The reasons are threefold. First and most obviously, construction methods have evolved. Second, the people moving into subdivisions want more from their neighborhoods, like walkable streets, low traffic and nearby schools. Third, some cities are requiring that subdivisions be ranked, at least in part, on how nice they look.

Maple Grove and Shakopee are two local communities that have taken the appearance of a subdivision into account during the approval process. But now that the city is no longer one of the metro-area leaders in new building permits, Shakopee is backing away from that system. Given the low levels of platting in recent years, it may no longer be as necessary and may even be holding up approval processes on the few proposed construction projects.

Shakopee still wants to work with developers to ensure attractive neighborhoods, but it will approach the issue in different ways.

Developers say they have no interest in building crummy-looking subdivisions. Now is a particularly competitive time for new home construction. Not because there are many people or companies looking to build, but for the exact opposite reason. Because there are so few people that want a new home construction, builders are doing their best to make their properties attractive to buyers and that includes aesthetics.

Source: Building a Better-Looking Subdivision

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According to statistics within the Keystone Report for the Builders Association of the Twin Cities, there were 289 permits issued last month compared to 227 in October 2010.

Though permits increased, the number of units permitted last month fell to 378 from 551. There were more single-family construction projects and fewer large multifamily projects. Year to date, permits declined to 2,450 though October versus 2,512 in the same period last year. The year to date number of permitted units dropped to 3,519 from 4,486 in the same period a year ago.

Top cities last month for permits were Blaine, Woodbury, Plymouth, Lakeville and Maple Grove. Blaine and Woodbury also topped the list for planned units in the month, followed by Farmington, Plymouth and Savage.

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Single-family construction in the Twin Cities area increased while multifamily construction dropped, according to statistics compiled by the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC). According to the Keystone Report, there were 272 permits issued for a total of 352 units during four weeks last month. That compared with 228 permits for a total of 604 units in September 2010. Maple Grove had the most permitted units, with 44, followed by Plymouth and Forest Lake. Year-to-date, Blaine had the most units, at 263, followed by Bloomington and Minneapolis.

The BATC reports the number of permits issued last month was more than any September since 2007. For units, however, it was the slowest month in more than five years. That’s actually a good sign for home builders because it means more single-family homes are being constructed, versus apartment complexes.

“The permits are up. They’re going in the right direction,” said Rich Riemersma, president of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities and co-owner of Imperial Homes. “But it’s a more gradual return to the norm than we were hoping for.”

For the year-to-date, though, 2011 new construction is below last year’s level. Through September, 2,161 permits were issued for a total of 3,141 units, while by this time last year 2,285 permits had been issued for 3,935 units.

On a related note, another type of construction happening in the Twin Cities right now is homeowners who have decided to stay in their homes are moving ahead with remodeling projects. Though in some cases they are scaling back the scope of their home improvement projects and spending less, other people are getting such good deals on houses they can afford to fix them up or make changes. The average remodeling permit estimate has dropped, though, to $1,600, down from more than $2,000 in 2010.

Are you thinking about buying a new house? How about remodeling your current home?

The Parade of Homes is one of the top local marketing events for new homes throughout the Twin Cities metro area. In a sign of the times, the number of homes featured is down from 331 homes in 2010, 325 in 2009 and 497 in 2008. At its peak in 2006, 1,210 homes were shown off in the fall Parade.

But the Twin Cities Parade of Homes is one of the most successful events of its kind in the country and 278 is still plenty of homes to explore. They range in price from a $129,900 attached home in Andover to a $2.6 million custom home in Edina. About 70% of the homes are listed below $500,000.

As the Parade of Homes has been shrinking, the Remodelers Showcase has been growing, reflecting a trend in which some people have improved their homes to make due instead of trying to sell. The Remodeler’s Showcase, which runs September 30 through October 2, features 86 entries, compared with 74 last year and 94 in 2009. The spring Remodeler’s Showcase displayed 69 remodeled homes. The combined 165 entries for this year’s spring and fall shows exceeded BATC’s estimate of 140.

Visit Parade of Homes online.

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According to the Minneapolis data the city permitted construction of 1,571 units in 2006, but hit a bottom in 2009 when it permitted only 274 units. That year the city tied with Blaine for the second-most permits. Shakopee was No. 1 at 328.

This year alone Minneapolis will issue permits to build more than 1,500 new housing units, according to the Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development. That’s double last year’s total and likely the highest number of units for any metro-area city since at least 2006 when Minneapolis issued 1,571 permits.

For a comparison:

Year Number of Units

2006     1,571
2007     1,012
2008       464
2009       328
2010       865
2011     1,500

The construction isn’t all single-family home construction, though. According to a new analysis of aerial photography and land-use data from the Metropolitan Council, the metro area’s regional planning agency, the type of new housing construction has changed. In the 1990s, 67% of permitted residential units were single-family detached homes. In the past decade, that number has dropped to 44%, resulting in denser new residential construction like town homes and apartment complexes.

In the rest of the metro, there were 257 permits for a total of 370 units issued in the Twin Cities. Year-to-date, there were 1,581 permits issued for a total of 2,294 units. Farmington led the suburbs in building activity for July with 71 units. Blaine followed with 42 units, then Chanhassen with 32 and Plymouth and Prior Lake with 19 each. For the number of permits issued, Blaine was the leader with 21, followed by Chanhassen with 20, Plymouth at 16, Prior Lake with 14 and Shakopee and Lakeville at 13 each.

For the first seven months of the year, the top five communities in the metro area for permits issued were Blaine, with 160, followed by Maple Grove at 117, Woodbury with 106, Plymouth at 95 and Shakopee with 71.For sale housing is part of the mix, as well. Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity plans to build or rehab 60 for-sale houses in the metro area, including 16 townhouses in Minneapolis. Habitat is increasing its production goals in 2011 compared with 2010 because it can take advantage of lower land and labor costs to build its houses more affordably.

