The pandemic is ushering in an era of cozier vibes in home decor. As more people stay home due to COVID-19, homeowners are looking for ultra comfort in their nests.

The cozy theme is being shown off through warmer neutral shades. This marks a comeback of hues like tans, beiges, ivories, pale yellows, and mocha browns, reports Houzz, a home remodeling resource. “These shades mix well with the warm grays that also are popular,” Houzz notes. “The colors work nicely with the chunky wool knits, nubby textiles, and fringe.”

Indeed, more homeowners may be seeking a sense of security and calm in interior spaces. “When the world is full of uncertainty, having a space that feels like an escape from the outside world, with soft and cozy materials, light colors and relaxing vibes, will be a prerequisite of design,” said design guru Bobby Berk of Netflix’s “Queer Eye” in a blog post earlier this summer.

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An added element he uses to create a relaxed vibe is an oil diffuser. For example, Berk recommends the calming effects of lavender in the bedroom, while peppermint scent in the home office can stimulate productivity.

More designers also are bringing in nature through “biophilic design,” which incorporates nature indoors with colors, materials, and live plants that promote health and wellness. This may include terrariums, moss, and other glass-enclosed indoor gardens. In the kitchen, herb gardens may be on display.

Other ways to make a home cozy: Incorporate fluffy pillows, silky throws, and small faux-fur rugs, suggests a recent article at Insider.com. Also, add in more natural light. Open up drapes and consider leaving windows bare or with only see-through sheers to let more light filter in. Also, sellers could consider staging a reading nook or a place to relax in a corner of the living room, which only features a comfy chair, pillows, and draped blanket.

Disasters are mounting: Hurricane Laura is making landfall, wildfires are blazing through California, and the COVID-19 pandemic is raging on. Homeowners may find themselves in the midst of many threats.

As of Thursday morning, Hurricane Laura was slamming into the Texas and Louisiana coasts with its powerful Category 4 winds reaching 150 miles per hour. More than 1.5 million people in the region were under some form of evacuation orders. Meanwhile, California continues to battle some of the largest wildfires in the state’s history. The blazes have so far killed seven people, burned nearly 1,300 homes and buildings, and have prompted 170,000 people to evacuate.

And, let’s not forget, the nation continues to face a public health threat from the coronavirus outbreak, still escalating in many parts of the country.

Mortgage financing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are reminding mortgage servicers about disaster relief policies available for homeowners who may be facing a disaster. Relief options are also available for Americans who have a place of employment located in a presidentially declared disaster area.

“The immediate priority is for residents to get safely out of harm’s way,” says Bill Maguire, Freddie Mac’s vice president of single-family servicing management. “Once out of harm’s way, we strongly encourage homeowners whose homes or places of employment are impacted to call their mortgage servicer—the company they send their monthly mortgage payments to—so they can learn about available relief options. Working with our servicers, we stand ready to ensure mortgage relief is made available to homeowners affected by these natural disasters.” Fannie Mae issued a similar statement.

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae offer forbearance programs for up to 12 months, in which affected homeowners can delay mortgage payments. Also, homeowners already on a COVID-19 related forbearance or other relief plan are urged to contact their servicer again to review more options, the GSEs note.

The GSEs also announced they would waive assessments of penalties or late fees against homeowners affected by these disasters. Fannie Mae says it also offers homeowner’s assistance in requesting financial relief from FEMA, insurance, and other sources.

Find more disaster-related offerings from Freddie Mac.

Find disaster-related offerings from Fannie Mae.

Find disaster preparation resources for real estate professionals from NAR.

The average sale price of condominiums in 2019 was 16% lower than the average sale price of single-family residences, according to data from CoreLogic based on 25 of the largest housing markets. Those lower condo prices could make them a growing draw for millennials and first-time home buyers, CoreLogic reports.

Millennails could be driven “toward buying condos because they tend to be more affordable than single-family homes and because condos typically come with a lower maintenance burden and are mostly located in urban cores,” CoreLogic notes in its report.

About 40% of all condo purchase mortgage applications last year were from first-time home buyers, compared to 33% of all non-condo purchase mortgage applications by this same buyer segment, CoreLogic reports. Further, 47% of all condo purchase mortgage applications were from millennials in 2019, up 2% from 2018.

Downsizing baby boomers are also showing an increasing draw to condos, the report notes.

The following five states saw the highest condo share of sales in 2019:

• Hawaii: 46%
• Washington, D.C.: 42%
• Massachusetts: 20%
• Florida: 18%
• Illinois: 17%

By metro level, Austin, Texas, had the largest annual increase in condo sales in 2019 with a 12% increase.

