Trends in Real Estate You Should Keep an Eye on in 2022

By all criteria, 2020 and 2021 were wild. So many things happened all over the world and the costs of all things went up. How did that impact the real estate scene and housing trends? Can we expect home values to go up? Can the real estate market survive the current turbulent economic climate? No matter if you’re interested in selling or buying, here are just some of the biggest real estate trends to keep an eye on in 2022.

Mortgage rates are going up

According to economists, mortgage rates are expected to rise due to tightening monetary policies. Inflation is rising in many places in the world, so in the States, it came in at a 6.8% annual rate just last year, which is the highest in 40 years. On the other hand, unemployment is decreasing, dropping down to 4.2% in November. According to research groups, the US is expected to see mortgage rates jumping to an average of 3.3% in 2022 from 2.99% in 2021. Interest rates on 30-year fixed loans will also increase.

Demand for homes is rising

As stated above, interest rates and mortgage rates will rise, but the demand for real estate is predicted to stay just as strong as before. Many places in the western world are experiencing all sorts of shortages right now, but if we’re to trust experts, the housing shortage is here to stay for the perceivable future. In the States, the housing inventory or the supply of available houses reached the 1970s level, and this imbalance in supply and demand will lead to a big boom in homebuilding. States will start to deregulate land usage and help the construction industry accelerate its activities.

Look at some trendy destinations

In 2022, some destinations will emerge as a new must-watch property market, so it’s smart that you also keep an eye on these places and closely follow the development of the real estate scene there. For instance, Montenegro has been blooming for many years, finally becoming the real estate jewel of the Adriatic Sea. If you’re interested in engaging assets, you can find Montenegro properties for sale by your needs in Herceg Novi, Kotor or Tivat. There you can find mind-blowing seafront villas and trendy new apartments perfect for rent. South America is also very attractive for investors today, especially Nicaragua with under $500 per square meter. Colombia and Bolivia are also very affordable.

Second-home and high-rises trends

One of the new trends in real estate to keep an eye on is the boost in popularity of second homes, mostly among experienced buyers and owners. During the past two years of the pandemic, second homes and condos were largely overlooked because of the buyer uncertainty and proximity of condos to other people. However, as prices begin to rise and the pandemic begins to die out, this market will start to gain more attention. Many millennials who are looking to buy their first properties will focus on condos due to less competition, at least for now.

iBuyers will calm down

The pandemic caused a huge housing boom, so iBuyers or instant buyers started employing some aggressive tactics to get to their properties. Big buyers like Opendoor, Zillow Offers and Offerpad didn’t hesitate to offer above-market prices to sellers. According to experts, iBuyers who are still operational are going strong for now, but it is expected to see offers that are much more reasonable than before. In the iBuyer niche, it was not a secret that offers were inflated, but we can expect to see them stabilizing and getting lower. With that in mind, it’s important to highlight the fact that offers will still be very close to 100% of market value.

Wealthy international buyers will step in

Now that many countries are lifting their travel restrictions, it’s crucial to keep an eye on international buyers and their offers. While not all places are equally attractive to international (luxury) buyers, more and more destinations will pop up on their radar. And due to low housing inventory and good premiums, we might see wealthy buyers pivoting to some less popular markets all over the world. At least, they will become more flexible and choose to invest in properties that require some work. If you’re a domestic buyer, it’s smart to stay in the loop.

As you can see, there are a lot of things going on in the housing market—it’s just as exciting as ever. Hopefully, you will find a spot where you can invest and profit in 2022.

Tips For Organizing Your Walk In Wardrobe

With people having unpredictable times in recent years, it is completely natural to feel a little unorganized. Well, this year is all about personal development and getting our lives back on track. If you are wondering where to start, then why not check your bedroom as this is the place where you come mostly to relax and sleep. Having a walk-in wardrobe is fantastic, but when you have so many clothes, shoes and accessories that clog it up, it can make it impossible to find anything that you actually want. In the article, we will go through some simple ways in which you can organize your walk-in wardrobe to start your year right.  

What You Need To Organize Your Wardrobe:

If you are going to organize your wardrobe, you are not going to be wanting to do it again anytime soon, so you will want to do it correctly the first time. Due to this, we will need the following bits of equipment so that you can measure the space to plan properly.

