Accent Homes–Minnesota Custom Home Builder

Homes For Our Troops Project Kicks Off!

2014-12-03T12:24:00.002-06:00

All of us at Accent Homes, Inc. are very excited to announce that we will be building a new specially adapted home in Ramsey, Minnesota for SPC Marco Solt and his family. Marco lost both of his legs below the knees while deployed in Afghanistan, and we are so honored to have a chance to build a new home for him. More information about the kickoff is available below from the Builder's Association of the Twin Cities, and stay tuned for updates on the project.

From the BATC:

Marco Solt Project Kicks Off!

November 26, 2014 By Katie Eldred

Friends, family, supporters and Ramsey, MN residents gathered together on November 21 to welcome SPC Marco Solt into the community of Ramsey. Marco Solt will be the recipient of the newest BATC Foundation partnership – a specially adapted home to be built next year for Marco, his wife Eugenia (Gena) and their son Devin. The home will be built with the support of BATC Foundation partner Homes for Our Troops and local Build Partner Accent Homes, Inc.

Marco Solt and his Family

In spring, 2012, Army SPC Marco Solt was on his first deployment in Qara Bah, Afghanistan when the vehicle he was riding in was hit by an IED. The blast resulted in the loss of both of his legs below the knee. After months of therapy and rehabilitation, Marco returned to Brooklyn Center with his wife Eugenia (Gena). During his recovery, Marco was approached by Homes for Our Troops whose mission is to build specially adapted homes for severely injured Veterans across the nation to enable them to rebuild their lives. Soon after, Homes for Our Troops contacted the BATC Foundation and asked us to help with the project. Our first task was to find a local Build Partner and we’re pleased to announce that Accent Homes, Inc. will be taking on this project.

The project is scheduled to begin spring, 2015. Over the next few months the BATC Foundation will be looking for donations of labor and some materials. If you’re interested in getting involved with this very special project, contact Perri Graham-Raff at perri@batc.org or (651) 697-7563.

Accent Wins Our 14th Reggie Award!

2014-10-24T12:44:00.001-05:00

The 2014 Parade of Homes Awards Ceremony was last night at the Union Depot in St. Paul. It was a wonderful night of great food and great company with many of the industries top builders, remodelers, and associates in attendance; and with WCCO's Jason Derusha keeping the room in good spirits as host.

The 2014 Parade Of Homes Awards Ceremony gets underway in St. Paul
10/23/14

Accent Homes is proud to announce our 14th Reggie Award win for 12 Osprey Court in North Oaks, our impeccably designed one-level overlooking Wilkinson Lake. We are proud and honored to be recognized for our hard work, especially when up against so many other great homes and builders doing great work.

12 Osprey is now sold and closed, but stay tuned for our next model homes as Phases II and III are now underway in North Oaks' Villas of Wilkinson Lake.

The 2014 Fall Parade of Homes Starts This Weekend. Check out our TWO Parade models!

2014-09-04T15:05:00.000-05:00

The 2014 Fall Parade of Homes is upon us! We have two beautiful model homes featured in the Parade this year. The Fall Parade runs September 6-28 (Thurs-Sun) with models open 12-6PM. Stop by and see us!

Parade #91 is our Brooklyn Park walk-out one level. Soaring ceilings, an impressive mix of hardwoods and solid surfaces, and a 9' Quartz center island kitchen–this one is impressive.

Parade of Homes #91 Brooklyn Park

Parade #166 is a North Oaks one-level overlooking picturesque Wilkinson Lake. This home was featured in the 2014 Artisan Home Tour, and features the ultimate in design and material excellence.

Parade of Homes #166 North Oaks

Accent Wins The 2014 Red Diamond Achiever Award by Marvin Integrity Windows!!

2014-08-19T10:35:00.002-05:00

We are proud to announce that we have won the 2014 Red Diamond Achiever Award Midwest. Red Diamond Achiever is an annual nationwide competition based on design and creative use of Marvin Integrity Windows. We submitted our beautiful one-level North Oaks model, 12 Osprey Ct.
See our winning entry below!

