Some of the first houses built in the United States were Cape Cods. The original colonial Cape Cod homes were shingle-sided, one-story cottages with no dormers. During the mid-20th century, the small, uncomplicated Cape Cod shape became popular in suburban developments. A 20th-century Cape Cod is square or rectangular with one or one-and-a-half stories and [...]

The cost of environmentally friendly electricity will decrease with the newly created California Solar Initiative. The 10 year, $2.9 billion program was recently designed by the California Public Utilities Commission to promote solar development and address Governor Schwarzenegger’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By 2017, the initiative plans to install one million solar systems [...]

The percentage of households in California able to afford a median-priced home stood at 14% in November, compared with 19% for the same period a year ago, according to a report released by the California Association of Realtors.
C.A.R.’s monthly housing affordability index measures the percentage of households that can afford to purchase a median-priced home [...]

The style, often called the California Bungalow, was most popular between 1900 and 1920 and evolved into the Craftsman movement. An offshoot, the Chicago Bungalow, appeared in the Midwest, also in the early part of the century. It’s characterized by few material details, an offset entryway, and a projecting bay on the facade.
An offshoot of [...]

To locate this week’s Hot Property we focused on the red-hot commercial real estate market. In the heart of the Downtown Redlands area, this little gem is too good to pass up. Zoned C-4 (Highway Commercial), this property can be used for Retail or Office purposes. To say that it is “highly visible” would be [...]

Long-term mortgage interest rates were flat Friday, and the benchmark 10 year Treasury bond yield rose to 4.37%. The 30 year fixed-rate average held at 5.66%, and the 15 year fixed-rate stayed at 5.23%. The 1 year adjustable remained at 4.49%. The 30 year Treasury bond yield increased to 4.56%. Mortgage rate figures are according [...]

Pending home sales, a leading indicator for the housing market, slowed for the third consecutive month and demonstrates that a market transition is firmly in place, according to the National Association of Realtors.
The Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed in November, slipped 2.5 % and is 2.5 % lower than November 2004.
The [...]

A well-publicized, world-class event can inspire fashion for years. At least that’s the case with the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, which showcased cutting-edge classical buildings that architects around the country emulated in their own residential and commercial designs. The Neoclassical style remained popular through the 1950s in incarnations from one-story cottages to multilevel [...]

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has increased its single-family home mortgage limits to $200,160 in standard areas and $362,790 in high-cost areas, the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced earlier this week. Adjusted annually to account for rising home prices, the FHA loan limits are tied to the conforming loan limits set [...]

The national average rate on a 30 year, fixed mortgage slipped to 6.22% from 6.26% the week before, according to Freddie Mac. The agency reports that long-term mortgage costs fell in the latest week in response to recent government reports, including one implying that inflation is in check.
The national average commitment rate on a 15 [...]