Monthly Archives: June 2020

If you’ve ever had a pet, you know that they quickly become a member of the family. And, for most pet owners, keeping them healthy, happy, and comfortable is important. That much isn’t a surprise. What may be, though, is just how much pet owners make them a priority. For example, a recent survey found that 95 percent of prospective home buyers who owned a pet said their furry friends would be at least somewhat important when choosing a home to buy. The vast majority ranked their pets’ needs as “extremely” or “very important,” with 84 percent saying so. That’s nearly unanimous. But, if you’re thinking they’d change their minds if they found an otherwise perfect home that wasn’t a fit for their animal companions, you’d be wrong. In fact, 68 percent of participants said they’d pass on a perfect house, if it didn’t meet the needs of their pet. The survey, based on responses from more than 2,000 people, also found that it wasn’t just dog and cat owners who were so devoted to their pets. Among bird owners, 89 percent said their needs were extremely or very important, with almost as many fish, reptile, rodent, and horse owners saying the same. (source)

The coronavirus and efforts to slow its spread have caused big changes to Americans’ day-to-day routine. From becoming more reliant on delivery services to doing more of our own cooking, we’ve had to rethink the way we live our lives and get things done. Among those changes, working from home has been a big one. Modern technology has made it easier for more people to work from wherever they are. And now that the pandemic has more of us working remotely, it’s beginning to change the way we think about our living space and what we need. For example, one recent analysis found an increasing number of Americans who would make a move if allowed to work remotely long term. But it isn’t only our ideas about where we’d like to live that have changed, it’s also the features we look for in a house. The survey found the majority of respondents who are working from home said they’re working from a room that isn’t a dedicated office. That’s led to an increase in interest in homes that have an office, or at least enough extra space to find a quiet spot to get some work done. (source)