Stanton Homes - Building Green in the Triangle: November 2009

Raleigh Market Reports

New Home Sales Show Unexpected Increase in October 2009

New Home Inventory at Lowest Level Since 1971

The US Department of Commerce released surprising statistics today regarding new home sales across the nation.

October 2009 showed a 6.2% increase in new home sales versus September 2009.

October 2009 new home sales were also up 5.1% from October 2008. 

This is the sixth time new home sales have risen over the past seven months, according to reports.

Additionally, new home inventory is now at record low levels.

There were 239,000 new homes on the market nationally at the end of October 2009.

This is a 6.7 month supply at current new home sales levels.

Available new homes are at their lowest level since 1971, according to Michelle Meyer, an economist with Barclays Capital.

Many builders are shying away from "spec homes" that may sit on the market, and instead are focusing on "building to order." 

Homebuyers in the Raleigh area are sometimes surprised to find little standing inventory, and to hear that most new homes are selling at 95-100% of asking price.

Find out more about the Raleigh market here:

New Home Inventory in Raleigh 

Closet Storage Ideas for Your New Home

Designing Closet Space For Maximum Organization!

Whether you're working to design your new home, or looking to organize your existing home, you're going to love these closet ideas!

 

A closet storage system doesn't have to be big or elaborate.

Even a couple of carefully placed shelves and multiple height rods can make a huge difference!

On a budget?  Many of these ideas can be duplicated with ventilated wire shelving in place of custom built and painted wood shelving.

The contrasting color on the closet walls is a nice touch too!

 

 

 

 

 

In a larger closet, a full "built in bookcase" idea can work very well. 

It's probably better to use spacious shelves and organize smaller items in baskets or labeled bins that sit on the shelves.

These shelves will hold anything from piles of jeans to folded sweaters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 With a little higher budget available, the sky is the limit.  Talk with your builder - we schedule a meeting directly with the trim carpenter to discuss your storage ideas. 

Custom built drawers and cabinetry are just some of the options.  Drawers are more complicated to build, with more moving parts, so be ready to up the price tag if you'd like to include some custom drawers. 

Bring lots of pictures of what you have in mind! 

 

 

 

 

 

A window in a closet can be a nice feature - the natural light can make a big difference. 

Storage systems can be planned right around the window - whether shelving or hanging rods.

A built in bench or seating area is another attractive option - what a great place to put on your shoes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have a large shoe collection?  The built in shoe rack on the left is sure to hold them!

This closet is "His and Hers" - an extra large closet, it's divided in the center, with wrap around shelving and multi-height hanging rods.

 

 

 

 

 

Even a secondary closet can stay more organized with a stack of built in shelves.

A long closet can be divided in the center - multi height hanging rods and shelves on one side, a floor to ceiling stack of shelves in the center, and a full height hanging rod on the other side.

Talk to your new home builder about what you have in mind! 

Some builders can even customize your closet space further by changing the layout and the wall structure, to incorporate the kind of storage you have in mind.

A little planning ahead can make organizing your new home so much easier!

 

 

 

You may also be interested in these popular articles:

Today's Ceilings Make Statements - Types of Ceilings and Questions to Ask Before Buying Your Next Home

New Home Trends and Ideas - What's the Latest?

Energy Wise - Find Out How to Save 50 to 70% on Heating and Cooling Costs!

5 Steps to Buying a Lot  

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Raleigh Relocation Information

How To Lower Home Energy Usage

Reduce Your HERS Score in Your New Home

Any home's energy usage can be "rated" by a certified third party Home Energy Rater.  Whether you're buying new or buying an older home in a great location, a HERS score will help you understand how much energy your new home requires. 

What's a Good HERS Score?

A home build to standard construction methods has a HERS score of 100.

An ENERGY STAR home uses 15% less energy, and has a HERS score rating of 85 or lower.

What are some good ways to reduce home energy usage?

Here are some great ways to incorporate energy savings in to your new home.

HVAC Systems

1.   Move ducts inside conditioned space.

This isn't always possible without adding more conditioned space to your home, but if conditioned air leaks out of your ducts (and it will), you don't want it disappearing! 

Moving ducts inside conditioned space can reduce your home energy rating by up to 5 points.

