Not everyone who’s behind on their rent qualifies for help. In addition, some states and cities require more paperwork than others, which can make accessing the funds more difficult. Also, landlords and tenants typically must work together to apply for the aid, and some landlords are refusing to help.

For now, most renters are protected by various eviction bans — at national, state and sometimes local levels — but someday those will end. In the meantime, owing your landlord can lead to credit damage, collections calls and lawsuits. If you’re behind on your rent, you’d be smart to start exploring your options for dealing with this debt.

Emergency assistance for low-income renters

Congress approved $25 billion in renters’ assistance in December, followed by an additional $21.5 billion in March. The money is being distributed to state and local governments. Many programs have just begun to process applications while others are still getting set up.

“That money is now getting out to tenants and landlords, but slowly,” says Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which advocates for affordable housing.

To qualify, at least one member of the household must be eligible for unemployment or have lost income or incurred expenses related to the pandemic. A tenant must have an income that is 80% or below the area’s median income, but program administrators are required to give a preference to applicants with incomes that are 50% or below. The money can be used to pay rent or utilities that are already owed or to assist with future rent, Yentel says.

Each state and local program has its own criteria for applicants. You may need to fill out a simple form — or you may have to come up with copies of everything from your W-2s to a utility bill from last spring.

“Some have very simple application processes that allow for self-certification for almost all eligibility requirements,” Yentel says. “Others require really burdensome documentation that can be very hard for some of the lowest-income and most marginalized people to produce.”

Some programs also have requirements for landlords, such as mandating that they forgive a portion of the unpaid rent or forgo rent increases for a certain period, Yentel says. Not all landlords are willing to agree to that. The programs are allowed to pay tenants directly in those cases, Yentel says, but some simply move on to the next applicant on the list.

The housing coalition maintains a list of programs on its site, or you can search for your state or city and the words “emergency rental assistance.” You also could contact a HUD-approved housing counselor by calling 877-542-9723 to learn about your available options.

Eviction bans don’t protect you from financial fallout

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has extended its ban on most rental evictions until June 30, and some areas have additional protections (self-help legal site Nolo has a list). These may keep a roof over your head for now, but they typically don’t prevent your landlord from charging you late fees or turning your account over to a collection agency, which can damage your credit. Plus, your landlord likely will start eviction proceedings as soon as the moratorium expires. An eviction — or even the legal filing that starts the process, in some states — can effectively prevent you from renting decent housing for years.

“A lot of landlords will say, ‘Forget about it. I don’t want to deal with that,’” says Deborah Thrope, deputy director of the National Housing Law Project, a nonprofit advocate for housing rights for the poor.

To avoid that, consider reaching out to your landlord to discuss your options. You may be able to work out a repayment plan — if you’re back at work, for example, or can tap other resources such as tax refunds, stimulus checks, savings, or a loan from friends or family. (Get the agreement in writing, to protect yourself in case the landlord files eviction proceedings anyway.) If you can’t afford the place where you’re living, ask if the landlord would be willing to let you end your lease early to avoid incurring more debt.

If all else fails, you likely still have an option to deal with rent debt: bankruptcy court. Bankruptcy can temporarily stave off eviction to allow you more time to negotiate a repayment agreement. In most cases, you would need to file before your landlord starts eviction proceedings. If you can’t come to an agreement, then bankruptcy can legally erase the debt.

Contact a bankruptcy lawyer for more information; the first consultation is often free.

The article How to Line Up Rent Aid — and a Backup Plan originally appeared on NerdWallet.

The doorbuster deal in question? The chance to buy a newly built townhouse, 18 of which were listed for sale on Saturday morning at a fixed price of $1.2 million, reports NBC Bay Area. The properties were constructed by SummerHill Homes, which has completed more than 70 developments in the last 40 years, according to its website. Nuevo is among its most recent projects, debuting 331 homes as well as 20,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space in Sept. 2019.

