Nationally, the average savings for homeowners with solar panels providing power is $1,075 annually. That can offset 67% of the homes’ electric bills, according to a new analysis of solar-powered home data from 1,800 homes nationwide conducted by Sense, a home energy firm.But how much homeowners actually see in savings largely depends on where they live.Sunny areas of the U.S. stand to benefit, as expected. For example, homeowners in Utah and C
Facebook has become the latest company to pledge money to help ease a housing crisis that critics blame big tech for. The social media giant on Tuesday said it would allocate $1 billion in grants, land, and loans to generate more affordable housing in California's Bay Area. The funds will be used to build an estimated 20,000 housing units for middle- to low-income households.In June, Google pledged $1 billion in land and money to build
Tens of thousands of households and businesses went dark in California overnight. Unprecedented power outages are sweeping across the state as the utility company Pacific Gas & Electric leverages the blackouts to try and prevent wildfires from spreading.With strong winds forecast for California mixed with hot and dry conditions, PG&E is taking the precautionary move to curb wildfire risk by shutting off power to thousands. About
Bathrooms are getting more technological. Many homeowners say they desire to play music in the bathroom, and they’re adding in voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home to make it easier to do so, new research from the National Kitchen & Bath Association shows. “Bringing voice control into the bathroom is a big request,” David VanWert, a technology integrator in Los Angeles, told Forbes.com. “Being able to ask your house
Today’s homes are filled with sensitive, sophisticated electrical appliances that may take commands from phone apps and voice-activated devices. But they can’t yet ward off increasingly unpredictable weather.Bad storms bring powerful lightning and hurricane-force winds that cause an increase in power surges that shut off lights, stop refrigerators, and in worst cases, overheat and fry appliances. Replacing equipment can become costly.Plugging
Mobile devices are what buyers turn to for finding properties and connecting with real estate agents. This has put increasing importance on real estate pros to make sure their websites are mobile friendly and that they’re connecting in a way that clients most desire.The typical home buyer used a mobile device to search for properties online, looking at websites with photos, home listings, and information about the homebuying proc
More homes are being outfitted with smart-home technology—devices that enable remote control and monitoring of household systems. A new analysis from Harvard University’s Remodeling Futures Program shows high demand for such devices and predicts the trend to only get bigger over the coming years, despite some recent security concerns and device breaches.But more than half of consumers say they find the internet of things “creepy,” an
You can move mansions.Some homeowners are taking their houses with them when they relocate. More than 8,000 structures are moved each year, Tammie DeVooght Blaney, executive director of the International Association of Structural Movers, told The Wall Street Journal. Most of the structures are moved due to environmental hazards and historic preservation, and some are high-end single-family homes—at 4,000 square feet or more.Most homes can
More homeowners are leaning towards maintenance-free faux turfs for their yards, according to landscapers.Architect Christopher Brandon of Brandon Architects in Costa Mesa, Calif., told The Wall Street Journal that about 75% of the projects he does for modern-style homes now ask for artificial grass. Since faux turf does not require water and the green stays vibrant all year long, there is virtually zero maintenance. Bran
Technology is entering more bathroom design, and it’s one of the top design trends of the year, according to the 2019 Bathroom Design Trends Study from the National Kitchen & Bath Association. The survey results are based on responses from 583 NKBA members, consisting of designers, remodelers, architects, and product manufacturers.Some of the technology solutions seeing the most growth in popularity are temperature control and thermostat sm
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