New Construction - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

New-Home Sales Are Skewing to Lower Price Points

Home builders are lowering their prices to appeal to a growing number of home shoppers. In January, 66 percent of new single-family homes were priced between $200,000 and $400,000, compared with 22 percent of homes that were in the $400,000 to $750,000 range, according to U.S. Commerce Department data. A year ago, 51 percent of homes sold in the $200,000 to $400,000 range, while 29 percent sold in the $400,000 to $750,000 price points.â

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TIP: Dark Colors Make Rooms Smaller? Painting Myths You Should Know

Painting a room can be one of the most budget-friendly ways to makeover a space. But some commonly held myths about choosing the right paint may prevent some homeowners from finding the truly perfect hue to enhance their space.Realtor.com® recently spoke with painting experts to address some of these common myths about painting a home. Some of those include:Dark paint colors make a room look small.In fact, it’s just the opposite in many cases,

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A Growing Home Trend - Garden Kitchens

Live plants are being added into cabinetry and even directly into the kitchen island. At this year’s LivingKitchen, a trade show in Cologne, Germany, numerous manufacturers showed off the latest worldwide kitchen trend: more greenery near cooking spaces.Living plants are appearing on the back or tops of kitchen islands and peninsula cabinets. They’re also appearing as wall shelving, which include grow lights to keep them thriving even when tu

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Most Homeowners Planning a Renovation This Year

Complaints about the condition of homes on military bases, including lead poisoning, mold, and poor construction, have grown worse since the problems were first revealed in a Reuters investigation last August. NBC News did a follow-up piece Friday looking at whether there has been any improvement but found that the number of complaints by military families has increased, now getting the attention of lawmakers.Seventy-three percent of homeowners

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TIP: Here's How to Mix Metals in Your Home

Your color palette makes a huge difference. Bronze, brass, nickel, or chrome? Choosing metals for your home can be daunting, so here's a suggestion: Don't choose just one. All the best designers know there's no magic in being matchy-matchy—and that policy is true for metals as well as bedroom sets. Instead of agonizing over the "right" metallic finish, consider mixing them up.We realize this concept might be daunting to some, so, to

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TIP: Spring Home Design Trends are Getting Warmer

Home interiors are softening up with lighter neutrals and more casually designed modern spaces, according to PulteGroup’s in-house team of interior designers that furnish model homes nationwide.“Much like a change to spring weather, warm natural elements are brightening up homes this season, in combination with a clean, modern approach that does not sacrifice comfort,” says Angela Nuessle, national director of interior design

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Lower Mortgage Rates Give New-Home Sales Best Month Since Spring

Sales of newly built single-family homes picked up at the end of last year, reaching the highest level since May 2018, a newly released report from the U.S. Commerce Department shows. New-home sales increased 3.7 percent in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 621,000 units (the number of homes that would sell if this pace continued over the next 12 months).“Despite a period of weakness in the fall, new home sales ended the year wit

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The New-Home Pipeline Takes Another Hit

Fewer new homes are being built across the country, despite desperate calls from the housing industry to build more. New-home starts plunged to the lowest level in more than two years in December, the U.S. Commerce Department reported Tuesday.New-home construction dropped 11.2 percent in December and is now at the slowest pace of construction since September 2016. Housing starts have dropped 10.2 percent over the past year, with decreases in both

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TIP: Be Cautious About Renos Without Permits

Some homeowners bypass the permit process when they remodel their home. They may find the process too expensive or cumbersome. Permitting fees can sometimes cost hundreds of dollars or more. Some homeowners may believe that if they go ahead with a kitchen or bath remodel without a permit, they’ll likely never get caught.But failing to get a permit could be troublesome when they go to sell the home.Most states require homeowners to fil

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Tubs and Laundry Rooms Gain Prominence as Builders Update Floor Plans

Designing houses with features buyers want is a continuous process for the home building industry. During a Feb. 19 session at the 2019 International Builders' Show in Las Vegas, builders and designers took a break from their work to talk about some of the changes they're seeing.Curved entryway staircases step back.A curved stairway leading to the upper floor can make for a grand entrance into a home, and certainly serves as a focal poi

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