Real Estate Information Center

New trends in home construction have resulted in cost efficient, smaller home designs. It has, however, also created a need for space that is being manifested in the latest renovation craze – expansion of the backyard deck.

According to Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, the average homeowner has cutback on spending for renovations (after six years of increases), but the average cost of a deck renovation has still risen 40% between 2004 and 2007 to almost $10,350. A typical deck on an above average home has increased to 700 square feet (larger than most indoor great rooms).

Decks make the perfect add-on for the whole family. Kids can play on them, they are great for entertaining and they offer an excellent resale return for your money.When done properly, a deck renovation should appear as an outdoor living space. If you’re seated, indoors and looking out, your deck should appear as an additional room, without walls.

Continue reading ‘Bringing the Indoors Out’ »

Dreams inspire us. But dreams can also depress us. Many today are abandoning their dreams because the economy is just too depressing when measure against our dreams. Have you abandoned your home building dreams?

Over the years of counseling with hundreds of individuals and families, I’ve run across scores of emotions. Building a home or doing a major remodel is a very personal and often emotional time. It’s a time when people are finally giving expression to long held dreams and visions. It’s a time to fight for what they want and not back down. It can be intense at times. Many decide it’s too tough and let the dream remain just a dream.

Has Your HomeBuilding Dream Been Falsely Crushed?

At the time of this writing, the economy is the number one reason people cite for losing the passion behind their desire to build or remodel. And for some, it could be a good reason. But many others are just reacting to the news of the day and letting that throw them off the path.

Continue reading ‘Home Building Dream – Who Stole the Power Behind Your Dream?’ »

Thirty cents on the dollar? Yes, maybe. A couple of months back a former client of mine called. He wanted to know if I had a suggestion for a lender to finance a piece of land because he wants to build again.

Alex is a fireman and just three years ago he completed his two and a half story home overlooking the city. Although not planning to build right away, Alex was quite interested in what appears to be good deals on land. I was able to find him a lender and within a couple more weeks he had made a deal on a nice view lot in another part of town. He was very happy about purchasing a lot in an upscale neighborhood for about one third of the price it sold for just a couple years back.

Buying Your Dream Home-Building Parcel

If you’re thinking about building, would now be the time to buy that lot? Picking a market bottom is tricky business. One third the price? Well, first off, that opportunity isn’t going to be there for everyone. But, would half the price be good? Would a fifty percent reduction be good? Perhaps these would be good deals but only time will tell. And it pays to remember that the prices of two and three years ago were often inflated prices, not real values.

Continue reading ‘Home Building Tips – Land – Is It Time To Bargain Hunt?’ »

If you’re a do it yourself or or a homeowner who every once in a while, once to tackle a small or large project but doesn’t know where to begin, can gather useful information from home building books. I have been using these books for years and may have been worth their weight in gold.

I started my career working for my father and my father worked for his father as a Carpenter. Our job was to frame the house and we built a Lotta homes. I learned how to frame and developed some great carpentry skills from my father and working with other skilled carpenters. Over the years, if you’re paying attention, even a monkey can figure out, how to assemble almost anything.

Continue reading ‘Books on Home Building – Professional Advice’ »