Limited existing inventory, which has put a renewed emphasis on new construction, resulted in a solid gain for builder confidence in May even as the industry continues to face several challenges, including building material supply chain disruptions and tightening credit conditions for construction loans. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes in May rose five points to… Read More ›

Whisper Valley is the first large-scale, master-planned community offering a healthy lifestyle, great amenities and zero-energy capable homes at affordable prices. They created an innovative GeoGrid—a geothermal loop system installed up front with utilities to make geothermal energy affordable for average homebuyers. This comprehensive renewable energy solution provides every home with a ground source heat pump to heat and cool the home, solar photovoltaic to generate electricity, smart home technology to manage and monitor energy usage, and Energy Star appliances…

Over the first three months of 2023, the total number of single-family permits issued year-to-date (YTD) nationwide reached 191,695. On a year-over-year (YoY) basis, this is 31.1% below the March 2022 level of 278,189. Year-to-date ending in March, single-family permits declined in all four regions. The Northeast posted a decline of 20.5%, while the West region reported the steepest decline… Read More ›

According to the Federal Reserve Board’s April 2023 Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey (SLOOS)—conducted for bank lending activity over the first quarter of 2023—banks reported that lending standards tightened for most residential real estate (RRE) and commercial real estate (CRE) loan categories. Demand for RRE and CRE loans weakened across all categories over the quarter.  No banks expected their lending standards for… Read More ›

This 1944-built home remodel was an intergenerational dream come true with the homeowner fulfilling her grandmother’s longtime dream for her home. The biggest obstacle was re-envisioning the interior floor plan to improve the flow of the house and create a gathering place for family members despite a very tight budget and load-bearing point constraints. Relocating the staircase that separated the living room from the kitchen to create an open concept was imperative, which included installing engineered beams to support the…

According to the latest Producer Price Index report, the prices of inputs to residential construction less energy (i.e., building materials) decreased 0.2% in April 2023 (not seasonally adjusted). The index has gained 0.5%, year-to-date, which is the smallest April YTD increase since it climbed 0.3% over the first four months of 2020. The PPI for goods inputs to residential construction, including… Read More ›

The community comprises single-level and two-story homes targeted to families, move-up buyers and move-down buyers, so the Clubhouse provides a variety of shared spaces with a focus on social connections and community events to create a sense of belonging and appeal to a broad range of people. The architectural style was inspired by a Napa Valley winery and reflects a warm, inviting cottage character utilizing a “village of forms” to accommodate a diverse program. The strong stone forms were placed…

Per the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) survey through the week ending May 5th, total mortgage activity increased 6.3% from the previous week and the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) rate fell two basis points to 6.48%. The FRM rate has risen 18 basis points over the past month. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, rose… Read More ›

Consumer prices in April saw the smallest year-over-year gain since April 2021. This marked the tenth consecutive month of deceleration and the first time the rate has fallen below 5% in two years. While the shelter index (housing inflation) experienced its smallest monthly gain since January 2022, it continued to be the largest contributor to the total increase, accounting for… Read More ›

The Manatee Model offers 2,749 square feet of living space with five bedrooms, three baths, first-floor guest suite, family room, kitchen café, covered patio with summer kitchen, solar panels, electric vehicle charging station, and two-car garage with golf cart parking. Upstairs features a spacious private family loft, owner’s suite, three bedrooms and bath. The Manatee is a Zero Energy Ready Home®. It’s also 100% ENERGY STAR® and Indoor AirPLUS® certified. The home is designed and built with an innovative “air-sealed”…