News
News
Remodeling Spending To Tick Up Through Mid-2025
The Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity report says things will trend up after a modest downturn
Business
Curbio Joins NAR As New Member Benefits Partner
National Association of Realtors members receive access to the Curbio home improvement platform
NAHB
NAHB Announces Action Plan for Housing Affordability
Six of the proposed 10 action items are important to residential remodelers
Home Improvement
Re-Bath Expands its Reach with New Franchise
The company signs a deal with brothers who are first-time franchisees
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Big money home sales take the biggest price cuts
The troubled real estate market affects homes both large and small—but when mansions need a sale price reduction, the discount can jump into the millions. Zillow.com, a real-estate listing and data website, found that some of the biggest sales in 2010 also had the biggest price cuts, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Remodel design most important to homeowners, survey finds
A recent survey found that outcome and design were the most important factors in determining project satisfaction for a home remodel. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) poll found that 49 percent of homeowners said outcome and design were the most important. Twenty-two percent said having their needs met was most important for their satisfaction, while 20 percent said accessibility and timeliness of the remodeler took precedence. Only four percent said finishing on time was the top consideration for satisfaction. Six percent safety and cleanliness were most important.
Project spotlight: Detailed remodel presents challenges of all varieties
While the devil is in the details, for the Leitzel home remodel, so is the joy. Ceylon and Karen Leitzel bought their rural Mt. Gretna, Pa., house not for what it was—a plain Jane, 1970 two-story with dull rooms—but for the ornate, luxurious, Victorian-style “Painted Lady” they envisioned that it could become.
Exclusive research: Financing challenges slowing remodeling recovery
The dearth of financing for remodeling projects continues to be a major problem for remodelers and most don’t expect it to get any better this year.
NAHB launches consumer site on mortgage deduction debate
NAHB has launched a newly-designed consumer-oriented website, www.SaveMyMortgageInterestDeduction.com, to provide up-to-date information on the threat to the mortgage interest deduction. The site contains fact sheets, frequently asked questions, statistics, and other information to allow consumers to stay informed as debate on the mortgage interest deduction moves forward.
Census Bureau: U.S. construction spending on the rise
Construction spending rose slightly in November, increasing to a seasonally adjusted rate of $810.2 billion, according to Census Bureau data. The rate is 0.4 percent higher than the revised October rate of $806.7 billion. Construction spending for the first 11 months of 2010 totaled $753.9 billion, 10.6 percent less than the same period in 2009.
Finding and keeping a good remodeling sales team
More than ever, it’s important to build a good sales team. Professional Remodeler’s Jud Motsenbocker talked to Charlie Gindele and Andy Wells about how they do it.
NAR report: Pending home sales continue to increase
The National Association of Realtor’s (NAR) Pending Home Sales Index continued to increase in November, rising 3.5 percent since October.
S&P/Case-Shiller report: Home prices continue to decline
U.S. home prices declined in October as the growth rate continues to decelerate, according to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices report released today. Each of the 20 metropolitan areas measured showed declines between September and October. Only the 10-city composite and four metropolitan areas showed increases over October 2009.
Government struggles to decide on Fannie and Freddie's future
The future of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac hang in the balance as the federal government struggles to determine whether it should continue to guarantee mortgages after the market stabilizes.