Home construction accelerated in March at the fastest pace since the housing crash in 2008, just in time for springtime buyers. The Commerce Department stated that builders increased the pace of home construction 7 percent from February to March, while apartment construction increased 31 percent.

“steady job growth, near record-low mortgage rates and rising home values have encouraged more people to buy,” according to an article from the Associated Press. Indeed, as people have more money to spend, builders have responded by putting more homes on the market for sale.

What does this all mean for house flippers? With housing prices on the rise, there will be less ‘fixer uppers’ on the market. It also means that, with the pace of home construction 46 percent higher than the same month in 2012, there is broad agreement that this is most assuredly a seller’s market.

Dodger golden boy and pitcher Zack Greinke is making a name for himself on and off the field this year by not only starting a bench-clearing brawl at the recent Dodgers vs. Padres game, but also with the purchase of a new $4.6 million home in Los Angeles, CA.

Built in 2012 and located in the up-and-coming neighborhood of Studio City, Greinke’s new 7-bedroom, 10-bath retreat is emblematic of the emerging Los Angeles real estate market. In an area where the average house is worth about $1.3 million, Greinke’s home definitely stands out.

Tucked away in the Studio City hills, the two-structure compound manages to seem removed from the city. Expansive grounds with trees and shrubs help to isolate the area, and a fire pit, waterfall and walking bridge promote a peaceful atmosphere. Sleek hardwood floors, a wrap-around porch, and unique California-style architecture add to the cabin-like feel.

Although you expect to see him on the front page of the sports section, seeing the name Greinke attached to real estate represents a new adventure for the young pitcher. After signing a 6-year $147 million contract with the Dodgers, he definitely has some money to play with.

House flipping was on the rise again in 2012 despite expectations that the world might end. While bargain hunting was sparse during the crash, home values are now on the rise and house flipping has followed suit.

RealtyTrac, a foreclosure information website based in California, reported that house flipping is on the rise for the second year in a row, up 0.33 percent in 2012 following a 12 percent increase in 2011. The average gross profit during 2012 was $37,375.

But flipping is not the same game it was, and those who are successful have adapted to the fallout that left many who were hoping to sell properties within a short time stuck between a rock and a hard place. And this time around, buyers are making smarter and more calculated bets.

Various ‘hot spots’ have surfaced around the United States, which are generating larger profits for flippers, including Orlando, Florida; Richmond, Virginia; Tucson, Arizona; and Charlotte, North Carolina. Buying a home in a more targeted area will ultimately increase the chances of large payoffs down the line.

When it comes to financing, it is much harder to utilize banks now that tighter restrictions have been put on home loans, so having cash can translate into significant discounts. Also, since banks have taken over so many mortgages, foreclosed homes have opened up new opportunities to increase the value of properties the old-fashioned way: renovations.

House flipping is on the rise, yes, but only those savvy enough to adapt to the rules of the game will see big returns.

Mike Brown is officially over Los Angeles. After a dramatic departure from NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers after only seven games this season, Mike Brown and his wife, Carolyn, have listed their Anaheim Hills house for $3.75 million. The Browns bought the home in 2011 for $3 million.

The 6-bedroom, 7.5-bathroom home was built in 1990 and sits on ¾ of an acre, and includes not only tennis and basketball courts, but also a saltwater pool with a waterslide and waterfall. The house also features a wood-paneled library and office, a built-in aquarium, ornate leaded-glass doors, a sports bar, and almost 10,000 square feet of living space.

Not coincidentally, rumors have swirled that NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers want the coach back next season, where Brown made his name with famed forward Lebron James. Hopefully he will coach for longer than 2 weeks in his next foray in the basketball league.

A perfect sign that the U.S. housing market is stabilizing and actually booming in some cities, home values in Phoenix, Arizona have gone through the roof. This has pushed a plethora of real estate investors to stop eying Phoenix and actually make their move.

Compared to the same period last year, the price per square foot of homes in Phoenix, Arizona increased a stunning 999.9 percent, according to Trulia’s statistics. And if that’s not good enough, the median home sales price increased 56 percent. Relatively speaking, those are jaw-dropping gains.

With hopes of turning a larger profit, many house flippers are flocking towards higher priced Phoenix neighborhoods. Two of the most popular are Camelback East and Paradise Valley, with Camelback East sporting some of the most expensive properties.

As the sun shines on Phoenix, the only downside is that housing inventory is scarce, which has pushed some investors out of the market. Buyers simply can’t find what they want, and therefore purchase new homes. According to a report from Arizona State University, sales of newly built homes surged 67 percent from February 2012 to February 2013.

Superstorm Sandy was one of the deadliest and most destructive U.S. hurricanes, second only to Hurricane Katrina. In its wake, Sandy left billions of dollars in damage and created a perfect storm for a buyer’s real estate market. While distressed homes are selling for anywhere from 10 to 60 percent less than move-in-ready properties, it is very much a ‘buyer beware’ market.

House flippers who are intrigued by the low prices should look out for a few things: (1) extensive hurricane damage, (2) new flood maps, zoning changes, and building code changes, which all affect home insurance rates, and (3) government efforts to buyout properties in communities which have been hit by multiple hurricanes over the past decade.

