Builder Confidence Edges Higher in October

Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes edged slightly higher for a sixth consecutive month in October, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. The latest, one-point gain brings the index to 41, its strongest level since June of 2006.

“Many builders are reporting increases in the number of serious buyers visiting their sales offices, and the overall confidence measure is much higher than it was at this time last year,” noted NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. “The concern is that, even though demand for new homes is rising, overly tight credit conditions are still constraining new building and new purchases at a time when that kind of economic activity and the job growth it generates are greatly needed.”

“The slight gain in builder confidence this month is an indication that, while still moving forward, the speed at which the housing recovery is proceeding is being moderated by the various constraints such as tight credit, difficult appraisals and more recently, the limited inventory of buildable lots in certain markets,” explained NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “These are the complicating factors that make it difficult for builder confidence to reach and surpass the 50-point mark, at which an equal number of builders view sales conditions as good versus poor.”

Derived from a monthly survey that NAHB has been conducting for the past 25 years, the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations for the next six months as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” The survey also asks builders to rate traffic of prospective buyers as “high to very high,” “average” or “low to very low.” Scores from each component are then used to calculate a seasonally adjusted index where any number over 50 indicates that more builders view sales conditions as good than poor.

Following substantial increases in the previous month, the HMI components measuring current sales conditions and sales prospects for the next six months each remained unchanged in October at 42 and 51, respectively. Meanwhile, the component measuring traffic of prospective buyers increased 5 points to 35, its highest level since April of 2006.

Builder confidence continued to improve in three out of four regions in October. Looking at three-month moving averages, the HMI gained two points in the Midwest and West to 42 and 44, respectively, and three points in the South, to 39. A three-month moving average for the Northeast’s HMI held unchanged at 29.

This article is property of NAHB and is reprinted with permisson granted to the AHBA.

Swings, Wings, and... Hula Skirts?

Over 25 teams gathered for a fun day of perfect fall weather and great company as each foursome dashed around the Black Mountain Golf Club.

Among the eighteen holes, ten member companies displayed their products to the players as well as offering great food and beverage as the golfers made their way around the course. Contests and games such as Corn Hole and longest drive were played to break up the course as well as the very interesting game that was played at the AHBA's NCBuildPac Hole.

Members gave a small personal donation to the NCBuildPac Fund to wear, or have another player on their team wear a grass skirt, coconut bra, and lei. While wearing their outfits, that player was able to hit from the women's tee on Hole 1.

Special congratulations to the ProBuild Team of Roger Baldwin, Rick Buchanan, Dan Lamper, and Jimmy Baldwin for being the big winner of the Tournament with a close second place of GBS Lumber's Team of Tildon Whiteside, Micheal Bates, Frank Turchi, and Matt Taylor.

Create the Curb Appeal that Brings Home Buyers to your Door

A home may have the latest and greatest features and technologies, but if the outside of the home — the first thing a home buyer sees — isn’t appealing, it will be difficult to get them in the front door to see the amazing interior.

Two NAHB Leading Supplier Council members discuss how modern window design and decorative doorways can make the difference between turning a buyer away and inviting them in to see more.

Enhance a Home’s Exterior with Window Design

During the past decade, windows have become architecturally styled design elements in virtually endless colors that can significantly improve the home’s appearance and buyer traffic.

Between 1955 and 1985, most homes were built with wood, aluminum or white vinyl windows in plain rectangles or squares with no grille patterns or details to differentiate one from another. With the growing advancements in window design and increased focus on architectural details, there are a number of options for home builders to consider today.

Operating style, grille style, grille pattern and color are important window elements to consider when building an architecturally authentic home. “The combination of these choices has a tremendous effect on the historical accuracy and general aesthetic appeal of the window system,” said Chris Pickering, vice president of marketing for Ply Gem Windows. “If these window design elements don’t match the architectural style, the home can look out of balance.”

Window operating style — many new homes today are built with single-hung windows, but replacing them with other operating styles such as double hung, casement or awning can add function and help highlight a home’s historical styling. For instance, single- or double-hung styles work well for traditional Craftsman or Shingle homes, but for other home styles like the Prairie or Mid-Century Modern, think about suggesting casement and awning window combinations.

