June 2023 Sees a Positive Move When It Comes to Builder Confidence

 For the first time in the past year or so, builder confidence has moved into the positive range. The confidence booster is due to the heavy buyer demand, low home inventory and the increase in productivity in the supply chain. The National Association of Home Builders had a lot of great data to share about the housing market.

As of June 2023, builders’ confidence in newly-built single-family homes rose to fifty-five points. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) this is the sixth straight month that there has been an increase in builder confidence.

“Builders are feeling cautiously optimistic about market conditions given low levels of existing home inventory and ongoing gradual improvements for supply chains,” said NAHB Chairman Alicia Huey, a custom home builder and developer from Birmingham, Ala. “However, access for builder and developer loans has become more difficult to obtain over the last year, which will ultimately result in lower lot supplies as the industry tries to expand off cycle lows.”

“A bottom is forming for single-family home building as builder sentiment continues to gradually rise from the beginning of the year,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “This month marks the first time in a year that both the current and future sales components of the HMI have exceeded 60, as some buyers adjust to a new normal in terms of interest rates. The Federal Reserve nearing the end of its tightening cycle is also good news for future market conditions in terms of mortgage rates and the cost of financing for builder and developer loans.”

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Using Alternative Building Products

 The shortage of building products has been a big issue for home builders these days. With the delay in orders and shortages of home building materials, home builders are choosing alternative products for their home building projects.

The alternative materials include some such as rammed earth, adobe brick, and volcanic rock. These natural materials are great for insulation with heating and colling benefits. The downside is higher costs for skilled labor. Home inspectors and energy consultants could also have a hard time evaluating these items because they are unfamiliar with them.

An important long-term effect that builders do not want to ignore is mold. Earthen materials are made up of many organic substances that house mold. Natural building materials include cellulose or carbohydrate-based products which are a great source of food for mold.

Mold can be avoided by builders, it is important to understand the relationship between construction materials and their susceptibility to mold in the presence of moisture.  “Buildings will never be designed, built, maintained, or utilized perfectly; and weather and natural disasters cannot be predicted. The one thing we can have complete control over, the materials within the building, should be selected wisely,” reports Aaron Cooper.

The National Association of Home Builders has a guide for reviewing building materials called Assessing Building Materials. Builders can assess these materials by talking with the manufacturers and distributors. A couple of the questions they can ask do I understand the make-up of the building materials is similar to building materials available from another manufacturer that can provide more data, is the data that was provided complete, do I have confidence in the manufacturer and does another manufacturer improve my confidence in these building materials?

NAHB wants to help its members find the most important and pertinent information when it comes to evaluating new materials or products. Builders can make more informed decisions with this guide.

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Home Builder Confidence Builds Stronger For Fourth Consecutive Month

 

Homebuilder sentiment was strong at the end of 2021 according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This is good news for the home building market despite the inflation scares and material shortages. The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) reported the builder sentiment in the market for newly-built single-family homes moved one point higher to 84 in December.

As for the regions, the three-month moving averages for regional HMI scores rose in all of the four regions. Both the West and South saw an increase to 87, and the Northeast and Midwest both were are 74. The seasonally adjusted rates for the four regions were the highest in the South at 89, in the West 87, in the Northeast 79, and in the Midwest at 74.

“While demand remains strong, finding workers, predicting pricing and dealing with material delays remains a challenge,” said NAHB Chairman Chuck Fowke. “Policymakers need to work on supply chain improvements and controlling costly inflation. Addressing lumber tariffs would be a good place to start.”

“The most pressing issue for the housing sector remains lack of inventory,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “Building has increased but the industry faces constraints, namely cost/availability of materials, labor and lots. And while 2021 single-family starts are expected to end the year 24% higher than the pre-Covid 2019 level, we expect higher interest rates in 2022 will put a damper on housing affordability.”

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Summer 2021 Saw An Increase in Single-Family Permit Gains

 

According to the National Association of Home Builders, the first 8 months of 2021 reported 775,772 single-family permits issued year-to-date. Compared on a year-over-year basis the end of summer 2021 saw a 25.8% increase over August 2020.

All four regions of the country reported increases. The highest in the Northeast was at 29.3% and the lowest was in the Midwest at 21.6%. The remaining regions were as follows the South at 26.4% and the West at 25.7%. Multifamily was also on the rise with 33.7% in the West, 27.2% in the Northeast, 24.9% in the Midwest and 24.6% in the South.

The same goes for all 50 states and the District of Columbia which reported increases across the country. The highest was in the District of Columbia with an increase of 208% from 87 to 268. The total of the 10 highest states was 62.3%

At the local level, below are the top 10 metro areas that issued the highest number of single-family permits.