“Given worsening affordability challenges in many markets, condos could be a viable option for many,” CoreLogic reports. “In the coming years, younger millennials (age 30 or below) are likely to drive much of the condo demand as they are a very large group. Still, there will be more condo demand than supply as young millennials approach peak household formation and home buying age.”

However, condo supply remains tight. The inventory for condos plunged to four months in December 2019, which was the lowest level since 2006.

Video tours are a growing method to help home shoppers narrow their prospects during the pandemic. But not being able to see the home in person has its limitations. Real estate professionals will want to be sure they zoom in on the right features and offer insights to help their clients avoid buyer regret—especially if they decide to make a “sight-unseen” offer.

The kitchen can be a tough room to show off on video, but it’s often an important aspect for buyers when making a decision. Follow these tips to best show off the details:

1. Note the flow. Be sure to capture the space from each angle of the room, and give a sense of flow. If you can, supply a floor plan in advance to help buyers follow along. Otherwise, note what is next to the kitchen. Is there a bathroom or hallway? Give a sense of where it is located in the house and what is in direct proximity.

2. Focus on appliances. Be sure to zoom in on the appliances. Replacements can be costly if they’re aging. “I suggest doing quick tests on all the appliances, and really look hard to see how much wear and tear the appliances have endured,” John Gluch, founder of The Gluch Group in Scottsdale, Ariz., told realtor.com®.

3. Offer up a sense of space. Veronica Sniscak, owner of VSells & Associates in Ellicott City, Md., told realtor.com® that she and her agents make a point to open drawers, cabinets, appliances, and pantry closets, and they measure countertops. She moves around the kitchen when conducting video tours to give remote buyers spatial perspective. She also measures the table and dining space, too, as well as bar stools if there is a kitchen island.

4. Close-ups of cabinets. What condition are they in? Are there any imperfections? Inspect the condition outside and inside of the cabinets, and pay attention to the hardware and hinges when helping clients judge the quality.

5. Comment on the plumbing. Water lines are always important to look for in the kitchen, including under the sink and near the dishwasher and refrigerator—the most likely areas to see water damage. “It’s important to run the water while making these checks to spot any leaks,” Gluch told realtor.com®. “This is also a good time to assess how dated or current the plumbing is and if anything was installed oddly or in a problematic fashion.”

6. Scrutinize flooring. The flooring is another area that deserves some close-ups in the kitchen. Consider how much wear and tear has affected high-traffic sections of the flooring. Also, note to your buyers whether the flooring from the kitchen continues to the adjoining rooms or whether it changes.

Get more tips on doing a video walk through of a kitchen at realtor.com®.

As mortgage rates remain low and people look for pandemic-safe getaways, vacation homes are growing in demand, according to Vacasa, a vacation rental management platform.

“We’ve seen a surge in demand for vacation homes across our portfolio, and real estate transactions are up as much as 35% in some of our vacation rental markets across the county when compared to July 2019,” says Shaun Greer, vice president of sales and marketing at Vacasa. “Many buyers believe we will be impacted by COVID-19 for the next 12 to 18 months, and are seeking a place close to home where they can get away with their families, work remotely, if needed, and generate income when the house is not in use.”

Vacasa released its 2020 edition of the “Top 25 Best Places to Buy a Vacation Home” report, which ranks the best U.S. destinations to invest in a vacation rental property by average cap rate (or yearly rate of return).

The 10 markets for buying a vacation home in 2020 that topped its list are:

1. Big Sky, Mont.

• Median home sale price: $541,842
• Cap rate: 9.2%

2. Cape Hatteras, N.C.

• Median home sale price: $379,248
• Cap rate: 8.6%

3. Poconos, Pa.

• Median home sale price: $200,190
• Cap rate: 8.2%

4. Gatlinburg, Tenn.

• Median home sale price: $269,523
• Cap rate: 7.8%

5. Dauphin Island, Ala.

• Median home sale price: $289,623
• Cap rate: 7.8%

6. Corolla, N.C.

• Median home sale price: $560,599
• Cap rate: 6.9%

7. Conway, N.H.

• Median home sale price: $238,930
• Cap rate: 6.5%

8. Palm Springs, Calif.

• Median home sale price: $459,857
• Cap rate: 6.4%

9. Ellijay, Ga.

• Median home sale price: $226,685
• Cap rate: 6.4%

10. Blue Ridge, Ga.

• Median home sale price: $291,595
• Cap rate: 6.3%

View the full top 25 list.