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Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Vallejo ranks in top 3 housing markets in the country, trailing only S.F., Oakland and San Jose
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NYC ‘Mansion Tax’ Would Hit Humble Homesteads
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Only in New York City could a proposed tax on homes that sell for $2 million and above apply to an 887-square-foot studio apartment.
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday proposed a so-called mansion tax of 2.5% on homes of $2 million or more to help generate money for affordable housing in the city.
Critics contend the price threshold for mansions in New York, especially in the pricier precincts of Manhattan and Brooklyn, should be far higher.
The average sale price of a Manhattan apartment, for example, surpassed $2 million for the first time in 2016, according to CityRealty, a New York property-tracking firm.
“With $2 million you can get a nice two-bedroom,” said Joan Kagan, sales manager at TripleMint, a real-estate brokerage. “When you think about a family with children who wants to stay here for a little bit of time, they’re the ones that are going to be affected by the tax.”
Some $2 million apartments are even more modest. There are six studios available for sale in New York priced at $2 million or more, according to StreetEasy, a real estate listing site. They include a $2.25 million condominium in the Plaza Hotel just off Central Park. The “oversized studio,” as the listing describes it, is 887 square feet.
The mansion tax measure would need to pass the Legislature, including a Republican-controlled Senate.
The mayor proposed a similar tax a couple of years ago as part of reforms to the city’s tax abatement for new real-estate development. At the time the Real Estate Board of New York said it didn’t oppose such a tax, which failed to gain momentum.
Alicia Glen, deputy mayor for housing and economic development, said the administration hopes to get various interest groups on board this time, citing the changing political climate in Washington.
“In light of what we know is going to be a pretty tough budget situation and politics coming out of Washington with respect to affordable housing and public housing, we have an obligation to fight tooth and nail to identify resources for our housing agenda,” Ms. Glen said.
“New York City has one of the highest transaction tax costs in the country. An additional tax like the one proposed will suppress sales activity and lead to lower tax revenue for the city,” said John H. Banks III, president of the board.
The tax proposal comes amid a growing backlash against luxury real estate in cities from Vancouver and Los Angeles to London. Vancouver last year introduced a 15% tax for foreign home buyers that has caused sales to plunge.
“The concept of raising taxes this way is always attractive to politicians, but the reality requires not that much in the way of study: simply look to London to see how these additional taxes buy votes, but produce significantly reduced sales activity—and thereby lower tax revenues as well,” Leonard Steinberg, a real-estate broker at Compass, wrote in an email. “Enacting this new mansion tax would be fiscally reckless.”
Ms. Glen dismissed criticism that the tax will penalize those looking to purchase what essentially amounts to a Manhattan starter home. She noted that just 8.5% of residential transactions across the five boroughs crossed the $2 million threshold in 2016.
“Does that mean that 8% of the world are buying starter homes? As a factual matter, that’s a ridiculous statement,” she said. “If you look at how much money we’ve left on the table for the past two years while this thing went sideways, it makes me nuts.”
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Foreign buyer tax in GTA would be ‘misguided’, Toronto realtors study shows
Toronto realtors don’t want a foreign buyers tax and Tuesday morning they released a report they maintain shows overseas buyers have had little impact on the market.
The Toronto Real Estate Board commissioned research firm Ipsos in November, 2016 to survey its members, who acted on behalf of home buyers during the preceding 12 months. The results show about 4.9 per cent of Greater Toronto Area transactions, in which TREB Members acted on behalf of a buyer, involved a foreign purchaser.
“A foreign buyer tax in the GTA would be misguided,” the board said, in its release.
Related
The Ontario government has been watching a decision by the government in British Columbia to impose a 15 per cent additional foreign property transfer tax in metro Vancouver — a move critics say has sped up a downturn in the city which recorded a 34 per cent year over year decline in sales in December. This past Sunday, the British Columbia premier, Christy Clark, backtracked on her foreign tax by saying foreigners with work permits who live and work in B.C. would be exempted.
Speculation has swirled that many of the would-be Vancouver buyers would head to Toronto to invest and avoid the punitive tax but the Ipsos results show only two per cent of realtors have been involved in a transaction for a foreign buyer which they knew was impacted by the foreign buyer tax in British Columbia.