Wilkinson Lake

North Oaks, Minnesota

Bud Dropps

Accent Homes, Inc.

This home located in North Oaks, Minnesota is a Prairie designed home that nestles itself into the landscape. With both prairie meadow views and lake views, the large expanse of glass allows the outdoor beauty to be visible from nearly every room of the home. The option of the Prairie grid assisted in carrying out the Prairie theme of the home and the color options worked out just wonderfully.

Attention Realtors! You're Invited To The 2014 Artisan Home Tour Realtor Pre-Show!

2014-06-05T11:30:00.004-05:00

The 2014 Artisan Home Tour Starts on June 7th! Buy Your Tickets Now!

2014-05-28T14:46:00.004-05:00

The inaugural Artisan Home Tour starts on June 7th. Tour the Twin Cities most gracious and well appointed homes representing the vision and craftsmanship of some of the most respected and innovative homebuilders in the Metro area.

Our Artisan Home Tour model is a graceful rambler with roots in the Prairie style featuring clean lines, solid woods, and creative indoor and outdoor spaces.

Additional Features:

3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths, 3-Car Garage, 4,009 Finished Square Feet
Exterior stone is echoed inside at walls and lower level double-sided fireplace
Reclaimed timbers grace front entry and lounge
Cherry interior doors and custom cabinetry combine stained and enameled surfaces
Cherry and glass-panel railings accent the staircase
Designer appliances from Liebher, Fisher & Paykel, Dacor and Danby assure beauty and convenience
French Oak hardwood flooring
Owners bath features bubbler, under-mount tub with granite slab and dual walk-in shower with a barrel vault umbrella
Pub, lounge, wine cellar and game room make for great entertaining in the lower level
Porcelain tile, granite, wood detailing and stone strike a perfect balance throughout the residence

ARTISAN HOME TOUR DAYS AND HOURS:

JUNE 7-15, 2014

June 7-8: Saturday–Sunday 12:00 noon – 6:00 pm
June 9-12: Monday–Thursday 2:00 – 8:00 pm
June 12-15: Friday–Sunday 12:00 noon – 6:00 pm

Buy your tickets online at www.artisanhometour.org in advance and save $5!

Champlin Villas on the Mississippi Mill Pond Now SOLD OUT!

2014-03-26T13:58:00.001-05:00

It's been a busy couple of months for our Champlin project. We started the year with 5 units remaining and they have all sold in the last two months. Stay tuned for more association-maintained projects. Looking to build this spring? We can find you the perfect home site and neighborhood anywhere in the metro area. Give us a call.

2014 Parade of Homes Starts Today. See our clean design Brooklyn Park model now!

2014-03-01T17:30:00.001-06:00

The 2014 Parade of Homes Spring Preview is upon us! This year we are featuring one of our trademark one-level ramblers with a mix of contemporary inspired clean design, and traditional comfort. We think this home turned out beautiful. Soaring ceilings and interior soffit, huge oversized windows, and great functional spaces. The home features great combinations of woods, clear alder cabinets, solid birch flooring, and enameled poplar cabinets, along with three different kinds of solid surface counters–granite, Hanstone, and Silestone. Also, one of our favorite features, a large screened in porch overlooking the wooded back area with additional open deck. Here's a few preview shots, and stop in to see us Thursdays-Sundays 12-6 through March 30th! Visit us at www.accenthomesinc.com for more information on this or other current projects.

Living room with Cosmo fireplace

Open living/kitchen/dining

Master Bedroom

Office/Command Center

Screen Porch

Lower level living w/adjacent wet bar area.

Champlin Model Now Sold. Only TWO home sites remain in this cozy 15 unit neighborhood!

2014-02-02T09:03:00.002-06:00

Our quiet and cozy association maintained neighborhood on the banks of the Mississippi Mill Pond now has only two remaining home sites. Both remaining sites feature beautiful views of the Mill Pond and the mouth of Elm Creek near Elm Creek Park Preserve. The model will be available to show through the month of February. Click here for more model information. Home packages from $265,300.

