There is no shortage of reports and news items mentioning several cities in the US where it is cheaper to buy a starter home than to rent; conversely, there are also cities where it is still considerably cheaper to rent than to buy. Some of the statistics are persuasive, due to massive rent increases in some areas over the last two years, particularly for smaller apartments. From a range of reports and news items dealing with this issue, a consensus indicates the following:

When it comes to home-renovation projects, you might feel completely overwhelmed. Not only do you have to make dozens of decisions regarding the design aesthetic, but you also need to find the money to afford such a large project. Odds are, you don’t have thousands of dollars just sitting around, so you might need to secure financing for your home improvement project. Two of the most common ways to finance a home renovation include taking out a construction loan or a HELOC.

Reports from realtor groups, supported by statistics from van lines and moving companies, talk convincingly of people ‘flocking’ from large metropolitan areas – especially towards the West, the mountain states, the South-East, and Texas. The perception is that there has been a noticeable increase in domestic migration in the past two years, presumably related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. But has there?