Custom Builder | Housing Zone

ULI survey of 38 economists says housing starts will double by 2014

jzagoudis — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 19:32:38 +0000

Real estate economists and analysts are expecting significant turnaround in the national economy and the real estate market within the next three years, according to a new survey by the Urban Land Institute. ULI released the first edition of the semi-annual study — the ULI Real Estate Consensus Forecast — on Wednesday, with the results indicating positive feelings across the industry.

Marvin Windows and Doors kicks off fourth annual myMarvin Architect’s Challenge

jzagoudis — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:25:03 +0000

Marvin Windows and Doors announces it is now accepting entries for its fourth annual myMarvin Architect’s Challenge.

The Architect’s Challenge is fast becoming one of the premier showcases in the architectural world. Winning projects in previous years have displayed the work of designers in styles both traditional and contemporary, in both the residential and commercial arenas.

Company Reference:

Marvin Windows and Doors

Canadian study says wood could be good building material for tall structures

jzagoudis — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:18:47 +0000

A new study examines the potential of wood — typically used only in low-rise building — as an option in taller structures. Some of the benefits the study discusses include greater sustainability, high structural integrity and lower carbon emissions, according to TreeHugger, a sustainability news website.

NAR: Single-family housing at most affordable since 1970

jzagoudis — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:30:30 +0000

Housing affordability hit its highest point since 1970 in January at 206.1, according to the National Association of Realtors’ Housing Affordability Index. This continued an upward trend that started toward the end of 2011, according to Inman News.

The index has been steadily climbing since 2009, when it was at a level of 169.4. It finished 2010 at 174 even and climbed as high as 197.9 in 2011.

Company Reference:

1.800.COLUMNS

'Super-commuting' in the nation’s 10 largest metro areas

jzagoudis — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:52:47 +0000

A new report from NYU’s Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management details the rise of the “super-commuter,” defined as one who commutes from one metropolitan area to another. Study data was tracked through the U.S. Census Bureau’s OnTheMap tool, according to The Atlantic Cities.

PulteGroup partners with Fiberweb to use TYPAR Weather Protection Sysetm exclusively

jzagoudis — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:07:38 +0000

Fiberweb announced the signing of an exclusive multi-year contract with PulteGroup Inc., one of the top homebuilders in the United States. Fiberweb’s TYPAR HouseWrap system will now be used on all of Pulte’s new home-builds across 28 states, helping to secure the longevity and energy-efficiency of PulteGroup’s high-quality homes.

Pending home sales hit highest point since 2010

jzagoudis — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:09:38 +0000

The National Association of Realtors reported that pending home sales reached their highest point in nearly two years in January, according to a story on HousingWire. The association’s index measuring pending sales settled at 97 for the month, its best mark since reaching 111.3 in April 2010.

The January reading was a 2 percent increase from December 2011. NAR also reported the number of signed contracts rose 8 percent from the same time last year.

FHFA begins first transactions of REO rental program

jzagoudis — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 23:24:43 +0000

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has begun the first pilot transaction of its program to turn foreclosed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac homes into rental properties, according to HousingWire. At the outset of the Real Estate-Owned Inititative, the FHFA will take bids on almost 2,500 properties in Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Florida.

New-home sales virtually flat in January

jzagoudis — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 21:00:50 +0000

NAHB reports that sales of newly-built, single-family homes declined by less than one percent in January from an upwardly revised number in the previous month; this brought them to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 321,000 units, according to data jointly released by HUD and the U.S. Commerce Department Feb. 24.

5 bathroom design trends for 2012

jzagoudis — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:11:15 +0000

Existing-home sales rise again in January, inventory down

jzagoudis — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:08:33 +0000

Existing-home sales rose in January, marking three gains in the past four months, while inventories continued to improve, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, increased 4.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.57 million in January from a downwardly revised 4.38 million-unit pace in December and are 0.7 percent above a spike to 4.54 million in January 2011.

5 kitchen design trends for 2012

jzagoudis — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:17:19 +0000

Each year, the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) surveys its members to identify the latest design and specification trends in kitchen and bath design. This year, 350 NKBA members took part in the survey. Here are five emerging kitchen trends they identified:

McIlwain: 3 steps to help the housing market

jzagoudis — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:32:42 +0000

With the housing market in a lethargic recovery, John K. McIlwain of the Urban Land Institute offers three ways to help revive the market in an article in The Atlantic, reprinted from ULI’s Urban Land publication.