Here are some tools you will need:

1. Shopping Bag: This will be to transport your clothes to the designating place such as the bin, charity or to keep. If you don't have any bags, then a box or bin will also do well. 

2. Tape Measure: This will be so that you can measure the inside of your wardrobe so that you know where all of the organizers will go and where they will fit. 

3. Full-Length Mirror: This is so that you can try things on before you throw them away. It is a good idea for it to be full length so that you can see the whole of yourself.  

4. Catch-all Basket: This is for anything you find spare in your wardrobe. Whether this is a rubber band, tissues, cash, papers etc. This will help save time as you can put all this in the basket to file away later. 

Empty and Clean Your Wardrobe

If you are one that will just shove clothes in the wardrobe, this may become a bit of a shock for you. But the first thing you will need to do is remove everything from your walk-in wardrobe, including hangers, baskets and anything on the shelves and floors. 

The reason why you need a clean and clear space is so that you can visualize where everything is going to go when it is all organized. This may be a place for your knitwear, somewhere for your hats or just a color coded wardrobe for your favorite items. It is completely up to you. Ensure that your shelves are clean and dust-free as well as your hanging rail. Hoover and mop the floor to ensure there is no dust, this includes the baskets, boxes and whatever else that belongs in the wardrobe. 

Purchase Closet Organizers

These sound like a farce, but trust us when we say they are going to help make your wardrobe that extra bit organized and beautiful. Ensure you measure your wardrobes so you can plan where everything is going to go. 

The material of your closet organists will depend on what you are filling them with. You could buy simple wicker baskets for your denim and knitwear, go with more fancy glass containers for special vintage jewellery or have specific racks for your shoes. 

When you have closet organizers, everyday life will be much easier!

Declutter Your Clothes, Shoes and Accessories

This is the fun part, rather than deciding what you're going to throw away, decide what you are going to keep instead. Have separate piles for what you are going to keep, stuff you are going to sell (must be good quality), stuff you are going to donate to charity and then finally stuff you are going to throw away. A helpful tip on deciding where items will go is to answer whether you love it, wear it or does it portray the image you want of yourself? 

Organize Your Clothes, Shoes and Accessories

For this part, you have some free reins as you can now organize the room to how you think it should go. Utilize all the space so you can fit in as much as you can without it looking unorganized and cluttered. You will find that the organizers will help you to find places for a range of different items such as underwear, accessories and even your jewellery. 

There are many different ways in which you can organize your walk in wardrobe as it is all down to personal preference. As long as you follow these steps, you will find that your clothes will fit nicely into your wardrobe that you can feel proud to own. 

Signs Your Home Needs Better Insulation

In the winter, insulation keeps your house warm and cozy, and in the summer, it keeps it pleasantly cool. But if it's not done right, your home will be drafty and have poor air quality. Also, your energy bills will spike up.

Here's how to tell if you have poor insulation in your house and how to fix it.

How to Tell You Have Poor Insulation

One sign that you don’t have good insulation is that you notice cracks in walls or ceilings. Another sign of poor insulation is when you hear noises coming from the attic or crawl space while you're upstairs. An additional sign of poor insulation is visible gaps between the siding and insulation on walls, soffits, eaves, and roof edges.

Insulation can improve your home's comfort and energy efficiency. It comes in lots of different varieties, like cellulose, fiberglass, and foam board. The material you choose will largely depend on what's available in your area and how much you want to spend.

Adding Insulation Is Worth the Cost

With better insulation your home will be more energy efficient. You can start saving energy as a homeowner by identifying and eliminating key sources of wasted energy. For example, if your walls and floors are much colder during the winter, this suggests you need crawl space insulation because if this part of your home is vented or open to the outside, freezing air will drift up into the rest of the house.

If your home is drafty, you might need better insulation. You'll save money on your energy bill while making your home more comfortable because insulation reduces heat transfer by trapping air between fibers. It also prevents condensation, reduces noise, and maintains the structural integrity of your home.

