Covid19 Archives - Bill White HomesBill White Homes

Category: Covid19

May

Turning Your Home’s Garage into the Ideal Home Office in 5 Easy and Creative Steps

If you’re a remote worker needing a dedicated space to get your work done, you may be able to create your ideal home office in an unexpected space – your garage! Although your garage might be the last place that crossed your mind to use as an office, the fact of the matter is you can easily adapt your current garage for your work needs. Whether you’re based in Naperville, Illinois, or Bakersfield, California, you can adjust your garage in just five quick steps.

1. Make Sure Your Space Contains Functional Storage and a Practical Work Area
One of the first steps to take when converting your garage into an office is making sure it’s functional for your work. This generally means establishing a designated work area and installing storage space.

For example, you could build shelves into the wall to keep materials organized. You may also want to place your desk and work supplies in a well-lit corner.

2. Insulate the Garage Properly and Bring in Natural Light for Your Own Comfort
According to one study, getting enough natural light during the workday is the key to avoiding stress, frustration, and work-related headaches. If you have the budget for it, you may want to renovate your garage to ensure it’s a comfortable and supportive physical environment. For instance, you may wish to:
• Install larger windows
• Insulate the garage to keep out the heat or cold
• Install air conditioning or central heating

3. Spruce Up Your Garage’s Wall Space to Add an Aesthetic and Practical Touch
Although your main focus when converting the garage may not be on what to do with the empty wall space, sprucing up your walls can make a major difference for both the aesthetics of the garage and even its practical value. For instance, you could paint the walls for a quick visual overhaul. You could also hang up practical charts relating to your job, or other helpful visuals, such as a world map, to create a more https://www.bestar.ca/enhance-office-experience-8-ways-create-inviting-office/professional feel.

One easy option you shouldn’t overlook is putting up wallpaper. This route can be easily customized, and wallpaper may be surprisingly durable, classy, and attractive in its design. If you’ve never worked with wallpaper before, you may want to go the peel-and-stick route. This unique wallpaper type is repositionable and can even be taken down with minimal effort. If you want to up the stakes and create a luxurious feel in your office, opt for grasscloth wallpaper for your home for a rich, elegant look and a pleasing texture.

4. Create a High-Tech Workspace by Upgrading to a Few Modern Amenities
For a true home office feel, having some high-tech, modern workplace amenities is essential. Depending on what your budget will allow, you may wish to rewire your garage to include a few pieces of tech. These could include:
• A built-in webcam
• Dual monitors
• A standing desk
• Built-in loudspeakers

5. Keep Your Garage Clean by Decluttering at Least Once a Month
Lastly, if you’re like most people, there’s a good chance that your garage is currently mostly used as storage space. A once-monthly cleaning and decluttering session can help you maintain a professional office feel. You should:
• Dust off your office furniture
• Clean up clutter from the floors
• Run the vacuum

If you work at home and you need dedicated office space, look no further than your own garage. This unlikely space could be transformed into the ideal home office in just a few easy and creative steps.

Oct

Should You Buy a Retirement Home Sooner Rather than Later?

Every day in the U.S., roughly 10,000 people turn 65. Prior to the health crisis that swept the nation in 2020, most people had to wait until they retired to make a move to the beach, the golf course, or the senior living community they were looking to settle into for their later years in life. This year, however, the game changed.

Many of today’s workers who are nearing the end of their professional careers, but maybe aren’t quite ready to retire, have a new choice to make: should I move before I retire? If the sand and sun are calling your name and you have the opportunity to work remotely for the foreseeable future, now may be a great time to purchase that beach bungalow you’ve always dreamed of or the single-story home in the sprawling countryside that might be a little further out of town. Whether it’s a second home or a future retirement home, spending the next few years in a place that truly makes you smile every day might be the best way to round out a long and meaningful career.

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at the National Association of Realtors (NAR), explains:

“The pandemic was unexpected, working from home was unexpected, but nonetheless many companies realized that workers can be just as productive working from home…We may begin to see a boost in people buying retirement homes before their retirement.”

According to the 20th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey, 3 out of 4 retirees (75%) own their homes, and only 23% have mortgage debt (including any equity loans or lines of credit). Since entering retirement, almost 4 in 10 retirees (38%) have moved into a new home. They’re making a profit by selling their current homes in today’s low inventory market and using their equity to purchase their future retirement homes. It’s a win-win.

Why These Homeowners Are Making Moves Now
The health crisis this year made us all more aware of the importance of our family and friends, and many of us have not seen our extended families since the pandemic started. It’s no surprise, therefore, to see in the same report that 32% of those surveyed cited the top reason they’re making a move is that they want to be closer to family and friends (See graph below):
Should You Buy a Retirement Home Sooner Rather than Later? | Keeping Current Matters
The survey also revealed that 73% percent of retirees currently live in single-family homes. With the overall number of homes for sale today hitting a historic low, and with the buyer demand for single-family homes skyrocketing, there’s never been a more ideal time to sell a single-family home and make a move toward retirement. Today’s market has the perfect combination of driving forces to make selling optimal, especially while buyers are looking to take advantage of low interest rates.

If you’re one of the 73% of retirees with a single-family home and want to move closer to your family, now is the time to put your house on the market. With the pace homes are selling today, you could essentially wrap up your move – start to finish – before the holidays.

Bottom Line
Whether you’re looking to fully retire or to buy a second home with the intent to use it as your retirement home in the future, the 2020 fall housing market may very well work in your favor. Reach out to a local real estate professional today to learn more about the options in your local market.

Sep

How Will the Presidential Election Impact Real Estate?

