Your Jetsons home is almost here.

Your Jetsons home is almost here

BARCELONA, Spain (CNNMoney) — In the classic 1960s animated sitcom The Jetsons, everything in the space-age family’s home could be controlled by the press of a button on a remote control.

Fifty years later, that futuristic vision is finally becoming reality.

At Mobile World Congress this week, the wireless industry’s largest annual convention, companies like AT&T (T, Fortune 500), Qualcomm (QCOM, Fortune 500), Intel (INTC, Fortune 500), and Sony (SNE) are showing off how everything in your home — from your door locks to your thermostat to your TV — can be controlled by a smartphone or tablet.

That kind of technology has been demonstrated and discussed for years, but it never graduated past a niche product for the uber rich and extremely geeky. Today, however, the hardware, software, and cloud-based infrastructure necessary to make it a reality is finally inexpensive enough for companies to bring full-home connectivity to the mainstream market.

But hold off on the excitement for a moment — there’s a sticking point. Connected-home technology won’t become widespread until there’s a uniform vision for how it will all work together.

There isn’t one. Not yet.

AT&T on Monday unveiled its new home security platform, which allows security companies to sell automated home protection services. Using AT&T’s network and software, a home security customer could control their heat, locks, lights, oven and security cameras using an iPad.

Intel featured a similar home – control technology, except instead of connecting devices through a wireless network, its system lets all the gadgets in the house talk to one another using what’s known as machine-to-machine connections. Your window shades, dishwasher, refrigerator and other appliances would all link with a central router running the Linux operating system, which is connected to and controlled over the Internet.

Chipmaker Qualcomm showed off its new “Hy-Fi” platform, which lets consumers easily play media from any device on any other device in the home. Want to watch a movie on your TV that’s stored on your iPad? A Hy-Fi router and receiver wired to your TV will take care of that. It also lets you listen to a song on your stereo that’s stored on your hard drive.

Sony showed how you can dock a Sony smartphone, connect it to a Sony TV, and navigate your phone’s media using your TV’s remote. Or you can play a game on your PlayStation, and pick up where you left off on your portable PS Vita.

Each system has its own unique platform that is incompatible with everyone else’s.

Without one clear standard for all in-home devices to talk to one another, consumers’ choices are limited. You can either buy everything from the same brand (Sony’s model), everything running the same platform (Intel and AT&T’s models), or invest in additional hardware to connect all your existing stuff together (Qualcomm’s model).

There are also other competing platforms that weren’t at this year’s Mobile World Congress.

Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500) has a home connectivity platform of its own, which allows Apple TV, Mac, iPhone and iPad users to stream and play content from any Apple device on the same network. Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) is in the process of unveiling its own standard called Android@Home, which would allow connected devices in your home to be powered by an Android smartphone or tablet.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each model.

Google and Intel have an open standard that any device maker can adopt for free. AT&T makes companies license its platform for a fee, but with that comes a representative that customers can yell at when things don’t work. And Sony and Apple users don’t have to purchase any extra technology — just so long as they don’t mind buying only Sony or Apple products.

Until one standard becomes universally accepted, The Jetsons home vision will remain a fantasy. But with every major gadget maker pursuing it, it’s now finally a fantasy backed up by impressive real-world demos.

Why the Federal Reserve can’t fix housing.

Why the Federal Reserve can't fix housing

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Housing is still one of the biggest drags on U.S. economic growth, but don’t look to the Federal Reserve for help. The central bank may have few tools left to fix it.

That’s the basic hypothesis of a paper top economists presented to a room full of monetary policy elites in Manhattan Friday.

The US. Monetary Policy Forum is a one-day meeting presented by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. In attendance are Federal Reserve officials, members of foreign central banks and economists from some of the world’s largest banks and top universities.

At Friday’s meeting, these top thinkers focused heavily on weaknesses in the housing market, and the mood was not exactly upbeat.

Traditionally, the Fed could aid the housing market during tough times, by lowering its key interest rate and thereby lowering mortgage rates. But the Fed’s interest rate is already near zero and mortgage rates are already at record lows — and yet the housing market remains in a slump.

Could the Fed be out of bullets when it comes to this key part of the American economy?

Has Obama’s housing policy failed?

Economists at Friday’s meeting argued the Federal Reserve can still bring interest rates lower with unconventional moves like asset purchases — called quantitative easing — but such policies are now unlikely to have a meaningful impact on housing.

That’s because homeowners who might qualify for refinancing at lower interest rates have likely already done so.

