Annual income aside, there’s not a person among us who wouldn’t welcome the idea of having more money in their savings account. This is the money we use on everything from yearly vacations to family presents. Come holiday time, wouldn’t it be nice to have an extra thousand or so dollars at your disposal? Here are a few ideas that can help to make that possible. The best part is you’ll hardly feel it!
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5 Super Spring Decorating Ideas To Spruce Up Your Home
With spring in full swing, now is a good time to begin decorating your home for the season.
Whether you enjoy chic decorations that are budget-friendly or easy changes to create a fresh look, below are five quick ideas to brighten up your home for the season.
Add a Pop of Color
Spring is a good time to add color to your décor. Switch your tablecloth in the dining room for one with lighter colors.
Cover decorative pillows with pastel pillowcases to lighten a room.
Adding decorative centerpieces to tables that contain a pop of spring colors is also a simple way to get your home ready for spring.
Find A Spring Wreath
Wreaths are usually hung during the Christmas holiday, but other seasonal wreaths are becoming a popular trend.
You can purchase a floral wreath to hang on your front door or get creative and make a spring wreath using flowers, plastic eggs, fabric or a variety of other materials.
Place Flowers Around The House
Flowers are perfect to use when decorating for spring. Place lilies or tulips in a colored vase to sit on the table or hang floral prints on a bare wall to add color.
Whether using fresh flowers or floral inspired pieces, nothing says spring like brightly colored blooms.
Hang Up Mirrors
Putting up mirrors around your house will help brighten your home by reflecting light into every corner. Don’t be afraid to add more than one to a room, and choose looking glasses with fun frames to light up your space — and your mood.
Remember, Less Is More
Spring is also a time when people clean out their houses and de-clutter. Spring is thought of as the season of fresh starts or new beginnings.
When decorating for spring, get rid of items you no longer need. Too many nick-knacks end up being dusty objects that constantly need cleaning.
Decorating your Austin home for spring should not be expensive or time consuming. Making a few simple changes and adding bright colors will give your place a fresh feel and make it ready for spring.
Case-Shiller Reports Energetic Annual Home Price Gains Nationally
The most recent S&P/Case-Shiller Index showed all three composites posting double-digit increases over the last four quarters. The national composite, which is the broadest based index, showed an increase of 10.2% annually. The 20-City composite posted even stronger annual growth at 10.9%.
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The Case-Shiller Index measures changes in home prices by tracking same-home sales using 10-City, 20-City and national housing markets; and the change in sales price from sale-to-sale. Detached, single-family residences are used in the Case-Shiller Index methodology and data is for closed purchase transactions only.
12 Of 20 Metro Markets Notch Double-Digit Annual Growth
Between March 2012 and March 2013, home values rose in all 20 Case-Shiller Index markets. Phoenix, Arizona (+22.5%) once again was leading the national price recovery, quite possibly due to its precipitous fall during the onset of the housing crisis.
Another notable gainer was San Francisco (+22.2%), followed by Las Vegas, Nevada (+20.6%) On the weaker end were Boston (+6.7%), Cleveland (+4.8%) and New York (+2.6%), but it is important to note that even these smaller numbers still represent significant gains across the board.
There were a total of 12 year-over-year double digit gainers in home value which included those mentioned above as well as Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Portland, San Diego, Seattle and Tampa.
All 20 Metro Markets Show Positive Growth For 3 Consecutive Months
In another very strong supporting point for the housing recovery, all 20 metro markets measured showed positive home price growth for at least 3 consecutive months. This consistency in growth contributes to an overall indication of strength in the housing sector rebound.
The only potential back-pedaling in the report came from noting that higher than normal multi-family housing numbers, large numbers of homes still in the foreclosure process, and significant investor activity may demonstrate that the housing recovery is not yet complete.
This latest S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices report seems to indicate that the housing market continues to show positive growth.
Now may very likely be the best time to move forward with your next Austin real estate transaction. A positive next step is to call your local, trusted mortgage professional for advice today.
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