Articles
The Lock-In Effect: Why Homeowners Are Renovating Instead of Moving
The Lock-In Effect Is Reshaping Home Improvement Millions of homeowners locked in low mortgage rates between 2020 and 2021. Now, with rates lingering around 7%, most of them aren’t going anywhere. Moving means giving up a lower payment for one that costs hundreds more per month. So, they’re staying put, and they’re putting that money…
Articles
Customer Acquisition Costs Are Rising, But Not Equally
U.S. media inflation is projected to reach 4.0% in 2026, but that doesn’t mean every contractor will see the same increase in advertising costs. In 2025 paid search benchmarks, home services cost per lead (CPL) rose 10.5% year over year, compared with 5.1% across industries. Modernize’s paid search data through July 2026 shows even bigger…
Articles
How to Shorten Your Sales Cycle When Homeowners Are Hesitant to Commit
If it feels like homeowners are taking longer to say “yes” than they used to, you’re not imagining it. Across the industry right now, contractors are reporting the same pattern: more inquiries and estimate requests, but slower conversion. For contractors, that hesitation is showing up in the numbers: financial concerns remain the leading reason…
Articles
7 Ways Financing Can Grow Your Business: From More Approvals to Bigger Tickets
When you are trying to gain a new client, the ability to offer payment flexibility is a major advantage. Even when a homeowner is able to pay for the project in total, financing can be a very helpful and attractive option. Financing gives your team another positive way to talk about cost, and structured payments can reduce pressure on household finances, helping you onboard even more customers. Benefits of Financing for Contractors 1. Higher Close…
Articles
Introducing the 360 Finance Financing Calculator
The 360 Finance Contractor Portal now includes a Financing Calculator, a purpose-built tool designed to eliminate friction from the financing discovery phase. Rather than requiring homeowners to commit to a formal application before understanding their payment options, the calculator provides instant, scenario-based financing estimates within your sales workflow. Customers Who See Their Options Decide Faster Most financing conversations happen after the…
Articles
Your 360 Finance Toolkit: Understanding Project Tier Options
When creating a financing application in 360 Finance, one of the first decisions you’ll make is selecting a Project Tier. While it may seem like a small setting, your selection influences the financing offers presented to the homeowner and should be based on the margin and profitability of the specific project. Standard Plus Project Tier…