The overhang in the housing market “may not be easily addressed by monetary policy,” said Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at JPMorgan Chase.

St. Louis Fed President James Bullard agreed that the housing market is largely out of the Fed’s hands now.

“To the extent that you would have policies that are going to help the housing market, they’re not going to come from monetary policy makers,” Bullard said.

Million-dollar foreclosures

But San Francisco Fed President John Williams pointed out that by buying assets that target housing specifically — like mortgage-backed securities — he thinks the Fed’s policies have already lowered rates and could still push mortgage rates down further.

Another Fed president, Charles Plosser of Philadelphia, said later that he is critical of such a policy. The Fed already overstepped its bounds in 2008, when it started buying mortgage-backed securities, Plosser said.

He believes those actions blur the lines between fiscal and monetary policy — a growing problem in the wake of the financial crisis that he calls “dangerous.”

“The boundaries were established for good reasons and we ignore them at our own peril,” he said.

A few members of Congress agree, and have been highly critical of what they see as the Fed’s efforts to interfere in the housing market.

Fed officials have recently become more outspoken about problems facing the housing market, and have seemed eager to shift the ball into fiscal policy’s court — the purview of Congress and the president.

In January, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke ruffled feathers of some Republican lawmakers when he issued a white paper analyzing housing policies proposed by the Obama administration, including ideas to transition foreclosed properties into rentals and programs that would facilitate refinancing for underwater mortgages.

Feroli, along with Ethan Harris, co-head of economic research at Bank of America Merrill Lynch and others, endorsed those policies in their paper Friday.

Rising rental costs may drive home sales up.

Rising rental costs may drive home sales up

Home sales could turn out sunnier than expected this spring based on data coming out of the rental market, according to economists at the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Jay Brinkmann, the trade group’s chief economist, said Thursday that apartment owners have raised their rates, in particular large investment trust Equity Residential ($58.06 0%). That’s coupled with fewer people, roughly 60%, who intend to renew a lease, according to a study by Kingsley Associates.

“This means we might see a spring season better than the numbers are predicting,” Brinkmann said at the MBA’s mortgage servicing conference in Orlando, Fla. The trade group forecasts 4.39 million single-family homes sold in the second quarter, already an increase from the seasonally adjusted 4.17 million a year earlier.

Many Americans ran to rentals during the worst of the housing crisis, pushing home ownership to a 14-year low, and more tenants elected to stay put.

“The question is not how did (home ownership) fall, but how it got so high in the first place,” Brinkmann said.

The MBA adjusted its forecast for mortgage origination in 2012 to just more than $1 trillion with more refinances than initially expected, according to Mike Fratantoni, vice president of economics and research. That’s still below 2011 levels and would be the lowest since 1997.

Fratantoni expects home sales to grow 10% in 2013, though he predicted refinances will drop off considerably as MBA projects interest rates to slowly move off the lowest levels in 40 years.

Positive employment news, including a continued decline in jobless claims, could impact housing soon, but Brinkmann said uncertainty over business taxes in an election year and European debt could keep growth at bay.

“Everything is going to be based overall where the economy goes,” Brinkmann said. “This is going to be a slow year. There are a number of headwinds we’re facing in terms of economic growth.”

Insurance To Consider When You’re Single And Starting Out.

Insurance To Consider When You’re Single And Starting Out

The right insurance can help keep you and your possessions protected from unexpected events, but when you’re on your own for the first time it can be hard to know what coverage you need and what you don’t. The Insurance Information Institute (III) suggests looking at these coverages if you’re just starting out:

Renters
Your landlord’s insurance covers the building—not your belongings—in events such as a fire, theft or severe weather. Renters insurance offers coverage in these situations and often includes liability protection.

Homeowners
If you own a home, homeowner’s insurance will help protect both the structure and the belongings and also offers liability protection.   Purchase enough homeowners insurance to cover the cost to rebuild your home in case it is totally destroyed.  In most locations you can lower the cost of your premium with safety upgrades, such as fire alarms and security systems.

Condominium owners
Similar to renters insurance, condominium owners insurance primarily protects your personal property.  But it also helps protects the portions of your unit the condo association requires you to cover.  And it provides liability coverage.

Auto
In most states, it’s illegal to drive without auto insurance. The cost varies by state depending on things like your age, car, driving record and the type of coverage you have. Keep in mind: When you lease or finance a vehicle, you may have to purchase collision or comprehensive coverage in addition to basic liability.