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Wood Look. FSC-certified bamboo plywood and flooring have the look of wood, are urea formaldehyde-free and carry Indoor Advantage Gold and FloorScore certifications.

Water Savers. Showerheads with flow rates of 1.5 or 1.75 gpm but feature an oversized 4.4-inch diameter spray head and a pressure-compensating device ensure optimal performance regardless of water pressure.

Power Flush. The dual-flush toilets offer users the option of a 0.9-gallon flush for liquid waste or a traditional 1.6 gallons for solid waste.

Get Plugged. In. The new electronic thermostats feature multi-room monitoring, as well as customizable levels of programming.

Ventilation Matters. Energy Star–rated ventilation fans are designed for 4- or 6-inch ducts. New technology can detect and compensate for additional interior pressure by increasing airflow to achieve the specified output.

“Green” comes in many forms, so it helps to look beyond the obvious and investigate other little-known benefits.

Read about more products like these at Builder Magazine.

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Here are 5 money-saving tips and tricks picked from Builder magazine’s 10 Ways to Save on Your Interior and Exterior Finishes.

• Salvage Yards. Reuse centers and salvage yards might not be ideal for high-volume builders, but they are great for small builders and remodelers looking for character-filled architectural elements such as flooring, bath vanities, urns, fireplace mantels, and doors.
• DIY Frosted Glass. Regular flat glass is boring, but some architects have solved this problem by sandblasting or frosting their own and popping them into cabinet fronts and doors. Frosted glass spray creates a semi-transparent effect, and can be handled in three hours.
• Hip Faucets. You could stick with the traditional faucet brands if you have money, but if the budget is tight you might want to investigate other brands and other sources. Besides, Consumer Reports says that better valves and tougher finishes are now common on all but the cheapest faucets so you don’t have to worry.
• Happening Hardware. You could change the look of a kitchen just by using cool hardware that stand out. Again look to non-traditional sources for inexpensive options.
• Creative Countertops. Most buyers want granite (or some other solid surface), even when they can’t afford it. Solid wood is a happy medium. Butcher block reminds buyers of grandma’s house and adds a warm look to a kitchen.

Read about and view the rest of 10 Ways to Save on Your Interior and Exterior Finishes, including a photo of beautiful polished plywood flooring. Yes, plywood.

Here are 6 product types to consider for a new home or even kitchen or bathroom remodeling projects.

• Safety Tub: Easy to get in and out of, walk-in safety tubs have a door that opens and closes so a person using it doesn’t have to step over the rim.
• Lever Handle Door Knobs: Lever handle door knobs are so much easier to operate than a round door knob that they can be opened with a wrist, elbow or even hip.
• Freezer Drawers: Refrigerators with accessible freezer drawers that are at the bottom of the unit instead of the top make it easy to for individuals in wheelchairs to reach frozen items.
• Flat Switches: Flat rocker light switches require less pressure and are easier to operate than standard toggle switches.
• Zero-Clearance Drain: Line drains allow home owners to eliminate the barriers and thresholds of a shower entirely. They make showers much more accessible for people in wheelchairs.
• Accessible Range: An ADA-compliant stove makes cooking safer and more comfortable. The handles, buttons, and graphics are located on the front, positioned closer to the user.

Read 13 Universal Design Products Builders Should Be Using Now at Builder Magazine.

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The poll, conducted this May by the firms Public Opinion Strategies and Lake Research Partners on behalf of the National Association of Home Builders, had a sampling of 2,000 likely voters. It found that 94% of respondents ranked owning their own home as at least somewhat important. A decided majority of the respondents, 74%, said it was “very important” or “one of the most important” priorities in their lives. Owning a home ranked just below being successful at work and slightly more important than the ability to pay for an education or that of a family member.

Three out of four of those polled said they agreed with the idea that “owning a home is the best long-term investment they can make,” even with the ups and downs in the market. Even 20% homeowners who were underwater on their mortgage agreed with the statement.

“Despite the current housing downturn, Americans still see homeownership as a core value and a key building block of being in the middle class and creating strong jobs in their communities,” said Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, in a press statement. “The bipartisan consensus outside the Beltway is that owning a home remains an essential part of the American dream.”

Having the money to invest in the first place seems to be the biggest challenge. When non-homeowners were asked about their biggest obstacle to buying a home, lack of savings for the down payment and closing costs came first, at 31 percent. Presumably, that answer stems in some measure from the fact that 20 percent of those polled indicated that either they or a member of their immediate household was out of work and looking for a job.

Respondents were evenly split in their feelings on the idea of requiring home buyers to put a minimum 20% down on a home purchase. Their opinion seemed to hinge largely on whether they were already a homeowner or had yet to take the real estate plunge, however.

Read the rest of the report at Builder Magazine.

In June, more permits were issued than in any other month in the last year, and planned units were up 13 percent from June 2010. There were 260 permits for a total of 385 units during four weeks in the month of June. Year-to-date through June, there were 1,325 permits issued for a total of 1,925 units.

Blaine was the leader, with 139 permits, followed by Maple Grove with 106, Woodbury with 94, Plymouth with 79 and Shakopee with 58.

“This year has been challenging for the local community,” said BATC President Rich Riemersma. “Bad weather, including the devastating tornadoes in North Minneapolis, uncertain economic news, and distressed property sales dragging local sales prices down have all contributed to lackluster home sales. New construction is still down about 23% from last year, and just as we’re beginning to catch up.

“The government shut down is something we just don’t need.”

While most construction work can continue, electrical inspections for new or remodeled homes will be put on hold throughout the state government shutdown.