But in a sense, there is a big plus about buying property that has been damaged by Hurricane Sandy: there’s room for lots of home improvement! “If it’s all gutted out, you can do what you want,” said Tom Tripodi, president of the Tripodi Group/ Douglas Elliman Real Estate in the Long Island city of Long Beach. “You can own the house with a brand new kitchen, new appliances, new floors.”

Although there are many reasons to beware of such an extensively damaged real estate market, there is no sign of a mass exodus of homeowners in storm-hit communities – homes on the water are going to fetch big money regardless. As the Spring home-buying season soon approaches, we’ll see whether these investments in storm-battered properties are worth the risk.

After a brutally slow recovery since the housing crash of 2007, the American housing market has been showing signs of life lately as increasingly stable Americans look to invest in increasingly affordable housing. 2012 was the best year for the housing market since 2007, and the trend continues into January 2013. “Housing market activity appears to have ended 2012 on a positive note and is off to a strong start in 2013,” said Cooper Howes, US economist at Barclays Capital.

A study recently released by the National Association of Realtors states that the number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes rose in January to its highest level in two and a half years. Their seasonal index for home sales rose 4.5 percent as well, healthier than any time since April 2010.

The major change has been in sales of previously occupied homes, currently at its highest point in 5 years. Encouraged by steady employment and record-low mortgage rates, Americans are slowly starting to invest more in real estate. Because of this, experts expect this rising trend to continue.

People flipping houses should note that sales of previously owned homes seem to be on the rise, and as Americans regain their buying power, they also regain their spending hunger.

After being crushed by the housing market collapse that began in 2007, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will build a new joint company with the intent of supporting the now burgeoning market and reducing government’s role in mortgage lending. The mortgage giants have spent over $190 million dollars of taxpayer money to stay afloat since then, and it is becoming abundantly clear that their traditional systems of lending will no longer support the housing market.

Edward DeMarco, acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), says that the goal is to create a system that provides value and support to the market and returns money to the taxpayers. DeMarco’s plans for 2013 include reducing the involvement of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the housing finance industry by 10% for multifamily loans and 5% for less liquid mortgage portfolios. “We are on a path to replace the outdated proprietary operational systems of Fannie and Freddie,” he said. “It could be turned to some sort of a market utility.”

Despite universal agreement that the old systems don’t work, Republicans and Democrats have yet to agree on a working system to replace them. However, as the housing market continues to recover, solutions like the joining of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will continue to emerge.

Not everybody buys a house to be near the person they date, but Taylor Swift apparently does. After finding romance with a member of the Kennedy political dynasty – Connor Kennedy – Swift purchased a Cape-Cod style, seven-bedroom waterfront home in Massachusetts across the street from Connor’s family home.

“People say that about me, that I apparently buy houses near every boy I like — that’s a thing that I apparently do. If I like you I will apparently buy up the real estate market just to freak you out so you leave me,” said the country singer. At least she’s honest.

But now that the puppy love is over, and Swift is moving on, she has sold the home. Realtor Bob Kinlan confirmed to E! Online that, although Swift never actually lived in the house, her ‘entourage’ made plenty of renovations, including replacing the septic system and renovating the kitchen and bathroom. After purchasing the home for $4.8 million last August, Kinlan confirmed that Swift just sold the property to a couple that was previously interested in it. The home sold for $5.675 million just a few weeks ago, which produced a profit of nearly $1 million.

While many people out there are working hard to flip homes, not all of us can be so Swift about it.

Technology now plays an integral role in our daily lives and many of us stay glued to our computers and mobile devices for hours each day. And as technology progressed over the years, it found its way into our homes — first with televisions in the 1950s, then with energy-efficient appliances, and now with home automation systems.

“Though it sounds futuristic, home-automation technology has been kicking around for decades. Products based on the X-10 technology–still the most widely used because it is cheap and piggybacks on a home’s existing power lines–first hit shelves at RadioShack and Sears in 1978,” said an editor from CNET. The fact is that not everyone is tech-savvy and wants to turn their home into a spaceship, which is understandable, and it will take a special generation to truly transformation how we see home automation.

A vast majority of consumers who would consider buying a home automation system are younger and grew up with technology at their fingertips. Older generations, such as my father’s, have difficulty accessing their email let alone using a home automation system. That’s not to say older people won’t automate their homes, it’s just not as prevalent.

To expand their consumer base, manufacturers of home automation systems are on a mission to educate the masses. The idea of networking one’s home sounds like a monumental task, but it’s really not that difficult. One of the most popular systems, Control4, has a video on their site showing ease of use, and a customer states: “While some people may walk in and go wow, this is very futuristic, kids can operate this system so easily. It’s so intuitive.” They recognize the roadblock and are trying to knock it down.

As home automation systems continue to gain popularity, more and more people, including the elderly, will install them in their homes.

Here’s a roundup of some of the most popular home automation systems (in no particular order):

- Control4

- Vivint

- HomeSeer

- Creston

- Iris (by Lowe’s)