Per the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) survey through the week ending December 9th, total mortgage activity increased 3.2% from the previous week and the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) rate rose one basis points to 6.42%. The FRM rate has fallen 48 basis points over the past month. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, rose… Read More ›

This home is set at the top of the California hills, with expansive mountain views. It was important to design a modern, comfortable home with a kitchen fit for a young couple. The casual kitchen is centered by a multifunction island with a soft gray stone bar and dark gray oak cabinetry, well suited for small or large gatherings. Storage was maximized around the island, wall cabinetry, and under the sink area. In the nod to the natural California surroundings,…

By Lesley McCarthy The big interior fit and finish questions answered.  Will we still want to stay warm and cozy for 2023 or will we cool it back down 2019 style?  Will matte black hardware continue to be harder to get than Masters tickets?  Learn what will be all the rage into next year and how can you best incorporate it into your designs. Lesley McCarthy Senior Vice President at Builders Design REGISTER NOW

555 E Street is a 12-story building with 194 apartment homes. DC’s only mixed-income, mixed-age apartment community, it also has 10,000 sf of ground-floor retail, underground parking, and includes an adjoining 253-room hotel. The parcel had housed a dilapidated and defunct 1950s-era fire station. While there was no requirement in the city’s RFP to build any affordable housing on the site, the development team surpassed every expectation by delivering 30% of units for affordable senior living. The LEED Gold-certified building…

Consumer prices in November saw the smallest year-over-year gain since December 2021.While still elevated, inflation experienced the second month below an 8% annual growth rate since February 2022. However, the shelter index continued to rise at an accelerated pace and was more than offsetting decreases in energy indexes. Shelter inflation will primarily be cooled in the future via additional housing… Read More ›

The most recent release of the Z.1 Financial Accounts of the United States shows a sharp slowdown in the quarter-over-quarter growth of households’ real estate assets. After six consecutive quarters of above 3 percent growth quarter-over-quarter, the third quarter of 2022 saw a 1.74% increase in households’ real estate asset value. The level of households’ real estate assets increased by… Read More ›

The prices of building materials decreased 0.3% in November (not seasonally adjusted) following 0.5% and 0.1% declines in September and October, respectively, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report. The index has decreased five of six months for the first time since 2015. The PPI for goods inputs to residential construction, including energy, fell 0.8% in November. The index… Read More ›

The 4,000-sf home is built on an infill lot with a reverse slope. This condition resulted in the first floor being elevated 6 feet above natural grade at the front of the home. This grading condition challenged the designer to find a solution to make the home appear grounded. A raised courtyard, staggered grade levels, and a retaining wall worked wonders, lowering the visual impact immensely; an undeniable elegance radiates from this eclectic façade. The eggshell tone dominating the exterior…

According to data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), custom homes accounted for 17.6 percent of new single-family homes started—down slightly from the 17.8 percent recorded in 2021 and the lowest the annual custom home share has been since the 2005 re-design of the SOC.  The custom home market consists of contractor-built and owner-built houses—homes built one at… Read More ›

Located a half-mile from a light rail station, the site sits in the middle of a vibrant neighborhood called The Arts District on 2.5 acres that were home to a church constructed in 1962. The developer repurposed the church as a co-working space and redeveloped a vacant field, a parking lot, and a decaying building. The three-story urban homes created a unique sense of place by combining craftsman and contemporary styling with mid-century modern influences complementing the diverse houses in…