By Janna Herron, Bankrate.com

The crash in housing prices that walloped the economy over the past decade no longer seems to haunt Americans as it did during the recession. For the first time in three years, real estate was the most popular investment option in a survey that accompanied Bankrate's Financial Security Index.

When asked what kind of investments made the most sense, 27 percent said they'd invest in property if they had a pool of spare cash. CDs and other cash investments, the top answer in Bankrate's 2013 and 2014 surveys, came in second at 23 percent.

Source: entrepreneur.com
​https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/248350

Savvy home sellers are aware that they need to present their home in it’s absolutely best condition to get the top dollar, in any real estate market, no just a buyer’s market. The question of which improvements to tackle first is asked very often.
Kitchens and Baths. That’s what we answer because they are what often sells a home. A typical buyer will go for the home with an updated kitchen and updated bathrooms, because those rooms are more expensive to renovate.
But, when making improvements, a home owner can go overboard. There are improvements that cost a lot of money but won’t necessarily increase your home’s value. Here are 3 things to avoid:
1. Avoid Expensive Landscaping

• Those gorgeous stone hardscapes look fantastic and certainly give a
  home superb curb appeal. Landscaping always increases the sales appeal of a home, but the return on investment is another calculation. Hardscaping can be significantly more expensive than landscaping, so choose wisely. You’ll want to keep it at a minimum if you are going to put your home up for sale in the near future.
• Inexpensive plantings will do the trick just as well as expensive ones. If a dead or overgrown shrub or tree needs to come out, replace it with something that is low maintenance and native to your area. Sometimes a pop of color is all that’s needed, and whatever you have planted just needs to be kept trim and neat.
• Best rules of landscaping: Cut, Color and Fill. Many landscape designers will advise a home seller to simply do some judicious pruning to get the best ROI. Too much unruly green can look like disrepair, and shrubs that are overgrown to the point that windows are obscured or branches are hanging in walkways can visually ‘eat the house’.
• A fresh coat of paint on the front door and a few planters of colorful flowers will do wonders and won’t break the bank.

From: f​rederickrealestateonline.com

Stamped concrete
​Stamped concrete is an economical way to get the look of individual stones while using an inexpensive material: concrete. To create this look, concrete is poured then, while it’s still wet, stamped with a tool in the shape of uneven stones. Because the spaces in between the “stone” is not very deep, it makes it easy to sweep or shovel and keep clean. It’s also easy to pressure wash stamped concrete as you don’t have to worry about sand or gravel in between pavers.

Stone tile pavers
Stone pavers are a traditional way to create hardscape areas. Most paving stones are made from concrete or concrete aggregate and is offered in a wide range of sizes, shapes and colors to suit any style of home. To create an even surface, the ground is first leveled then prepped with a layer of crushed rock or sand. It takes a lot of patience and skill to create an even patio or walkway using pavers and very often the material needs to be cut to fit the design. Instead of grout, sand is usually spread over the surface then swept into the tiny space in between the pavers. Because of the complexity and skill level, most homeowners choose to hire a professional to create a stone paver walkway or patio. Some designs call for a larger space in between the pavers in which moss or grass is allowed to grow, like this one.

CobblestoneCobblestone is essentially a style of paving stone but has a distinctly rustic look and feel. Cobblestone is usually made up of granite with slightly uneven or rounded edges that don’t form right angles when placed together. The effect is an older, worn look that many homeowners appreciate as well as an extremely durable and strong surface. Because of their small size, there is a bit more flexibility in the designs and patterns produced with cobblestone. Because of the nature of this material, a well-made cobblestone driveway or patio could last for over 100 years.


Mixed medium
Some yards look great with a combination of several different materials; the effect creates a dynamic design with variances in color, pattern and texture. This home (shown below) features poured concrete aggregate with a combination of red brick and river rock in between the large pavers. A crushed rock pathway leads you to another area of the yard while a moss-covered rockery staircase leads to the upper part of the yard. Although having a variety of surfaces might pose a challenge when it comes to cleaning and maintenance, it can help create a unique feature in the yard.


Crushed gravel or rock Hardscape
can be made from a variety of loose rocks or pebbles. In this home (shown below), we see that loose rock is combined with poured concrete and aggregate slabs to create a varied design. Moss growing in between the aggregate creates its own design and softens the edges. Head to any gravel supply store and you’ll see that the prices and styles of crushed rock are varied; you’ll want to have a good idea of your square footage needed to accurately budget for this project. Loose gravel can shift, and may be more difficult to remove debris, so consider the location and use during your planning stage.

WoodDecking material,
like treated lumber or synthetic wood, is often used outside for walkways, patios or decks. Since wood can’t be placed directly on top of the soil, a wood plank walkway is most commonly built just above the ground, like a very short deck. Wood should always be treated to withstand the outdoor elements. Wood usually requires more maintenance compared to stone or rock and will need to be replaced over time. Because wood is built just above the ground, many homeowners hire a professional to construct the platform and ensure it is built up to code.
​

From: porch.com by Anne Reagan

L+M Development Partners, along with a slew of other partners and investors, are currently converting the four-story, 400,000 square-foot Hahne & Co. building, located at 609 Broad Street, in downtown Newark, into a mixed-use structure. 160 residential units are being sculpted out of the upper levels, and 75,000 square feet of retail will occupy the ground floor, which includes a 30,000 square-foot Whole Foods.