Tag Archives: value

5 Cool Sinks

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They say that remodeling your kitchen and bathroom will not only increase the value of your home but will also improve the chances of it selling. I’ve always wondered who ‘they’ are…

Here are five cool sinks that will make that remodeling more interesting 🙂

1. A way to conserve water:

If you take too long washing your hands the fish get’s it! Yes it’s great for water preservation but not so for cleanliness 🙂 (don’t worry, the fish won’t die, there are two separate water sources)

2. Shaken not stirred:

For those people who have a bit of Bond, James Bond, in them this one is for you!

3. Bend it like Beckham?

For the football (sorry, I can’t call it soccer…) fans out there here is a fun way to cleanup after the game 🙂

4. A sink for the garage?

Looking to buy your favorite mechanic a gift? Ideal for a garage or man cave this sink recycles a tire/tyre and includes a circular mirror studded with four hub-nuts:

5. And last but not least…

Hot water you get red, cold you get blue, either way this sink “seats a metal ball with an array of electromagnetic sensors detecting the ball’s position and simply by moving the ball in or out from the water you get to control the water pressure while moving it around controls water’s temperature” is cool!

Although Rising Interest Rates Are a Growing Concern, There Are Options for Homeowners

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HSBC Global Research Shows More than 3 in 4 Mortgage Holders Have Not Experienced a Rate Rise on their Current Mortgage

New York, NY – March 1st, 2018 (BUSINESS WIRE) The end of the low interest rate environment could cause adjustable mortgage rates to change for many homeowners in the U.S. and around the world according to HSBC’s new survey, Beyond the Bricks – The Value of Home. Nearly nine in ten U.S. homeowners (87%), have not experienced a rise in the interest rate of their mortgage/home loan during the time they have had it.

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“From a homeowner’s perspective, we’re heading into unfamiliar territory,” said Pablo Sanchez, HSBC’s Regional Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management for HSBC Bank, USA, N.A. “The average U.S. homeowner is already spending almost 40 percent of their monthly income on their mortgage. When you factor potential interest rate rises into household budgets, making that monthly payment could become a struggle. This is why it’s important for current and potential homeowners to be aware of how the current and forecasted interest rate environment could impact their mortgage, conduct adequate due diligence when researching mortgage rates and partner with an institution that can help them navigate changes.”

In the U.S., 24 percent (22% globally) say that a two percentage point increase in their mortgage/home loan interest rate would cause them to struggle or not be able to afford their mortgage repayments; this figure rose to 45% (versus 47% globally) for a five percentage point increase.

“The good news is that U.S. homeowners are well-informed about their mortgage,” said Sanchez. “With roughly 8 out of 10 U.S. homeowners aware of both how much interest they are paying as well as the terms of their loan (81% and 79% respectively), now is the time for homeowners to adequately prepare should interest rates continue to rise. At HSBC, we aim to build transparent and proactive partnerships with our clients so that they know what options are available to them if their mortgage rates rise.”

The figures in this study also reflect high levels of expenditure on homeownership, with mortgage holders spending on average 39% (versus 38% globally) of their monthly income on their mortgage. Additionally, affordability for U.S. respondents continues to be a challenge for those looking to buy a home, with 70% (versus 80% globally) finding it difficult to save for a down payment.

Most prospective buyers (73%) plan to pay up to 20% of the purchase price as a down payment to secure a mortgage and will largely rely on their regular savings (72%) to help them achieve this. U.S. homeowners who hold a mortgage took an average of four years to save for their deposit, with those in France taking longest to save up (7 years). By comparison, those in the U.K. took only 3 years to save for their down payment.

“Despite affordability challenges and the prospect of rising interest rates, many people are willing to stretch themselves to some extent financially to afford a better home,” said Raman Muralidharan, Head of Mortgage for HSBC’s U.S. Retail Banking and Wealth Management business. “At HSBC we’ve made substantial investments into our mortgage business that are aimed to offer clients a world class experience with highly competitive rates. For our existing mortgage customers facing the prospect of increasing rates, we offer a highly convenient, low cost and fast rate modification process to lock in today’s rate on their loan ahead of future rate increases.”

The survey found that more than half (52%) of homeowners in the U.S. have switched providers, while nearly half (46%) have investigated getting a better deal by switching their mortgage. The appetite to switch provider is primarily driven by a desire to get a better deal or because of interest rate increases, with 53% (vs. 55% globally) of U.S. mortgage holders citing this as the reason for their switch. Other reasons homeowners switched included: 19% (vs. 22% globally) because they moved or bought a new property and 12% (vs. 24% globally) because their existing mortgage deal expired.

The Value of Home is the second survey in the Beyond the Bricks series of global research studies into homeownership from HSBC.