#Update:
People waiting overnight for a shot to buy townhomes at Nuevo in Santa Clara (opening tomorrow) .. are now going to sleep in tents. pic.twitter.com/EqKPVD5zsG

— scott budman (@scottbudman) April 24, 2021

“It’s really hard to get a house in Silicon Valley,” real estate agent Nancy Reynolds told NBC Bay Area, adding that she took turns waiting in the line overnight with her clients. “And probably most people in line know which lot they want.” 

Another realtor, Jeremy Naval, said he had been at the development since Wednesday. The general consensus among those vying for one of the townhouses was that it was easier to wait in line for hours than to engage in a bidding war. 

MORE: The Bay Area real estate surge is back as COVID eases

“My client just really, really wanted to be the first one, so I promised him. I said, ‘Whatever I have to do to get you the first one, I’ll do it,’” Naval told NBC Bay Area.  

As of Sunday morning, over 240 homes at Nuevo have been sold, encompassing more than 70% of the development.

Freddie Mac, the federally chartered mortgage investor, aggregates rates from around 80 lenders across the country to come up with weekly national averages. It uses rates for high-quality borrowers with strong credit scores and large down payments. Because of the criteria, these rates are not available to every borrower.

The survey is based on home purchase mortgages, which means rates for refinances may be higher. The price adjustment for refinance transactions that went into effect in December is adding to the cost. The adjustment, which applies to all Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac refinances, is 0.5 percent of the loan amount. That works out to $1,500 on a $300,000 loan.

The 15-year fixed-rate average fell to 2.29 percent with an average 0.6 point. It was 2.35 percent a week ago and 2.86 percent a year ago. The five-year adjustable rate average edged up to 2.83 percent with an average 0.3 point. It was 2.8 percent a week ago and 3.28 percent a year ago.

“The Freddie Mac interest rate for a 30-year loan slid again this week,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. “Long-term bond rates, which shifted from a gradual climb to an accelerated one in early 2021, have done an about-face since mid-March due to the [Federal Reserve’s] patient approach to monetary policy. This has given investors confidence that the Fed won’t push rates up too quickly.”

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to its lowest level in more than a month this week, dropping to 1.57 percent on Wednesday.

“After a sustained sell-off in 2021’s first quarter, demand for Treasurys has increased recently, keeping downward pressure on yields and thus mortgage rates,” said Matthew Speakman, a Zillow economist. “Continuing a recent trend, yields showed little regard for strong economic data reports released last week.”

Even though mortgage rates have fallen the past three weeks, Speakman doesn’t expect the slide to last.

“Despite another weekly downtick, the longer-term trend for mortgage rates remains to the upside and barring a significant economic or pandemic-related setback, it’s unlikely that this downward movement in rates will continue for an extended period,” he said.

Bankrate.com, which puts out a weekly mortgage rate trend index, found the experts it surveyed evenly divided on where rates will head in the coming week. Half said they will go down, the rest said they will remain about the same.

Ken H. Johnson, a real estate economist at Florida Atlantic University, is one who predicts rates will decrease somewhat.

“Ten-year Treasury yields have been moving slightly lower over the past week,” Johnson said. “Seeing no imminent threat to the financial markets, 30-year mortgage rates should move slightly down as well. Moderating 10-year Treasury yields are really helping keep a lid on long-term mortgage rates right now.”

Mortgage delinquencies declined last month as many borrowers used their stimulus checks to catch up on overdue payments. According to data from Black Knight, a mortgage and real estate technology and data provider, the national mortgage delinquency rate fell to 5.02 percent last month from 6 percent in February, a 16.4 percent drop. Such big drops often happen in March because borrowers use their tax refunds on missed mortgage payments. Even so, last month’s decline was higher than the usual 10 percent decline in March.

Despite the big drop in delinquencies, 1.9 million mortgage-holders remain at least 90 days past due on payments. That’s 1.5 million more than a year ago and five times pre-pandemic levels.