“An additional land transfer tax on foreign buyers could have unintended consequences, including tighter market conditions and stronger price growth in neighbouring communities/regions without a tax, less rental supply, because the number of investors looking to purchase and rent out a property could decline and potential negative impact on immigration,” said TREB. “It is important to remember that population growth in the GTA, on net, is driven by immigration.”
While Vancouver also has a vacant home tax that went into effect on Jan. 1, the TREB survey found a large majority of foreign buyers in the Toronto area plan to use their homes. Among those buyers, 40 per cent purchased a home as a primary residence, 25 per cent to rent out to tenants while another 15 per cent bought for a family member to live in.
Overall, TREB is forecasting more than 100,000 sales for the third consecutive year in 2017. Between 104,500 and 115,500 home sales are expected this year, with a point forecast of 110,000 – down slightly from 113,133 sales reported in 2016.
“While changes to federal mortgage lending guidelines and higher borrowing costs may impact some would-be home buyers, the big impediment will be the lack of inventory,” said Jason Mercer, director of market analysis for TREB. “Active listings at the end of December were at their lowest point since before the year 2000. It is unlikely that the shortage of listings will improve to any great degree over the course of the next year. This will put a ceiling on sales growth.”
At the same time, strong demand and restrained supply is expected to drive double-digit annual price growth The average selling price will be between 10 and 16 per cent with an average price range between $800,000 and $850,000.
The Ipsos results show people are bracing for those higher pricing by saving more. The average home buyer is planning on making a substantial down payment – 27.6 per cent for all recent home buyers combined and 23.9 per cent for first-time home buyers.
“The sources of home buyers’ down payments were also quite diverse, including savings within and outside an RRSP, gifts from friends/family and equity built up in their current dwelling,” according to the release.
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Score! 4 Secrets to Buying the Perfect Super Bowl TV
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The recipe for the perfect Super Bowl party includes steaming trays of gooey, artery-clogging appetizers, copious amounts of ice-cold beer (or, in our case, top-shelf Manhattans, straight up, don’t forget the Luxardo cherry), and—of course—an oversize big-screen TV.
It doesn’t matter if you’re rooting for the New England Patriots or the Atlanta Falcons, or mainly waiting to see if Lady Gaga‘s halftime performance results in any “wardrobe malfunctions.” Heck, you might just be tuning in to see some cute Clydesdales in those Budweiser commercials. No matter your poison, all eyes will be glued to that TV screen, which may have you wondering: Is the one you’re watching up to snuff?
Never fear: Here are four questions everyone has about televisions as the Super Bowl nears, with the indisputable answers so you can at least win a few arguments without a fight. And hopefully snag a great TV along the way.
Question: Should I buy a new TV right before the Super Bowl?
Answer: Go for it—it’s a deal!
According to James Willcox, senior electronics editor at Consumer Reports, TVs are sold at a 22% discount on average in the two weeks before the Super Bowl. That makes this the second-best time of the year to score a deal on a television, right after Black Friday.
However, while the holidays tend to hawk crappy no-name brands, Super Bowl sales are all about quality, favoring brand-name large-screen sets that are ideal for game-day parties. No matter how you look at it, it’s a great time of year to buy.
Question: Will the game look better on a top-of-the-line 4K TV?
Answer: No, at least not yet.
This is the big question that most people have: Should I ante up for a TV with the most up-to-date technology—4K resolution—or stick with the last high-water mark in picture quality, a 1080p model?
A TV with 4K resolution is four times sharper than a regular 1080p HDTV, so it makes sense you’d want the very best. However, be aware that this year’s game will not be broadcast in 4K, so we’ll all be watching the same number of pixels, says Jennifer Jolly, a consumer technology expert, in USA Today.
But Super Bowl aside, “it’s worth getting a 4K TV,” says Wilcox. “There’s very little price difference, and it will future-proof your purchase for when there’s more 4K content available.” Once the game is yesterday’s news, you’ll be using the set for movies and fave shows, right? Splurge now or regret it later.
Question: Can I just rent a TV for the Super Bowl?
Answer: Yes.
If, Super Bowl aside, you are otherwise satisfied with your TV for your weekly viewings of “Kevin Can Wait” (hey, no judgments!), then there’s a cheaper option than upgrading permanently.
