The Housing Chronicles Blog: 4/1/15 - 5/1/15

Thursday, April 30, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/30/15

Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/30/15 on the Web.

In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:
  • Pending home sales rose for third straight month in March
  • Case-Shiller Indices saw larger increases in February
  • Consumer confidence dips in April
  • First quarter 2015 GDP declined to 0.2 percent in first estimate
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Tuesday, April 28, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/28/15

Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/28/15 on the Web.


In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicator:
  • Durable goods orders rebounded in March, largely due to commercial aircraft orders
Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 130,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.

Monday, April 27, 2015

The Connected Home Evolution

About 15 years ago, when I formed the Technology Task Force with the BIA of Southern California, at the time our builder members told us that the adoption of technology in their homes would be postponed for two reasons:  (a) Most consumers weren’t yet asking for it; and (b) It would risk upsetting production schedules that were already tight due to meeting unmet supply after the California real estate recession of the 1990s.

Fast-forward to 2015, however, and it’s a completely different world for the connected home.  Most importantly, consumers are now asking for it: according to a consumer survey by smart-home vendor Savant, about half of the respondents believe home automation will become a common feature in their home in less than a decade, with a quarter thinking it will take just five years for widespread adoption.

Industry analysts seem to agree, with Strategy Analytics forecasting that nearly 40 percent of homes in the U.S. will have some type of smart-home technology installed by 2019, creating a market worth up to $115 billion.  Another industry analyst, Gartner, predicts that the number of connected devices worldwide will reach 26 billion by 2020, or nearly 30 times the level of 2009.


You can largely thank the popularity of the smart phone for this rise in the demand for a connected home, as the computing power in most people’s pockets or purses can now replace the variety of historically pricey, vendor-specific smart home control devices.  In addition, today’s more robust wireless systems have effectively removed the need to provide hard-wired systems throughout the house.

Not to be outmaneuvered by after-market sources including Apple, Google, Samsung, Home Depot, AT&T and others, Meritage Homes has introduced its own basic wireless system as a standard feature.  For under $500, Meritage pays for a Home Intelligence System by Nexia which can control thermostats, lighting, security cameras, door locks and more.

In addition, since ‘future proofing’ past connected home technology was a major stumbling block for widespread adoption, the fact that Nexia offers a flexible, open-source system which can adapt to changes in technology or users’ preferences is a critical improvement for this market.  Even better, once buyers move in, they can order plug-and-play products from Nexia’s Web site – such as those to connect water valves, light switches and smoke detectors – that are shipped to their home for self-installation.

Still, given the recent computer system breaches such as those suffered by Sony Pictures, Target or even the White House, there is also a concern that preventing hackers access to these home networks isn’t getting the attention it deserves.  In fact, Hewlett Packard found in its own study that 80 percent of smart home systems accepted logins that could be guessed easily, while 60 percent didn’t properly encrypt data for software downloads.

Consequently, it’s a bit ironic that two-thirds of respondents polled for an iControl Networks survey – and included in its 2014 State of the Smart Home report – considered security to be the top priority for themselves and their families.  However, assuming these security issues can be addressed, nearly 20 percent of these same respondents would consider leaving their children home alone at a younger age if they had a live video feed acting as an assistant babysitter.

Another major factor driving the adoption of smart home technology is monitoring energy use, which is why the Nest learning thermostats and smoke alarms (now owned by Google) have changed the way consumers view products long taken for granted.  Yet in the long run, it’s not so much the devices themselves as the communication ecosystem they’ll create to communicate with utility providers.

If a network can effectively combine the right energy-saving steps at appropriate times, then peak loads for energy demand can be reduced, thus preventing the need for more power plants even as the population increases.  Some utilities are already encouraging this change by offering reward programs – and even rebates – for those households which use and install smart thermostats to curb peak power use.

Finally, for many survey respondents, the best use of a connected home would be the ability to watch over the non-human members of their families, with over half of pet owners citing pet monitoring as a top five reason for installing smart home services – even more important than outdoor convenience and entertainment.

Whatever the reasons for installing and using smart home technologies, this much is clear:  if builders aren’t willing to adjust their production schedules to offer these systems, buyers today will simply get them elsewhere.

Friday, April 24, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/24/15


Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/24/15 on the Web.

In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:
  • March new home sales dipped from 7-year high but still up 19 percent year-over-year
  • Initial unemployment claims rise by 1,000 in latest report
Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 130,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.

Thursday, April 23, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/23/15

Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/23/15 on the Web.

In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:
  • March existing home sales jumped to highest rate in 18 months
  • FHFA House Price Index rose 0.7 percent in February and 5.4 percent over previous 12 months
  • Mortgage applications rise 2.3 percent in latest survey
Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 130,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/21/15

Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/21/15 on the Web.

In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:
  • Leading Economic Index rose 0.2 percent in March, but rate of growth slowing
  • CPI rose 0.2 percent in March but down 0.1 percent over previous 12 months
  • Consumer sentiment rises more than expected in April
Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 130,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.

Friday, April 17, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/17/15


Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/17/15 on the Web.

In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:
  • Housing starts rose 2.0 percent in March to 926,000 pace
  • Building permits fell 5.7 percent in March, but still above 1 million-unit annual pace since last July
  • Initial unemployment claims rise by 12,000 in latest report, but 4-week average almost flat
  • Empire State Manufacturing Survey shows flat business activity in April
  • Phildalphia Fed's Business Outlook Survey rose modestly in April
  • Mortgage applications fall 2.3 percent in latest survey
Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 130,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/16/15


Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/16/15 on the Web.

In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:
  • Builder confidence rises four points in April to 56
  • Retail sales rebounded in March for first time since November
  • Producer Price Index rose 0.2 percent but down 0.8 percent over previous 12 months
  • Business inventories rose more than expected in February
  • Industrial production fell 0.6 percent in March and 1.0 percent in first quarter of 2015
Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 130,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/14/15


Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/14/15 on the Web.

In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:
  • Federal Reserve meeting minutes:  don't expect an interest rate hike in June
Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 130,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.

Friday, April 10, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/10/15


Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/10/15 on the Web.

In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:
  • Planned job cuts fell sharply in March but still higher year-over-year
  • Initial unemployment claims fall by 20,000 in latest report
  • Mortgage applications rise 4.6 percent in latest survey as rates dip slightly
Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 130,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/9/15


Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/9/15 on the Web.

In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:
  • Job openings rose to 14-year high in February
  • Consumer credit rose 5.6 percent in February despite sharp drop in credit card use
Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 130,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/7/15

Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/7/15 on the Web.

In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:
  • Job growth dipped in March to 126,000 as hiring likely took a temporary break
  • Manufacturing sector grew in March, albeit at slower rate
  • Service sector economy growth remained strong in March
Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 130,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.

Friday, April 3, 2015

BuilderBytes' MetroIntelligence Economic Update for 4/4/15


Please click here to see the edition of BuilderBytes for 4/4/15 on the Web.

In this issue of the MetroIntelligence Economic Update, I covered the following indicators:
  • Planned job cuts fell sharply in March but still higher year-over-year
  • Initial unemployment claims fall by 20,000 in latest report
  • Mortgage applications rise 4.6 percent in latest survey as rates dip slightly
  • Chicago Business Barometer plunged in February, suggests slowing economy in 1Q 2015
Want to advertise in the newsletter and reach over 130,000 readers? Contact National Sales Manager Nick Cosan at nkosan@penpubinc.com.