Meanwhile, mortgage applications picked up again after a weeks-long slump. According to the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association, the market composite index – a measure of total loan application volume – increased 8.6 percent from a week earlier. The purchase index climbed 6 percent from the previous week, and the refinance index jumped 10 percent. The refinance share of mortgage activity accounted for 60 percent of applications.

“Mortgage rates dropped to their lowest level [in MBA’s survey] in nearly two months last week, leading to an increase in total mortgage applications for the first time since late February,” said Bob Broeksmit, MBA president and CEO. “Applications to buy a home jumped considerably on a weekly and annual basis, and after six weeks of declines, lower rates led to a resurgence in refinances.”

With flooring options that run the spectrum from “a breeze to DIY” through “you should probably get a professional,” the best place to start is by evaluating your budget, desire to get hands-on and vision for the overall space. Then, with rented tools for your project or flooring professionals able to manage the work for you, you can transform your living space in a way that suits your lifestyle.

As you start your search, here are a few jumping-off points for inspiration:

This herringbone flooring sets the perfect stage for a living room filled with transitional-style furniture and decor. Picture it with some breezy curtains, poured acrylic artwork and an oversized linen sofa. With just the right blend of personality and function, the vinyl planks make it simple to create an interesting, maximalist pattern.

When you’re just moving into a home, it can take a while to decide where furniture looks best. With these vinyl planks, you don’t have to stress about scratching the flooring while pushing a chair from corner to corner. If you want to play it extra safe, try using The Home Depot’s Augmented Reality tool through the app to find furniture to complete the look. It’s a simple (and fun!) way to visualize how furniture will look in your new space that requires no heavy lifting.

There is no living room flooring material more timeless than hardwood—but even it can stand an update every few decades. With wide planks, this richly colored hickory flooring is a classic selection to complement detailed rugs, antique sideboards and tufted armchairs.

Engineered hardwood gets you an authentic hickory top layer with high density fiberboard underneath, making it a great fit for both your vision and your budget. As an added bonus, this style of engineered hardwood uses the click-lock installation method, one of the most popular choices for DIYers.

Modern, meet maximalism in the form of these large slate tiles. By tying in with monochromatic decor, well-placed colorful accents and interesting design lines, tiles like these can take your living space from “we just moved in” to “we made it our own.”

If you don’t have time to take on another project, The Home Depot can take over once you’ve made your flooring selection. This starts with a no-commitment, in-home measurement appointment with a flooring professional who can then provide a quote. The Home Depot also guarantees the lowest overall price, so you can feel good about moving the project along.

If you gravitate to an eclectic design scheme, you are probably already familiar with maximalism. Maximalism is the opposite of minimalism—leaning toward generous use of color, bold art and collections. You’re never one to fear mixing patterns and showing off your favorite treasures, and your living room flooring can also be a canvas for showcasing your style. With these Moroccan-inspired vinyl tiles, DIY installation is simple. And The Home Depot makes it even easier to keep your project on track with scheduled home deliveries.

If you’re someone who values adventurous design choices, another benefit of these tiles is that you can swap them out for something new in another year. Or keep them! Even though they are simple to install, these vinyl tiles don’t skimp on durability. In other words, your options are wide open.

Even if you love midcentury modern style, we bet you don’t want your grandma’s wall-to-wall shag—so you’ll be glad to discover that carpet design has come a long way in the past few decades. While most carpet is neutral, it will complement anything else you want to incorporate in your living room, from an egg chair to a wooden coffee table to a graphic print on the wall. Choose a neutral shade for your wall-to-wall and layer on patterned area rugs to help create smaller zones in a large living space.

With free carpet installation through The Home Depot available on most carpet purchases, all you have to do is make your flooring selection and schedule an in-home measurement. The licensed installers from The Home Depot will even move furniture and discard old carpet—because we bet you’re over moving things for the moment.

The post Flooring Forecast 2021: Here’s What’s Trending in Living-Space Floors appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

For many Hispanic buyers, COVID-19 cemented their desire and accelerated their plans to become homeowners. Record-low mortgage rates also served as an incentive, driving down monthly mortgage costs.