Rent-A-Center is one of several national chains that offer a number of high-definition TVs for reasonable weekly rates. There’s a minimum time you’ll need to rent it for (usually a week), and you should expect to shell out about $130 for a top-end, big-screen 4K model.
Question: Can I buy a new TV and then return it after the big game?
Answer: Yes, but…
Buying and returning can seem like a creative way to enjoy the crème de la crème of TVs for the big day, but just know you could end up paying for the privilege.
Men’s Journal reports that retailers such as Best Buy try to discourage buy-and-return tactics year-round by imposing restocking fees that are typically around 15% of the total price. So if you’re “buying” a TV for $1,500, you’ll pay $225 to buy and return. Plus, what if a guest at your party chucks a beer can and damages the screen? Congratulations, you’re the new owner of an expensive TV. Enjoy!
The post Score! 4 Secrets to Buying the Perfect Super Bowl TV appeared first on Real Estate News & Advice | realtor.com®.
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Blink-182 Drummer Travis Barker Selling a Modern Masterpiece in L.A.
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Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker has decided to beat it out of his home in L.A.’s Cheviot Hills neighborhood, putting the modern four-bedroom residence on the market for $4,750,000.
The home, described as an “innovative architectural showpiece,” is in an upscale, sedate neighborhood of Los Angeles, just south of Century City and Fox Studios and within walking distance to the Rancho Park golf course.
It’s not where you’d think an extensively tattooed punk rocker would settle down. But he’s a family man with two kids—Landon, 13, and Alabama, 10—he had with Shanna Moakler, a former Miss USA. Barker and Moakler were married from 2004 to 2008, and their stormy relationship was documented on the MTV reality show “Meet the Barkers.”
The percussion phenom purchased the Cheviot Hills home in 2014 for $4 million after it had been completely remodeled.
“This is a custom-built house with great architectural integrity and high-end design,” says listing agent Steve Frankel of Coldwell Banker. “It’s stylish, chic, cool, hip, and sophisticated, designed with exquisite taste and the highest standards. It’s a remarkable home.”
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The living room has a 13-foot ceiling and large windows. It also features a retractable wall of glass and a kitchen island that extends to the outdoor patio, which create an indoor-outdoor flow that is unlike anything else in the area.
The second story cantilevers over the patio, to shelter an outdoor living room complete with a TV and fireplace. The second-story master suite includes not one, not two, but three walk-in closets, and a ceramic and walnut master bath.
Barker’s home office with the built-in dog door shows that he’s come a long way since the ’90s, when he worked as a trash collector to make ends meet.
“Four years ago, I couldn’t afford to feed myself,” he told Rolling Stone in 2000. “But now I can buy art, work on old Cadillacs, and live in comfort. I can finally buy a dog and afford to feed him.”
In 2008, Barker survived a private jet crash in 2008, which had a profound effect on him, both physically and emotionally. Barker is once again playing with Blink-182, which reunited in 2016. He’s also reported to be producing a solo, hip-hop-focused album.
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What Real Estate Companies Need to Know About Millennials
By Hillary Hobson
Love them or hate them, millennials are a huge and growing demographic, and they have some distinct preferences concerning their lifestyle and how they spend their money. Known for their desire for instant gratification, they value services with high speed, low cost, and some room for choice - and with so much information at their fingertips, they will rarely settle for less.
The housing market hasn't traditionally conformed to these criteria, but seeing the market's failure to adapt to this changing paradigm is what inspired me, a 29-year-old, to start a real estate business with three other millennials -- and a growing portion of our sales is to millennial buyers.
If you're in the real estate industry, it's important to stay informed about the transformation that millennials are bringing to this industry. Here are four key trends I've pegged that you should consider, and what they mean for your business:
1. Listings Are Now Highly Accessible and Easy to Navigate
The advent of the internet has democratized real estate listings. FSBO (for sale by owner) sites and investment websites are quickly becoming a common way to sell a property. While sellers now have the freedom to manage and modify their own listings, they also have the ability to negotiate their sale prices.
