WHY ARE NEW HOMES GETTING SO BIG?

New post on Eye on Housing

 

Why are New Homes Getting so Big? Look at Who’s Buying Them by Rose Quint Preliminary data provided to NAHB by the Census Bureau on the characteristics of homes started in 2013 show the trend toward larger homes continued unabated last year, as did the share of new homes with 4+ bedrooms, 3+ full baths, 2-stories, or 3-car garages.  The average size of new homes started in 2013[1] was 2,679 square feet, about 150 square feet larger than in 2012 and the fourth consecutive annual increase since bottoming out at 2,362 square feet in 2009. New homes started in 2013 were also more likely to have additional features: nearly half, 48%, had 4 or more bedrooms; 35% had 3 or more full bathrooms; 22% had a garage for at least 3 cars; and 60% were 2-stories.  The share of new homes started with these features has been increasing consistently for 3 or 4 years, and the most obvious question is “why?” Why are homes getting this BIG? To get an answer, just take a look at WHO is buying new homes?  The typical new home buyer in recent years has been someone with strong credit scores and high levels of income.  To the first point, the graph below shows how the average credit rating of all US consumers has remained rather flat over the last few years (blue line), while the average credit rating of mortgage borrowers (red line) took a dramatic jump after 2007.  By 2013, the gap between the two measures was 58 points, compared to 33 points in the early 2000s. To the second point, the graph below shows the rising trend in new home buyers’ income in recent years.  In 2005, the median income of new home buyers was $91,768.  By 2011, it had increased by more than 17% to $107,607.  It is not too surprising, therefore, to see home size and features continuing to trend upward, given that those buying new homes are precisely the kind of buyers who generally purchase large, feature-loaded homes. [1] Preliminary data cover first half of the year. Rose Quint | February 25, 2014 at 10:40 am | Tags: economics, home building, housing, housing economics | Categories: Data | URL: http://wp.me/pRufg-2B4 Comment    See all comments

Conservatory at Birmingham Botanical Gardens to reopen following $1.3 million renovation

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2014/02/conservatory_at_birmingham_bot_1.html

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https://www.youtube.com/v/XBEyCr5AoIs

The History of Presidents Day

http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/presidents-day

Enjoy These "Snow Day Jokes"....we've had our share recently !!!

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Happy Valentine's Day !!

What will Punxsutawney Phil Have in Store.......

30 Minutes to a Clean Fridge

http://www.ahs.com/home-care-advice/pages/feature.jsp?featureId=m1340049&utm_campaign=cust_nl_jan2014_mobile&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ahsemail&utm_content=cleanfridge_mostpop&full=true#sthash.ed7A7u8R.dpbs

Top Cold Weather Tips......

Top Cold Weather Tips to Help Save Money & Energy This Winter....http://blog.realestatebook.com/2014/01/13/top-cold-weather-tips-to-help-save-money-energy-this-winter/

The New Welfare Map

These 11 States now have More People on Welfare than they do Employed! Last month, the Senate Budget Committee reports that in fiscal year 2012, between food stamps, housing support, child care, Medicaid and other benefits, the average U.S. Household below the poverty line received $168.00 a day in government support.

What's the problem with that much support? Well, the median household income in America is just over $50,000, which averages out to $137.13 a day. To put it another way, being on welfare now pays the equivalent of $30.00 an hour for a 40-hour week, while the average job pays $20.00 an hour.
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Furthermore:
There are actually two messages here. The first is very interesting, but the second is absolutely astounding - and explains a lot.
A recent "Investor's Business Daily" article provided very interesting statistics from a survey by the United Nations International Health Organization.
Percentage of men and women who survived a cancer five years after diagnosis:

U.S. 65%

England 46%
Canada 42%

Percentage of patients diagnosed with diabetes who received treatment within six months:

U.S. 93%

England 15%
Canada 43%

Percentage of seniors needing hip replacement who received it within six months:

U.S. 90%

England 15%
Canada 43%

Percentage referred to a medical specialist who see one within one month:

U.S. 77%

England 40%
Canada 43%

Number of MRI scanners (a prime diagnostic tool) per million people:

U.S. 71

England 14
Canada 18

Percentage of seniors (65+), with low income, who say they are in "excellent health":

U.S. 12%

England 2%
Canada 6%

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And now..for the last statistic:

 

National Health Insurance?

 

U.S. NO

England YES

Canada YES

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Check the last set of statistics!!

The percentage of each past president's cabinet... who had worked in the private business sector...prior to their appointment to the cabinet. You know what the private business sector is; a real-life business...not a government job. Here are the percentages.

T. Roosevelt................38%
Taft.............................40%
Wilson .......................52%
Harding.......................49%
Coolidge......................48%
Hoover.........................42%
F. Roosevelt.................50%
Truman........................50%
Eisenhower..................57%
Kennedy.......................30%
Johnson.......................47%
Nixon............................53%
Ford.............................42%
Carter...........................32%
Reagan........................56%
GH Bush......................51%
Clinton ........................39%
GW Bush.....................55%
Obama............... 8%

This helps explain the incompetence of this administration:

ONLY 8% of them...have ever worked in private business!
That's right! Only eight percent---the least, by far, of the last 19 presidents! And these people are trying to tell our big corporations...how to run their business?

How can the president of a major nation and society...the one with the most successful economic system in world history, stand and talk about business...when he's never worked for one? Or about jobs...when he has never really had one? And, when it's the same for 92% of his senior staff and closest advisers? They've spent most of their time in academia, government, and/or non-profit jobs. Or...as "community organizers."

They should have been in an employment line.

Pass this on, because we'll NEVER see these facts...in the main stream media!!!

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Two Dogs Dining

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Great Video - iDoctor (a bit long but well worth watching)

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Just For Laughs - "Smart Dog Drives Smart Car"

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"If It Fits, I Sits"

You gotta watch this....how cute !!!!http://www.flixxy.com/if-it-fits-i-sits.htm

Best Christmas Lights Display !!!!!!!

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Dryer Tips for Efficient Performance

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Silver Pockets Full

This is the only time you see this phenomenon in your life.

                                      

Calendar August 2014

Zon My Din Woe Don Vrij Zat 1  2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

August, next year, will have 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays. This happens only once every 823 years. The Chinese call it 'Silver pockets full. " So: send this message to your friends and in four days money will surprise you.  Based on Chinese Feng Shui. Whoever does not transmit the message ... may find themselves poor.

Birmingham's 10 Most Booked Restaurants

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