“Despite significant headwinds, Latinos drove homeownership growth in America for the sixth consecutive year,” NAHREP CEO and co-founder Gary Acosta said in a statement.

The Hispanic homeownership rate peaked in the real estate boom years of the mid-2000s—and then tumbled a little during the financial crisis. Since 2014, it’s been on the upswing, reaching between 48% and 49% in 2020, according to the report.

Over the past decade, Hispanic buyers have made up more than 50% of homeownership growth, according to projections from the Urban Institute. They’re expected to make up 70% of new homeowners over the next 20 years.

Homeownership has been particularly important in helping Hispanic families build wealth. The equity in that property accounts for 57.6% of Latino wealth. Those who own their homes have a median net worth of $164,000—versus $36,050 for Latino families overall.

“For Latino households, owning a home is a central part of building a solid financial foundation, and increasing wealth over time,” says realtor.com® Senior Economist George Ratiu. “This preference became even more important during 2020, as the COVID pandemic accelerated many people’s reach for the safety of a home and the space to work, live, and school children.”

Who’s buying what kinds of homes?

Many Latinos are simply at the point in their lives when folks typically want to own homes. The median age of Latinos in this country is 29.8, which is typically when people start coupling up, starting families, and entering the housing market. Almost 1 in 3 Latinos is between the ages of 25 and 44, according to the report. That means many of them are first-time buyers.

“Even during a year beset by sharply shrinking inventory and rising prices, as well as declining credit availability, Hispanic buyers were looking to push their purchase timelines up,” says Ratiu.

They also are less likely to have a four-year college degree. Just 17.6% of Latinos 25 and older had completed a bachelor’s degree in 2019. While that can hurt their future earnings in many cases, it also means fewer Hispanic home buyers have student debt holding them back from saving up for a down payment.

However, those who buy tend to have stronger incomes. Last year, Latino households purchasing homes had a median income of $74,000, according to the report. The median value of the homes they purchased was $265,000 in 2020 for properties with mortgages.

Latino buyers are also 3.5 times more likely to be part of a multigenerational household than the rest of the population. Nearly 29% of all households with more than one generation of a family under one roof are Hispanic.

More than half of Hispanic buyers, 53%, would prefer a multigenerational home. Properties like this can accommodate aging parents as well as grown children and the grandchildren. This living situation may also be more affordable, as the family can pool resources to come up with a down payment and pay the monthly mortgage bill, utilities, and other expenses.

“Reflecting the economic challenges brought about by the pandemic, and building upon the cultural central place of the family, Latino households invested in multigenerational homes at a higher rate,” says Ratiu.

What’s holding back more Hispanic home buyers?

However, there are challenges that are holding back more Hispanic buyers from becoming homeowners. The market is the biggest one.

As the pandemic has dragged on, more people have begun searching for homes. At the same time, there are record-low numbers of properties for sale. That’s led to prices climbing to new heights, fierce bidding wars marked by offers over asking, all-cash bids, and homes selling in hours instead of days. In other words: It’s a difficult time to be a buyer today.

Then are many people who would like to purchase a home, but lost jobs last year. Unemployment across the nation soared as businesses were shuttered and people stayed home to curb the spread of COVID-19. Latinos, many of whom work in the service industry, were hit hard with a 10.4% annual unemployment rate last year, according to the report.

Even those who held on to their jobs may have a harder time qualifying for a mortgage. Latinos have a median 668 credit score, 41% median debt-to-income ratio, and typically have only 3.5% down payments.

Many lenders tightened their criteria for approving borrowers to hedge against the topsy-turvy economy. Those without stellar credit scores, steady and higher incomes, and little debt had a more difficult time qualifying for a mortgage.

“The pandemic-induced recession and accompanying job losses took a larger toll on many Latino families,” says Ratiu. “In addition, with credit availability reaching the tightest level in six years, many Latino families faced higher hurdles on their path to homeownership.”

