It’s amazing how much our lives have changed since the start of the pandemic. It has singlehandedly destroyed every known normal that we have cultivated and refined in this lifetime. Though despite the tragic nature of the virus, there also exists silver linings, as the pandemic immersed us in circumstances that we otherwise might not have experienced. We were forced to find creative ways to occupy our time. Many adopted new hobbies or mastered old ones and families spent more…

The most recent Home Building Geography Index (HBGI) shows that home building activities have shifted to low-density and low-cost markets since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The market share for single-family constructions in large metro core and inner suburbs has declined from 44.5% to 41.6% from the 4th quarter of 2019 (pre-COVID), to the 2nd quarter of 2022. Housing… Read More ›

Luxury bathrooms can make living at home feel like a vacation. Investing in a bathroom retreat by upgrading baths and showers, lighting, and mirrors can bring out the resort style in any home.  Bathtubs and Showers New and modern bathtubs and showers can make all the difference when designing a well-appointed bathroom. Deep free-standing tubs are available in a variety of materials and allow for a clean and more open look. Certain bathtubs can provide a focal point, bringing attention…

Job growth remained solid in August, with 315,000 net job growth. However, the unemployment rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 3.7% in August, as the labor market participation rate expanded.  “Softer labor market conditions” are expected in the near future as the Fed raises interest rates aggressively into 2023 to bring inflation lower. The headline job number of today’s labor… Read More ›

Private residential construction spending declined further in July, as rising mortgage rates and elevated construction costs put a damper on the market. It fell 1.5% in July, down for the second straight month, according to NAHB’s analysis of the Census Construction Spending data. Private residential construction spending was 14.1% higher year-over-year. The monthly declines are largely attributed to lower spending… Read More ›

Non-real estate consumer credit grew at a seasonal adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 8.7% in the second quarter of 2022 according to the Federal Reserve’s latest G.19 Consumer Credit report. Revolving debt climbed 14.6% (SAAR), double the increase in nonrevolving debt (+6.9%). Total consumer credit currently stands at $4.6 trillion, with $1.1 trillion in revolving debt and $3.5 trillion in… Read More ›

Stairs have been used many times by designers as an element to emphasize innovation and a home’s personality. Although a staircase is typically used functionally as a transitional area between one level to another, some designers use it to create a journey for the users or as a focal point for the space. Stairs usually include standard components like landings, stringers, posts, newel posts, and balustrades. A good staircase design will include not only safety for the users but also…

Home price growth decelerated in June and home prices grew at a single-digit annual rate for the first time in the past 23 months. As housing demand is softening, with declines for existing home sales and new home sales and weakened single-family starts, home price growth is expected to slow. In July, all the 20 metro areas experienced significant deceleration…. Read More ›

The construction labor market is cooling off as economic activity slows in response to tighter monetary policy. However, the July data shows stability concerning the number of open, unfilled jobs in the construction industry. This trend will likely weaken during the second half of 2022 due to the policy decisions by the Federal Reserve. The count of open construction jobs… Read More ›

According to the annual data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), stucco was the most common principal siding material on new single-family homes started in 2021 (28 percent),  followed by vinyl siding (24 percent), fiber cement siding (such as Hardiplank or Hardiboard (23 percent) and, brick or brick veneer (19 percent). Far smaller shares of single-family homes started last year… Read More ›