1. Renting out federally held real-estate owned (REO) property

Meritage Homes appoints new Orlando division president

jzagoudis — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:41:26 +0000

Meritage Homes appointed Clint Szubinski to run its Orlando division, replacing Fred Vandercook, who was promoted to Southeast Region president earlier this month. Szubinski will report to Vandercook in his new role, and the two will direct Meritage's expansion in the Florida market. 

HousingZone launches new Mark Richardson video series: Getting Your Mojo Back

jsweet — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:30:00 +0000

Professional Remodeler and Custom Builder columnist Mark Richardson is appearing in an exclusive video series on HousingZone.com.

Click here to see the first video.

Richardson is the co-chairman of Case Design/Remodeling and the Case Institute of Remodeling. He is a member of the NAHB Remodeling Hall of Fame and a Fellow at the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Cleveland mortgage settlement money going toward demolition of vacant houses

jzagoudis — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 23:19:28 +0000

A large portion of a multibillion-dollar settlement between the state of Ohio and several large mortgage lenders will go toward demolition of foreclosed, dilapidated houses in the Cleveland area instead of struggling families as intended. The Huffington Post reports that $72 million of the $335 million total from last week’s settlement will fund demolition in the city and nearby Cuyahoga County.

Rising student debt hampers housing growth

jzagoudis — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:11:37 +0000

A new report from Bloomberg indicates that first-time homebuyers are having difficulty securing loans thanks to student loan debt totals nearing $1 trillion. Analysts suggest this is one reason the housing market is still struggling to recover despite record-low mortgage interest rates.

Morgan Stanley says REO rental program could create nearly 2 million jobs

jzagoudis — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 23:13:35 +0000

New research from Morgan Stanley suggests the federal government’s program to turn foreclosed properties into rental opportunities could have a significant positive impact on job creation. This boost could apply to one-time construction and remodeling jobs as well as permanent positions, according to a story on HousingWire.

Viance kicks off Ecolife Fish-More Deck Challenge

jzagoudis — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:21:07 +0000

Viance LLC recently announced the opening of the 2012 Ecolife Fish-More Deck Challenge, with teams of builders and remodelers trying to create the winning deck using the company’s Ecolife Stabilized Weather-Resistant Wood.

Avatar Holdings rebrands as AV Homes

jzagoudis — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:54:11 +0000

Home builder and developer Avatar Holdings unveiled a new identity this week, rebranding itself as AV Homes Inc. It will also begin trading on NASDAQ as of the market open on Feb. 16 under the ticker symbol AVHI.

33 'must-know' stats on real estate customers in 2011

jzagoudis — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:10:56 +0000

Business consultant Matthew Ferrara & Company recently compiled a list of 33 “must-know” statistics about real-estate customers in 2011. The company encourages builders and real estate professionals to use this information to more effectively target their sales, marketing, and referral strategies.

Taylor Morrison buys last parcels of Calif. planned community

jzagoudis — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:33:16 +0000

In one of the largest land sales in California in recent years, Taylor Morrison bought almost 16 acres in the Vista Del Verde master-planned project in Yorba Linda, Calif. According to the Orange County Business Journal, final details of the purchase were not disclosed, but land was expected to cost in the area of $2 million per acre.

Meadow Ranch active adult community in Idaho touts green features

jzagoudis — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:05:02 +0000

Idaho-based ActiveWest Builders recently completed its new sustainable, 80-home Meadow Ranch community for active adults in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The 12-acre site was formerly an urban in-fill lot designated for light commercial use, according to NAHB.

The 80 cottage-style homes come in sizes of 800, 1,500 or 2,200 square feet. They sport a wide variety of green or sustainable features, including:

Builder confidence hits four-year high in February

jzagoudis — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:24:39 +0000

The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index showed increased confidence for the new single-family home market for the fifth consecutive month, rising to its highest point since 2007. Shorter-term growth has been significant as well, with builder confidence doubling since September, according to NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg.

Pending home sales drop at end of 2011, still better than end of 2010

jzagoudis — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:03:21 +0000

The latest edition of the Pending Home Sales Index indicates that sales declined in December 2011 but were still significantly higher than the previous year, according to the National Association of Realtors.