Ryan Christensen's Blog

Posted on 06/17/2022
Surging Mortgage Rates Spook House Hunters
© Dan Brownsword - Image Source/Getty Images Borrowing costs have climbed to their highest level since 2008, sending shock waves through the housing market. Mortgage rates have climbed to their highest level since 2008, pinching home buyers’ budgets. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.78% this week, way above its 2.93% average just one year ago, Freddie Mac reports....
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Posted on 06/15/2022
How to keep your pets entertained while you work from home
Pet owners who work from home have lived with the conundrum of what to do with their pets during the day. Some have established large and lavish “apartment areas,” consisting of a large crated area filled with toys, bedding and other pet supplies; while others allow their pets to roam and sit beside them during their work hours....
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Posted on 06/08/2022
How to Upcycle Household Items Into Planters
For plant lovers, there never seem to be enough pots and planters to go around. There are countless options available to buy, but buying a new one every time you need it becomes costly and inconvenient. The good news is that there are plenty of items you might already have around the house you can use for your...
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Posted on 06/07/2022
Remodeling Regret Is Growing
© Getty Images Plus June 7, 2022 Interest in home remodeling has surged during the pandemic. But homeowners may not be happy with the results of all their house projects, pointing to the high expenses and strain on relationships. One-third of about 600 respondents recently surveyed said they regret their remodel, according to the survey from Lantern by...
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Posted on 06/06/2022
Majority of Aging Adults Say They’re Not Moving
© DigitalVision / Getty Images June 6, 2022 Baby boomers hold the majority of real estate wealth in the U.S.—and as they age, they increasingly say they plan to stay put in their current homes. Sixty-six percent of U.S. adults aged 55 and older say they expect to age in place, according to a new Freddie Mac survey....
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Posted on 06/01/2022
Countertops on a Budget: 5 Affordable Options
If you’re remodeling your kitchen, you might need to choose new countertops. There are many choices, all with distinct advantages and disadvantages. Unfortunately, many of the popular options are expensive, which can make it difficult for homeowners on a strict budget. Luckily, there are plenty of affordable materials for countertops. Here are some of the best options: Paint...
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Posted on 05/31/2022
More Sellers Dropping Asking Prices
© fstop123 - iStock / Getty Images Plus May 31, 2022 Some homeowners may need to reset their price expectations. Signs of a slowing real estate market are growing across the country—existing-home sales and new-home sales are falling as well as pending home sales. Pending home sales fell for the sixth consecutive month in April and are now...
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Posted on 05/25/2022
Home Office: Tips for Reworking Your Space
A good home office considers everything from lighting to air quality to layout, but even the best of the best home offices should be reimagined from time to time. So what happens when you switch up your office layout? The results may surprise you. Here are a few quick tips for redesigning your home office space. Rework Assessment...
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Posted on 05/18/2022
3 Ideas for Your Unfinished Basement
If your home has an unfinished basement, it may seem like the space is useless until you take the steps to finish it. However, unfinished doesn’t have to mean useless. There are some simple and inexpensive ways you can make an unfinished basement work for you with no remodeling. Here are some inspiring ideas to try in your...
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Posted on 05/17/2022
New-Home Buyers Face Rising Rate Surprises
© Andrii Yalanskyi - iStock / Getty Images Plus New-home buyers who signed a contract to purchase their home a year ago, when mortgage rates were 3% or in some cases less, are finding themselves caught off-guard as their homes near completion, as mortgage rates have climbed to 5.3% this spring. They may face increases of hundreds of...
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Posted on 05/11/2022
The new construction home-buying process
The new construction home-buying process differs from the buying process for an existing home. While many of the steps are similar, new construction homes come with more specific requirements. Here is a basic step-by-step guide to the buying process for a new construction home: Create a budget With new construction homes, you have to account for your ongoing...
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Posted on 05/06/2022
The Fed & Jobs Report
With a wide range of major economic news, it was an extremely volatile week. The actions by the Fed were in line with investor expectations and the Employment report came in very close to the consensus forecast, but mortgage rates ended the week even higher. As expected, the Fed raised the federal funds rate by 50-basis points on...
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