Northeast Bungalow Sold, New Projects Coming Up

2013-12-19T13:56:00.001-06:00

Our vintage inspired NE Minneapolis bungalow has now sold! This custom designed plan is the perfect mix of classic design, detail, and modern amenities, designed to seamlessly fit into any urban neighborhood.

Though home sites can be hard to find in the urban core, we have at least two more similar projects planned for 2014 in South and Northeast Minneapolis. Contact Jim Dropps for more information on these upcoming projects. Interested in urban new construction? We can find you the perfect home site!

Construction Underway On Vintage Inspired Bungalow in Northeast!

2013-10-18T08:58:00.002-05:00

We recently broke-ground on this beautiful home in Northeast Minneapolis, inspired by bungalows of the 20s and 30s, we've taken a true classic and updated it for modern living. Built to fit right in the neighborhood, the home features 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, and an open main floor plan.

The exterior features an open front porch with wrapped columns, oversized windows with James Hardie trim, shakes, and bungalow style louvres and brackets.

The interior is loaded with high quality finishes including hardwood flooring, custom built cabinetry and bookshelves, fireplace, and knockdown ceilings.

You'll love the gourmet kitchen with enameled cabinetry, granite, butcher block, and ceramic backsplash.

We're aiming for January completion, for more information contact Jim Dropps at 763-464-4371, www.thenortheastco.com, or visit us at www.accenthomesinc.com.

Watch Accent Homes on "The ART of HOME" on WFTC 29

2013-09-13T16:56:00.004-05:00

Tune in Saturday (Sept 14) morning to see Accent Homes featured on WFTC's The ART of HOME. The ART OF HOME is a TV show featuring the latest home decor, design, architecture and building trends in the Twin Cities. In our episode, we're focusing on an extraordinary custom home we just finished in the North metro. This is a truly spectacular Country Estate, be sure to check it out!

Here's a couple of shots of Bud (Accent's Owner) and
Jim (Accent's Designer/Jim Kuiken Designs) having fun while filming:

Accent Model Chosen As AT&T's Digital Life House

2013-06-05T13:08:00.001-05:00

AT&T has been busy rolling out their new Digital Life technology in select markets, and they have just selected Accent's Golden Valley model as their Digital Life House Minneapolis. Digital Life offers the convenience of a home management and automation system with the simplicity and flexibility to meet customers' unique needs. Need to secure your home, check in on your kids or pets, adjust the temperature, or verify that the garage door is closed? AT&T Digital Life makes it possible to do all this and more, remotely, using your smartphone, tablet or PC—regardless of your wireless or wireline broadband provider.

For a tour of our beautiful Golden Valley model and AT&T Digital Life House, give us a call!

Parade of Homes Begins In One Week. A Sneak Peek.

2013-02-22T11:36:00.001-06:00

We are a week away from the start of the 2013 Spring Preview! We are down to the finish line on our 2013 Parade model and just about ready to show, here's a sneak peek.

Striking a balance between change and tradition, this urban dwelling is engagingly warm and deceptively simple. Ideally located in the Spring Green community of Golden Valley, the home is designed to simplify and offers multi-flex spaces for an array of use. A striking walnut kitchen studio is set at the core of the home while subtle influences of mid-century modern design elements and thoughtful indulgences are found throughout. Multi award-winning Accent Homes - distinctive, expertly built homes tailored specifically for your lifestyle, budget and building site.

We don't want to divulge too much before it's done, but here's a few under construction shots:

Clean line fireplace with hints of contemporary.

Striking walnut kitchen with ceramic and solid surface tops.

Walnut with glass-tile mosaic backsplash.