Metropolitan Statistical Area	Single-family Permits: Aug (Units #YTD, NSA)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	36,359
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	35,572
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	25.209
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	22,768
Austin-Round Rock, TX	17,375
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	13,603
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	13,174
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	12,068
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN	11,482
Jacksonville, FL	11,400

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September Sees Gains in Single-Family Permits

 September 2020 brought a 10.2% increase over September 2019 in single-family permits issued year-to-date (YTD) according to the U.S. Census Building Permits. In fact, the report shows that over the first nine months of this year, the total nationwide climbed to 713,286.

As for each region of the country, the year-to-date ending in September varied. For single-family permits the Southeast saw the highest increase at 12.4%, the Midwest came in at the second-highest

with a 10% increase, the West had a 6.3% increase and the Northeast saw the smallest increase at 6.2%. Multifamily permits did not fair so great. Every region saw a decline with the biggest decline in the West at -9.4%, the Northeast had a decline of -7.5%, the South at -5.6% and Midwest had a decline of -2.7%.

Among the states, only 42 states had a growth in single-family permits while the remaining 8 states and the District of Columbia resulted in a decline. The record highest growth was seen in South Dakota from 2,186 to 2,885 making this a 32% increase. The District of Columbia saw the steepest decline with a 22.2% drop from 126 to 98.

The multi-family sector was not so lucky. YTD only 18 states showed growth while the remaining 32 states and the District of Columbia showed a decline. Mississippi had the biggest increase from 246 to 588 while New Hampshire had the largest decline from 1,148 to 386.

The top 10 metro areas with the highest number of single-family permits were:

Metropolitan Statistical Area	Single-family Permits: Sep (Units #YTD, NSA)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	35,309
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	31,631
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	22,566
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	20,013
Austin-Round Rock, TX	15,327
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	13,258
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	11,683
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	11,367
Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN	10,429
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	9,933

The top 10 metro areas with the highest number of multifamily permits were:

Metropolitan Statistical Area	Multifamily Permits: Sep (Units #YTD, NSA)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	31,160
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	15,967
Austin-Round Rock, TX	15,294
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	12,095
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	11,994
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	11,862
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	10,717
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	10,580
Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN	8,256
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	7,881

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High Demand in Housing Is Having a Direct Effect on the Market

 The pandemic has changed the way people view their homes. From the stay-at-home orders to the scare of spreading the virus, the home is everyone’s safe haven. Luckily today’s technology has enabled many Americans to work from home. More and more people are reassessing what they want in a home such as a home office, flex space and outdoor living space.

The housing market is booming in fact, home sales are higher than they were before the pandemic. The

existing and new home sales are the highest level we have seen in over a decade. With the increase in home sales, comes an increase in the demand for building materials and labor.

Lumber has been in very high demand during recent months. Not only are builders building new homes but many homeowners are remodeling their current homes. Home offices and remote work locations have also spiked the demand for this hot commodity. The November 2020 Random Length Lumber contract shows a low set during the height of COVID in April at 277 but then in August lumber was set at 820.

The copper market has also been greatly affected by the booming housing market. Looking at the September 2020 copper futures contract, we witness a low set on March 19 at 1.99, followed by a big move up to 3.08 by September 15. Copper is also valuable to the technology industry where it is used for building servers, semiconductors and switches.

Currently, sales of single-family homes are up 24% from the spring, existing condominiums and co-ops are up 32%. Lumber and copper numbers are a great way to measure and predict the direction the housing industry will go, knowing which markets are directly affected by the growing demand for single-family units can be important for every trader and investor.

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Two Important Building Trends For Today’s Buyer

 The COVID pandemic is still causing uncertainty in the world today. A person’s home has become their essential safe haven. The NAHB has learned from a two-part presentation lead by the Leading Suppliers Council (LSC) there are two building trends that have become essential to buyers in the housing market. Buyers are more concerned about purchasing a smart home and a healthy home.

Homeowners are spending more time than ever at home during the pandemic. People are living,

working and playing all at home. Utility costs are on the rise. Potential homebuyers are interested in smart technologies that can make their home more convenient, secure and energy-efficient. Smart devices are becoming the norm in newly built and renovated homes.

Two-thirds of consumers say they want a connected home. According to Stephen Embry, a partner with the law firm of Frost Brown Todd, in approximately 3 years around 43% of homeowners will have some sort of connected devices in their homes. She says that a home that does not have technology will not be worth as much as a home with technology.

