New home construction has nationally fallen to new lows and 2011 is expected to be the worst year on record for the industry. But Minneapolis and the Greater Twin Cities Area are looking good for residential permitting.

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.

Share

Many home buyers now require more environmentally-friendly products in the construction of their homes. However, while some products are obviously green, others make great contributions to a home’s efficiency without being noticed. Here are some products that can contribute to a more earth-friendly and sustainable home.

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.

Share

Trying to build, or remodel, a home is costly enough. Trying to do one or the other while also trying to finish it with a stylish look without breaking the bank can be more challenging.

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.

Share

Universal design features for homes have been discussed by builders at length this year as something that must be addressed as the Baby Boomer generation ages. Physically challenged and older individuals navigate the home differently. But universal design products aren’t just better for older people, they can be better for all members of a household, young or old.

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.

Share

Though the housing bust has shattered home property values and changed the landscape of neighborhoods, one thing is still the same: Americans are committed to homeownership. Whether they own their home, are underwater on a mortgage, rent or live with roommates (or parents), a recent poll found that a large majority of U.S. residents want to own their own home.

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.

Share