The post Why More Latinos Became Homeowners During the Pandemic appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Meanwhile, “Rock the Block” Season 1 winner Jasmine Roth comes to Paulding County, GA, to pick the winner, joined by “Flip or Flop Atlanta” hosts Ken and Anita Corsini.

These judges have a tough decision to make. Read on to find out who wins it all, and get some ideas on how to rock your own home makeover, too.

Transform the garage into a gym

Mika and Brian Kleinschmidt of “100 Day Dream Home” haven’t won a single challenge this season, but they’re determined to win the competition. They still have $10,000 left in their budget, so they decide to build a home gym in one section of the three-car garage.

“I really feel like a family is going to need a home gym. I think that’s kind of been more of a trend now,” Mika says.

They put turf down on the floor, saying that it’s more durable than carpet, and they open up the back wall with a glass garage door, which provides a great view of the trees outside. In the end, the garage looks great. It’s an easy, convenient upgrade that a health-conscious homeowner will certainly enjoy.

Make sure your home has easy access to the outside

The garage gym is amazing, but Brian and Mika know this bonus space won’t be the convenient feature they hope without easy access.

“We had to get super creative and think outside the box on how to get into the gym ’cause we don’t want the family to walk around the front of the house and go through the regular garage,” Brian says. “So we’ve extended our deck so you can actually come straight from the main space right into the gym.”

They’re able to make the back staircase so that it not only connects the backyard to the house, but also to the garage. When the judges see this, they’re impressed.

“I’m surprised they’re the only ones that connected the deck to down here,” Ken says. “It just, to me, makes a lot of sense.”

Don’t overdo it with patterns

David Bromstad of “My Lottery Dream Home” and Tiffany Brooks of “50K Three Ways” have won only one challenge in the competition, so they know they’ll need to impress the judges with their remaining $8,000.

They decide that the best way to increase the value of their home is to add a bathroom to one of the bedrooms, creating a great en suite a teenager would love. However, they run into a problem when they realize the bathroom is too busy.

With pink floor tile, blue shower tile, and wallpaper, there’s too much going on. They should take down the peel-and-stick wallpaper, Brooks says. “We should get rid of the one thing that we can, ’cause it’s too late for the tile.”

They remove the wallpaper, and since they’re out of colored paint, they give the wall a coat of white. The white isn’t their first choice, but still, it works out well.

“We prefer a color for this wall, but the white is really showcasing our tile beautifully,” Bromstad says.

A dark, windowless room makes a great theater

Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, stars of “Nate and Jeremiah: Save My House,” have won two of the challenges already—but they have only $6,800 left to finish this renovation. They decide to make a budget-friendly home theater out of an unused room in the basement. This room doesn’t have any windows, so Berkus and Brent know it’ll make for a perfect home theater—but they will need to be smart with their budget.

“We’ve got a big TV coming and a bunch of comfortable seating. We’re lining all the walls in this beautiful suede fabric so it’s going to feel very luxurious,” Brent says. “But we didn’t spend a ton of money in there.”

Invest in must-haves like a generator

While the other teams are focused on creating stunning bonus spaces, Alison Victoria of “Windy City Rehab” and Mike Holmes from “Holmes on Homes” decide to spend their remaining $8,300 on a generator and an energy recovery ventilation system in the attic.

“I know the generator and this ERV system, they’re not flashy,” Victoria says. “But what they add in value is so important for any homeowner.”

Who wins this season of ‘Rock the Block’?

In the end, Roth, Anita, and Ken announce Mika and Brian as the Season 2 winners! Although they hadn’t won even one challenge, the judges felt that their renovations overall—including their home gym, outdoor staircase, in-law suite, and laundry room—added the most value to their house.

While the judges get to call this competition’s winners, the true test of a home’s value is how much it sells for on the open market. We’ll make sure to track what happens to these homes, so stay tuned for more “Rock the Block” reconnaissance soon enough!

The post Who Won ‘Rock the Block’? Prepare To Be Shocked appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

“I don’t think there’s any other property like this. It was literally built into a ridge,” explains the listing agent, Bryan Dale. “You’re really high up—and it’s really cool.”