Builders have also seen a trend in homeowners stressing the importance of a healthy home. What does this mean? Consumers want a home with good indoor air quality, plenty of sunlight and the use of non-toxic building materials.

Eco Pulse reports that 66% of Millennials are concerned about indoor air quality. According to the report, in one year six rooms can collect around 40 pounds of dust. There is a possibility that the dust collected could have close to 45 toxic chemicals in it. This is in the air homeowners breathe in their homes on a daily basis.

When building or remodeling a home to improve the home’s health there are many things to consider. Always use clean, renewable energy to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Use paints that do not contain VOC that will emit harmful chemicals into the home. Use sound insulation and lighting that adapt to circadian rhythms in the bedroom for improving sleep. Install sensors that monitor air quality. Use double-glazed windows to reduce noise and create better insulation, also make sure your windows provide maximum views to allow natural light in. Most importantly use energy-efficient systems that are easy to control and monitor.

Today more than ever, homeowners want to be able to depend on their homes for their safe place away from the stresses of the pandemic. These two trends are a great way to create a better, healthier environment for families to live, work and play in.

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Techniques Used to Strengthen Homes During High Winds

Natural disasters are something everyone around the world fears. There are many construction techniques that have been tested and passed approval to improve the resistance of houses during high wind events such as less-severe (EFO-EF2) tornadoes and intense hurricanes.

Data has been collected two ways to see what products pass high wind conditions. The first way Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) which tests different products under controlled wind tunnel conditions. The second way data is collected is by post-storm assessments taken on what works during these high wind conditions by both the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety and the Engineered Wood Association (APA).

products are reviewed is by the

The International Residential Code® (IRC®) created by the U.S. Department of Energy is the ” Code for residential buildings that creates minimum regulations for one- and two-family dwellings of three stories or less. It brings together all building, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy and electrical provisions for one- and two-family residences.” Homes that have been built to the IRC code have shown high performance during high-wind events but builders are now finding ways to build homes that are above the IRC® standards.

Focusing on other ways to strengthen the roof and enable a “continuous load path through the structure to the foundation” can help builders build homes that can withstand high-risk tornadoes and intense hurricanes. By doing this, homeowners would be able to stay in their homes after a high-wind event and home repair cost would be lowered.

One way they have found to strengthen the roof is by sealing it. If air is kept from being able to seep underneath the roof components the roof will stay intact and not tear off. During a study IBHS did on homes in Florida after Hurricane Michael, those with sealed roof decks held up better than those that were not sealed. Taping the roof deck seams, using tighter nail spacing to fasten roof decking to trusses and rafters, using ring shank nails A, upgrading the underlayment to 30lb felt, properly fastening drip edges and gutters to minimize the ability of the wind to get up underneath roof covering and using self-adhered or synthetic underlayment are construction techniques used to strengthen roofs when homes are under construction.

There are many ways wind can damage a home. As mentioned previously uplift pressure can take the roof off, shear loads can cause a house to lean, and lateral loads can make the home slide off the foundation. Wind load is defined as the load in pounds per square foot placed on a structure by the

wind. Builders are finding ways to allow a constant load path in the construction of homes. To prevent leaning wood structural panels or other structural sheathings (allowed by the IRC®) are used to brace walls, anchors are used against base shear and hold-downs are used against overturning. These types of construction techniques fight winds from tearing a home apart.

When building a home for a consumer, builders can take this information and inform them about these preventions. When living in a geographical area that is prone to these events, it is important for homeowners to be aware of the risk when not using these techniques or materials approved by the International Residential Code®.

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A Rise In Home Building In Rural Markets

The National Home Builders Association (NAHB) has seen a new housing trend with the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest quarterly NAHB Home Building Geography Index (HBGI) found that residential construction is growing faster in lower density markets.

“We expect the virus could affect future housing preferences for those currently living in the hardest-hit, high-density environments like central cities and that housing demand will continue to increase in medium- and low-density communities,” said NAHB Chairman Dean Mon.

“The first quarter HBGI data reveals that construction growth expanded over the last year more quickly in low population density areas than high-density regions,” said NAHB Chief Economist

Robert Dietz. “This trend will continue as households seek out single-family homes further from urban cores, particularly as telecommuting continues in greater numbers.”

The report reveals that proximity and affordability were two of the biggest catalyst in the shift. People are now second-guessing living in metropolitan areas after the public health crisis hit. During the COVID-19 pandemic, metro residents were more vulnerable because of the crowded living conditions, mass transit, insufficient health and public sector infrastructure. Builders are starting to look outside of metropolitan areas where the land is cheaper and there are more building opportunities.

