The COVID-19 pandemic created dramatic changes in the share of people working from home, which has remained elevated even after the pandemic.  Prior to the pandemic, only 5.7% of the U.S. workforce was working from home. This figure jumped to 17.9% in 2021 during the peak of the pandemic and decreased slightly to 15.2% in…

NAHB and the Dodge Construction Network published research on the prevalence of green building in The Building Sustainably: Green & Resilient Single- Family Homes 2024 SmartMarket Brief.  The research found that the overall share of home builders classifying more than half their projects as green1 is at 34% for 2023 a one-percentage point increase from…

Residential building workers’ wage growth accelerated to 6.2% in February. After a 0.3% increase in June 2023, the year-over-year (YOY) growth rate for residential building worker wages have been trending up over the past eight months. The recent acceleration in wage growth was mainly due to the ongoing skilled labor shortage in the construction labor…

Capturing the magnificent views of nearby Camelback Mountain was of primary importance in this speculative design, followed closely by considerations of a desert climate. Because of its positioning, White Box No. 5 is designed to minimize heat gain during the hottest months and maximize it during the coldest. Because most rooms are recessed and protected from the blazing sun by deep overhangs, the interiors stay comfortable and the views intact. The undulating nature of the architecture is evident on the…

Job growth accelerated in March, following a strong gain in February. Furthermore, the unemployment rate fell to 3.8%. March’s jobs report shows that the labor market remains resilient despite elevated interest rates. The strong job numbers likely reduce prospects for a Federal Reserve rate cut in the near-term (NAHB has just two rate cuts in…

Nestled in a new master-planned community in the heart of Vail Valley in Colorado, Plan 6 is largest of the plans with the Clementine House featuring an Agrarian architectural character and the Edington House providing a modern architectural character option. This expansive home boasts five bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms and a four-car garage with workshop, providing 6,507 square feet of living space, a 1,180-square-foot terrace, and 556-square-foot deck. Design objectives focused on an indoor-outdoor lifestyle, balanced light and volume ceilings. First-floor…

According to the latest What Home Buyers Really Want Study*,  home buyers have rather diverse preferences when it comes to the architectural style of their home.  In fact, there is no national consensus on exterior design.  At best, a plurality of 34% would prefer to purchase a ‘traditional’ home (rooted in historic styles), while a…

The Edge at Sedgefield is in the heart of the South End neighborhood of Charlotte, a young and fast-growing mixed-use district just south of the city center. The project sits at the corner of Haverford Place and Poindexter Drive, one block off the main thoroughfare of South Blvd, and is part of a large mixed-use development that includes retail, office and residential buildings all within walking distance of each other and the South End neighborhood. The Midcentury modern design aesthetic…

The two most wanted features in a home are a laundry room and a patio, according to NAHB’s latest study on buyer preferences—What Home Buyers Really Want Study*.  Buyers in the study were given a list of 200+ features of the home and the community and asked to rate each one on a consistent scale…

Indianapolis, Indiana, March 18 – The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently honored Rick Wajda, Chief Executive Officer of the Indiana Builders Association (IBA) based in Indianapolis, Indiana, as the 2023 State Executive Officer of the Year. The NAHB Executive Officer of the Year Award is designed to recognize the accomplishments of an outstanding Executive Officer who has contributed to the NAHB Federation during the prior calendar year. “Building homes, enriching communities and changing lives are the key tenets…