Villas at Water's Edge: 4 Home Sites Remain, Model Underway

2013-01-15T10:46:00.001-06:00

Villas at Water's Edge, our association maintained detached villas project on the banks of the Mississippi Mill Pond, has only 4 remaining home sites. The newest model, at 260 Lowell Rd, features over 1900 square feet of living space, with huge oversized windows, beautiful woodwork, granite, and great architectural detail. We've been hard at work for a pre-spring completion, and it looks like we'll be ready to show by end of February. Contact us for a tour of the neighborhood! Model rendering below:


260 Lowell Rd. Champlin

There are 3 remaining Mill Pond home sites, with 1 remaining off of the water. We have numerous floor plans available, and of course custom builds are available as well. Contact Jim Dropps for more information.

New Construction Continues To Boom

2012-11-29T10:02:00.001-06:00

New construction in the Twin Cities is seeing unprecedented gains with single family homes up 107% over last year. We are feeling it around the office with new projects coming in every day, it is an exciting time for us and for a lot of new homeowners! The downside to this boom in activity is the inevitable rise in material prices. We've already been watching materials like lumber and concrete increase all year, with sheetrock prices going up the first of the year. While new home prices are still at historical lows, they are moving up quickly and will continue to rise in 2013. What this means: Spring 2013 is going to be the busiest spring in years as more people decide to build their dream home before prices go up even further. Stop by our Website to see what's in the works. Here's the story in today's Star Tribune highlighting this surge in activity:

Housing permits hit roof in Minn. as recovery, sales build up steam

Even with winter upon us, home and apartment construction in the Twin Cities almost tripled this month compared with last year, yet another sign that the local housing market is on the mend.

Builders were issued 377 permits this month to build 1,278 single-family houses and apartments, according to the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC). Big apartment buildings made up most of the increase, but builders say the overall construction industry is recovering.

"It's real, and it's been real for awhile," said Bill Burgess, president of Lennar Homes, the state's largest builder.

While such increases are unprecedented, the industry is far from regaining lost ground. It could take years before construction activity returns to normal, Burgess said. Historically, single-family construction would average about 14,000 units, but this year builders are on pace to finish with about 4,000 units.

Still, the recovery is happening quickly. There have been double-digit increases in the number of permits for most of the year, and apartment construction has soared due to pent-up demand. The overall vacancy rate in the Twin Cities metro area is less than 2 percent, and has barely budged despite hundreds of new units that have come to the market.

So far this year builders were issued permits to build 8,235 single-family houses and apartments, a 107 percent increase over last year. Big apartment buildings made up the bulk of the increase, posting a 400 percent jump over last year.

Sales of single-family homes have also climbed -- so much so that the inventory of existing houses on the market would last only about four months at the current sales pace, driving some to wonder if a seller's market isn't just around the corner.

"There are people out there who feel a lot better about the economy," Burgess said. "They've been on the sidelines and those people are coming out and saying 'now is the perfect time to buy.'"

The U.S. Commerce Department said Wednesday that home sales were up 17 percent compared with last year. Home values also jumped, with the median sales price of new homes during October about 5.7 percent higher than the previous month. When adjusted for seasonal factors, though, home sales had fallen 0.3 percent from September to October, something of a disappointment for those who expected sales to keep rising.

Burgess said he's not surprised to see an increase in local permit activity even though nationwide sales were down. Fall is a popular shopping season for new home buyers along with the spring.

Jeff Parks, Minnesota division president for K. Hovnanian Homes, said the company is aggressively expanding in the Twin Cities because its net sales for the fiscal year were 50 percent higher.

"We've seen marked improvement in sales activity at our Twin Cities communities over the past 12 months," he said. "We are actively pursuing land and lot opportunities throughout the Twin Cities area."

Aside from the psychological and economic factors that are driving the market, there's a major demographic shift underway that's helping drive demand for new housing. In most major metro areas nationwide, household growth is rising after years of declines. A survey by Pitney Bowes Software said the Twin Cities is among nearly 400 metro areas where household formation is expected to increase, though not as quickly as it grew from 2000 to 2010.

Tom Exter, Pitney's chief demographer, said over the next five years there will be a 2.8 percent increase in household growth locally.

That projection is well below what would be normal for this market, but it is consistent with what he'd expect in the wake of a recession and supports the notion that long term there will be demand for new housing.

