The shower gets more use than the bathtub in many households. That’s why some homeowners are ripping out their tubs completely, creating bigger showers instead. Extra shower space allows for multiple shower heads, a built-in seat and designs without shower doors, said John Petrie, president of the National Kitchen and Bath Association, in an email interview about current kitchen and bath trends. They can be designed without a threshold — which look more contemporary and are easier for people to use as … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2014
So Many Reasons to Love Cement Tiles
April 29, 2014 by 1 Comment
Would you believe me if I told you cement tiles are a lot like checkerboard cake? Hear me out. When you slice into a checkerboard cake, you see alternating squares of chocolate and vanilla goodness. Cement tiles, popular in Mediterranean- and Latin-style spaces, are often highly patterned with geometric and floral designs. So what’s the connection? That lies in how the cake and tiles are made.Like checkerboard cake batter, cement tiles are formed by hand pouring pigmented cement into decorative molds similar to … [Read more...]
Wall Street: Home price appreciation still expected to hit 7%
April 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Despite a weak first quarter, home prices are still expected to rise by 7% in 2014, according to Wall Street analysts. “We continue to expect home price appreciation to moderate from the torrid pace of mid-2012-13, supported by improving employment and growth prospects,” said analysts from Morgan Stanley (MS). “We leave our 2014 projections for new home sales (450-500 thousand units) and home prices (up 5-7% for the year) unchanged.” Analysts from Barclays (BCS) agree. “Our base case projection for 2014 US … [Read more...]
Pending Home Sales Gain for First Time in 9 Months
April 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The housing market is showing signs of picking up again after a sluggish few months. Pending home sales rose 3.4 percent in March over February, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings. Contracts were most on the rise in the West and South, increasing 5.7 percent and 5.6 percent in March, respectively. The Northeast saw an uptick of 1.4 percent in contracts month-over-month, while contracts in the Midwest fell by 0.8 … [Read more...]
Phoenix housing market has worst February in 4 years; prices could stay flat in 2014
April 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment
It was the weakest February in four years for the metro Phoenix housing market, and it’s possible prices may stay flat in 2014. After a steep plunge and then a dramatic turnaround within that four-year span, this pause in the market could be both disappointing and relieving, depending on your perspective. The number of homes sold in February (5,398) fell by more than one quarter versus a year ago, while total cash spent in those transactions ($1.4 billion) was down 16 percent, according to Arizona State … [Read more...]
