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...]
Why Prospects of Condo Comeback Are High
October 13, 2014 by
Condo sales have been on a roller coaster ride in recent years, as the recession hit the sector hard. But is the country ready for a condo revival? In 2005, condo sales surged to 12.7 percent of all home sales. But the financial crisis caused the condo market to recede — even more so than the single-family market — with sales falling to 10.7 percent of all home purchases in 2009. "Condo sales moved sideways several years after the recession before picking up steam again in 2013," CoreLogic Deputy Chief … [Read more...]
6 Design Trends You’ll See More Of
October 13, 2014 by
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...]
Pending Home Sales Gain for First Time in 9 Months
April 29, 2014 by
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...]
Phoenix housing market has worst February in 4 years; prices could stay flat in 2014
April 3, 2014 by
It was the weakest February in four years for the metro Phoenix housing market, and it’s possible prices may stay flat in 2014. After a steep plunge and then a dramatic turnaround within that four-year span, this pause in the market could be both disappointing and relieving, depending on your perspective. The number of homes sold in February (5,398) fell by more than one quarter versus a year ago, while total cash spent in those transactions ($1.4 billion) was down 16 percent, according to Arizona State … [Read more...]
Home Prices Back at Peaks in Some Areas
December 30, 2013 by
Recovery Remains Uneven as Cities Spared in Bust Soar, but Many Others Struggle Home prices have zipped back into record territory in a handful of American cities, a milestone that comes seven years after the housing bust ravaged the market and the broader economy. Values are up more than 13% from their 2007 high in Oklahoma City and by more than 6% in the Denver metro area. Prices are back to all-time highs in 10 of the nation's 50 largest metropolitan areas, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of … [Read more...]
Home Prices Edge Closer To Pre-Crash Levels
August 27, 2013 by
-In Arizona, we are still about 30% off pre-crash levels but those numbers are moving fast back in the right direction. Read below for further info on this trend. Home prices keep edging closer to pre-crash price levels and today's Home Price Index report from Lender Processing Services (LPS) indicates that national prices are now backwithin 15.2 percent of that peak. The index for June rose to $229,000 from 226,000 in May, an increase of 1.2 percent and is up 6.9 percent from the end of last year. The … [Read more...]
10 Safest Cities in the U.S. (hint: 2 Arizona cities made the list)
July 29, 2013 by
For the first time since 2006, violent crime was on the rise last year, according to FBI data. But in some cities, violent crime remains well below national averages. AOL Real Estate recently analyzed the FBI’s report on crime to find the cities with populations of more than 200,000 that have violent crime rates “substantially” below the national average. Here are the top 10 “safe zones” that made its list: Irvine, Calif. (ninth consecutive year named safest city in the nation) Fremont, Calif. Plano, … [Read more...]
