Starting in 2020, all new homes constructed in California will be required to have between 2 kilowatts and 3 kilowatts of electricity sourced directly from solar panels. State legislators, whom have been considering such a measure for some time, officially voted recently to amend state building codes. Other states are watching how the change plays out and may want to follow suit, California officials have said. “These provisions really are historic and will be a beacon of light for the rest of the country,” says Kent Sasaki, chair of the California Building Standards Commission. “It’s the beginning of substantial improvement in how we produce energy and reduce consumption of fossil fuels.”

The new mandate, however, won’t be cheap to homeowners. The upfront costs of installing typical solar panels ranges from $8,000 to $12,000. The timing of the move also worries residents who lost their homes in recent wildfires in California because the mandate will add to their rebuilding costs. “With median home prices in California already more than double the national average, this decision will make it even more difficult for the average Californian to afford a home,” California Assemblyman James Gallagher wrote in a recent letter to the Building Standards Commission.

But the commission says the extra costs, which will be applied to a homeowner’s mortgage, should be minimal over the life of the loan. In the case of a 30-year fixed rate mortgage, the additional cost amounts to an extra $40 per month—but the savings in monthly utility charges could be around $80 per month. The commission also says homeowners can lease solar panels instead of buying them up front.

End-of-year negotiations among federal lawmakers have resulted in another short-term extension of the National Flood Insurance Program.

Homeowners and buyers in areas at risk of flooding can get insurance through Dec. 21, when the program is scheduled to expire.

Efforts are underway to secure longer-term authorization, possibly until the end of September, as part of a temporary budget measure known as a continuing resolution. The National Association of REALTORS® has been communicating with lawmakers and staff on the need for the longer extension, and will keep doing so as the days to the latest deadline wind down.

Beyond the extension, NAR is hoping to secure reforms that will make the flood insurance program better. Among other things, the association wants to see a modernized process for preparing the flood maps that determine whether an area is a flood risk, rule changes that encourage more private insurers to get into the market, and creation of a robust program in place to help owners prepare their properties to withstand flooding.

Separately, NAR and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which operates the flood insurance program, are working together under an agreement they signed about a month ago to get the word out to owners on the need to have adequate insurance on their properties.  The outreach effort applies to all types of natural disaster risks, not just flooding. Data referenced by FEMA show that many owners outside of risk areas don’t carry insurance, even though they still face a chance of losing their property to a flood, fire, earthquake, or other disaster.

Secured financing is the key to how many homeowners are paying for home upgrades, according to a new survey from home remodeling website Houzz and Bank of America. Owners who used secured financing were able to fund much larger home improvement projects, too, at nearly three times the median spending of those who paid for renovations with cash only ($32,000 versus $13,000), the study showed.

More homeowners are turning to the equity they’ve accumulated in their homes. Those with mortgages have seen their home equity more than double since 2011. HELOCs—home equity line of credit—are the most common form of secured financing. HELOC origination totaled $157 billion in 2017, which is more than 60 percent of consumer real estate–secured financing, according to the study. Consumers surveyed said the top motivations for using a HELOC were ease of use (39 percent), low cost (38 percent), quick access to funds (30 percent), and tax deductions (29 percent).

“Recent record gains in home equity give homeowners greater confidence to invest in their home, spurring growth in the more than $300 billion home improvement market,” says Nino Sitchinava, Houzz’s principal economist. “Our study confirms that a meaningful share of homeowners are tapping into it to fund large-scale renovations, such as kitchen and bathroom remodels. Secured loan origination will likely continue to grow in the near term as homeowners increasingly find it advantageous to stay put and renovate rather than trade up to a nicer home in an environment of tight housing inventories and higher interest rates, among other factors.”

Generation Xers are the most likely to finance renovations with a secured loan compared with any other generation. They represent 40 percent of renovating homeowners. Gen Xers also spend the most on renovations, reaching a median of $38,000 in 2017. Millennials and baby boomers each spent a median of $30,000 in 2017 on their home renovations.

“Homeowners, and Gen Xers in particular, are comfortable using their home’s equity to make renovations that can have a significant impact on their lives, increasing their home’s value and improving their comfort,” says David Doyle, senior vice president at Bank of America. “Using responsible financing options … homeowners are updating aging housing stock and improving their home lifestyle while still balancing other financial obligations.”

The study also found that most borrowers intend to pay off their secured loans within five years. However, one-third of surveyed consumers said they preferred six years or longer for their payment plans.

National home builder Taylor Morrison has its eye on pastels, unique finishes, and floral touches in the upcoming new year. The builder says it will be incorporating some of the freshly spotted hottest home design trends into its model homes that are set to debut in 2019.

Some of those home design trends that it expects to make a splash with home buyers in the new year are:

1. Pastels and jewel tones: Baby blues, mint greens, and blushing pinks will gain popularity in 2019, according to the home builder. “We’re calling these the ‘ice cream cone’ colors,” says Lee Crowder, design gallery and model home branding manager for Taylor Morrison and Darling Homes in Houston and Dallas. “But if pastels aren’t for you, bold jewel tones like emerald and sapphire are another popular option for the new year.”

2. Monochromatic schemes: The builder also picks high-contrast, monochromatic designs as a go-to trend for 2019, particularly in the kitchen. “Pairing dark finishes with stark white or gray cabinets will be a very popular look in the new year,” says Brittany Wightman, a Taylor Morrison design consultant in Charlotte, N.C.

3. Florals: “We’re seeing tons of floral patterns inspired by [fashion] runway looks,” Crowder says. “Florals are a top trend in the fashion world right now, so it makes sense that floral wallpaper is making a comeback.”

4. New finishes: Hardware finishes like black, rose gold, and brass are gaining popularity, according to the builder. “Black is a really important color for 2019, and you’ll be seeing it pop up everywhere—from countertops to hardware and faucets,” Crowder says.

5. Healthy homes: Healthy lifestyles that are also reflected throughout the home’s design is also trending, Crowder says. “While there are a lot of different ways to achieve this look, one must-have is an abundance of plants,” Crowder says. “Bringing touches from the outdoors inside is not only an aesthetic choice, but real plants also provide the benefit of filtering the harmful chemicals out of your home.” Crowder also suggests swapping out hardwood for dust-collecting carpet and switching out high-gloss paint for flat finishes (since there are fewer chemicals in them).