Green Building Megatrends for 2012 BUILDER “Yudelson unveiled a list of 10 other green megatrends destined for growth in 2012, both in the U.S. and abroad. And while, like the rest of the home building industry, green building will certainly face headwinds in coming days—such as squeezed budgets among families and governments—the market is poised [...]

As the current recession turns in to years, the homes we live in are changing and the effects of this could very well influence home building for decades to come. The Wall Street Journal recently covered some trends they’re seeing, as well as things that are fading by the wayside. The end of the closed-off, [...]

According to NewUrbanism.org, new urbanism ”promotes the creation and restoration of diverse, walkable, compact, vibrant, mixed-use communities composed of the same components as conventional development, but assembled in a more integrated fashion, in the form of complete communities.” Perhaps no one has championed the benefits of New Urbanist construction like architect Sarah Susanka, author of the best-selling [...]

We’ve talked a lot here about who today’s home-buying customers are. Are they young? Old? Families? Empty nesters? Etc. But what if you have no idea who they are? It’s important to watch trends closely, but sometimes it seems like people don’t even know what they want. We found an article on BUILDER that goes [...]

With the housing market continuing to decline it’s not difficult to guess at what keeps people from buying: it’s the economy, stupid! With people being laid off, working at reduced pay or worrying about getting laid off, fear is a powerful motivator for letting houses sit on the market. But it’s not the only thing. Over at [...]

We ran across an article with some interesting tidbits about what homeowners want in 2011. As a builder or remodeler, are any of these on your radar? Outdoor living areas: Are you paying more attention to things like porches and patios? An outdoor kitchen (from simple to grand) and a fireplace can add a whole [...]

Times are hard and, in order to stand out in this economy, builders and remodelers have to innovate. But how? There’s a lot to learn from non-building businesses! The Daily 5 Remodel posted a great video from Fast Company that shares some techniques and strategies of companies that have managed to survive and thrive. Take [...]

We’ve long been a fan of architect Sarah Susanka and her “Not So Big House” philosophy, and it seems we keep seeing more evidence that a significant number of American homeowners are more interested in craftsmanship, quality and fine design than they are in raw square footage. Affluent, mature homeowners especially fit this profile. The more [...]

Remodeling has been a bright spot in the homebuilding and design industry, and a recent report by the Harvard Center for Joint Housing Studies suggests that the long-term trend will continue to be favorable. Several factors are converging to produce the positive outlook. First, as Baby Boomers age, the turnover of their homes will generate remodeling [...]

Many people don’t like to think of growing old, and the uncertainty that comes with age. Can you live at home? Should you? With the “Silver Tsunami”  crashing home as the Baby Boomers age, there are concerns with the elderly being able to live in their own homes. This represents a prime opportunity for savvy [...]