homeowners

76% of Homeowners Made Home Improvements During Pandemic

By Phil M. Sinha 2 weeks ago

With many consumers spending more time indoors because of the pandemic, some homeowners have used at least a portion of that time to make improvements on their homes.

Porch, a company that connects homeowners and home improvement professionals, surveyed homeowners to gauge whether the coronavirus outbreak has stopped them from moving forward with their home improvement plans. The survey found that not only were most homeowners not deterred by the pandemic, but many have taken action because of it.

A renewed focus on home amid the pandemic

Some earlier studies have suggested that consumers may be putting off plans to buy a new house because of the economic turmoil caused by the pandemic. For current homeowners, though, renovating their homes may be an appealing alternative.

The vast majority of respondents to the Porch survey — 76% — said they have made at least one home improvement since the pandemic started.

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Some homeowners struggled to pay PACE improvement loans. The coronavirus made it harder

By Phil M. Sinha 1 month ago

It wasn’t until the work was done that Marcelino and Josefina Rodriguez said they learned the truth.

They had been signed up for a roughly $45,000 PACE home improvement loan at nearly 10% interest — even though they said a woman working with the contractor told them their new roof and water heater would be free through a government program.

The Rodriguezes contacted the authorities, but the nearly $4,500 annual bill came due anyway — a financial hit for the household of four who scraped by on less than $30,000 each year as garment workers paid by the piece.

If they didn’t pay, Marcelino, 67, and Josefina, 64, could lose the Pacoima home they’ve owned since 2001, one that provided them and their sons stability after years of bouncing from rental to rental. So to get by, they started selling food and one of their sons said he exhausted his

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