On the market for for $1.29 million, the house has a total of 31 rooms on 6,000 square feet and includes an awesome six-story turret.

“There’s a 360-degree observatory at the very top of the tower, and the New York City skyline, the Palisades, even the Tappan Zee Bridge, are all visible,” Dale says. “When you’re up there, it like it feels like you’re at the top floor of a skyscraper. The property is already about 400 feet above sea level, and then you have six floors up to that observatory.”

And for a buyer in need of additional space, the offering also includes a second property at 34 Undercliff St., which brings the total parcel to nearly 2 acres.

Wood and fireplaces dominate the interior.

“When you first walk into the property, you’re surrounded by oak-paneled hallways. There’s a lot of oak paneling everywhere,” Dale explains. “There’s a fireplace in in every room on the main floor.”

There are four additional fireplaces throughout the house, for a total of eight. The round turret makes itself apparent in the interior design.

“The main room is a circle,” he says. “It’s a circular room, because it’s in the tower, and every room that’s in the tower is a circle.”

The house has a total of nine bedrooms and six full bathrooms.

Decks wrap around most of the home, allowing residents to soak in the surroundings.

The grand old Victorian sits in the Park Hill neighborhood, and it was the flagship house for the neighborhood’s developer, E.K. Martin, who was then the president of the American Real Estate Co.

By the time the current owners purchased the home in the 1980s, it was in a state of serious disrepair. The owners snagged it for $140,000 and started in on a winning renovation.

“They ended up redoing the electrical, the heating, the plumbing, the siding, the roofing,” Dale says. “They redid everything top to bottom, and restored the property to its current condition. Over time, they’ve continued to maintain the property.”

Part of their restoration included a chapel on the home’s fourth floor, added by the home’s second owner.

“He was a devout Catholic, and he reconstructed that chapel from a mansion on Fifth Avenue. There were over 200 Masses in that chapel,” Dale explains. “I’ve never seen that in a property.”

Dale says the house is an easy commute from New York City, or it could be a great retreat.

“The perfect buyer for this property is someone who is going to preserve the integrity and the character of the property, someone who is really passionate about a very unique and historic property like this, and someone who feels at home when they’re there,” he says.

The post Listed for $1.29M, Overcliff Is a Victorian With Awe-Inspiring Views appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

The ultrastylish home of the celeb couple recently bounced back onto the market for $17.95 million.

So what led to the price slice? We took another look at the property.

A little history

The high-end home once owned by the pop star Rihanna last traded hands for $14.1 million.

After Legend and Teigen purchased the property in 2016, they proceeded to redecorate and add custom touches to the abode.

Gone is the minimalist look. Instead, the home has been redone in warm tones, with an upgrade to the kitchen for Teigen, who often filmed herself there for social-media cooking videos. Spanning 8,520 square feet, the layout includes seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms.

The drama starts with the the parlor, with its 33-foot ceiling and sculptural staircase. The spacious great room easily fits Legend’s grand piano, a cozy fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling windows with canyon views.

The state-of-the art kitchen is the backdrop for many of Teigen’s cooking videos, and includes three ovens, two stovetops, and an Instagram-worthy island.

Design details include patterned ceilings from Thailand, oak floors, clay and steel-rolled walls, and onyx sinks.

All seven bedrooms feature private balconies and en suite bathrooms.

The opulent master bedroom includes a brass and concrete fireplace and a jaw-dropping glam room, with newly designed closets “evocative of a Chanel showroom,” as the listing puts it. The layout also includes a plush home theater and a huge gym.

Set on just under an acre, the grounds include a saltwater pool and hot tub, a wood-burning oven and chef’s grill, plus a grapevine-wrapped pergola. A two-car garage completes the property, which is close to the Beverly Hills Hotel and the shopping and dining of Rodeo Drive.

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Watch: Rocker Bret Michaels’ 5-Acre ‘Playground’ Offers Fun for Everyone

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The house seems perfect. So what’s the perfect price?