“The HBGI data is consistent with the fact that housing costs are increasing fastest in large metro suburban counties and smaller metro areas with populations under 1 million where demand for housing is high but supply constraints are tight,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz.

“Supply-side issues that are hurting affordability and raising costs for builders include excessive regulations, labor shortages, rising material costs and a dearth of buildable lots in mid- to high population centers.”

All national economic geographies in the country showed a 9.1% growth increase in the suburbs over a one-year moving average. In the education and health services sector (EHS), 4% made up the total single construction and made up close to twice the growth rate in the multifamily construction over the past year. The HBGI also found that the education and health services sector was the top quartile of counties and totaled 25.7% above the total employment sectors.

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A 4.1% Rise From November 2018 In Construction Spending

The Census Bureau reported the November 2019 U.S. spending rate for U.S. construction is 4.1% above 2018’s rate for last November. According to the report construction spending amounted to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.324 trillion.

Out of the total construction spending, spending on private construction was 1.6% above November

2018’s and is at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $985.5 billion. Residential construction spending came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $536.1 in November making it 2.7% up from a year ago.

“Single-family builders are currently reporting ongoing positive conditions, spurred in part by low mortgage rates and continued job growth,” NAHB Chairman Greg Ugalde said. “In a further sign of solid demand, this is the fourth consecutive month where at least half of all builders surveyed have reported positive buyer traffic conditions.

Homebuilders are confident in the current housing market. The National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo suggest the sentiment levels are at 70 points making the rate the second-highest level in 2019. The points are 10 points higher than reported this time in 2018.

The positive housing market is expected to continue in 2020. This forecast is based upon the number of applications for new building permits which were at the highest level in November 2019 than they have been in a decade.

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Appraisals a Big Challenge But Getting Easier

One of the biggest challenges facing builders and people selling their homes in St. Tammany Parish and Southeast Louisiana are the appraisals that are given for the homes for sale and built new homes.  Recently, in the last few years, laws were established requiring banks and mortgage companies to choose appraisers from a universal list, giving each appraiser an equal amount of work. However, because appraisers are not required to go through intensive training and maintain continuing education, some appraisals that were turned in to the banks and mortgage companies fell far below what the perceived value of the house was.

This causes a problem for the closing process in that the loan amount is often more than the house is worth, according the appraiser.  The appraisal process for a home for sale or new home for sale in a

new neighborhood or in a rural part of St. Tammany Parish, where there aren’t a lot of “comps” (comparisons of homes previously sold in the area) can be a stressful one for a home buyer looking to buy a new home or existing home for sale, unless it is a cash sale.  The appraisal dictates to the mortgage company or the bank how much the loan amount can be based upon the value of the house and / or the down payment of the buyer.

“An appraisal can vastly impact the mortgage process. This number alone can impact how much a buyer needs to bring to closing, or the current equity a homeowner has when refinancing,” said Bill Banfield, Quicken Loans Executive Vice President of Capital Markets. “If homeowners are aware of local home values and how they are changing, it will assist with a smoother mortgage process.”
However, there is good news for the real estate industry, the distance (difference) between the amount of the appraisal and new home and existing home prices has narrowed for 4 months in a row according to the National Quicken Loans home Price Perception Index (HPPI). Appraised values are still falling short of home prices, but the most recently logged margin during the month of September was 1.14%. This is good news for builders looking to sell their homes (and have them appraise) at market value.

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New Construction Jobs Support Overall GDP

Home building generates a substantial amount of money for local governments and the federal government just by the nature of the industry.  According to the National Association of Home Builders, approximately 90,000 different governments receive approximately $111 million in taxes and fees from the construction and building of 1,000 single-family homes.

Sub-Contractors Contribute Greatest Share

In addition to the governments making a substantial amount of money from home building,

sub-contractors also are reported to make consistently higher wages because of home building.  One of the reasons for this is that sub-contractors actually do the work themselves instead of hiring the jobs out to employees.  Because sub-contractors make up the majority of the workforce when building a new home, the taxes on profit then paid by these sole proprietors also contribute greatly to the overall economy.

Tax Breakdown

The amount of taxes paid to the federal government is comprised mainly of income taxes and social security equaling an amount of $74.4 million.  State and local income taxes comes to $10.3 million, and city and county taxes equal approximately $6.9 million.  Other taxes consisting of impact fees, permit fees, and other fees for new construction bring in a total of $13.7 million.

A breakdown of industries which bring in the revenue shows that construction has the most jobs, and other affiliated companies related to construction such as manufacturing, bring in other revenue.  Other affiliated businesses include trade, transportation, warehousing, finance, insurance, real estate sales, rental and leasing, and professional, management, and admin services. A total of 2,975 jobs are created from building 1,000 single-family homes based on full-time jobs over one year.