Many real estate investment companies are finding out-of-the-box ways to purchase homes in a desired market, so make sure you keep yours up to date. Providing sellers with the option of submitting their home information to receive a direct offer is one of them. This solves many pain points surrounding the sale of a home and is a model that is growing exponentially. Thousands of sites are popping up in major markets across the U.S. that are built on this model. Why? It fits the mold of quick, simple and hassle-free, and it cuts out the middleman, increasing the profit margin.
2. Contracts Have Gone Digital
A majority of the legal legwork that accompanies the sale of a house can be done online, drastically reducing the time between when you make an offer and when you officially become a homeowner. Offers can be submitted, signed and returned in as little as a few minutes. You can also hire a real estate lawyer for a fraction of what you would pay in real estate commission fees to verify the legitimacy of the process. We use Docusign daily to make offers on real estate, which saves us time and ensures someone else won't come in and steal the deal. If we had to conduct business the old way, it would be impossible to hit the same sales numbers we do now.
3. Neighborhood Data Is Available Online
Two important duties of realtors are neighborhood due diligence and home value analysis. Recently sold comparables are now easily accessible through many sites like Zillow and Trulia, which offer data on recent sales. For more detailed CMA reports, findcompsnow.com provides data to show recent homes purchased with cash, private funding and conventional funding.
Statistics like demographics, crime rates, school achievement rankings and median income figures are important factors to consider when house hunting, and you can easily find any of this information with a simple Google search. Sites like NeighborhoodScout also offer reputable, in-depth, and consolidated data for a small price. You can even corroborate this data through online forums that will connect you with people living in the area if you prefer a more personal take on the subject. We find all of these tools helpful for scoping out properties we wish to purchase and re-sell, as they give us a good idea of how stable the market in the area is, and the types of investment returns we can expect.
4. Same-Day Sales Are Now Possible
Investment companies are going direct, making a complete departure from the traditional market model. Instead of listing your home and maintaining and promoting it while waiting for it to sell, you can enjoy a near-instant sale at an agreed-upon price with these companies. This might require you to accept slightly less than the market rate, but since it allows the sale to be made so quickly and easily, it is well worth the concession for some sellers. We purchase a significant number of our properties this way.
The housing market is a vibrant, fast-paced area of commerce that has undergone immense changes over the past decade and is still in the process of evolving. I can confidently say that those who stay "in the know" will find there is a lot of money to be made in tailoring their services to this emerging trend.
Hillary Hobson is CMO and co-founder at highestcashoffer.com. She is responsible for marketing, national brand development, and market research.
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10 Delightful Dwellings in January’s 10 Hottest Markets
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We reviewed January’s hottest housing markets and found a distinctive golden glow in our top 10. Eight of the 10 blazing-est cities are located in California—a fact that shouldn’t surprise keen-eyed real estate observers.
There are no signs of a slowdown out West, but then again, the entire nationwide housing market is pretty darn robust. The country’s median home price is holding fast at $250,000, up a sizable 10% over January 2016. And for buyers desirous of a home in these hot areas, time to make an offer on a perfect place is short.
According to Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke of realtor.com®: “We have started 2017 with a new low volume of available homes for sale—and a new high for prices.”
In other words, it may be freezing outside in much of the country, but when it comes to real estate, the heat is on. So we’ve rounded up a cool home in each of the 10 hottest markets for you to peruse. These delightful dwellings will give you a sense of what you’ll find in the nation’s most blistering spots for housing.
10. Fresno, CA 7877 N Woodrow AvePrice: $315,000
Hot detail: “The floor plan is open and features a large family room with fireplace.”
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9. Stockton, CA 5447 Kermit LnPrice: $257,000
Hot detail: “Fourth bedroom could also be used as an extension to the family room, media room, or game room.”
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8. Denver, CO 2495 S High StPrice: $425,000
Hot detail: “This Mid-Century Modern ranch has been under the loving care of it’s original owner since constructed in 1955.”
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7. Yuba City, CA 1325 Portofino DrPrice: $349,900
Hot detail: “Three full bedrooms plus an office that could be used as a 4th bedroom.”
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6. Sacramento, CA 1212 43rd AvePrice: $599,900
Hot detail: “Asian dragon Koi pond with waterfall.”
