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Housing market revived with more affordability in July
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsIt was Christmas in July for the housing market. Mortgage rates fell to near-historic lows following an interest rate reduction by the Federal Reserve. Existing home prices continued to level off. Homebuilders made some headway toward replenishing inventories. As the purchase of a home became somewhat more affordable, buyer sentiment rose and so did sales.
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Joint checks: Make sure you follow these guidelines to get paid
Nate Budde Construction & Building MaterialsSimply put, a joint check is a check made payable to two or more parties, such that both parties must endorse the check prior to deposit. A joint check agreement, therefore, is a contract through which one party agrees to (or gives permission to) make payment in the form of joint checks. While joint check agreements are just contracts, and can exist in any industry or between any group of parties, they are most common in construction, and used to manage payment on construction projects far more than anywhere else.
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Designing intelligent interactive environments
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesIntegrating interactive technologies into interior environments is becoming increasingly common. So, too, is the use of interactive robots in nonindustrial settings. What if you could combine the two to create an interior space that is itself an intelligent, interactive agent? That’s the goal of a project being developed at Cornell University’s Architectural Robotics Lab.
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Homeowners opting for repairs over remodels
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesBy some measures, the home improvement industry is bustling. More homeowners are taking on more projects and spending more on those projects. That has helped to sustain growth in remodeling services this year, but not as much as one might expect. Recent industry reports indicate that a large portion of homeowner spending is being directed toward repairs and routine maintenance rather than remodeling and renovation.
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What does the future of housing look like?
Jason Zimmerman Construction & Building MaterialsLarry Haines, the founder of Sunconomy, a company that produces 3-D-printed homes, and Dr. Robert Dietz, senior vice president and chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, discussed the future of housing on Aug. 8 at the 2019 Sunbelt Builders Show™, hosted by the Texas Association of Builders, at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine. While giving separate presentations, both Haines and Dietz agreed that we are currently looking at a housing affordability crisis in the U.S.
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Vanilla Ice is back with a brand-new invention
Jason Zimmerman Construction & Building MaterialsVanilla Ice built a legacy as an iconic hip-hop music artist. Now he’s building dreams. World-famous rapper, actor and TV reality show personality Robert Van Winkle — professionally known as Vanilla Ice — served as the opening keynote speaker Aug. 7 for the 2019 Sunbelt Builders Show™, hosted by the Texas Association of Builders, at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine. Best known for his No. 1 hit song, "Ice Ice Baby," Vanilla Ice has become a successful real-estate entrepreneur and remodeling expert with more than 15 years of hands-on home improvement experience.
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Smaller and new are the prevailing trends in luxury homes
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsChanging customer lifestyles and preferences are realigning the market for luxury homes. Sales are declining in some areas long considered to be havens for the wealthy and are rising in desirable suburbs and city centers. As younger, affluent buyers and relocating baby boomers opt for simplicity and convenience over opulence, the demand for smaller and new, move-in-ready homes is growing.
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Flex time for interior designers
Lloyd Princeton Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesIn years gone by, clients hired an interior designer to execute an entire project. With some exceptions, it was generally understood that the designer would conceive, design, furnish and manage the project from start to finish — in consultation with the clients, of course. Today, that is no longer the norm. On the contrary, clients today have embraced the term "menu of services” quite literally, ordering a la carte and when they wish. This trend has been building for some time.
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Are we witnessing the death of Main Street, or its rebirth?
Lucy Wallwork RetailThe decline of America’s downtown "Main Streets" is nothing new. First, the rise of the automobile meant they were displaced as the nexus of community and commercial life by out-of-town malls. More recently, even the malls have fallen victim to the rise of online shopping, with 1 in 4 expected to be closed by 2022. The outlook for Main Street doesn’t look good, as the headlines tracking empty frontages keep telling us. But are we giving in to nostalgia too much? Perhaps the rebirth of Main Street might not look to the past at all, but to the future.
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For well-being, natural is almost as good as nature
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesNumerous research studies have shown that people experiencing stress, fatigue, trauma, and recovery from illness respond positively to natural settings, natural elements (such as indoor plants and water features), and views of nature. But what of nature imagery or patterns similar to those found in nature? Does exposure to sensory stimuli that remind us of being in a natural setting produce a similar effect? Several recent studies indicate that they do.
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