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Home sales lose momentum despite falling prices

Michael J. Berens Construction & Building Materials

Housing activity in September softened across the board and across the country. Low mortgage rates and reductions in home prices were not enough to offset a shortage of more affordable properties. Sales of both new and existing homes slid from the previous month. New home starts and completions dropped substantially. While inventory of existing homes remained stable, those at lower price points were harder to find.

Construction has a growing problem: Getting paid

Scott Wolfe Jr. Construction & Building Materials

For at least half of all contractors in the U.S., getting paid is hard, costly, and time-consuming. That’s according to the 2019 National Construction Payments Report, based on a survey of more than 500 construction professionals conducted by Levelset and TSheets by Quickbooks. According to one survey respondent, "Cash flow is the number one problem we deal with. It is demoralizing and a constant frustration."

Infographic: Optimizing reputation management with AI

Brian Wallace Business Management, Services & Risk Management

Customers read the reviews, but it's not enough to have good reviews. Those reviews also have to be believable. Your company's online reputation can make or break your business, and your ratings even influence your ranking in searches. Increasing your company's ratings from three to five stars can increase your visibility on Google by up to 25%. Learn more with this infographic.

A new way to improve your health: Move to a wellness community

Victoria Fann Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Given that the average person spends 90% of their time indoors and loneliness has become epidemic, it makes sense that real estate is responding by changing the way it builds. In addition, the attention given to wellness is growing, so health-conscious homebuyers want to live in a place that supports their values. Also known as wellness lifestyle real estate and wellness communities, this new trend will be a $180 billion industry worldwide in 2022, according to a report by the Global Wellness Institute.

The UK grapples with its low-carbon heating future

Andrew Gaved Manufacturing

Whilst the subject of Brexit is weighing heavily on the minds of U.K. politicians, the heating industry has an equally seismic change of culture to deal with — no less than the prospect of wholesale technology change as it bids to build a low-carbon heating infrastructure. One of the last legislative decisions by former Prime Minister Theresa May was to commit the U.K. to "net zero" carbon emissions by 2050. It is accepted by the HVAC industry that such a stiff target cannot be reached without radically changing its technology approach. What the technology approach should be is currently the subject of fierce debate.

Choosing flooring for buildings exposed to extreme temperatures and the…

Kendall Youngworth Facilities & Grounds

Buildings and facilities are designed to perform a wide variety of jobs and fulfill myriad purposes. Sometimes, these facilities need to be able to stand up against extreme temperatures and elements. Extreme temperatures and exposure to outdoor elements require durable flooring solutions. Otherwise, undesirable flooring will pose both safety and long-term durability concerns.

Is it time to put ‘senior living’ out to pasture?

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

Back in the day, when you reached a certain age and had no one to care for you, you’d be sent to the "old folks’ home" to live out your remaining years. Then, "retirement villages" came along, replacing the stigma of the old folks’ home. Over time, these age-restricted communities have evolved into today’s "senior living" model, offering a wide range of activities, support services, and a continuum of elder care, often in a residential-like setting. Several reports released this year suggest, however, that the concept of "senior living" may have run its course, too.

Williston, North Dakota, is home to America’s newest airport

Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & Automotive

America’s newest airport opened to passengers on Oct. 10 when United Airlines Flight 4643 touched down, commencing a new era of connectivity to this growing part of North Dakota and its important oil fields. Williston Basin International Airport (code: XWA) is located 10 miles northwest of the city, which is itself in the northwestern part of the state. The region is home to the oil fields operated in the Bakken Formation. The area is currently experiencing a boom in output and drives the local economy.

Travel2020: Construction causes pain at the airport, per new survey

Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

We have all seen the scaffolding and cranes, walled-off waiting areas and slowed traffic around our favorite gateway airports lately. That might have something to do with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s airport infrastructure grants. These infrastructure improvements are happening as record passenger volumes force major expansion efforts. However, the road closures, confusing signage and delays that come with these projects are making it hard on passengers.

New insights into millennials’ remodeling preferences

Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & Fixtures

With more and more millennials becoming homebuyers and sellers, we are learning more about what they are looking for in a home and the changes they are making to the homes they buy. While they do demonstrate some preferences that distinguish them from older homeowners, in other cases their current behavior appears to be more influenced by life stage than by cohort values. About half of all millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) are in their 30s. In the decade ahead, more and more of them will be approaching the threshold age at which many are buying homes.

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