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5. San Diego, CA 3022 Lawrence StPrice: $878,800
Hot detail: “1 1/2 blocks from Kelloggs Beach and walking distance from the Village where you will find pubs, restaurants, yacht clubs, and hotels.”
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4. Dallas, TX 2615 Millmar DrPrice: $199,000
Hot detail: “By well known California architect Cliff May … the house is in original condition with most of its vintage features still in place.”
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3. Vallejo, CA Undisclosed addressPrice: $589,900
Hot detail: “Two master suites with one on first floor.”
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2. San Jose, CA 1725 Lincoln AvePrice: $1,550,000
Hot detail: “This stunning, light-filled modern masterpiece has been completely re-built.”
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1. San Francisco, CA 564 Shotwell StPrice: $1,249,000
Hot detail: “Enjoy the stylish updated kitchen and baths, custom wood windows, and oversized west-facing yard.”
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Monday, January 30, 2017
CBRE's Steve Berger named to this year's NTCAR's Stemmons Service Award
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Fired 49ers GM Trent Baalke Selling Stunning San Jose Home for $3.3M
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Former 49ers general manager Trent Baalke has put his spacious home in San Jose, CA, on the market for $3.3 million, the Los Angeles Times reports. Greg Simpson is the listing agent.
Baalke, who had been with the Niners in various roles since 2005, was fired after a disastrous 2-14 season. The 52-year-old had held his management role with the team since 2011.
While the GM was let go for a losing record and a spotty ability for identifying talent, he picked a winner with this place.
Built just three years ago, the custom estate backs right up to the Silver Creek Valley Country Club. The home, which overlooks the third green, is located in the rolling hills of South San Jose. It’s about 25 minutes away from 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara.
The home’s 5,300 square feet of living space includes four en suite bedrooms, including a generously sized master suite, and 4.5 baths.
The open floor plan features a chef’s kitchen with Viking appliances, massive island with breakfast bar, and walk-in pantry. The family room with a beamed ceiling leads has french doors opening to a back patio.
There’s also a game room—complete with Niners memorabilia—and a wine cellar that can hold about 1,000 bottles.
Outdoors, there’s a bocce court, two fire pits, barbecue, and kitchen, which includes a Kegerator and pizza oven.
While Baalke’s tenure in the San Francisco Bay Area came to a stormy conclusion, his gorgeous home next to a golf course will likely have a sunny ending.
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Golfer Brad Faxon Selling Prime Property in Palm Beach Gardens for $2.6M
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For pro golfer Brad Faxon, selling his mansion in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, is a family affair. His wife, Dory, is the real estate agent representing the property, which sits on a quarter-acre lot in the Old Palm Golf Club community. The asking price for the elegant estate right down the street from PGA Boulevard: $2.6 million.
Built in 2015, the five-bedroom, five-bath home features a master bath with double vanities, a white kitchen with center island, a family room with built-ins and pool view, and a wine room that holds hundreds of bottles. Outdoors, there’s a saltwater pool, an entertainment area with gas fireplace, and a built-in kitchen.
The Old Palm Golf Club, which was founded in 2004, is a golf community known for its Raymond Floyd–designed championship course. Palm Beach Gardens is just northwest of its more famous (and ritzier) neighbor, Palm Beach.
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Faxon, who has won eight times on the PGA Tour and played on two Ryder Cup teams, is known as one of the best pure putters in golf history.
- For more photos and details, check out the full listing.
- Homes for sale in Palm Beach Gardens, FL
- Learn more about Palm Beach Gardens, FL
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Citigroup Exiting Business of Servicing Mortgages
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Citigroup Inc. on Monday said it would exit the mortgage-servicing business, turning its focus to mortgage originations.
The bank said it is selling servicing rights of about 780,000 mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to a unit of New Residential Investment Corp. New Residential, managed by an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group, said it is paying about $980 million.
Citigroup said the exit from mortgage servicing would reduce its first-quarter pretax results by $400 million, including a loss on the sale and other transaction costs. The bank said the move allows it to focus on originating mortgages, cut expenses and improve shareholder returns.
The mortgages underlying the deal are to borrowers who aren’t Citigroup bank customers and represent about $97 billion in principal mortgage balances. The deal will to require approval from Fannie, Freddie and their regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
Citigroup also said it outsourcing the servicing of remaining customer mortgages to Cenlar FSB, a privately owned mortgage-subservicing company.
