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Yearly Change in Home Sales By Region

Buffalo to Get $500,000 Grant to Clean Lakes

by | Mar 24, 2014 | Buffalo

SIA-Rust-to-Blue-picture-1

Today, federal officials will visit the Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper organization to give a $500,000 grant for the Great Lakes cleanup program.  Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper has been leading efforts to clean up Lake Erie, the Niagara River, and other area shorelines.  Buffalo was one of 16 cities to receive grants to clean up the Great Lakes, the largest investment in the Great Lakes in 20 years.

According to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative website, the goals of the initiative are cleaning up toxic substances and other areas of concern, combating invasive species, promoting near-shore health by protecting watersheds from polluted runoff, restoring wetlands and other habitats, and tracking progress and working with strategic partners.

No further details are available about the grant at this time, but it displays a continued commitment to clean and develop Buffalo’s waterfront and waterways.

To learn more about Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper or to get involved, visit their website.

What Will Tomorrow’s Homes Look Like?

by | Mar 21, 2014 | Buffalo, NY Real Estate

In February, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) got together for the Design and Construction Week in Vegas.  Before the recession, the homebuilding industry was bloated and wasteful: massive, expensive, and inefficient homes dominated the marketplace.  As the recession starts to dwindle, what does the industry have planned for the future?

1. Smart and Efficient 

Technology is becoming an integral component in home building.  Heating systems are being designed that learn a homeowner’s patterns and programs itself; other products provide a monthly breakdown of energy use in homes, which allows homeowners to save money in the long run.  Other cool ideas being developed?  Completely silent dishwashers and countertop hotspots that automatically charge electronics without cords.

2. Luxury for Everyone 

Before the recession, luxury meant high square footage and granite countertops.  Today, luxury has become more accessible, with consumers pursuing a luxurious look for less.  Many of today’s products that look high end are available for any budget.

3. Clean Design 

Architectural styles usually enjoy a 15 to 25 year run and we are in the process of saying goodbye to the clunky mansions that dominated the marketplace.  Coming up for homebuyers, cleaner architectural styles that look distinctly European.  New styles will combine the clean modern lines with funky vintage pieces that make a home more distinctly yours.

4.  Go Green

Green building has evolved over the past decade and the benefits translate to savings for the consumer.  Companies are showing consumers the tangible benefits of going green, and there is only more to come in the next few years.

 

Yearly Change in Home Sales By Region

Buffalo Named America’s Most Affordable City

by | Mar 12, 2014 | Best Ideas Ever, National Trends

Buffalo

Forbes published its list of America’s Most Affordable Cities, and our hometown reached #1.  To find the most affordable cities, Forbes looked at data for the US’s 100 largest metropolitan areas with a population of more than 600,000 people (including surrounding suburbs like Amherst, Niagara Falls, Hamburg, etc).  The study took into account the city’s housing affordability, cost of living, and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the rest of the country.

Buffalo came out on top, for its low cost-of-living: the median income for residents is $63,500 and the median home price is $100,000, making it very affordable for inhabitants to own homes and live comfortably.

Check out the full list below:

1. Buffalo

2. Memphis

3. Cincinnati

4. Dayton

5. Knoxville

6. Akron

7. Grand Rapids

8. Louisville

9. Oklahoma City

10. Warren (Michigan)