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Reasons to Stay in Your New Home 5 Years

Whether you are buying your first home or your 4th home, the time you spend in your home before downsizing or upgrading makes a financial difference in your investment.  Most people start out in the real estate industry when they buy their first home.  Unless they come from a very wealthy family or have won the lottery, the home is priced modestly or on the low end and is built that way as well – smaller square footage, less bedrooms and baths, in an up and coming neighborhood.  First time

home buyers can be single professionals who are successful, in a steady job, with an income that is rising each year, but most people who buy a home for the first time are couples looking to start a family. These couples eventually would like to move out and move up to provide more space for their growing family.  They are “getting their foot in the door” with their first home to establish credit and create equity opportunity to eventually sell and move up to something bigger.

The biggest question then, to ask is this – how long do you stay in your home in order to make sure you aren’t losing money and to build enough equity to become a “move-up buyer?”  The answer to this depends, but it is typically about 5 years.  Below are the reasons for this number:

1.  Closing Costs: Whether you are buying a new or previously owned home (resale) or refinancing your home, you are going to “run into” closing costs.  Closing costs is the profit for loan originators, title companies, and the state in which you live (recording fees) which are charged during the loan process.  Every company needs to make money, and closing costs are how they make theirs.  Closing costs are, most of the time, added to the principle of your home, increasing your loan amount and shrinking your home’s equity.  Each time you make a real estate transaction, you are charged these costs.  Staying in your home approximately 5 years “pays off” these closing costs enough for there to be enough equity in your home (most of the time) to have money for a down payment when you move to your next “move-up” home.

2.  Interest: Even with the historically low interest rates in the market today, the mantra in real estate still stands, “The Bank Gets Paid First.”  When you are paying your monthly loan payments, you will notice on your mortgage statement that the amount of principle being paid on your home is significantly less than the amount of interest being paid.  You can also see this on your amortization schedule during your closing.  As your loan “ages,” the amount of interest balances the amount of principle and eventually ends up being less than the amount of principle during the last years of your loan.  If you only stay in your newly purchased home for a short period of time – say 3 years – the amount of principle you “pay off” will not be enough to merit a sale and move unless you are making extra principle payments each month.  The recommended period of time to stay in your home, reduce the amount of interest charged, and pay off as much principle as you can in order to gain equity during a sale is 5 years.

3.  New Vs. Used: The type of home you buy can also make a difference in how much time you spend in it before you upgrade to something bigger and better.  If you are buying a new home, it really doesn’t make that big of a financial difference in the time you spend in the home because typically, in a new house, you don’t end up with much maintenance on the home until about 4 – 5 years in.  On a previously-owned home, resale home purchase, however, there may be a significant amount of upgrade and upkeep that you will expend when you first move into the home.  Depending on the age of the home and the last time it was renovated, big system items, such as hot water heaters, condensers, garbage disposals, ductwork, roofing, etc. could end up needing to be repaired or replaced.  If you look at the amount of money you spent on renovating the home, the amount of interest you pay on your monthly mortgage payment, and the amount of closing costs you paid during the initial purchase; you may see that it would behoove you to stay in the house for about 5 years (or more) to get the equity out of the home to pay off your financial investment.

4.  Appreciation: The “golden days” of “instant appreciation” are fewer and farther in between when it comes to purchasing your first home in an “up and coming” area.  During the real estate boom of the early 2000’s, subdivisions were seeing appreciation in their homes from the beginning and build out of Phase I to the commencement of building Phase II.  You have probably seen the prices on the signs change from Phase I to Phase II where the exact same floorplan started selling $10,000 – $20,000 higher in Phase II than it did in Phase I.  Those days of instant appreciation are very rare, so when you purchase your home in an area you expect to experience residential and commercial growth, you, as a homeowner, may have to wait a little bit longer for that long-anticipated

appreciation to come about.  Along with the other factors mentioned above, this is yet another reason to wait approximately 5 years before selling and moving to a bigger and better home.

Ron Lee Homes, a home builder in St. Tammany Parish, specializes in 2nd home (and above) move-up homes.  Whether you are looking to build a semi-custom or fully custom new home in Mandeville, Covington, Madisonville, or Abita Springs, Ron Lee Homes will work with you and provide base floorplan designs for your consideration.  Buying or building a new home can seem a little challenging, but working with the team at Ron Lee Homes will make your home buying / building experience a pleasant and satisfactory process.  To get started with the plans for the home of your dreams today, Contact Ron Lee Homes at 985-626-7619 or E-mail Info@RonLeeHomes.com.