"Hopefully, it's at the beginning of a curve that will trend upwards from here," he said. "I think Minneapolis is fortunate because it was hit like other places, but not as hard and is well-positioned to come back on a slow, steady basis."

Jim Buchta • 612-673-7376

Accent Wins Another Reggie Award!

2012-10-18T12:49:00.001-05:00

The 2012 Parade of Homes has just concluded, and Accent Homes was again awarded for excellence in design and construction with a Reggie Award. The award was received for our detached Villa model in the Lakes of Blaine, 3287 122nd Ave. NE. Featuring 'big style in smaller spaces,' these villas are thoughtfully planned with your lifestyle in mind, each home offering personalized floor plans, flexible custom options and rich in architectural detailing. Inspiration, comfort and the warmth of natural materials were showcased in this three-bedroom, three-bath villa home. On/off lake shore lots are available, nestled in ‘Emerald Bay’ in the Lakes of Blaine offering miles of trails, acres of lakes, and attractive community amenities. How many Reggies has Accent received in 30+ years? We're not quite sure...

Accent's North Oaks Project Underway!

2012-10-09T13:03:00.001-05:00

Accent Homes is proud to announce our newest project the Villas at Wilkinson Lake in beautiful North Oaks, is underway and home packages are now available. This association-maintained neighborhood offers carefree living on the shores of Wilkinson Lake. The single family, detached homes are adjacent to the 620-acre conservation area that remains protected from future development, allowing residents to have views of preserved open land across the lake.

The office has been-a-buzzing with design and spec meetings to begin construction on our model home as soon as possible. The Villa model will feature approximately 4000 square feet of finished space, with hardwoods, solid surface, and other high end finishes similar to our Shoreview and Blaine projects, seen below. The project consists of 9 walkout home sites, though with one reserved for the model and two pre-sold packages underway, only 6 remain. To set up an appointment to view an Accent Model or tour the Villas at Wilkinson Lake project, call the Accent Office or Sonia Kohli (Edina Realty) at 651-481-6798. More information at Accent's Website.

Accent Homes Featured In The Parade Of Homes Guidebook!

2012-08-30T13:52:00.000-05:00

www.paradeofhomes.org

Lakes Models Now Sold!

2012-08-13T15:59:00.001-05:00

2012 is shaping up to be quite a year. We've been busy all year with pre-sold custom homes all over the metro area, and now we better get going on some more model homes as both Lakes of Blaine models are now sold. Our beautiful vintage-modern inspired ranch-style home, 3070 Aspen Lakes Drive, closed last week. It was a wonderful model home, and served as a showroom and starting point for many custom designed homes. Our brand new detached villa model on Emerald Bay, 3287 122nd Ave., also sold last week. We will have the villa model open through the Parade of Homes, so make sure to stop and take a tour before it's gone!

With the huge increase in new construction activity, material prices have been increasing steadily all year, combine this with the low inventory of lots, and we will continue to see prices continue to rise through 2012 and 2013. What does this mean? Build your dream home now at historically low prices and record low interest rates!

New Home Sales Up 28% in April!

2012-05-23T11:22:00.000-05:00

2012 continues to be the busiest we've been in years, and the numbers are in that prove it. According to the Dept of Commerce, new home sales in the Midwest were up 28% last month, and we're expected to continue to see improvement through 2012. Great news! Article below from the Star Tribune:

WASHINGTON - Americans bought more new homes last month, the latest evidence that the U.S. housing market could be starting to recover. New-home sales increased 3.3 percent in April from March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 343,000, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. Sales rose sharply in every region of the country but the South.

The gain pushed the annual sales pace to its second-highest level in two years. Economists were encouraged by the increase but cautioned that new homes are still selling at half the rate consistent with healthy markets.
The increase follows other reports this week that suggest steady improvement in housing. Sales of previously occupied homes rose to near a two-year high in April. And Toll Brothers, a key U.S. builder of luxury homes, reported that it returned to profitability in the second quarter.

