RSS FEED IDEMS: Discover Building | Home Building
- Toll Brothers Enters Atlanta Market
Toll Brothers to build a 311 home community in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Toll Brothers Forbes Article
- Housing Prices Increase In 97 of 149 Markets
All real estate markets are not created equal. 65% of the nations real estate markets saw median home price increases per BusinessWeek.
Housing strong in many metro areas
Slide Show
Healthiest housing markets:
Salt Lake City + 21.9%
Binghamton, N.Y. + 19.8%
Salem, Ore. +16.7%
Farmington, N.M. +14.0%
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pa. +12.8%
- Fuel Costs Hamper Savings, Lumber Prices Retreat Other Costs Rise
Despite a slowing home building market material costs aren't going down. Read Timber! for more.
- West Coast Green Residential Building Conference + Expo
West Coast Green Residential Building Conference + Expo September 20 -22, 2007. This 3-day conference and expo is aimed to green professionals, businesses, and individuals to network, display new technologies.
Speakers include: Michelle Kaufmann Michelle of Kaufmann Designs, Eric Corey Freed Architect, LEED AP, OrganicARCHITECT and Sarah Susanka Author of the Not So Big House series and The Not So Big Life.
Visit West Coast Green for more information.
- New home buyers finding it hard to sell current homes in slow real estate market.
The slow real estate market is causing some new home buyers to sweat as the possibility of paying two mortgages becomes a reality when current homes remain on the market longer. Builders are offering record incentives, but would be buyers are struggling with the reality of selling the current home causing them to walk away from juicy deals.
Today’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Caught between a dream, nightmare” gives advice for new home buyers and strategies for those trying to sell their current home.
“Face the builder. If you tell the builder you are not financially able to proceed, but that you understand your obligation and would be prepared to abandon the deposit, Adams said most builders would probably work with you to get beyond that situation. He’s even seen cases where the seller returned the earnest money. “Recognize that you have a choice,” he said. “You can’t make someone buy a house. You can’t put a gun to somebody’s head and say, ‘Sign here’ ... especially if someone is facing what they perceive to be a financial crisis."”
- Small Home Designs Gaining Popularity as Attitudes and Demographics Change in Housing
The facts are somewhat surprising, but American homes have increased the square footage of their homes by 50% in the last 30 years. Now the trend for smaller home designs is gaining popularity as empty-nesters and green attitudes penetrate the housing market. Smaller homes, which offer energy-efficient and space utilization are more desirable as Americans become more conscious about energy efficiency and downsizing their lifestyle. Sarah Susanka has written a book called the “Not so big house, blueprint for the way we really live” which offers insight on designing small homes. She believes the true meaning of home is being distorted by giant sized houses and we can all do better at saving time and energy by reducing maintenance and eliminating useless space.
To learn more visit her websites:
Sarah Susanka
Not So Big House Website
Wikipedia Sarah Susanka
- Mortgage Crisis Up-ends Home Builders
The recent mortgage crisis is causing the publicly traded home builders to take a beating. This morning Bank of America analysts downgraded Hovnanian, Toll Brothers and Standard Pacific while reducing stock price targets by almost a third on all the home builders they cover.
It comes as no surprise that a constricting mortgage market will cut deeply into new home starts and number of available buyers. Tougher lending requirements may take a bite out of remodeling as well.
See full article : Mortgage Crisis Hits Home Builders
- New Windows and Doors Offering Functionality and Design
Show off the new view of these new doors and windows! New products blending design with functionality.
Folding Doors
Exterior folding door system opens completely to the outdoors. It’s accordion style folding door hinging system allows fast and convenient expanding and collapsing for those backyard parties. Available from Jeld-wen with Custom Wood Series.
Cross ventilation picture windows. Have a beautiful picture window with functionality built in with Mavin Venting Picture window. Winner of Window & Door magazine’s Most Innovative Window. Awesome website to boot.
Multi Panel Sliding Glass Doors
Looking for the perfect sliding glass door? Check out Andersen’s new four panel sliding glass door. Exterior finish available in wood varieties and grid patterns.
Craftsman classic French doors by Simpson door company called Prairie, French doors. Used for interior or exterior doors, available in wood varieties and insulation.
http://www.simpsondoor.com
- 7 Home Design Tips For Entertaining
Do you want your new home to be the main attraction for formal social settings, sporting events and children's parties? Then you will need to design with the end in mind. Here are seven tips to remember when designing your new home.
Dining areas
Be sure to consider dining proximity to the kitchen for efficiency. Will you want to close off areas for privacy? How large are your parties? Consider two dining areas for larger gatherings.
Living areas
Today more homes are being designed with living areas and kitchens being used as one area. Perfect for casual entertaining these areas typically utilize focal points such as fireplaces, media centers or large windows to the outdoors. Conversely new attention is being placed on kitchen appearance as well, appliance and cabinetry aesthetic value is to be considered.
Outdoor fun
When the weather is nice there is no better place to entertain than outside. Grilling areas, decks and landscape should flow nicely with your home. Allow appropriate space for tables and chairs for outdoor parties. Be sure to consider existing landscape. Some trees may need to be cut to allow sunlight in your main areas.
Media areas
Fast becoming the most important room in many homes today the media room is a must for the “big game” events with surround sound and HDTVs. Your budget is your limiter on the technology available. Be sure to consider where this room will be in your plan. You may consider placing the media room on the other side of the home for noise considerations. Make sure the sunlight doesn’t impede on the HDTV screen. Big games and screen glare don’t mix well.
Private areas
Make sure other rooms, like bedrooms, can be insulated from the party and away from noise. There may be someone like small children who need privacy and quiet time during party events.
Basements
If your are able to build a basement into your plan these are great places for the above mentioned media rooms or play areas for children. Consider finishing this area out where possible. Be sure to add plumbing and HVAC if needed.
Kids area
Give the kids a place to call their own and play with toys. Be sure to run the appropriate media cables if you foresee this area a place for gaming devices. These are great place for children to congregate while the adults have their fun elsewhere.
- Cracked Foundations and Settling
Doors sticking, cracks appearing on your brick exterior, drywall starting to crack? These could be signs your foundation is settling. Don’t panic, there are solutions available to remedy the situation. Hopefully your builder warranty hasn’t expired, but if you have to tackle this problem a Pier Foundation System might be your answer.
Soil movement, or settling, is the culprit for cracks and bulging floors. “The CHANCE Helical Pier Foundation Systems are designed, tested, and proven for applications in expansive soils, high water tables, fill areas, and other areas where unstable soils require piering.” Their patented system; “The concept is founded on the principle of turning a screw anchor into stable subsoil strata until the torque applied indicates that the necessary load capacity has been achieved. Adjustable brackets are then attached to the base of your foundation walls, connecting the screw anchors to the foundation. The weight of your home is then shifted to the screw anchors. In the process, foundations, walls and floors are repositioned and retained from further movement.” New construction and existing foundation repair, peir foundation systems.
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