2.  Add a high efficiency furnace.

Moving from an 80% efficiency furnace to a 92% efficiency furnace can reduce your home energy rating by up to 6 points.   However, moving from a 13 seer air conditioner to a 14 seer air conditioner will only reduce your rating by 1 point.

3.  Add a radiant barrier in the attic.

Adding a radiant barrier like Techshield can reduce your attic temperature by up to 30 degrees in the summer.  This will reduce your home energy rating by a couple of points (depending on the total amount of attic/roof space), and could cost as little as $500 or so. 

Conditioned Crawl Space

Converting a standard crawl space to a conditioned crawl space will reduce your home energy rating by about 3 points.   Not only that, indoor air will be healthier, and floors will work better - seasonal temperature changes can cause gapping and buckling, particularly with hardwood flooring.  The crawl space can be one of the most common places for mold to grow.

Water Heating

1.  Solar Hot Water

Adding a solar hot water heater can reduce your home energy score by up to 10 points - this is one of the most significant places to save energy. 

2.  Tankless Hot Water Heater

A tankless hot water heater can reduce your home energy rating by up to 6 points.  Besides heating and cooling your home, providing hot water is one of the main places energy is needed for.

Interior Lighting

A home energy rater will count up to 90% of your fixtures towards the total home energy score.  Replacing all those bulbs with efficient bulbs can get you up to 4 points.

 

 

 

 

 

You may also be interested in these popular green building topics:

Green Home Building in the Triangle

What is a Green Home?              

What Is Geothermal?  Geothermal News and Information

Passive Solar Homes and Ideas 

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Green Homes Raleigh NC

"Green" Countertop Options

Choosing a Green Kitchen Countertop for Your New Home

If you're considering green options for your new home or kitchen remodel, your kitchen countertops may be one of your focus areas!

There are many different kitchen countertop ideas that can count towards "green points" during the green home certification process.  Here's a brief overview, along with a very general pricing structure:

Torzo

Torzo is a composite wheat straw material with no added formaldehyde.  Torzo is rapidly renewable, 70% pre-consumer recycled content. 

The cost of Torzo countertops is roughly 20-30% higher than granite.

Reclaimed Heart Pine Linear Butcher Block

Reclaimed wood can be a great sustainable option.  Reclaimed heart pine cost is roughly 30-40% higher than granite.

Durat

Durat is made from 30-50% recycled hard plastics.  It looks similar to Corian. The cost of Durat is roughly 50% higher than granite.

Eco-Terr

Eco-Terr is made from marble and granite chips, 70-80% recycled marble and granite with 5% recycled fly ash.  Zero VOC.  Eco-Terr cost is roughly 50% higher than granite.

Eco by Cosentino

Made from 75% recycled content.  It is non-porous and doesn't require sealers, and also is high performance against staining and scratching.  Look is similar to Corian.  Cost is roughly 75% higher than granite.

PaperStone

PaperStone is a thick, granite-like slab created from 100% post-consumer recycled paper.  PaperStone currently costs close to double the cost of granite.

Meld Xposed

Locally produced materials (North Carolina), 25% recycled, about double the cost of granite.

"Green" composite - roughly twice the cost of granite.

Meld EcoX

Created with 70% recycled materials, including local glass.  Local material.  About double the cost of granite.

 

Bio-Glass

 

Made with 100% recycled glass, non porous surface.  Roughly three times the cost of granite.

 

 

 

 

There are a wide variety of options, and some great showrooms to visit in the Triangle to see and touch some of the different kitchen countertop ideas.

Have questions about green home building in the Raleigh area?  We'll help! 

 

You may also be interested in these popular green building topics:

Green Home Building in the Triangle

What is a Green Home?

What Is Geothermal?  Geothermal News and Information

Passive Solar Homes and Ideas 

 

Subscribe to this blog!

 

Home Builders NC

What is a HERS Rating?

HERS = Home Energy Rating Score

Any home can be "rated" by a certified third party Home Energy Rater.  Whether you're buying new or buying an older home in a great location, a HERS score will help you understand how much energy your new home requires.

The home energy rater will provide an analysis of the home, including review of floor plans, onsite inspections, and tests such as a blower door test (to test the leakiness of the house) and a duct test (to test the leakiness of the ducts).

A complex software program analyzes all the data, and provides a HERS Index score for the home. 

What does HERS point mean?