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Pace of New Home Sales and New Home Inventory on the Rise

Both the pace of new home sales and new home inventory are up according to the numbers reported for February, 2016.  New home sales went up by 2% bringing the seasonally adjusted amount to 502,000.  Standing new home inventory also moved upward slightly to a 5.6-month’s supply of homes meaning it would take this amount of time to sell off all of the standing supply of new homes for sale nationwide.  New home inventory has struggled to rebound because of three factors: lots,

construction workers and sub-contractors, and lending standards.

Lots available for building have actually been a problem for builders in pockets around the country as builders are ready to “get back to work” and build new homes for sale.  The lack of supply of ready lots have them searching more rural locations or building completely different floorplans to accommodate certain lot plats.

Construction employment demand has skyrocketed as opportunities begin to be more and more prevalent because of the surge in new construction.  Employees and sub-contractors seem to be now flooded with work, which leaves builders waiting on certain subs’ industries to come out to work on their new homes under construction.

Lenders have found ways to ease the home buyer’s woes by offering better standards of down payments with new FHA loan packages and rural development loans.  However, the kink in the industry came in late October and the beginning of November, 2015, when the new Closing Disclosure was implemented for real estate closings.  Banks, lenders, mortgage companies, and even title companies are on a fast learning curve to master the new system and get home buyers into their new homes fast.

In reality, it is better that the real estate industry is undergoing these types of struggles rather than a complete lack of demand and over 1.5 year’s inventory on the ground like it felt during the Recession.  The lack of all of the items mentioned above are actually a good problem for new home builders to have.  If you are interested in building a new, custom home in St. Tammany Parish, Contact Ron Lee Homes today to set up a meeting regarding new home plans and construction.  Call 985-626-7619 or E-mail Info@RonLeeHomes.com to set up your appointment.


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Construction Spending Shows a Year-Over-Year Increase

The National Association of Home Builders monitors the construction industry so it can be the first to report both positive and negative news to the real estate industry and if necessary, to Congress.  Since the housing industry is one of the leaders in economic growth and development in the United States, and the national economy depends on real estate for a good portion of the GDP, the health of the real estate industry if of prime importance to those vendors, contractors, and builders who are involved in its day-to-day production.

To that end, construction spending was reported by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) to have grown in November, 2015.  Private residential construction which includes homeowner improvements, DIY remodeling and renovations, and other types of repairs saw an increase in construction spending of 5.9% from November, 2014.  Single-family construction spending was up 9% over the same period and multi-family construction spending was up 12%.
From November, 2015, to December, 2015, private residential construction spending increased by .12%.  Single-family home construction spending increased to $231 billion which is a 1% increase from November.  Multi-family spending increased to $53 billion – a 2.66% increase.  Interestingly, if multi-family spending levels off to a steadier pace, which it is predicted to do in 2016, the trend in real estate suggests that single-family home construction will begin to increase.

In the commercial sector, an increase of 45% in the manufacturing-related construction from December, 2014, to December, 2015, drove an overall increase of 8% year-over-year in commercial construction spending.

Since the Great Recession, the real estate industry has been on a continuous climb of recovery once the housing market started to turn around.  The numbers at the end of 2015 reflect this slow but steady progress for builders, contractors, remodelers, and renovators, as well as all of the construction employees involved in projects nationwide.

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Open Floorplans Are Popular in Today’s Real Estate Industry

The buzz word in the real estate industry today for new homes being built and existing home remodeling is an open floorplan.  What exactly does that mean?  The open floorplan refers mainly to the entire living area and possibly even the sunroom, screened-in porch, or patio area on the bottom or single floor of the home.  Open floorplans typically include the Family Room / Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, Sunroom, Keeping Room, Breakfast Room, and/or Porch / Patio.

Open floorplans discourage compartmentalization by encouraging each room or area to flow into the next.  Kitchens in an open floorplan can be expansive with a full working island in the middle as well as an additional breakfast bar that can have extra space for family social gatherings.  The kitchen island may have an additional sink, icemaker, dishwasher, trash compactor, or even a wine cooler. The island can also include cabinet space and drawers for additional kitchen storage of utensils, dishes and appliances.

Most of the time, the kitchen will overlook the Family Room with a view of the floor to ceiling fireplace for a vaulted ceiling floorplan and the television, letting the cook enjoy shows and games while have to cook, clean, and entertain.  The kitchen may have additional bench seating against the wall of what typically would be a Breakfast Room or Keeping Room in order to create a place for people to talk if they are not watching television.

