Cliffs Trendspotter Blog

In a tenuous economy and an atmosphere of rising interest rates, purchasers – especially first time home buyers – are hedging their bets. Over the past ten years, they witnessed their family, friends and associates lose their homes to foreclosure, or observed them having to sell these properties for less than their underlying mortgages. Today, [Read more… ]

The mega expensive, super luxury high rise “asparagus tower” condos that have blighted the Manhattan skyline over the past dozen years, are now being rejected by buyers – big time. While it’s true that real estate prices nationwide have declined during the booming “Trump economy”, these particular residential buildings, with their high-level finishes and endless [Read more… ]

In our current political climate here in the US, many Americans are perpetually searching for a feeling of connection and meaning in their personal communities. Since housing is most successful when it provides and promotes a sense of community and belonging, it makes sense that the concept of cohousing has slowly been gaining traction in [Read more… ]

In keeping with our recent blog series about creative housing solutions, I decided to focus this month on an exciting new startup in the Seattle area called Loftium. Loftium proposes to pay part of the down payment on your new home, with no interest applied. You will not be required to pay them back, and [Read more… ]

This article is #2 in our Creative housing solutions series. The purpose of these articles will be to promote conversation around affordable housing alternatives that are solutions-based, creative, and even fun. One creative housing solution that is an absolute buzzword these days is shipping container homes. A quick Google search on the topic turns up thousands [Read more… ]

Affordable housing seems to be on everyone’s minds these days. According to a 2017 report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the necessary annual household income is “at least $44,120 to afford a two-bedroom rental home at HUD’s average Fair Market Rent (FMR) of $1,103 per month.” With a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour [Read more… ]