“It was too aspirational to start with that high of a price,” says Myra Nourmand, principal and agent with Nourmand & Associates, who specializes in marketing and selling luxury properties from Beverly Hills to Malibu.

“They were competing with areas such as Beverly Hills proper and Bel-Air that have all sold in the $20 million-plus range,” she adds.

She thinks the $6 million price chop makes sense for the mansion on the farthest outskirts of 90210.

“The property is much more competitive now, and it should sell,” she says. “Price drives the market.”

New home in the 90210

Soon after they placed their home on the market, the couple also scored another home close by. The larger, custom-built, “design-forward” masterpiece was newly built.

Located on a private knoll in Beverly Hills, the residence is roomier, with 10,700 square feet of indoor/outdoor living space, soaring ceilings, and walls of glass with pocket doors overlooking city-to-ocean views.

Although it was initially offered for $18,725,000 in March 2020, the price was dropped a little, to $17.95 million in July, before the couple snagged it for $17.5 million in September.

Now that they are potentially juggling two properties in the area, the couple may be ready to let their longtime home go, even at a lower amount.

But there’s good news: It’s actually a great time to sell the property, Nourmand notes.

She tells us, “The current real estate market in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles is extremely hot and competitive. It’s on fire and definitely a seller’s market right now.”

Teigen and Legend, who suffered the loss of their unborn baby last fall, had said they had wanted more living space for their growing family.

However, Legend told Architectural Digest, “We still expect to expand our family in the near future.”

The couple have two children together.

Meanwhile, they have focused on renovating their new place to reflect their personal taste.

“I have always been a mover since I was young, so I feel like what we are doing with the new house is kind of just moving the old house into a more evolved space for us and our family,” Teigen told AD in January.

We hope to get an eyeful of their renovated abode on social media soon.

The couple also own two adjacent penthouse apartments in New York City.

The amazingly talented Legend is one of the few artists to hold an EGOT: meaning that he has received an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony over the course of his illustrious career.

Equally impressive, Teigen, a model and author of the cookbook “Cravings,” maintains a massive following on Instagram.

Marshall Peck with Douglas Elliman-Beverly Hills has the listing.

The post Why Have John Legend and Chrissy Teigen Cut $6M Off the Price of Their Beverly Hills Mansion? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

With all of that in mind, the home office has become more essential than ever. So if you anticipate you’ll be working remotely in the near future, it’s high time to smarten up your office space. Below, our design and real estate experts share some must-tackle projects with a range of budgets and time constraints in mind.

If you have 5 minutes

In just five minutes, you can add beauty to your space and clean the air by bringing in a houseplant.

“If you don’t have a green thumb, succulents are the way to go,” says Andrey Doichev, a resource consultant for entrepreneurs and the founder of Austin, TX, firm Inc. and Go. He recommends placing a small succulent on your desk or putting a larger one in a corner in a planter.

Cost: $5-plus

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Another quick fix is to give your laptop a lift. Studies since the pandemic began show that many people are not using their laptops efficiently, especially because they have smaller screens and often rest at a much lower height than regular desktop computers.

“Monitors should be at eye height,” says Chris Alexakis, a contractor who specializes in rehabbing home offices and co-founded Cabinet Select in Venice, FL. “A simple laptop or monitor riser is a much more affordable solution than an adjustable-height desk.”

If budget is an issue, a stack of magazines or books is an option.

Cost: Free to $20

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If you have 30 minutes

Photo by Marker Girl Home

Marla Stone, a professional organizer based in Irvine, CA, believes that deploying basic feng shui principles can help create an office space that is efficient, organized, and aesthetically pleasing.

“Whether you’re at a desk or sitting on a couch in your living room, your workspace should face the door or opening of the room,” Stone says. “Just look at the president of the United States. His desk is in a position to greet and welcome. It’s also a power position. Facing out of a window and having your back to the room entrance can create uneasiness.”

She also suggests making sure there is an easy path between items of furniture and the entry and exit.