The move is aligned with both industry trends and Citigroup’s recent history.
Some banks have been shrinking their exposure to the mortgage-servicing business because of increased regulatory scrutiny and costs. And New York-based Citigroup has been exiting businesses since the financial crisis nearly toppled it.
In mortgages, the bank has been moving toward doing business with just existing customers in the U.S. cities where the bank has branches. Citigroup’s mortgage-servicing portfolio is half the size that it was a decade ago, according to the trade publication Inside Mortgage Finance.
Still, Citigroup is the sixth-largest mortgage servicer in the U.S., and its exit from the business is another signal of non-banks gaining ground in both mortgage originations and servicing.
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Key Buy: DJ Khaled Buys Robbie Williams’ Beverly Hills Mansion
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Prolific rapper, producer, and TurboTax spokesman DJ Khaled picked up a seven-bedroom, 11-bath mansion in Beverly Hills, CA, paying $9.9 million for his own slice of the 90210.
He’s the third musician to own the house: It once belonged to country singer Clint Black, who sold it to British singer Robbie Williams in 2002 for a little over $5 million. Williams undertook an extensive renovation and nearly doubled his money in the sale.
Built in 1992, this 10,681-square-foot, French Normandy–inspired mansion is located in the gated Mulholland Estates community, which is popular with celebrities. The neighborhood made headlines in 2009 when thieves made off with $2 million in jewelry from Paris Hilton’s mansion.
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In the home’s listing photos, Williams’ impeccable European style is evident throughout. Double doors open to a two-story entryway and sweeping staircase. The rooms are largely white or off-white, with floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors in most rooms. The dining room might be the brightest room in the house, with a mirrored wall, giant bay window, and ornate light fixtures.
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The kitchen is anchored by a large island with gray countertops and dark wood cabinetry. The stainless-steel appliances include a refrigerator with glass door. A large breakfast nook is attached to the kitchen, with wraparound views of the backyard and pool.
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The home’s palatial master bedroom features a separate sitting area and a wall of glass doors that open to a private patio with a gas fire pit. The master bath is equally impressive, with custom tile in the stand-up shower, a large stone tub, and a window seat.
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Elsewhere, there’s a recording studio, gym, swimming pool with waterfall, outdoor kitchen, and covered outdoor dining area with TV and fireplace. The home was originally listed at $11 million, but Khaled was apparently able to cut about $1 million off the asking price.
Khaled, 41, has released nine studio albums, collaborating frequently with rappers Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, and Birdman. He documents his larger-than-life persona on Snapchat, where his videos on his “keys to success” have gained him millions of followers.
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Critter Cities: America’s Top 10 Towns for Pest Infestations
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Cities are bursting with life—too much of it, sometimes. Just ask James Vahter, a video producer who set up shop a few years ago in a trendy part of Manhattan’s Lower East Side. He got a sweet deal on a spacious, two-bedroom, fifth-floor walk-up, but it didn’t take him long to understand why the rent was so cheap. It happened a few weeks into his stay, when he returned from a business trip in the middle of the night and flipped on the hallway light.
“My walls were crawling,” he recalls. “From the floorboards to the ceiling, cockroaches were everywhere. I ran to the kitchen to grab some Raid—and the counters were crawling too.”
Welcome to the epic battle between city dweller and vermin. In Vahter’s case, he was able to wriggle (sorry) out of his lease and retreat to the suburbs. But not all urbanites are lucky enough to have the option of a happy ending.
From water bug traumas to Pizza Rat videos, pests are a terrifyingly common part of American life. In 2015, about 11% of U.S. households had encounters with rats or mice, and 12% with cockroaches, according to the Census Bureau’s newly released American Housing Survey. And, of course, those numbers increase exponentially in high-density metro areas.
Vermin nationSome creepy creature populations are very much on the rise. There has been a 7% increase in complaints about rats in New York from 2015 to 2016, and a 16% uptick in Boston. Not squirming yet? A recent report by the pest-control company Orkin found a steep rise in bedbug incidents nationwide, to near-epidemic levels in many cities.
