A growing number of Americans believe now is a good time to purchase a home as the real estate market heads into what is traditionally its busiest season of the year. In the first quarter of 2019, 37 percent of consumers said they “strongly believe” that now is a good time to buy, up from 34 percent in the last quarter of 2018, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ latest Housing Opportunities and Market Experience Survey.

Why are Americans more upbeat? Lower mortgage rates and greater inventory may be driving more home shoppers this spring. “Inventory has been rising, so those buyers interested in making a purchase will not be limited in choices,” says NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Additionally, more stable home price trends are leading to more foot traffic at various open house gatherings.”

Higher home prices don’t seem to be deterring potential buyers. Sixty-one percent of consumers say they think home prices in their communities have increased over the last 12 months, down from 63 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018. Forty-seven percent believe prices will rise in the next six months, while only 10 percent believe home prices will drop in that time period. Residents in the Northeast and South, renters, and those who earn between $50,000 and $100,000 are the most likely to believe home prices will rise in their communities, the survey shows.

The HOME survey also found that 53 percent of consumers believe the economy is improving. The optimism is greatest among those who earn $100,000 or more and those who live in rural areas. Among non-homeowners, however, some may still be skittish to enter the housing market due to financial concerns. Twenty-seven percent believe it would be “very difficult” to qualify for a mortgage given their current financial situation, and 28 percent said it would be “somewhat difficult” to qualify, according to the survey.

Mortgage affordability in the first quarter of this year has improved for would-be home buyers compared to recent previous quarters, Yun says. “The Federal Reserve’s decision to refrain from any foreseeable rate hike was beneficial to potential buyers,” Yun says. “That move directly contributed to mortgage rates declining in [Q1 2019], which provided a second-chance opportunity to those looking to buy who were priced out last quarter.”

Americans who are self-employed and freelance or contract workers have long had to struggle to qualify for a mortgage compared with those with W-2 forms or pay stubs that lenders can use to verify their incomes. For the self-employed, the mortgage process can be time-consuming and cumbersome. Lenders often require extra paperwork, such as full documentation of tax returns from the last couple of years (not just the electronic copy submitted to the IRS). Even after that, the person may still lack an income steady enough to qualify or face extra fees once they are approved.

However, mortgage financing giants Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have recently made changes to an automated system that could help more self-employed individuals qualify for a mortgage.The new technology automates underwriting for loan applicants who are self-employed or have side income.

“Applications that previously would have taken days to analyze and verify may now take just minutes, thanks to the use of optical character recognition technology that reads tax returns, identifies what qualifies as eligible income, and integrates it into both companies’ electronic underwriting systems,” reports Kenneth Harney, a syndicated real estate columnist for The Washington Post.

This frees lenders from having to comb through tax documents and allows them to find the information they need in minutes. The new system now takes three to five days to process, which slashes hundreds of dollars in costs and trims the risk for the lender, Andy Higginbotham, a Freddie Mac senior vice president, told The Washington Post.

There were about 15 million self-employed individuals in 2015—which equates to about one of every 10 people in the workforce, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Adding automation to the mortgage approval process could give potential home buyers greater confidence as they shop for a home, says Josh Moffitt, president of Silverton Mortgage in Atlanta. It also could help with meeting contingency-clause financing deadlines in contracts.

Still, the programs are new, so not all lenders may offer this automated income verification to self-employed applicants yet. But housing experts say it may be valuable to self-employed individuals to find those that do.

Home shoppers are finding some of the lowest mortgage rates in more than a year.

“Mortgage rates declined decisively this week amid various market reports, a strong bond auction, and further uncertainty around the Brexit deal, which all contributed to driving bond yields lower,” says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “At 4.31 percent, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is at its lowest since February of last year. While these low rates will certainly get the attention of prospective home buyers, the supply of homes for sale remains stubbornly low.”

Freddie Mac reports the following national averages with mortgage rates for the week ending March 14:

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 4.31 percent, with an average 0.4 point, falling from last week’s 4.41 percent average. Last year at this time, 30-year rates averaged 4.44 percent.
• 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.76 percent, with an average 0.4 point, dropping from last week’s 3.83 percent average. A year ago, 15-year rates averaged 3.90 percent.
• 5-year hybrid adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 3.84 percent, with an average 0.3 point, falling from last week’s 3.87 percent average. A year ago, 5-year ARMs averaged 3.67 percent.

Painting a room can be one of the most budget-friendly ways to makeover a space. But some commonly held myths about choosing the right paint may prevent some homeowners from finding the truly perfect hue to enhance their space.

Realtor.com® recently spoke with painting experts to address some of these common myths about painting a home. Some of those include:

Dark paint colors make a room look small.

In fact, it’s just the opposite in many cases, says Ashley Blackmore, a real estate professional with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Western Colorado Properties. “If you use a dark color for an accent wall, it can truly make the home look much larger by adding variation to the eye,” Blackmore told realtor.com®.

Primers aren’t necessary.

Many homeowners believe they can skip the primer step, but it’s a crucial one to ensure the paint goes on correctly, experts say. “In order for your project to look like it was done professionally, you absolutely need to use primer,” Kayla Martin, owner of Acme Home Interiors, told realtor.com®. “It helps make the paint job look smooth and allows the paint to adhere to the wall.”

You always need two coats of paint.

Don’t assume you need two coats of paint. Many times you may not. “If you apply primer and are using a quality brand of paint, you can absolutely get away with one coat of paint,” Martin says. However, it depends: Blackmore says in some cases she has seen rooms need six coats of paint, particularly where the walls weren’t properly prepped for painting or where there was a previously darker color painted.

Trim must always be white.

White trim is the most common color, but it doesn’t always have to be, Morgan McBride of Charleston Crafted told realtor.com®. She says that extending your wall color to the trim for both the top and bottom can make walls appear taller. It can also emphasize the details in the room’s moldings, she says.

Live plants are being added into cabinetry and even directly into the kitchen island. At this year’s LivingKitchen, a trade show in Cologne, Germany, numerous manufacturers showed off the latest worldwide kitchen trend: more greenery near cooking spaces.

Living plants are appearing on the back or tops of kitchen islands and peninsula cabinets. They’re also appearing as wall shelving, which include grow lights to keep them thriving even when tucked away onto shelves. In one extreme example of the trend at the trade show, a dwarf citrus tree was growing in the middle of a kitchen island made by Italy’s Aran Cucine. It included its own irrigation system.

For those who want to keep their plants more contained, they can opt for an under-counter appliance that will grow, light, and water the plants for them. Manufacturers of one such product–the Urban Cultivator—say they’ve been selling the most units in coastal markets and high-end communities.

“Plants in the kitchen can provide seasonings for food and fresh ingredients for salads, soups, entrees, and sides,” Forbes.com writes about the trend. “Plants can also create a welcoming atmosphere for residents and guests alike.”

It’s not just the kitchen that is seeing more plants. Plants are entering more master bathrooms to evoke an indoor-outdoor spa and appearing in more living spaces.

The plant movement is gaining attention thanks to studies that increasingly show the benefits of having houseplants, which have been linked to purifying the air, boosting your mood, and even lowering the risk of illness. Homeowners are adding edible plants in the kitchen to use while cooking.

Technology is helping in keeping plants alive less of a chore, too. Self-watering containers are making plants easier to care for, and grow lights are helping them to thrive in even the darkest corners of a home.