A pickup in hiring, cheaper mortgages and lower home prices in most markets have made home buying more attractive.

"Housing could be a pleasant surprise this year," said Ellen Zentner, a senior economist at Nomura Securities. She said home construction would likely contribute to overall economic growth this year for the first time since 2005.

Sales of new homes rose 28 percent in April from March in the Midwest and the West, and 7.7 percent in the Northeast. Only in the South did sales fall, by 10.6 percent.
The median price rose to $235,700, a slight increase from March.

Toll Brothers said Wednesday that home deliveries and signed contracts on new homes rose in the quarter that ended April 30. Its shares rose more than 2 percent.
The homebuilder earned $16.9 million, or 10 cents per share, in the latest quarter. A year earlier it lost $20.8 million, or 12 cents per share.

On Tuesday, the National Association of Realtors said sales of previously owned homes increased 3.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.62 million. That nearly matched January's sales pace of 4.63 million, which had been the best in two years.

Though new homes represent less than 20 percent of the housing market, they have an outsize impact on the economy. Each home built creates an average of three jobs for a year and generates about $90,000 in tax revenue, according to statistics compiled by the National Association of Home Builders.
Builders have grown more confident since last fall, in part because more people are expressing interest in buying a home. In May, builder optimism rose to the highest level in five years, according to a monthly index compiled by the builders' group.

Homebuilders reported improving sales and higher traffic from prospective buyers, the survey showed. A gauge measuring confidence in sales over the next six months also increased.
Recent job gains have likely made it easier for more Americans to purchase a home. Employers have added 1 million jobs in the past five months. And unemployment has dropped a full percentage point since August, from 9.1 percent to 8.1 percent in April.

Mortgage rates, meanwhile, have fallen to record lows, making home-buying more affordable. Still, many would-be buyers are having difficulty qualifying for home loans or can't afford larger down payments required by banks.

Builders still face a tough environment. They are struggling to compete with deeply discounted foreclosures and short sales — when lenders allow homes to be sold for less than what's owed on the mortgage.

Spring Traffic Strongest In Years!

2012-03-19T12:52:00.000-05:00

The National Association of Realtors is out with some new data showing brisk home-buyer traffic nationwide. 2012 has seen only good news so far, increasing housing starts, sales, and decreasing inventory. This week we will also see the release of the National Association of Realtors' existing home sales report for February, the Commerce Department's new home sales and housing starts reports for February, the National Association of Homebuilders' housing market index for March and the Federal House Finance Agency's housing market index for January. So stay tuned!

Signs Point to a Broad Spring Improvement

On March 19, 2012, in Economist Commentaries, by Ken Fears, Manager, Regional Economics

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Employment growth has improved, consumer confidence reflects growing optimism, and affordability is at record levels driven by sub-4% mortgage rates. The spring market is nearly here and there is much anecdotal evidence that it will be stronger than recent history. One indicator, foot traffic, is the strongest that it has been in several years.

Each month NAR Research monitors data on the number of visits to homes that are listed for sale in roughly 160 real estate boards across the country. This data is provided by SentriLock, LLC., the makers of those small lock boxes, which store the key used by REALTORS® to access and tour a home. Foot traffic patterns are related to contracts for purchase and, eventually, home sales. Consequently, there is a strong correlation between foot traffic and NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index (PHS) and Existing Home Sales trend.

One way to measure foot traffic is to look at a diffusion index. A diffusion index is used to measure change across a panel of entities, in this case housing markets. Each market in this sample is given a score of “0” if it is has experienced a decline in foot traffic during the recent period compared to a year earlier, “50” if it has not change, and “100” if it has expanded. The average of these makes up the diffusion index. A diffusion index above 50 suggests that the majority of markets are expanding relative to the same period a year earlier.
Growth in the diffusion index for foot traffic pictured above peaked at 77.7 during the summer of 2011. This was the strongest point in more than four years and reflected a sharp improvement in interest for home purchases across many markets. Traffic eased in August as concerns over the European debt situation and the battle in Congress over the budget raised questions about the economy, but record low mortgage rates helped to sustain strong growth in buyer interest through the fall.