“We have more people affected by bedbugs in the United States now than ever before,” said Ron Harrison, an entomologist and director of technical services at Orkin, in the report. “They were virtually unheard of in the U.S. 10 years ago.”
Antwinette Clurksy, 64, endured living with bedbugs in her one-bedroom Houston apartment for more than three years. They were under the carpets, on the mattress—everywhere.
“I would be sitting on the couch, and I look up, and they’re crawling on me,” Clurksy says. She had red bite marks all over her body. Eventually, she had to sleep on the floor after throwing away her mattress, along with the sofa and dining table, because of the infestation.
Despite this and other horror stories, not all cities are equally affected by the onslaught of pests. In Seattle, for example, less than 1% of homes have a roach problem.
To figure out which cities are most under siege by critters with four or more legs, we used the rat and cockroach data from the American Housing Survey, as well as data about mosquitoes, termites, bedbugs, fleas/ticks—and, hey, scorpions, too—collected from other sources.*
What makes some cities more attractive to pests than others? The Northeast has an infamous rat problem—the chilly winter months drive the multitude of rodents in search of shelter, warmth and food. And the South is plagued by insects. Big insects.
“The warmer climate in the Southern states increases the ability to support insects for longer periods of time,” says Michael Raupp, an entomologist from the University of Maryland. “Insects are usually killed by the coldness, but since it rarely reaches lethal temperatures [freezing point] in the South, cockroaches and bedbugs remain active for a longer time out of the year.”
So where does your city rank on this ignominious list? We doused our data team with copious amounts of Off and turned them loose to find out. Let’s get crawling!
BarnabyChambers/iStock; realtor.com
Houston gets a big tentacles- and claws-up from several species of pests, including cockroaches, rats, mosquitoes, bedbugs, and termites. It’s the pest capital of the United States! Why? The warm, humid climate and huge human population (people=trash=delicious food!) offer a luxury spa for vermin, according to Steve Durham, president of pest control company EnviroCon in Houston. About two in five households reported seeing cockroaches, making it the second-worst city for the ubiquitous bugs after New Orleans, according to the American Housing Survey.
“In Houston, I have seen multiple times when there were thousands and thousands of roaches,” Durham says. “You can’t believe how some people just don’t clean [their homes]. Roaches multiply very fast—every roach egg has 32 babies, and those 32 babies will each have 32 babies.” Yuck.
2. New York, NYrobertcicchetti/iStock
No one knows how many rats live in New York, but estimates range all the way from 2 million to 28 million—and that high estimate would mean that there are almost four rats for each human in the most populous city in the nation. The city that never sleeps! Traps have been set, poisons brewed, and volunteers have relocated stray cats to rat-infested areas, according to the New York Daily News, but rats seem to be winning this war. How about we just give them Staten Island and call it even?
“In New York, a lot of architecture was designed without pest control in mind,” explains Taylor Falk, environmental analyst from M&M Environmental. The alleyways, dumpsters, and garbage are very close together. … When there is food and areas to move around, there are rats.”
Mice and rats are talented climbers, Falk says, and sometimes even climb high-rises through the utility systems (like hot water pipes).
And just like in the city’s alleys, rats and cockroaches battle for dominance overall. Rats were found in 15% of homes, cockroaches in 16%.
3. Washington, DCThe District of Columbia is ranked the second-worst city for bedbugs by Orkin, while nearby Baltimore took the top spot. Blame the area’s huge influx of international travelers. Diplomats, tourists, and businesspeople (and their baggage) are practically VIP shuttle services for bedbugs, says Raupp, of the University of Maryland. Washington’s mild climate also helps bedbugs survive.
“The problem is that many of the materials we used to treat bedbugs are no longer available, due to EPA regulations. So there has been a large insurgence,” says Dannis Warf from Royal Pest Control. “They aren’t just in homes, but also in movie theaters, public transportation, libraries, even hospitals.” The pests even invaded the DC Department of Health in 2012.
And although Washington is often criticized for its “fat cats,” rats are a major problem. In fact, there’s even a Yelp page dedicated to a well-known park, satirically labeled as “Dupont Circle Rat Sanctuary.” One review reads, “Wonderful place for 100% organic, free-range rats to frolic in a safe environment without predators.”