The year 2020 will be remembered as one of the most challenging times of our lives. A worldwide pandemic, a recession causing historic unemployment, and a level of social unrest perhaps never seen before have all changed the way we live. Only the real estate market seems to be unaffected, as a new forecast projects there may be more homes purchased this year than last year.

As we come to the end of this tumultuous year, we’re preparing for perhaps the most contentious presidential election of the century. Today, it’s important to look at the impact past presidential election years have had on the real estate market.

Is there a drop-off in home sales during a presidential election year?
BTIG, a research and analysis company, looked at new home sales from 1963 through 2019 in their report titled One House, Two House, Red House, Blue House. They noted that in non-presidential years, there is a -9.8% decrease in November compared to October. This is the normal seasonality of the market, with a slowdown in activity that’s usually seen in fall and winter.

However, it also revealed that in presidential election years, the typical drop increases to -15%. The report explains why:

“This may indicate that potential homebuyers may become more cautious in the face of national election uncertainty.”

Are those sales lost forever?
No. BTIG determined:

“This caution is temporary, and ultimately results in deferred sales, as the economy, jobs, interest rates and consumer confidence all have far more meaningful roles in the home purchase decision than a Presidential election result in the months that follow.”

In a separate study done by Meyers Research & Zonda, Ali Wolf, Chief Economist, agrees that those purchases are just delayed until after the election:

“History suggests that the slowdown is largely concentrated in the month of November. In fact, the year after a presidential election is the best of the four-year cycle. This suggests that demand for new housing is not lost because of election uncertainty, rather it gets pushed out to the following year.”

Will it matter who is elected?
To some degree, but not in the overall number of home sales. As mentioned above, consumer confidence plays a significant role in a family’s desire to buy a home. How may consumer confidence impact the housing market post-election? The BTIG report covered that as well:

“A change in administration might benefit trailing blue county housing dynamics. The re-election of President Trump could continue to propel red county outperformance.”

Again, overall sales should not be impacted in a significant way.

Bottom Line
If mortgage rates remain near all-time lows, the economy continues to recover, and unemployment continues to decrease, the real estate market should remain strong up to and past the election.

Apr

Today’s Homebuyers Want Lower Prices…Sellers Disagree

The uncertainty the world faces today due to the COVID-19 pandemic is causing so many things to change. The way we interact, the way we do business, even the way we buy and sell real estate is changing. This is a moment in time that’s even sparking some buyers to search for a better deal on a home. Sellers, however, aren’t offering a discount these days; they’re holding steady on price.

According to the most recent NAR Flash Survey (a survey of real estate agents from across the country), agents were asked the following two questions:

1. “Have any of your sellers recently reduced their price to attract buyers?”

Their answer: 72% said their sellers have not lowered prices to attract buyers during this health crisis.

2. “Are home buyers expecting lower prices now?”

Their answer: 63% of agents said their buyers were looking for a price reduction of at least 5%.

What We Do Know
In today’s market, with everything changing and ongoing questions around when the economy will bounce back, it’s interesting to note that some buyers see this time as an opportunity to win big in the housing market. On the other hand, sellers are much more confident that they will not need to reduce their prices in order to sell their homes. Clearly, there are two different perspectives at play.

Bottom Line
If you’re a buyer in today’s market, you might not see many sellers lowering their prices. If you’re a seller and don’t want to lower your price, you’re not alone. If you have questions on how to price your home, reach out to a local real estate professional today to discuss your needs and next steps.

Mar

Tom Ferry’s 3 Tips to Survive and Thrive

The following blog post is not by us. Tom Ferry is one of the top Real Estate educators in the country. We felt his words might resonate in your lives too!

No. 1: Are You a Lion or a Lamb?

Think of a lion or a lioness for a second. What do they do when something happens? Do they freak out? No. They remain calm. They survey the situation. They protect their own. They exhibit strength and act like a LEADER!

Now contrast that with a lamb… Lambs follow the herd. They flee at the mere sound of a twig breaking. They panic and run in fear.

In this crisis, are you going to be a lion/lioness or a lamb?

You need to decide.

I strongly believe the actions we take over the next 60-90 days will define our brands.

So stand tall. Be strong. Be the voice of reason. Be a pillar of your community.

When making your decision, keep this in mind from Greg Markov of the Real Estate Negotiation Institute, who just yesterday conducted a special “Negotiations During Times of Crisis” presentation for our coaching members:

“Fear leads to anxiety, and anxiety is a deal killer.”

No. 2: Now More Than Ever, Be Adaptable

Rigidness or reluctance to change will get you NOWHERE right now.

Hear me?

Do not try to fight this. You need to adapt, and you need to adapt quickly.

People on my team are working from home with their laptops on TV trays and dining room tables because our county has ordered no gatherings of any kind. My team accepted it and adapted on a moment’s notice without questioning it or fighting it. This is our new reality until we beat this virus.

So when it comes to your business…

…Get creative!

…Use video more than ever!

…Use Zoom or Google Hangouts to connect with your clients and your community at large.

I’ve already heard stories of people who are turning on their cameras and organizing remote yoga sessions.

Why couldn’t you do the same thing, but educating people about specific aspects of buying or selling real estate?

Be that voice of reason your community needs with a message to consumers of “We’re gonna get through this, and when we do, I want you better prepared to make wise real estate investments.”

No. 3: Be Smart

This one’s simple, but it needs to be said anyway.

Be smart.

Follow the health guidelines.

Obey your local orders and ordinances.

Wash your hands.

Practice social distancing.

Don’t point fingers.

Keep in mind what’s best for the common good… and we’ll all be better for it.

Change is swift and painful, but now is the time to adapt and build a strong community with your tribe.

As the lionesses and lions that you all are, how will you react to this growth test?