The laundry room is one of those spaces that, if you’re lucky enough to have one, is always in use. If you have a large family, your laundry machines are likely running every day — sometimes even every night. With so much time being spent in these hardworking spaces, it’s worth taking the time to make them as functional and efficient as possible. Pullout drying racks, expansive folding counters and plenty of storage are sure to help you get the job done, but don’t overlook pet-washing stations or wine … [Read more...]
Why This Room Is Now A Must-Have Home Feature
January 14, 2015 by 1 Comment
With mobile technology, it’s easy to work in any room of a house. And yet, according to designers and home builders, the home office is becoming one of a home’s must-have features. Dedicated office space might not always be a full room. In fact, it might be a nook with desk space on the landing of a staircase or a corner of a bedroom or family room. But as people do more work away from the office and kids do more work outside of the library, the home office is growing in importance. “That office or desk space … [Read more...]
Average Time to Build a House: 6 Months
January 14, 2015 by 1 Comment
The time it takes to build a house in the U.S. varies by year and region. Experts ponder what factors have the biggest impact on construction. Want to get your house built as quickly as possible? Buy land in the South and nail down a construction crew? According to data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1973 it took, on average, six months to build a single-family home. In 1980, that number was up to 6.9 months, and in 2009 it was up to 7.9. In 2013, the latest data available, it was back down to six … [Read more...]
More Americans Are Going Solo
October 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Single adults will change the face of the housing industry The U.S. is becoming a nation of singles. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, half of all American adults live in one-person households, and this demographic is heavily influencing the companies that want to reach out to them. Restaurants are including more communal seating to be inclusive for single diners. Multifamily communities are offering shared spaces such as home theaters, outdoor spaces, and work areas so that singles can socially … [Read more...]
6 Design Trends You’ll See More Of
October 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment
What home-design trends will likely catch on in new construction? Builder Online recently spoke to Mollie Carmichael, principal at John Burns Real Estate Consulting, and Nick Lehnert, executive director at architecture firm KTGY, about the design trends that are gaining popularity in the new-home market this year: Private space Baby boomers, empty nesters, and Gen Yers are showing a preference for homes that have more private outdoor spaces, straying from the traditional "public" backyard, according to … [Read more...]
Wall Street: Home price appreciation still expected to hit 7%
April 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Despite a weak first quarter, home prices are still expected to rise by 7% in 2014, according to Wall Street analysts. “We continue to expect home price appreciation to moderate from the torrid pace of mid-2012-13, supported by improving employment and growth prospects,” said analysts from Morgan Stanley (MS). “We leave our 2014 projections for new home sales (450-500 thousand units) and home prices (up 5-7% for the year) unchanged.” Analysts from Barclays (BCS) agree. “Our base case projection for 2014 US … [Read more...]
Pending Home Sales Gain for First Time in 9 Months
April 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The housing market is showing signs of picking up again after a sluggish few months. Pending home sales rose 3.4 percent in March over February, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings. Contracts were most on the rise in the West and South, increasing 5.7 percent and 5.6 percent in March, respectively. The Northeast saw an uptick of 1.4 percent in contracts month-over-month, while contracts in the Midwest fell by 0.8 … [Read more...]
Condo Boom? Market Shows Signs of a Revival
September 13, 2013 by 1 Comment
This headline rings especially true for the immediate area surrounding our offices here in old town Scottsdale. There are currently 4 projects underway within a mile radius. And with an estimated 3,000 or so units available in the next few years, there should be a good mix of baby boomers and first time buyers flooding the area. This mass influx of residents to the old town area should have a significant impact on the area's infrastructure and commerce options - and we are already seeing the beginning of it … [Read more...]
The kids aren’t buying homes: Generation Y may be holding back the housing recovery
July 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The number of “missing households” — that is, Americans who would be owning or renting a home now if prerecession economic trends had continued — hit 2.4 million as of March, according to an analysis of raw monthly government data by real-estate marketplace Trulia. That is down slightly from its peak of 2.6 million in 2011, but up 100,000 from the year prior. And 18- to 34-year-olds account for more than half of the missing households, according to the data. “Household formation is the most important indicator of … [Read more...]