Cost: Free

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Now, look around. Do you see papers and office gadgets everywhere?

“Keeping your office clean is crucial to productivity,” says Aaron Haynes, CEO of the digital marketing company Loganix in Seattle. Haynes has spent a lot of time consulting with experts and coaching workers on ways to make working from home effective.

“I give workers who are new to working from home the same advice: Get rid of everything you don’t use every day,” Haynes says. “You don’t need fancy filing cabinets, because so much of our work is digital now. Dedicate a simple box or drawer for documents and office tools you may need in the future. Having a clean and tidy office space boosts productivity.”

Cost: Free

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If you have 1 hour

Photo by Lisa Sherry Interieurs

A solid hour will give you enough time to tackle the lighting situation. Maximizing any sources of natural light and making the most of interior lighting will help boost productivity. Plus, everyone is spending more time on videoconference calls—and bad lighting can be less than flattering.

“If you have a window, upgrade the curtains to maximize light,” says Jessi Buyer, a Seattle-based author and expert on ecotherapy. Stick with curtains in a light and airy material like cotton or linen. If your home office is private, you can even opt for sheer curtains to let the natural light in.

Experts also say an overhead light is ideal, but barring that, a desk light is essential. Change out the lightbulbs for ones that mimic natural light. Plus, if you have a ton of video chats on your calendar, experts also advise investing in a ring light.

Cost: Curtains, $30-plus per panel; lamp, $30-plus; ring lights, $20-plus.

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If your lighting is on point, consider adding shelves, which serve two purposes: aesthetic and organizational.

“Get rid of bulky storage furniture, and install floating shelves,” Alexakis recommends. “Two large, high-end shelves will take care of the bulk of your storage needs and keep your office clutter-free.”

Shelves also help define repurposed areas (like closets and storage sheds) as office space.

Cost: $15 to $300, plus labor for installation, if needed.

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If you have 3 hours

If you have an afternoon to devote to an office rehabilitation, take the time to do a furniture assessment and shop for some new pieces.

“The desk is the most important part of the home office, and it should be proportional to the space,” says Mark Feldman, chief home officer at Riverbend Home in Boston. “The last thing you want is a crowded office space. If you’re not sure what type of desk to go for, a modular and minimalistic desk is most practical.”

Feldman also recommends an ergonomically designed chair to combat bad posture and desk fatigue.

“Adding a rug if your office is large can anchor the space, and choosing one with bright pops of color can bring the room together,” Feldman says.

Cost: Desk and chair, each $100-plus; area rug, $100-plus

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An under-the-radar solution for workers who are handing valuable documents or information is a biometric safe.

“Having a safe installed in the home also adds value, and takes two to three hours to do properly,” says Kristen Bolig, founder of Charlotte, NC–based Security Nerd.

Cost: Safe, $250-plus (not including labor)

If you have a weekend

Photo by Mendelson Group

If your office essentially translates to a seat on your living room couch, you can take a weekend to carve out a real space in your home or apartment, even if it’s small.

The most popular and effective solution is a “cloffice,” says Dalas Dodd, the residential real estate design team leader at Sundae in Hermosa Beach, CA.

“A cloffice is essentially a repurposed closet,” Dodd says. “It has a door, which you can close, and it often includes shelves, which you can use for decor to brighten the space or to store office documents.”

Dodd and others also suggest putting up temporary wallpaper to transform the space. You should also add a desk lamp or LED lighting under a shelf to brighten the space.

Cost: Small desk, $100-plus; temporary wallpaper, $50-plus; lamp, $30-plus

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“If you’re lucky to have a designated home office, or if you’re taking over a spare bedroom or a part of the basement, a fresh paint job will transform the space,” says Kelsey Stuart, CEO of Bloomin’ Blinds, a window treatment franchise based in Dallas.

“Lighter tones reflect light, which makes a home office feel roomier,” says Stuart. “Go for a light, simple color scheme to promote high energy and creativity. It will also provide a professional background for videoconference calls.”

Cost: Supplies and paint, $150-plus

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