Family Room space flows into what would have been the formal Dining Room, so homeowners have the option of buying a bigger living room set or adding built-in bookshelves, an informal office, or even a kids play area.  If there is enough room in the open floorplan, a screened-in or glassed-in porch may be easily accessible from the Family Room, or custom home buyers may choose to insulate a sunroom for a greenhouse effect for those that are plant lovers.

The obvious point here is that the days of separating out the “Formal Dining Room, Formal Living Room, Family Room, and Kitchen” are pretty much over – much like the disappearance of the “Parlor” in the ’50’s.  Home buyers and homeowners love their sprawl and space and having access to everything in the main living area of their home.

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Trends That Are Showing Up in Remodeled or Newly Built New Homes

Whatever type of home construction you are planning – a new, custom home or a complete remodel / renovation of your existing home – you will want to pay attention to the trends that are showing up in remodeled or newly built new homes.  Below are several trends that are popular among contractors, builders, and homeowners.

1. Luxurious garden tubs or jetted garden tubs have held steady in home construction for years, but for 2016, the trend is shower stalls or walk-around showers with shelving and seating.  There are some really unique shower designs that include multiple shower heads and even massage sprays.

2. For your backsplash, trim, or even walls and floors, ceramic tile is not as popular now among renovators and builders as glass tile.  The glass tile comes in many different colors as well as designs with multiple colors, so choose your matching design and go crazy!

3.  When stepping up to the gourmet kitchen or luxurious master bath, granite countertops used to be the ultimate material that reflected the type of construction of your new home or remodel.  There is a new material that is called engineered quartz that is not only tougher than granite and lasts longer, but it has the same timeless, classic, and upscale design for your custom counter work.

4.  Toilets naturally came in lower to the floor sizes for decades, but now there are choices of toilet heights that are available to new home buyers, and buyers are choosing height over flow.  The new, higher toilets are also more water efficient and modern, saving some homeowners on utility bills.

5.  Along with ornate, custom-built, real wood cabinetry; home buyers and remodelers now have a choice of painted, stained, and dark wood cabinetry vs. the traditional oak cabinets that were standard for new home construction projects.  Choose and contrast these colors as well with a two-toned look in the kitchen or bathroom.

6.  Even though, we as a custom home builder still encourage you to buy reliable appliances throughout your home, the industry has caught up with technology, so some home buyers and home renovators are now going with a mid-range level of appliance vs. a high-end appliance package.  The appliances themselves seem to have the same duration of service, and you can also purchase upper end looking fixtures, such as stainless steel to achieve the look you want without all of the cost.

7.  Back to the basics – homeowner and savvy new home buyers know to renovate and build their homes with real wood flooring such as solid oak or pine instead of engineered flooring.  While the look and cost of an engineered floor is great for the first few years, the results after many years of wear and tear don’t stand the test of time, weather, and constant use.  Homeowners and new home buyers will be looking to find affordable real wood choices for their flooring.

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Building a Raffle House for Charity in St. Tammany Parish

The Northshore Home Builders Association (HBA) in St. Tammany Parish is once again, in 2016, building a Raffle House for Charity called Raising the Roof for Charity.  A new home is constructed by member of the Home Builders Association of St. Tammany Parish on the North Shore, and then, this home is auctioned off to raise funds for several chosen local charities.  This year’s recipients include Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Louisiana, the Covington Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity-St. Tammany West and the Tammany Trace Foundation.

The new Raffle House is being built by Integrity Builders in Spring Haven Subdivision in Madisonville, Louisiana.  Tickets are sold by members of the Northshore Home Builders Association

to colleagues and associates in order to raise funds.  The HBA will be having two early drawings for Raffle House tickets – one on March 19th and one on April 16th.  Winners of these two drawings will receive a $1,500 reward.  The final Raffle House drawing will be held at the new, custom home in Spring Haven on June 4, 2016.  Special events will be held in the months leading up to the Raffle House drawing where opportunities to win a free raffle ticket will be available.

The new, custom home being built by the St. Tammany Parish builder member is a 2,600 square foot home of living space with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths which was designed by DesignTech Residential Planners.  The value of the home is estimated at $422,000.  This open floorplan includes a flowing design throughout the living room, dining, room, and kitchen.  The living room also has a gorgeous fireplace and coffered ceiling.  The kitchen includes an oversized kitchen island with breakfast bar and undermount sink.  Granite countertops, real wood cabinetry, and stainless steel appliances complete this deluxe kitchen setup.  The master suite features an oversized walk-in closet off of the sumptuous master bath, complete with centered tub with a separate shower flanking.  For outdoor entertainment, this new, custom home has a huge, covered outdoor patio, complete with outdoor kitchen setup.

