Scottsdale Custom Home Builder News Update

Scottsdale Custom Home Builder News Update 2/3/2011 from SequenceMedia on Vimeo.

Phoenix metropolitan area home prices fell again but it appears the worst may be over. Consumer spending is on the rise and getting an early start on spring home improvement projects may be a good idea.

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Home Energy Saving Tips

ENERGY PLANNING

• Have an occasional family meeting to discuss ways you can save energy at home.
• Use this list as a guide to energy saving tips and assign someone to monitor energy use between meetings.
• Make a game out of saving energy by paying small rewards for coming up with new energy saving tips in the home.
• Keep track of your utility bills to see how much you can save.

FIREPLACE

• Using a fireplace sends valuable heat up the chimney. Reduce the loss by installing glass doors.
• Have the chimney cleaned and inspected regularly and burn only fully dried hardwoods to produce the most heat output.
• Provide an outside air source to fuel the fire in your fireplace to prevent sucking out conditioned room air.
• Keep your fireplace damper closed in the winter when not in use.
• In the summer, open the damper to create a natural cooling draught.
• If you don't use your fireplace, plug the chimney with fiberglass insulation and seal the doors with silicone caulk.
• Use grates made of C-shaped metal tubes to draw cool room air into the fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room.

GENERAL HOUSEHOLD

• Turn off the TV, VCR, stereo or radio when not in use.
• Turn off the dehumidifier on dry days when it's not needed.
• Turn off the humidifier on humid days when it's not needed.
• Install low-flush toilets to save water. Many communities have water conservation programs that may pay for the new toilets.
• Turning off the water when brushing teeth or shaving.
• Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket or ashtray - it wastes water every time you flush it.
• It takes a lot of energy to make new containers, paper products and packaging. Be diligent in recycling all your newspapers, cans, bottles, plastics, cardboard and other materials.
• Do your consumer research on the Internet and buy as many things as you can on-line. You'll save time and the small shipping fees are much less than what you'd spend driving around in a vehicle.
• Cancel your printed newspapers and magazines and subscribe to the on-line versions. It takes a lot of energy to make the paper, print and deliver these publications to your door.
• Activate the "sleep" feature of your home office equipment (PC, fax, printer, scanner, monitor) so they automatically power down when not in use.
• Turn off your home office equipment when not in use.
• When buying a home, look at neighborhoods close to work or public transportation to reduce private vehicle use.
• 88 billion plastic bags are used in the U.S each year. This represents 12 million barrels of oil.
• It is estimated that it takes up to 1,000 years for a plastic bag to decompose.
• Recycling plastic bags is a joke! Just throw it away because it takes more energy and costs more to recycle it than to make a new one.
• When shopping, refuse a bag if you don't need it. Cashiers are often on autopilot, bagging even single items.
• Reuse your grocery bags or better yet, go  www.reusablebags.com and buy a sturdy canvas bag for every family member. They will last for years.
• Do you really need to use individual plastic bags for produce at the grocery store?
• Here's a couple of small energy saving tips - avoid double-cupping when getting your favorite coffee drink. Also, take your coffee without a lid unless you really need one.
• Bring your own cup to your favorite coffee shop. You'll save energy, most coffee shops give a discount, plus coffee always tastes better in real cup.
• Household batteries contain hazardous materials and throwing them in the trash is now prohibited in California. Properly dispose of your batteries at the retail centers where you buy them.
• Better yet, purchase a good selection of high-quality rechargeable batteries and a charging unit. You'll save money in the long run and keep hazardous materials out of our environment.

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Scottsdale Custom Home Builder News Update

The President's Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform recommended changing the mortgage interest deduction. Read more at Brookings

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New Homes Are Smaller...Price Is Not

Scottsdale Custom Home Builder Network powered by JKD Building Group

New-home buyers are downsizing their square footage to better suit their lifestyles, but are not necessarily paying lower prices for their new-construction homes, say some homebuilders. In several cases, new-home buyers are probably spending more per square foot in order to be cost-efficient on heating and cooling, while opting for upgrades, such as granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

Some 95 percent of homebuilders say that they are building smaller homes to accommodate buyers, according to a 2010 National Association of Home Builders survey, which found that the average square footage of new construction homes has dropped over the last three years. The median floor area of new homes started in 2010 is just above 2,100 square feet, down from 2,309 square feet in the first quarter of 2007.

The least desired features in homes these days, according to the survey, include large spaces such as a media room and two-story atrium, while at the top of buyer's wish lists were a well-designed laundry room and a walk-in closet in the master bedroom.

Baby Boomers and the younger Echo Boomers are driving the new-home trend, say experts.

Read more at Housingwatch.com

Builder Confidence Gains, Delinquencies Down, and Rates Jump

Builder Confidence Edges Up

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported that builder confidence improved in November. The survey registered a score of 16 up from 15 (downwardly revised) the previous month. The Midwest saw the largest increase up 5 points to 18, while the Northeast dropped 3 points to 13. Typically anything over a 50 shows market conditions favorable to builders while anything under 50 is considered poor. The survey NAHB has been conducting for 20 years of builders specifically single-family home sales.

The Home Builders did note that one of the survey factors that registers “future expectations” rose 2 points to 25. That category was up 5 points in October. The Home Builders are starting to feel cautiously optimistic for 2 reasons; financing conditions are improving (even if slightly), and home sales are happening (albeit slow). I anticipate this number will stay close to even or rise slightly over the winter months. If strong retail sales improve due to consumers feeling better, I’d anticipate the confidence index to rise as well.

Read more at www.biggerpockets.com