B4 • Friday, June 9, 2023
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‘SELL MY HOME FAST’ SEARCHES SURGE IN NEW YORK for those needing to go outside, as they can keep the most dangerous particles from entering your respiratory system. Some residents likely still have some masks bought in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and these should be used now in response to the poor air quality.
Canada wildfires create hazardous smog coloring the Big Apple orange Kyle Logan WEALTH OF GEEKS As New York turns orange due to hazardous smog from wildfires in Canada, searches for “sell my home fast” skyrocketed 2,504 percent on Google across the United States on June 7th, according to an analysis by FindStorageFast.
Keeping furry and feathered friends safe Pet-loving associations are urging dog owners who need to take their canine friends out to use the restroom to make these trips as swiftly as possible, as the air quality can affect pets just as much, if not more, than humans. Veterinarians suggest keeping dogs busy indoors with games and making sure that they stay well-hydrated. Bird owners must be even more careful, as pet birds should not breathe smoky air.
Whatever search gets results The analysis shows that searches for “sell my house fast” followed close behind, leaping up 2,147 percent amid the distressing weather phenomena. Not showing the same extreme jump, but undoubtedly remarkable, searches for “sell my house” and “sell home” also reached new heights, increasing 326 percent and 307 percent, respectively.
YUKI IWAMURA / ASSOCIATED PRESS
New York City is covered in haze as photographed from the Empire State Building observatory in New York on Wednesday, June 7, 2023. It’s no wonder that New Yorkers Other solutions are desperate to sell their homes. throughout the northern United also seemed that way yesterday The air outside has turned the enStates, including the Northeast, morning, then got bad by evening Moving isn’t the only idea that Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, and Ohio again.” New York residents had for gettire city a dark orange that looks Valley regions. Similarly, Lisa Iannucci, author of ting better breathing air. In reominous and is genuinely dangerJoining New York, Maryland has Healthy Travel: Don’t Leave Home ous to residents. A report by IQAir sponse to air quality, searches for issued a Code Red warning for most Without It, says that in the Hudson “air purifier” have also jumped said that the city’s air quality on Wednesday was the worst of all the residents, particularly children and Valley, “It was better this morning, 2,418 percent over the last week. major cities in the world, leading au- older adults, urging residents to re- but it’s gotten worse as the day The warning from authorities went on.” and weather services are leading thorities to instruct residents to main indoors as much as possible. Meteorologists predict that the people to act in whatever way stay inside and avoid breathing as Several schools nationwide have winds will change in the coming they can, and while staying inside much of the hazardous air as possi- canceled after-school activities for days, helping to push the smoke certainly helps, the polluted air students, opting instead to send ble. from the Northeast. But, as the Na- can still enter homes through them home as soon as possible. The report shows that the wildfire smog has led New York to overtional Weather Service Weather Pre- windows and doors that cannot When will it end? take New Delhi as the major city diction Center tweeted Wednesday be fully insulated. That’s where The smog is wavering across the afternoon, “as long as the fires con- air purifiers can play a significant with the worst air quality in the northern United States. Editor Kris- tinue, the smoke may simply be di- role in keeping people safe inworld. And it’s not just New York City. State and local authorities tin Stones says, “It almost seems to rected towards other areas of the doors. have issued air quality alerts be getting a bit better here in PA but U.S.” Experts recommend N95 masks The cause
Impact on the housing market? This dash to sell comes when housing costs have been rapidly increasing. Mortgage rates nationwide are approaching 7 percent after sitting at 2 percent just a year and a half ago, while the average price for a home in New York is 2.7 percent higher than a year ago. CEO and Founder of FindStorageFast D’Arcy Hunter, notes that neither buyers nor sellers are in a great position to benefit at the moment and says, “It will be interesting to see if this spike translates into more listings and sales and what this may mean for the city’s housing market long-term.” ••• This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
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Average long-term mortgage rate eases from 7-month high ASSOCIATED PRESS LOS ANGELES — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate eased back from a seven-month high this week, a welcome change for homebuyers navigating high borrowing costs and heightened competition for relatively few homes for sale. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan fell to 6.71 percent from 6.79 percent last week. A year ago, the rate averaged 5.23 percent. The pullback follows three straight weekly increases, which pushed up the average rate to its highest level since early November 2022, when it climbed to 7.08 percent. The average rate on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with those refinancing their homes, also fell this week, slipping to 6.07 percent from 6.18 percent last week. A year ago, it averaged 4.38 percent, Freddie Mac said. High rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for homebuyers, limiting how much they can afford in a market that remains out of reach to many Americans after years of soaring home prices. They also discourage homeowners who bought their home or refinanced in recent years when rates on a 30-year mortgage were around 3 percent from selling now that rates have roughly doubled. That’s one reason the number of homes on the market remains near historic lows. The U.S. housing market has been slow to regain its footing this year, limited by elevated mortgage rates and the thin inventory of available homes.
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