4. Atlanta, GAHenrik_L/iStock
Warm climate? Check. Wet summers? Check. Swamps and forested areas? Check. Perhaps nowhere can mosquitoes find a better breeding ground than Atlanta. There are about 45 kinds of mosquito living in the Southern city, according to Elmer Gray, a professor of entomology at the University of Georgia. And some species can carry West Nile and Zika viruses. Last summer, there were 77 cases of Zika in Georgia, according to Georgia Health News.
5. Philadelphia, PAA total of 18% of Philly households have seen rats, making Philadelphia the rattiest city in America. The city’s huge swath of old row houses make it easier for the nimble animals to find holes in the walls and move, Habitrail-like, from one family to another.
“Philadelphia also has a very unseasonably warm winter this year, so the rats are growing more than usual,” says Royal Pest Control’s Warf.
6. Miami, FLWe love Miami’s year-around steamy weather. Unfortunately, so do cockroaches, mosquitoes, and termites. Florida has six invasive termite species that swarm alternately throughout the year, feasting on anything made of wood. By 2040, half of the structures in South Florida will be at risk of termite infestation, according to a study by the University of Florida.
“It’s hot, it’s humid, it rains a lot, and we have a lot of wooden-structure homes, as opposed to concrete-structure homes,” says JC Riverol from Spray’em Dead Termite & Pest in Miami.
The average cost to homeowners to repair termite damage is $3,000, but that can vary widely, depending on the extent of the damage, according to Termites.com.
7. Tampa, FLThe good news about Tampa is that it’s practically rodent-free; the bad news is, cockroaches won’t leave you alone. Ever. They are present in an alarming 38% of homes. They flock to Tampa like retirees, and get comfy in the kitchen, under the palm trees, and inside the gazebos.
Pet owners in Tampa also need to keep an eye out for fleas and ticks, which love the warm temperature and year-round humidity. These tiny insects usually don’t mess with humans, but they cling to the skins of dogs and cats, transmitting diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tapeworms.
8. Nashville, TNWith plenty of old structures to roam through, the Music City offers rats a comfortable habitat. Winter’s low temperatures of 30 degrees send rats scurrying into people’s homes for warmth and food, and the humid summer provides perfect conditions for breeding. Brown rats are the most common in Tennessee. One of the largest rat species, they can grow to an incredible 15 inches or more in length. (Silent scream!) Each year, there are also 50 snakebites reported in Tennessee, according to the Vanderbilt Medical Centers.
9. Phoenix, AZjohnaudrey/iStock
Phoenix residents have something scarier than garden-variety roaches to contend with: scorpions. Native to the arid Arizona desert, the bark scorpion is the most venomous scorpion in the United States, and is the culprit in most scorpion bites in the state. Arizona’s two poison-control centers report about 12,000 scorpion stings in the state each year.
Most scorpion stings go away after a few hours, unless you have a serious allergy—in which case you need to head to an ER, pronto. Better bring the American Express, too. In 2012, Marcie Edmonds was stung by a scorpion and billed $83,000 for anti-venom, the local CBS news station reported.
“The valley was the natural habitat for scorpions. Then humans came in and destroyed their habitats, to build concrete walls and buildings. But scorpions like concrete walls,” says Ben Holland of Scorpion Sweepers, a pest control company. “So we destroyed their habitat and built something even better.”
10. Boston, MAIn 1917, the Boston Women’s Municipal League spearheaded a sweeping extermination campaign against the city’s proliferating rats, leading up to the first (and, to date,only) Rat Day, when residents were offered prizes for the largest number of rat carcasses turned in. A century later, the city is still battling rodents. The long, cold winter of New England forces ’em to creep into people’s homes for warmth and food. Last year, the Boston Inspectional Services Department received more than 3,500 rodent complaints.
The city adopted a rather innovative measure: dropping dry ice into rat burrows so that rats will suffocate. The method was proven to be effective, although it was temporarily stopped by the EPA last December because dry ice wasn’t registered as a pesticide, according to a report by the local CBS station.
* Data sources: American Housing Survey, Orkin, Terminix, Eastern Arizona Courier, Hartz
The post Critter Cities: America’s Top 10 Towns for Pest Infestations appeared first on Real Estate News & Advice | realtor.com®.
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