Health
In some cases, the Affordable Care Act allows young people to stay on their parents’ health insurance until age 26, even if they’re married or eligible for insurance through their employer. If insurance isn’t available through your parents or your employer, consider purchasing individual health coverage to help cover medical expenses.

Life
Life insurance can help protect loved ones from taking on additional burdens—such as your unpaid debts or funeral expenses—should you unexpectedly pass away. When you’re young, your life expectancy is high, so you might benefit from lower rates if you purchase coverage at a younger age.

Help Protect Your Home: Clear Your Roof of Snow.

Help Protect Your Home: Clear Your Roof of Snow

Plenty of homeowners in the United States live with the harsh realities of winter. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, residents in Rochester, New York, receive about 8 feet of snow each winter. Homeowners in cities such as Cleveland, Minneapolis and Denver typically can expect to move more than 4 feet of snow. And that’s just a handful of the snowiest U.S. cities.

On your home’s roof, excessive snow and ice buildup can cause both property damage and personal injury.  Here are some things to know:

Understand the Dangers
Heavy loads of ice and snow can create serious problems for your home. These include:

• Injuries from snow and ice falling from sloped roofs
• Roof collapse, especially on flat roofs
• Carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from blocked chimneys and vents
• Water damage from ice dams that form on the edges of roofs and in gutters

Watch for Warning Signs
Recognize the signs of stress when too much snow and ice has accumulated on your roof:

• Sagging ridgeline
• Drooping ceilings
• Water leaks on interior walls and ceilings
• Jammed doors
• Cracked interior walls near the center of your home
• Creaking sounds

Avoid Excessive Buildup
Removing ice and snow from your roof is a dangerous job. Avoid injury by hiring a professional to fix the problem before it leads to property damage and expensive repairs. Here are some ways to prepare your home:

• Purchase a roof rake to help pull excess snow off the roof.
• Avoid using salt or chemical snow-melt products to melt ice on the roof. These can erode shingles and gutters and potentially void the roofing manufacturer’s warranty.
• Add insulation to your attic to help prevent your home’s warm air from escaping into unheated attic spaces. Ice dams form when warmed attic air melts a layer of snow on the roof. This melting snow slides down the roof and refreezes on unheated overhangs and gutters. Do not attempt to “chip away” the ice formed by an ice dam as that may lead to shingle damage.
• If replacing your home’s roof, have a self-sealing membrane installed under the shingles to help prevent water damage from ice dams.
• On metal roofs, install snow guards above entrances.

Property sales up in the US and building sector confidence increases.

Property sales up in the US and building sector confidence increases

Residential property sales in the United States edged upwards for the seventh month in a row in January, according to the latest RE/MAX national housing report.

It shows that real estate sales are now 3.4% above levels seen a year earlier in the 53 metropolitan areas covered by the survey.

In January, the median price of homes sold in the 53 metros was $129,306, only 0.8% lower than a year earlier and a 3.4% drop from December.

Perhaps due to falling foreclosure numbers, for the 19th consecutive month, inventory levels dropped in January. The average inventory of homes for sale dropped 24.1% from a year earlier and 4.2% from December.

‘If sales continue ahead of last year’s pace and inventory does not increase significantly, we could start to see increasing home prices this year,’ said RE/MAX chief executive officer Margaret Kelly.

Of the metro areas included in the January survey, 20 saw double digit jumps from a year earlier, and 36 experienced higher sales, including Albuquerque up 33.9%, Wilmington-Dover, Delaware, up 33.2%, Atlanta up 26.3%, Indianapolis up 19.6%, Providence, Rhodes Island, up 19.6%, Nashville up 19.5%, Cleveland up 18.9% and Chicago up 15.3%.

Meanwhile, data from the Commerce Department shows that housing starts rose 1.5% in January, the highest level since October 2008.

Analysts polled by Econoday expect housing starts to come in at 675,000 with a range of estimates between 640,000 and 736,000.

‘January’s housing starts data support our view that home builders are shaking off the shackles of the last five years and are beginning to contribute to GDP growth,’ said analysts at Capital Economics, but added; ‘That said, the housing sector is currently not big enough to set the economy alight’.

Figures from the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development show that single family starts fell 1% last month to a seasonally adjusted rate of 508,000 units, down from an upwardly revised 513,000 for December.

But construction of multi family housing increased by 14% to an annualised rate of 175,000 in January.  And the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo housing market index shows that builder confidence is at a four year high.

Source “Property Wire“