Each 1 point reduction implies a 1% energy savings versus standard construction.  A home with a HERS Index score of 150 will most likely require 50% more energy than a home built to today's standards.

A home with a HERS Index score of 75 will require 25% less energy than a home built to today's standards.

What are common HERS scores to see?

Standard New Construction = 100

A new home built to standard construction guidelines generally has a HERS (Home Energy Rating Score) of 100. 

ENERGY STAR Construction = 85

A new home built to ENERGY STAR guidelines generally has a HERS (Home Energy Rating Score) of 85 or below.

Yearly energy costs are planned to be 15% lower than in a home built to standard construction.

20 Year Old Home = 120 to 150

In general, older homes have higher energy requirements.  This can vary greatly depending on the home and any improvements made, so it is a very good idea to have an older home rated before purchase.

A score of 150 means that yearly energy costs will be 50% higher than in a home built to today's standard construction.

70 Year Old Home = 250???

Very old homes have the lowest energy efficiency.  But energy requirements will vary significantly depending on the improvements made to the home.

A score of 200 means that yearly energy costs will be 100% higher than in a home built to today's standard construction.

What Should I Consider Before Buying My New Home?

It's wise to consider not just the price tag of the home, but also the price tag of the monthly energy costs (and the carbon footprint of those energy costs). 

Coming Soon - providing more information about Energy Efficiency in your new home:

- What Improvements Can Reduce Your HERS Score in Your New Home?

- How Close Has an NC Home Come to a "Zero" Energy Score?

Find out more about new homes in Raleigh NC:

Green Homes, Tips, and Ideas  

5 Easy Steps to Buying a Lot or Land in the Raleigh Area

Other Available Land and Lots in Communities

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Green Homes Raleigh NC

Here in the Triangle, we've seen tremendous growth in "green construction"!  Green features or green certified homes are in strong demand, ESPECIALLY programs that save energy, like Energy Wise.

New Home Trends

Top Trends in New Homes

Today's Homes are Smaller, Cozier, and More Energy Efficient

Here's what homebuyers and builders are focusing on in today's new home market! 

- Focus on Smaller Homes

Many builders are shifting from a focus on homes in the 2500 to 3500 sq ft range to homes mainly in the 1600 to 2500 sq ft range.  The average and median square footage in new homes has dropped for the first time in many years.  Smaller homes cost less too!

- "Great Room" Instead of Formals

More homebuyers are looking for a "Great Room" concept - one large room adjoining the kitchen for entertaining and everyday living, instead of a smaller Family Room and Living Room.

- Fewer Volume Ceilings

9 foot ceilings are still fairly standard on the first floor, but there is a decreased demand for vaulted or two story ceilings.  A floor plan that offers a two story room can be "expanded" for very little cost, with a bonus room or game room added over the family room.

- More Focus on Floor Plan, Less Focus on Features

Homebuyers and home builders are opting out of many of the expensive options they were more likely to choose a couple of years ago, in order to keep overall costs in line.

- More Elaborate Kitchens, But Smaller Dining Rooms

The kitchen has become a focal point of the home.  We cook, entertain, and even eat here, at large islands and seating areas.  In some homes, the formal dining room disappears altogether, replaced perhaps with a home office.

- Three Car Garages

There has been more demand for larger garages, but space can get creative to save on cost.  Tandem garages, where one car parks behind another, can save on the cost of an additional door, and might be more cost effective to build.   Or garages may have a "workshop" or "storage" area or extension.

- Energy Efficiency

According to several recent surveys, many homebuyers are willing to spend anywhere from $5,000 to $11,000 or more to make sure that their monthly energy costs are much lower.  ENERGY STAR and the Energy Wise program both offer lower energy costs.  Energy Wise guarantees 50-70% savings on heating and cooling.

 

 

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Looking for a new home?  You may want to check out some of these other ideas!

Staircases - Ideas For Your New Staircase

Geothermal Becoming More Affordable - How the Tax Credits Work

How Much Does a Septic System Cost?  Tips to Keeping Your Lot Affordable

Butlers Pantries - Why You've Gotta Have One (and what is a butler's pantry, anyway?)

Fireplace Surrounds - Types and Trends

Meet the Builder Special Event

5 Easy Steps to Buying a Lot or Land

Top 10 Master Bath Trends 

 

Stanton Homes Offers Up to the Minute Updates - Right at Home

We're so excited!

