Building Materials Products Channel Marketing Advertising Blog » housing

Housing Recovery is Full of Surprises

Mark Mitchell — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:34:50 +0000

Home prices are down 60% in Las Vegas. There are 9,517 brand new unsold homes. 5,600 homes were repossessed in the first quarter of 2010. And yet builders are working on 1,100 more new homes and looking for land to build more! It makes no sense yet it’s happening. What are you doing as a building material manufacturer to be part of this opportunity? What other unlikely markets are showing activity? Read the whole story in the New York Times.

What Does Zero Energy Use Mean For You?

Mark Mitchell — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:07:32 +0000

A great article from Jim Carlton in a recent Wall Street Journal that shows how far energy efficiency can go. Here’s the intro follow the link to read the entire article.

The green building movement is targeting a goal once thought virtually unattainable: zero net energy use.

While the trend is nascent, dozens of “net zero” and “near net zero” developments — projects designed to use only about as much power from the public grid as they can save or produce on their own — have sprung up across the U.S. over the past five years.

Read the rest at The Wall Street Journal

Builders Can Use Man Caves to Draw Traffic

Mark Mitchell — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 10:52:09 +0000

The growing popularity of Man Caves represents an opportunity for builders. In a time when it’s harder and harder for builders to differentiate themselves a Man Cave in a model or parade home can create a lot of action. People who view the Man Cave in a model home will talk about it generating word of mouth and more traffic. The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article on the world of Man Caves.

Housing is Still a Good Investment

Mark Mitchell — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 07:23:23 +0000

Karl E. Case’s recent OP-ED piece in the New York Times offers a contrarian view from today’s headlines about the value of home ownership. He makes several good points about why home ownership still makes sense. A good read for builders and manufacturer’s of building materials.

Builder’s Confidence Rises While Consumer’s Declines

Mark Mitchell — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 09:15:03 +0000

After a rise on construction for the third straight month, building permits have also risen showing a confidence by builders who also believe the government tax incentives will continue to lift sales. At the same time the University of Michigan’s consumer-sentiment index declined from 73.6 to 69.5 at the end of March. While many signs show that the recovery is under way, it’s not a good sign that consumer confidence is dropping, especially for major purchases such as a new home or remodeling project. Read more from this Wall Street Journal article.

Shift in Value of Renovations

Mark Mitchell — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:49:44 +0000

Remodeling Magazine’s most recent study on the payback of home remodeling projects show a shift from aesthetics to performance. Granite counter tops, custom vanities and showers large enough for eight people have given way to improvements such as insulation. Building material manufacturers, remodeling contractors and big box retailers like Home Depot and Lowes need to be on top of this important trend. You can read more in this article from the Wall Street Journal.

Branded Products Offer Homeowners Peace of Mind

Mark Mitchell — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 01:40:39 +0000

Recent issues with Chinese drywall points out an opportunity for builders and manufacturer’s of branded building materials to differentiate themselves from lower cost offerings. Consumers recognize the tremendous risk and cost associated with the use of shoddy materials in construction. Builders and manufacturers should use this to their advantage by reminding consumers of their product quality along with a subtle reference to risks of using lower cost generic products. Handing out reprints of this article from the New York Times could help to educate consumers about the risks of not using quality materials.

IPhone Apps Aid Home Sales

Mark Mitchell — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:28:00 +0000

Homebuyers are now using apps from IPhone to aid in their house hunting. It’s time for manufacturer’s to offer their own apps to aid home buyers. For example checklists on energy or features could help differentiate homes with your products and encourage future upgrade sales. Read more in the WSJ

Surprise! Lumber Prices Are Rising for Builders

Mark Mitchell — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:38:04 +0000

Just when builders don’t need it, lumber prices are rising which puts added pressure on keeping new houses price competitive. Read the story from the Wall Street Journal

Homes Prices Stabilizing

Mark Mitchell — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 04:13:06 +0000

Good news on the housing front is starting to gain more momentum as another story appears in the Wall Street Journal. If the media continues to report positive stories it will help to lift consumer confidence on home purchases.