In addition to the grand prize of the Raffle House being given away to a lucky recipient, there will be other prizes given out on the day of the drawing to winning raffle ticket holders.  The Raffle House is an important part of raising money for local charities as well as rewarding a St. Tammany Parish resident with a new home.  Don’t miss out on your opportunity to view this new, custom home in Madisonville, Louisiana.

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Record Low Interest Rates to Increase With Fed Decision

Real estate is selling fast and prices are still competitive.  Builders and homeowners alike have taken advantage of the great rates seen after the 2008 economic crunch. These record low interest rates might soon be a thing of the past.  The Federal Reserve has decided it’s now time to rethink the rates because the economy is stronger, and more people are in a position to borrow money.  The Fed already bumped the key interest rate up by 0.25% in December 2015.

Fortunately the Fed plans to raise the rates at a slow, steady pace.  In fact, this is the first rate hike in almost ten years. Even with the slow increase, everyone will be affected. Anyone who has a credit card, savings account, invest in a 401(k), invest in the markets, or wants to make a big purchase with a loan needs to know how the rate increases will affect them.

Just because there has been a raise in the rate does not mean you should rush out and make a big purchase tomorrow.  Owning a new home is a big deal and you should research to find the right one that suits you.  Even if the rates are higher in a year, they still will be lower than historical averages.
“Rates are pretty low and they’re not going to change much in the short term,” says Dean Croushore, a University of Richmond professor and former Fed economist. Do start your research now and pay attention to the Fed’s actions.  If they do start to increase rates out of your comfort zone, it might be time to make that leap into home ownership.

Years ago many remember the advantages of putting their hard-earned cash into a savings account.  It would yield them a little bit of extra cash on top of what they had saved – imagine that!  In the past decade there has been almost zero interest earned.  With the Fed’s rate change, we will also see a higher interest income on your deposits. So a benefit to the rate increase means an increase on the money you put away in your savings account.

Not so smooth sailing for the stock markets. This Fed hike could cause major ups and downs in the stock and bond markets.  This trigger coupled with failing oil prices, China’s continued economic slowdown and decisions made by central banks around the world should be of great concern. According to MSCI Emerging Market Index, the stock market performance was down approximately 20% at the end of 2015.

With the new year comes good news for the U.S. dollar. The increase in the interest rate is predicted to make the dollar stronger. While the dollar is gaining many other global currencies are lowering.  This will have a negative impact on the global economy. U.S. companies will lose money on products sold in other countries.  Investors are already putting all of their money in U.S. investments rather than putting some money into global investments. The U.S. manufacturing sector has already shrunk due to the weak global economy.

All in all it seems to be more good news than bad for those wanting to invest or make big purchases such as a new home. “We’ve come a long way from the depths of the recession, but we’re still not quite back to where we’d like to be,” says Croushore, the former Fed economist.

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The Cost of Building a Custom New Homes

Ron Lee Homes in St. Tammany Parish is one of the elite builders in Covington, Louisiana, which builds fully custom new homes with spectacular finishes.  Inside or out, these new homes are built with intense attention to detail to make sure that every minute finish is construction with as much perfection as possible.  Many of the interior amenities of custom homes built by Ron Lee Homes are imported materials or custom built materials that are installed by specialty contractors.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), this type of new home construction actually trends with national averages in that 29.6% of the cost of construction is spent on interior finishes.  The rest of the breakdown in construction costs are as follows: framing (18.0 percent), exterior finishes (15.0 percent), major system rough-ins (13.1 percent), foundations (11.6 percent), final steps (6.8 percent), site work (5.6 percent), and other costs (0.5 percent).

When calculating the cost to build a new, single-family home, the NAHB surveyed builders with its Cost of Construction Survey and found that new homes built on approximately 1/2-acre lots with 2,802 square feet had a sales price of $468,318.  61.8% of that sales price encompassed the cost of the construction of building the new home which is only .1% higher than the costs reported in 2013.
Interestingly, the cost of the lot and the cost of finishing the lot made up a large chunk of the expense of building in the total percentages spent of the sale.  Land in St. Tammany Parish has a premium price compared to more northern and western parishes in Louisiana as well.

At the same time as this data has been released by the NAHB, another analysis of construction spending says that total private residential construction spending for September increased 1.3% over August spending and 13% year-over-year.  The reason for this increase may also be the increase in the cost of materials as well. However, single-family home permits and starts are up as well, so the money put back into the economy in the form of materials purchases as well as employment is up across the board nationwide – a good sign for the real estate market.

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