Thanks to Feedburner, Stanton Homes now offers a blog feed right on our website.  It's clean, neat, and full of all of our favorite topics and top requested articles.

We've worked very hard to put together topics that are interesting, useful, and ORIGINAL.

Topics include:

• New Home Ideas and Design Trends
• Green Building
• Accessible Homes
• New Home Communities, Lots and Land in the Triangle
• Floor Plan Ideas and Trends
• Raleigh Area Market Reports

and much more!

Here are some related links:

Today's Ceilings Make Statements - Types of Ceilings and Questions to Ask Before Buying Your Next Home

New Home Trends and Ideas - What's the Latest?

Energy Wise - Find Out How to Save 50 to 70% on Heating and Cooling Costs!

5 Steps to Buying a Lot  

Subscribe to this blog!

 

First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Approved

Homebuyer Tax Credit Expanded to Additional Homebuyers

The Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009 was signed into law on Nov. 6, 2009.  This legislation has extended and expanded the first-time homebuyer credit.

Changes in the new law:

• Extends deadlines for both purchasing and closing on a home.
• Adds a credit for long-time homeowners buying a replacement principal residence.
• Homebuyers with higher incomes may now be eligible.  

Extended Deadlines for the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit

An eligible taxpayer must sign a binding contract to buy a principal residence no later than April 30, 2010.  The home purchase must close by June 30, 2010.  (In most cases, it takes 30-60 days from date of contract to actual close of purchase).

Homebuyers that qualify than then claim the first time homebuyer tax credit on either their 2009 or their 2010 tax return.

Tax Credit Expanded to Additional Homebuyers

New to this tax credit - if you've owned a home within the last eight years for a significant amount of time, you may qualify for a homebuyer credit of up to $6,500 (up to $3,250 for a married individual filing separately). 

Homebuyers must have lived in the same principal residence for any consecutive five year span out of the past eight years.  The new home purchased must also be the homebuyer's principal residence.

Homebuyers with Higher Incomes Can Now Qualify

The new law raises the income limits for homebuyers purchasing after November 6, 2009.  The credit phases out for individual taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) between $125,000 and $145,000 or between $225,000 and $245,000 for joint filers. The existing MAGI phase-outs of $75,000 to $95,000 or $150,000 to $170,000 for joint filers still apply to purchases on or before Nov. 6, 2009.

Just the Facts - $8,000 First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit.

• The $8,000 tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. In this case, the IRS defines a first-time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase.
• The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
• The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home's purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
• The tax credit applies only to homes priced at $800,000 or less.
• The tax credit now applies to sales occurring on or after January 1, 2009 and or before April 30, 2010.  A binding sales contract must absolutely be signed by April 30, 2010.  However, some additional time is allowed to complete the sale and "close" - the close must occur by June 30, 2010.
• Income Levels that Qualify: for homebuyers who purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before November 6, 2009, the income limits are $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly.
• Expanded income levels: for homebuyers who purchase after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010, single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

Just the Facts - $6,500 Move-Up / Repeat Home Buyer Tax Credit.

• Homebuyers must have owned and lived in their previous home for five consecutive years out of the last eight years in order to be eligible to claim the tax credit.  (for example, if you lived in your home from 2002 to 2007, sold in 2007, and have rented since, you would qualify)
• The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
• The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home's purchase price up to a maximum of $6,500.
• The tax credit applies only to homes priced at $800,000 or less.
• The credit is available for homes purchased after November 6, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010. However, some additional time is allowed to complete the sale and "close" - the close must occur by June 30, 2010 - but that contract must have been signed by April 30th, by both seller and buyer. 
• Single taxpayers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

* Please consultant a tax professional for accurate up-to-date advice and/or guidence on qualifying for this credit.  Stanton Homes does not offer tax advice, and offers this guide for general informational purposes only.

 

You may also be interested in these popular articles:

Jobs in the Raleigh Area

Triangle Area Market Reports - How's The Real Estate Market in Raleigh?

Shopping in the Raleigh Area - What Kind of Shopping Is There?

Raleigh Relocation Package - All About the Raleigh Area!

Which Part of the Triangle is Cheapest to Live?  Property Tax Guide

 

 

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