B4 • Friday, August 20, 2021
thegardenisland.com
THE GARDEN ISLAND
Catch the wave
4 ways to be part the home improvement movement
BRANDPOINT
With more Americans working remotely, the pandemic has sparked an unprecedented wave of home improvement projects, with three out of four homeowners reporting having completed a major upgrade since the start of 2020. People are spending more time in their homes and are thinking differently about how every available space can help them live, work and play at home. Looking for a project? Here are some spaces worth considering: The garage More than just a place to park your car, the garage is home to your tools, sports equipment and toys. And, for most (47.5 million Americans), a bustling passageway to the home. Smarten up your garage with the Chamberlain Secure View Smart Garage Door Opener with Camera and ensure your family and prized possessions are safe and secure. The Secure View works with the myQ app so you never have to worry if the garage door was left open. You can check the status of your garage door, plus open and close the garage door from your smartphone - no matter where you are. The built-in camera enables live video streaming and two-way communication so
whelming number of dog parents who feel guilty leaving their best buddies at home (80%), the myQ Pet Portal is a smart home pupgrade. It is a solution for homeowners who want to enhance the exterior appearance of their home while providing the fourlegged member of the family with the freedom to potty and play on demand. Designed with security and pet safety in mind, this aesthetically pleasing smart doggie door allows pet parents to safely let their pup out to potty and play when they’re away and have access to pets via smartphone. The laundry room
you can see when the kids get home from school or tell your neighbor where to find the ladder, even when you’re not home. Make your garage work for you.
to reducing stress and boosting overall immune system health. By adding a functional, beautiful outdoor living space to your yard, you can take advantage of nature and all its Outdoor space perks whenever you want. Spending time outside Refreshed landscaping, a pacomes with an abundance of tio upgrade, a firepit area mental and physical health and even an outdoor benefits and has been linked kitchen can help transform
The average American family does 8-10 loads of laundry a week. Like it or not, you probably spend a lot of time in your laundry area. Updating this space can be easy and budget friendly. Consider installing items that will help you work more efficiently and make use of the existing space such as a utility sink, your yard into your own or fun water feature so your drying racks and storage. personal oasis and improve pet can hydrate and cool off Homeowners with a your quality of life at home. after playing. front-loading washer and If you’re one of the 70 mildryer can make use of the The doggie door lion households with a pet, space on top by adding a you might want to take them Don’t overlook other butcher block to create a into consideration when home upgrades that benefit folding station. If you have a thinking about your outdoor man’s best friend. As basement, garage or despace. Pet-friendly plants, COVID-19 restrictions begin tached laundry area, consturdy grass and dog toys to lift, many dogs will experi- sider adding white paint to can help your pet feel at ence a dramatic change in the walls and ceiling to home. Add a water station their routines. For the over- brighten up the space.
Save money with a local mortgage. US average mortgage rates little changed; 30-year at 2.86%
Free up money for what matters most.
ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — Mortgage rates were mixed this week and barely changed after rising for the first time last week following six weeks of declines. Average rates for home loans remain historically low at under 3%. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the average for the 30-year mortgage eased to 2.86% from 2.87% last week. The benchmark rate, which reached a peak this year of 3.18% in April, stood at 2.99% a year ago. The rate for a 15-year loan, a popular option among homeowners refinancing their mortgages, edged up to 2.16% from 2.15% last week. Uncertainty over the fast-spreading delta coronavirus variant and its potential effect on the economic recovery has been a backdrop in recent weeks, suppressing mortgage rates. The worry is that the resurgent virus could discourage people from going out and spending and trigger another round of shutdowns or other restrictions. In a positive development, a government report Thursday showed that the number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week for a fourth straight time to a pandemic low. The 29,000 decline in claims, to 348,000, was the latest sign that the U.S. job market is rebounding from the pandemic recession as employers boost hiring to meet a surge in consumer demand.
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