away your control! Take it back by grabbing the steering wheel, plunking down into the driver’s seat and taking a serious look at where you’re headed. SUCCESS experts tell you how:

Best-selling author John C. Maxwell:
List your core beliefs.
Then abide by your core beliefs each day, and refuse to be swayed by outside factors and influences. These become the tenets of your life that will ultimately deliver a fulfilled existence.

Compile a daily-dozen list you adhere to each day.
Your list should include the most important values and goals that will be influential in shaping your life and achieving your successes. Ideally, this list should be a basic outline of how you want to live as a person and what you want to achieve. If you refer to your list each day, it will help you stay on course.

Motivational coach and author Denis Waitley:
Know the person in the mirror.
Quality of life begins with self-assessment, and is about the fulfillment and joy we experience every day—not someday, or during vacations or retirement.

Keep a close check on what you are exposed to most.
You are not only what you eat, but through repetition you become what you watch, read, listen to and internalize.

Set benchmarks to see if you are making progress.
Throughout the day, frequently ask yourself: Is this activity moving me forward to achieve my most important lifetime goals?

Read more: http://www.houselogic.com/news/articles/existing-home-sales-rise-most-states-first-quarter/#ixzz1LzhBxvrm

• View the buyer survey results
• View the seller survey results
• Download the official RE/MAX press release
• Read a related post on Dave’s Blog

Agents and Broker/Owners are celebrating with their colleagues online and in their offices. Here are some of their comments about the difference these awards will make in their markets and for their businesses.

Send your comments about the awards to editor@remax.net.

“It’s great news, but I’m not surprised. Our market share is 38 percent in Berks County, which speaks volumes to our talent. Being honored for customer satisfaction is simply a reaffirmation of what we already knew and what other agents know. I’m having a phenomenal year with RE/MAX!”

– John Tomaszewski, RE/MAX of Reading, Wyomissing, Pa.

“I’ve been with RE/MAX for five years. This news is wonderful, and I wouldn’t expect anything less. What an honor!”

– Georgine Hembrough, RE/MAX Choice, Champaign, Ill.

“We’re excited that an independent survey like J.D. Power and Associates would recognize RE/MAX in such a big way.buy Erection packs 3 It wasn’t a great surprise because we know the caliber and talent of our agents. This ranking is a competitive tool for our agents. We can tell everyone how good we are, but it’s even better when a third-party source can do the talking for us.” 

– Jack Fry, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX of Reading, Wyomissing, Pa.

“This is fantastic news! RE/MAX sells more real estate than anyone in the world, so it’s only natural that we have the most satisfied customers, too. This is a huge advantage and a great chance to shine. I’m proud of our brand, and I’m sharing this with everyone on social media, in emails and on my blog.” 

– Ed Pichette Jr., Broker/Owner of RE/MAX South Shore Realty, Riverview, Fla.

The marketing company surveyed nearly 600 real estate professionals to discover which DIY home improvement projects give sellers the biggest return for their buck. Here are six projects under $1,000 (amounts are estimated) that made the list.

1. Cleaning and decluttering. Remove any personal items, unclutter countertops, organize closets and shelves, and make the home sparkling clean.
   • $290 Cost
   • $1,990 Return
2. Brightening. Clean all windows inside and out, replace old curtains, update lighting fixtures, and remove anything that blocks light from the windows.
   • $375 Cost
   •  $1,550 Return
3. Smart staging. Rearrange furniture, bring in new accessories and furnishings to enhance rooms, incorporate artwork, and play soft music in the background.
   • $550 Cost
   • $2,194 Return
4. Landscaping enhancements. Punch up the home’s curb appeal in the front and back yards by adding bark mulch, bushes, and flowers and ensuring current plants and grass are well-cared for and manicured.
   • $540 Cost
   • $1,932 return
5. Repairing electrical or plumbing. Fix leaks under the sinks, remove any mildew stains, and ensure all plumbing is in good working condition. Update the home’s electrical with new wiring for modern appliances, fix any lights or outlets that don’t work, and replace old plug points with new safety fixtures.
   • $535 Cost
   • $1,505 Return
6. Replacing or shampooing dirty carpets. Steam-clean carpets, replace any worn carpets, and repair any floor creaks.
   • $647 Cost
   • $1,739 Return

Excerpted from HomeGain’s 2011 Home Sale Maximizer Survey: www.homesalemaximizer.com.

By Laura Olson
metrocurean intern

Finishing off the final jar of last year’s strawberry jam reminded me that strawberry-picking season has arrived. What could be fresher than fruit that you’ve picked yourself, straight from the field? Take a day to get out of the city and visit one of the many nearby farms that offer pick-your-own produce.

If you get carried away and pick more than you can eat, berries freeze beautifully. I love using frozen berries in fruit smoothies. Also, making freezer jam is easier than it sounds — you only need fruit, sugar and pectin. Pectin comes in a few varieties that you can pick up at the supermarket and most have easy jam-making directions on the back.

Or make a batch of Metrocurean’s Simple Strawberry Jam, meant to be stored in the fridge and eaten within a few weeks.

The following farms are all only about an hour outside of DC and offer free admission to their fields. The websites have additional information about when to pick and what is available. Always remember to call first to make sure the farm will be open and that the pickings are good. Sometimes near the end of the season the fields are picked clean.

Farms in Maryland

• Butler’s Orchard
22200 Davis Mill Rd., Germantown, Md.
301.972.3299
Just north of DC in Montgomery County, Butler’s Orchard has a great selection of pick-your-own produce including strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and more. They even have a pick-your-own flower garden. While there, be sure to check out their market which has a wider selection of fresh fruits and vegetables and local honey. Butler’s also has a bakery – great if you want to take a freshly baked berry pie home (you can even call order in advance).

• Homestead Farm
15604 Sugarland Rd., Poolesville, Md.
301.977.3761
Also in Montgomery County, Homestead Farm offers pick-your-own strawberries, blackberries and other fruit. They also have a market open daily to sell assorted, seasonal vegetables.

• Mayne’s Tree Farm
3420 Buckeystown Pike, Buckeystown, Md.
301.662.4320
Mayne’s is known for its Christmas trees, but also offers pick-your-own strawberries. A little further north of DC, Mayne’s takes you just past Sugarloaf Mountain where you can spend the rest of your day hiking.

Farms in Virginia

• Hartland Farm and Orchard
3064 Hartland Lane, Markham, Va.
540-364-2316
Hartland Orchard is a family run pick-your-own farm just about an hour west of DC. They offer pick-your-own strawberries from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day and blueberries, raspberries and more will come later in the season.

• Hollin Farms
1410 Snowden Rd., Delaplane, Va.
540-592-3574
Hollin’s offers a large variety of pick-your-own fruit and vegetables, beginning with strawberries and including raspberries and blackberries. The farm also specializes in cattle and offers pastured, free-range natural angus beef and natural pastured pork that you can order in advance (pick up is in Stephens City, about 30 minutes away from the farm). Visit Hollin Farms‘ website for more details.

• Wegmeyer Farms
38299 Hughesville Rd., Hamilton, Va.
540-751-1782
Wegmeyer Farms offers pick-your-own strawberries and blackberries in the spring and early summer and raspberries in the fall. For the pick-your-own enthusiast, Wegmeyer’s even offers PYO Club memberships, which include priority picking, a small discount on pickings and other benefits.

Have a favorite pick-your-own farm? Let us know about it in the comments.

Laura Olson is a journalism student at American University in Washington, DC. Born and raised in Rockville, Md., she grew up learning about and loving the variety that DC has to offer. Laura enjoys cooking for friends and family at home and exploring the food scene downtown.