The diffusion index for foot traffic has grown steadily since November and reached 77.6 in February of 2012, the second highest level in roughly five years. Indeed, that means that roughly 77% of markets registered stronger foot traffic in February of 2012 compared to February of last year. Given that it is still early for the spring housing market, the index is likely to rise as northern markets that tend to have a later spring market begin to reflect this pattern.

Foot traffic can provide valuable insights into the potential for home sales. While growth in the diffusion index does not tell us how much stronger home sales volume will be this spring, it does suggest that the improvement will be more broad-based than any spring market since 2007 including the tax-credit period of 2010.

Ken Fears, Manager, Regional Economics

Ken Fears is the Manager of Regional Economics. He focuses on regional and local market trends found in the Local Market Reports and the Market Watch Reports . He also writes on developments in the mortgage industry and foreclosures.

Shoreview's Whispering Pines: Three Pre-Solds Under Construction, Only Four Home Sites Remaining!

2012-02-24T09:10:00.000-06:00

Situated near Hodgson Rd and Highway 96 in Shoreview, we thought our Whispering Pines would be a popular neighborhood when our Model Home opened last fall. It has a great location with easy access to 35E, 35W, and 694; Shoreview is one of the metro's most popular cities, with a great school district, lakes, parks, and community centers; and we built a beautiful Model Home to showcase warm, classically modern design.

Now with only 4 home sites remaining, it's looking like we were right. Over the last few months we've designed and began construction on three new homes in Whispering Pines, each fully tailored to each client's specific taste and style. Stop by our Model Home on weekends or give us a call for a private tour of the model and the neighborhood. Home packages in Whispering Pines start at $450,000.

Increased Sales, Falling Inventory. Hello 2012!

2012-01-03T11:06:00.000-06:00

We closed out 2011 with positive economic numbers across the board. 2011 saw increases in residential home construction spending, new homes sales, falling inventory, as well as better overall economic health. We're looking forward to a busy 2012! Check out the article below from the National Association of Realtors.

Construction Spending, ISM Index

On January 3, 2012, in Daily Economic Updates, by Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist

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Each day the Research staff takes a look at recently released economic indicators, addressing what these indicators mean for REALTORS® and their clients. Today’s update highlights the stock market, construction spending and the ISM Index.

The stock market is greeting the New Year with a nice gain, and in particular the housing sector, based on the Stock Index in the Philadelphia Stock Exchange (symbol HGX). This index is comprised mostly of publicly-listed homebuilder companies, and is up about 40 percent from 3 months ago as a string of improving home sales and falling inventory figures were released over this time span.
Today’s data on construction spending (with a long lag time – the latest reading is for November of last year) indicated a fourth straight months of gain in private sector residential construction spending and six straight months of gain in private sector commercial real estate construction spending.
Separately, the manufacturing sector is showing improvement. The latest ISM index, which tracks this industry, was 53.9 in December, the highest reading in 6 months. The employment component showed an even higher reading. An index above 50 implies an expansion in the sector, so the latest data is pointing to net job gains in the manufacturing sector.
There have been decisively more economic data pointing positive than negative. The broadest reading of the economy – GDP – for the fourth quarter could be as high as 3.5 percent. The GDP data will be released in late January. Such a growth rate, if it can be sustained throughout this year, could mean 2 to 3 million net new jobs created in 2012.

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist

Lawrence Yun is Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Research at NAR. He directs research activity for the association and regularly provides commentary on real estate market trends for its 1 million REALTOR® members.

Champlin Model Sells with Multiple Offers! Homesites now from $47k!!

2011-11-14T08:53:00.000-06:00

We just sold our Champlin model at 264 Lowell Rd after receiving multiple offers. This beautiful model won the Builder Association's Reggie Award for excellence in design and construction and is located in Villas at Water's Edge, a small, quiet neighborhood on the Mississippi Mill Pond. Stay tuned for information on the next model home, or ask us about building one–homesites now start at $47k!