Doug Perlson, CEO of RealDirect, and an extreme “fixer upper”

A particularly intrepid group of homebuyers actively scours the market for dilapidated properties known as “fixer-uppers,” and brokerages are getting in on the action, the New York Times reported. [more]

Homeowners have been hesitant to open their wallets for renovations, but a new study shows that spending on home improvements is set to accelerate through at least the third quarter of 2013, the New York Times reported. The projections reflect rising home sales and construction, and low financing costs, said Kermit Baker, director of the Remodeling Futures program at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, which conducted the study. [more]