There are many distinct types of insulation, but they can generally be broken down into two categories: natural, like wool, and manufactured, like fiberglass. Usually, natural insulation is made from renewable resources like wool or cotton, which are eco-friendly and often recyclable. Unfortunately, one problem with using natural materials is that they aren't as effective as synthetic materials.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of the weather, improving your insulation will make your home as comfortable as possible without raising your energy bills. It is a relatively low-cost and low-effort measure that can assist you in saving money over the years. It's also an excellent way to reduce your carbon footprint. Research professionals in your area that can help you upgrade your home’s insulation.

Guest Post - The 7 Day Cleaning Schedule For Every Homeowner

It is no secret that cleaning your home is an overwhelming task, especially when you are not organized and have your routine down. But cleaning your house doesn't have to take up your whole day. If you create a schedule that you will follow through the week, it will only take up to 30 minutes. If you want to make cleaning less painful, here is the best 7-day schedule for every homeowner. 

Monday

The thing that people struggle with the most is cleaning once they realize how messed up their house is after the weekend. No matter if you have a party or your kids are just playing around. There will be clutter all over the house. So to keep your home refreshed and clean for the week ahead, you have to take the time out to clean and declutter. Make sure that you start with cleaning all the clutter, and putting all the things in their designated spaces. Then you will want to vacuum, seep as well as mop all the high traffic rooms, such as the kitchen, living room and all the bathrooms and bedrooms. Your top priority on Monday is putting things away, vacuuming and mopping the floors. 

Tuesday 

When Tuesday rolls around, you should primarily tackle the dirty clothes. One of the things that will pile up the quickest is clothes, especially if you have kids or you work in an office. That is even more true if you are messy or just prone to getting your clothes stained. So, when Tuesday rolls around, it is time to start soaking those stained clothes, washing and drying them as well as putting them away. You can also dedicate Tuesdays to cleaning the linens, but once in two weeks. 

Wednesday 

Even though most people think that cleaning your house is hard labour, that is not true if you manage your time the right way. When you spread out all the chores during the week, you will have everything balanced and manageable. Dedicate Wednesdays to ensuring your whole house is dust-free. The best thing that you can do mid-week is something simple like wiping down dust and wiping down the counters and other surfaces like that. 

Thursday

Make your Thursdays dedicated to just one thing. Make sure that you focus on one single room in the house that needs the most attention. In most cases, that will be a bathroom. So choose this day to deep clean the bathrooms and then maintain the cleanliness throughout the week. Make sure that you are scrubbing the toilets, deselecting everything and charging out the towels, as well as wiping down all the counters and mirrors. As it is only weekly, think about making it a family affair if you have more than one bathroom or pass out duties for everyone. If you live alone or you are a busy parent, you can hire professional house cleaning services to help you out with deep cleans. 

Friday

We all love Fridays, so why not take that day to tidy up your kitchen space. Especially if you are a parent, dishes will pile up because you are busy with work and school. Give your kitchen a nice rest and get it tidy. But that doesn't only mean that you need to clean the dishes, make sure that you don't have mouldy food in the kitchen. It will help you have a nice clean kitchen for any guests that are coming on the weekend and help you kickstart the new week with a clean kitchen. 

The Weekend

No one wants to spend their weekends cleaning the whole house. Most people want to spend it with their families or friends relaxing and having fun. That is what you need to clean during the week and have a clean house when it comes to the weekend. But you shouldn't let things pile up those two days. Make sure that you take the time out of the day and dedicate it to picking things up around the house. It will give you the satisfaction of having a clean home without actually spending the whole day cleaning. 

Don't Forget To Refresh Your Home

As we have said before, cleaning your home is an overwhelming task, no matter if you live alone or with kids. If you have the extra force in the house, make sure that you involve everyone in the whole process. Introduce them to the cleaning schedule and have them do little things. That will not only take the weight off your back, but it will also drastically speed up the whole process. 

Always keep in mind that some housekeeping doesn't need to be done as friendly as others. By following the seven-day cleaning schedule, cleaning will be more manageable, especially when you get used to it. Now that you have an idea of how a cleaning schedule should look, modify it, so it fits your lifestyle. 

Author bio:

Alison Pearson is an interior design student. She is a writer and designer, and her ultimate passion is art and architecture. She is also a bibliophile and her favourite book is "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner. Follow her on Twitter.