Note to editors

Beyond the Bricks is an independent consumer research study into global homeownership, commissioned by HSBC. It provides authoritative insights into peoples’ attitudes and behavior towards home buying, renting and funding around the world. The value of home survey represents the views of 10,005 people in 10 countries: Australia, Canada, China, France, Malaysia, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, UK and USA. The findings are based on a survey of current and prospective homeowners aged 21 or older from a nationally representative online sample in each country. The research was conducted by Kantar TNS in September and October 2017.

HSBC Holdings plc

HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 3,900 offices in 67 countries and territories in Europe, Asia, North and Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa. With assets of US$2,522bn at 31 December 2017, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations.

HSBC Bank USA, National Association (HSBC Bank USA, N.A.) serves customers through retail banking and wealth management, commercial banking, private banking, and global banking and markets segments. It operates bank branches in: California; Connecticut; Delaware; Washington, D.C.; Florida; Maryland; New Jersey; New York; Pennsylvania; Virginia; and Washington. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is the principal subsidiary of HSBC USA Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC North America Holdings Inc. HSBC Bank USA, N.A. is a Member of the FDIC. Investment and brokerage services are provided through HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., (Member NYSE/FINRA/ SIPC) and insurance products are provided through HSBC Insurance Agency (USA) Inc.

Contacts

HSBC media:
Matt Klein
(212) 525-4644
matt.klein@us.hsbc.com

or

Steve Goewey
(212) 525-5677
stephen.x.goewey@us.hsbc.com

U.S. Housing Market Has Gained Back All $9 Trillion in Value Lost During Recession, but Uneven Recovery Means Some Markets Still Lag

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– Home values in both Las Vegas and San Jose have doubled since the lowest point of the housing crisis, but Las Vegas has still not regained all of its lost value

– Home values are higher than ever in more than half of the largest U.S. metros.

– The typical U.S. home has gained 36.5 percent in value since the market hit bottom in 2011, and is now 5 percent more valuable than at the height of the housing bubble.

– Las Vegas home values remain 19 percent below the peak reached during bubble; San Jose passed its previous peak in 2014.

Seattle, WA – Jan. 25, 2018 (PRNewswire) The U.S. housing market has gained back all $9 trillion in value it lost when the market collapsed, but the uneven nature of the crisis and subsequent recovery has left many housing markets trailing behind, while others surge further ahead.

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More than half of the nation’s largest housing markets have regained all of the value lost during the recession, with the typical U.S. home worth $55,200 more than it was at the bottom of the housing bust, according to a new Zillow® report.

When the housing bubble burst in 2007, home values plummeted, and the typical American home lost 23 percent of its value. Since then, national home values have returned to their previous level, but the recovery has not been the same in all regions of the country. West Coast markets have seen the strongest gains in home value, driven by healthy job growth and limited inventory exacerbated by limitations on new construction. The Sand States that saw the biggest losses when the housing market crashed have yet to fully recover.

The median home in both Las Vegas and San Jose lost about $190,000 during the housing crisis. However, the Las Vegas housing market was hit especially hard during the recession – that $190,000 equaled a 62 percent loss in value – and its recovery is still lagging, with home values only recovering $131,000 so far. In San Jose, homes have gained $615,100 in value since the crisis, more than three times what was lost.

“A decade after the financial crisis, the scars of the housing bust are still with us,” said Zillow Senior Economist Aaron Terrazas. “The gap between the metros with the strongest and weakest housing market recoveries is as wide as it has ever been. The California Bay Area’s housing recovery stands out when compared to other markets that saw similar home value appreciation because it has more than regained all of its lost value. Strong, high-paying job markets and persistently limited inventory sent prices skyrocketing, leading to the Bay Area having the most valuable housing markets in the country.”

Nationally, home values hit their lowest point in December 2012. Individual markets bottomed out between July 2011 and December 2012.

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Denver home values fell just over 9 percent during the housing crisis, less than half of what the typical American home lost in value, largely because the Denver housing market never experienced much of a boom during the bubble years. As Denver has emerged as a popular tech hub over the past decade, its home values have climbed rapidly. The median home in Denver is worth $379,500, about 61 percent more than the highest value reached during the mid-2000s bubble.

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Zillow

Zillow is the leading real estate and rental marketplace dedicated to empowering consumers with data, inspiration and knowledge around the place they call home, and connecting them with the best local professionals who can help. In addition, Zillow operates an industry-leading economics and analytics bureau led by Zillow’s Chief Economist Dr. Svenja Gudell. Dr. Gudell and her team of economists and data analysts produce extensive housing data and research covering more than 450 markets at Zillow Real Estate Research. Zillow also sponsors the quarterly Zillow Home Price Expectations Survey, which asks more than 100 leading economists, real estate experts and investment and market strategists to predict the path of the Zillow Home Value Index over the next five years. Launched in 2006, Zillow is owned and operated by Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG), and headquartered in Seattle.

(i) Value gained is for the median home in each metro.