News, Trends, Community - November
The latest news and trends in the residential home improvement industry
Jeannine Clark, CAPS, of Mannigan Design, Pasadena, Calif., won in the Major Space remodel category for integrating aging-in-place and universal design features so they were invisible but improved the function and access of the home.
Carla Aston, ASID, RID, CAPS, of Aston Design Studio, The Woodlands, Texas, won in the Single Space remodel category for remodeling the bathroom of a paralyzed male client. Aston created a luxurious ambiance, incorporating slate, granite and mahogany features for a rich color scheme.
For more information, visit www.nahb.org/remodel.
The average number of rooms that homeowners plan to remodel fell from 3.7 in 2007 to 2.7 in 2010.
Home prices
Home Prices Remain Stable
Data through July from New York-based Standard & Poor’s S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices show the annual growth rates in 16 of the 20 metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs, and the 10- and 20-city composites slowed compared to June 2010.
The 10-city composite is up 4.1 percent and the 20-city composite is up 3.2 percent from where they were in July 2009. For June they were reported as up 5 and 4.2 percent, respectively. Although home prices increased in most markets in July vs. June, 15 MSAs and both composites saw these monthly rates moderate in July.
“Home prices crept forward in July. Ten of the 20 cities saw year-over-year gains and only one—Las Vegas—made a new bottom as the impact of the first-time home-buyer program continued to fade away,” says David M. Blitzer, chairman of the Index Committee at Standard & Poor’s. “The year-over-year growth rates for 16 of the cities and both composites weakened in July compared to June. Anyone looking for home prices to return to the lofty 2005-06 levels might be disappointed. Judging from the recent behavior of the housing market, stable prices seem more likely.”
For more information, visit www.homeprice.standardandpoors.com.
Extreme Makeover
Ply Gem Windows Selected
Cary, N.C.-based Ply Gem Windows was selected by modular builder, Excel Homes, based in Camp Hill, Pa., to supply 83 windows and 15 patio doors for the season premiere of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The project, which is located in Baltimore, is the largest home in the show’s history at more than 11,000 square feet. It was built by Excel Homes and the Baltimore-based Maryland Community Builders’ Foundation, the charitable arm of the Home Builders Association of Maryland with the help of Artisan Fine Homes, Towson, Md. For more information, visit www.plygemwindows.com.
More than 12 percent of respondents report they plan to use expensive materials in their remodel; almost 50 percent report they are excited to start their remodeling project; and 84 percent plan to start in the next 12 months.
Home-energy Improvements
Selling Is a Challenge
Convincing millions of Americans to divert their time and resources into upgrading their homes to eliminate energy waste is a challenge, according to a report from researchers at the Berkeley, Calif.-based Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Although intended for policy makers and energy-efficiency program designers, the report, titled “Driving Demand for Home Energy Improvements,” offers insight for remodelers who may want to target the energy-efficiency market. “Language is powerful,” the report says. It notes that words like “retrofit” and “audit” often have negative connotations to consumers. The authors recommend experimenting with language people have more experience with and using vivid examples to help personalize general information. The report itself uses the terms “home-energy improvements” and “upgrades” instead of “retrofits.” Rather than “audit,” the report refers to “energy assessment” while noting “no one has found the silver bullet for the best language to use in the home-performance improvement industry.”
“It’s important to find an appealing draw, such as health, comfort, energy security, competition or community engagement,” says Charles Goldman, a co-author. “It’s not enough to provide information about energy efficiency—[remodelers] must sell something people already want.”