Grille style — simulated divided lites (SDLs) are an excellent modern alternative to true divided lites. The benefit of today’s window choices gives home owners the best of two worlds — the energy efficiency of advanced glass technology and a historical look.

Grille pattern — grille patterns go hand in hand with grille styles, but the pattern is what takes a home from cookie-cutter spec home to timeless design. For example, the Victorian or French Country two-over-two pattern is a very powerful element that gives the home an elegant feel, while a six-over-six style is a strong architectural element of classic, colonial homes like the Georgian.

Color — with advancements in color technology, builders can now enhance exterior elevations with darker colors that complement today’s darker siding and stone veneer hues. Black, green, red or bronze windows provide “pop,” which can make a significant improvement in the overall look of a home exterior.

The Ply Gem® Windows Mira™ Premium Series is an aluminum-clad exterior/wood interior window and patio door product line, available in multiple shapes, options and colors to match various architectural styles. The Mira Premium Series is offered in traditional window colors plus bolder options such as Evergreen for a pop of color and Dark Bronze to mimic the look of weathered aluminum windows. The series also includes casement shapes such as extended eyebrow, extended quarter eyebrow, extended round and extended quarter round, offering style and function.

The Mira Premium Series and other Ply Gem Windows products are a part of The Designed Exterior by Ply Gem, a complete exterior home solution from a single manufacturer that includes windows, siding, stone veneer, fence, rail, accessories and accents, helping builders begin conversations with home owners by providing inspiration for architectural styling, color selection, window design specifications and suggested style and grille patterns. For more inspiration, visit www.plygem.com.

Transform Dreary Entryways into Neighborhood Showpieces – and Boost Profits

One cost-effective upgrade that can transform a client’s plain entry doors into neighborhood showstoppers — and boost remodelers’ profits too — is the addition of beautiful decorative doorglass. Installation in most steel and fiberglass doors is easy, and it can be done on site in less than an hour.

“Decorative doorglass provides home owners with a cost-effective way to update their home entry and significantly improve curb appeal,” said Randy Brown, channel marketing manager for ODL USA, ODL, Inc. “Builders can replace or install doorglass for a quick and efficient renovation project. New doorglass can make a huge difference in visual appeal and perceived home value, and it can also improve energy-efficiency.”

Decorative doorglass also provides added privacy and security. Clear glass is transparent, allowing a clear view. Opaque glass shows shadows and color, but no distinguishable shapes.Decorative doorglass comes in a wide variety of textured designs, so if privacy is the client’s goal, builders should select a design featuring opaque glass texture.

Once the home owner has selected a doorglass design, it can be added to a new door with a quick precision cut, or by popping out the existing glass in an older door (see the before and after doorglass installation photos). Besides good looks, some decorative doorglass is thermally sealed between safety glass to improve energy-efficiency. Also, doorglass is surrounded by high-performance frames that are maintenance-free and can be stained or painted to match the existing door.

If clients decide to sell their house instead of remodeling it, here are a few recommendations from Realtors around the country to boost the entry’s curb appeal.

Add Lighting — Exterior lighting is important because it makes the eye focus on the entry. It also enhances safety and security, illuminating the house numbers and steps. Select a fixture style that complements the home’s architecture.

Upgrade the Door — The front door is an introduction to the home. Choose a door made of a durable, low-maintenance material that is pre-hung and ready to install. Steel and fiberglass doors require less maintenance than wood and tend to be more energy-efficient. Install decorative doorglass to enhance the door’s features.

Paint/Stain the Door — A fresh coat of paint or a beautiful stain on the entry door makes the home look well maintained and inviting. Select a color that enhances the architectural details of the home’s exterior.

Re-face the Steps — Turn a dull concrete walkway into a showstopper by covering it with stone. A natural gray granite veneer on the risers is a good choice, as well as clay tiles, split bricks or limestone pavers.

Add Containers and Flowers — Large potted plants at the entrance anchor the entry. Choose attractive, weatherproof containers made of cedar, molded fiberglass, glazed ceramic or metal, and fill them with colorful flowers and plants.

For more information about ODL decorative doorglass, visit www.ODL.com.

For more information about this item, please contact Christopher Mclarty at 800-368-5242 x8247 or via email atcmclarty@nahb.org.

Reprinted with permission from the NAHB.