Archives: May 2009

DIY Mart starts today!

by Philip Eaton
Published on: May 29, 2009
Categories: Consumer Tips
Tags:, , , ,
Comments: No Comments

You can find all sorts of new or used odd lot building products at the sale – cabinets, hardware, plumbing, roofing, lime green toilet taken out of a recent remodel, you name it!

The sale will be held Friday, May 29 from Noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday, May 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store, 1011 E. 22nd St. The DIY Mart is in the rear yard so simply walk straight through the Habitat Re-store.

Cash, Mastercard or VISA only, no checks. Plan to haul away your treasures that day.

Proceeds from the sale, which will be open to the public, will benefit the BAGI Remodelors Council. Items not sold during those two days will be donated to the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store.

M/I Homes receives a 2009 Energy Star® Leadership in Housing Award for Indianapolis area

by Philip Eaton
Published on: May 22, 2009
Categories: Builder News
Tags:
Comments: 1 Comment

 

M/I Homes earns recognition from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency as a leader in protecting the environment through energy-efficient, new-home construction. The prestigious award recognizes the contribution M/I Homes has made to environmental protection through the energy-efficient construction of new single-family homes.

In 2008, M/I built 128 Indianapolis area homes that earned the ENERGY STAR® qualification. According to the EPA, the environmental benefit of these homes is equivalent to eliminating the emissions from 63 vehicles, conserving over 380 thousand pounds of coal, and removing 744 thousand pounds of CO2, a major greenhouse gas, from the environment every year.

In addition to dramatically reducing harmful environmental impacts, ENERGY STAR® qualified homes save homeowners up to 30% on their utility bills. The EPA estimates that, overall, those 128 owners of M/I ENERGY STAR® qualified homes will save approximately $57,200 on energy costs during a one-year period.

ENERGY STAR® qualified homes must meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines, which are set by the EPA. These homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC), and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them up to 30% more efficient than standard homes.

Cliff White, Indiana Area President of M/I Homes, said, “We’re taking our approach to energy-efficient home construction one step further in 2009. Every home we build this year will be ENERGY STAR® qualified. Meeting ENERGY STAR® guidelines for every home will provide our customers with the confidence and value they’ve come to expect from M/I Homes.”

Jerrod Klein, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, added, “Many builders use ENERGY STAR® components, and that is good, but the energy savings are much greater on a home that has earned the ENERGY STAR® rating for the whole home. There is a big difference. That is why we decided that the right thing to do was to build a home that earned the ENERGY STAR® on the entire home.”

ENERGY STAR® qualified homes are built with energy-saving features like effective insulation systems, high performance windows, tight construction and ducts, efficient, properly sized and correctly installed heating and cooling equipment, and are equipped with ENERGYSTAR® rated appliances. In order to achieve the ENERGYSTAR® qualification, each home must pass a third-party verification of energy performance.

Sam Rashkin, National Director for the ENERGY STAR® for Homes at the EPA said, “By building homes to EPA’s rigorous guidelines for energy efficiency, M/I is building a home that can offer much greater value. In fact, only 17% of all homes sold in 2008 earned the ENERGY STAR®. That puts M/I in an exclusive group of high-performance homebuilders.

New homes create jobs, local income, and local tax revenue

by Philip Eaton
Published on: May 13, 2009
Categories: Industry statistics
Tags:, ,
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The Housing Policy Department of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) completed their economic impact analysis of the Indianapolis MSA to demonstrate the economic impact of home building on our local communities. The detailed reports demonstrate how the home building industry benefits the local economy through job creation and income from new residents. 

 

The NAHB model is divided into three phases:  (1) local industries involved in homebuilding (2) ripple effect experienced when the wages and profits for local area residents earned during the construction period are spent on other locally produced goods and services, and (3) ongoing, annual effect that results from the home being occupied. 

 

According to the report, the economic impact of the 4,460 single-family housing permits issued in 2008 in the Indianapolis MSA includes:

 

  • $765 million in local income,
  • $73 million in taxes and other revenue for local governments, and
  • 11,717 local jobs.

 

These local impacts represent income and jobs for residents of the Indianapolis MSA and taxes (and other sources of revenue, including permit fees) for all local jurisdictions within the metro area. They are also one-year impacts that include both the direct and indirect impact of the construction activity itself, and the impact of local residents who earn money from the construction activity spending part of it within the local area.

 

Additionally, there is an annual recurring impact of building the 4,460 single-family homes.  This impact results from the new homes being occupied and the occupants paying taxes and otherwise participating in the local economy year after year, totaling:

  • $122 million in local income,
  • $26 million in taxes and other revenue for local governments, and
  • 2,093 local jobs.

 

“The impact of the homebuilding industry is unlike any other.  In 2008, it accounted for 11% of the GDP, more than three times what the automobile industry produced,” says Steve Lains of BAGI.  “At times like this, we truly see how much the housing industry benefits our communities and how important it is to continue building.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beazer announces 80 home starts in May

by Philip Eaton
Published on: May 6, 2009
Categories: Builder News
Tags:, , ,
Comments: No Comments

Beazer Homes, one of the country’s top 10 single-family home builders and the leading builder in the Indianapolis market, today announced it expects to start construction this month on more than 80 new homes throughout the greater Indianapolis metropolitan area.

“We’ve had great new build sales throughout the spring season and it’s reflected in our new home starts this month,” said Bruce Craig, president of Beazer’s Indianapolis division. “Demand is trending upwards as more people recognize the unprecedented buying opportunities that exist right now.”

Craig attributes the positive signs his team is seeing throughout the Indianapolis market to record-low interest rates and the federal tax credit for first-time buyers, as well as the overall affordability of the Indianapolis housing market and a general up tick in consumer sentiment.

“We’re seeing some encouraging signs and there’s certainly more optimism today than six months ago,” he said. “Low interest rates and the $8,000 tax credit have combined to push consumer buying power through the roof. Many who have been on the sidelines are starting to take action which has boosted demand locally.”

Indeed, a recent stock market rally and back-to-back monthly gains in the consumer confidence index are promising signs that the worst may be over. For the housing market in particular, the Commerce Department reported that construction spending rose slightly in March, and pending home sales fared better than expected, according to data released by the National Association of Realtors.

Craig anticipates continued strong demand throughout the spring and into early summer as Washington’s economic stimulus plans continues to take affect.

“For first-time buyers, there is still time to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit, but you need to act now,” said Craig. “Choose your home site and floor plan today and Beazer will have your brand new home ready for move in before the deadline.”

Prospective home buyers have until the end of November 2009 to close on a new home in order to qualify for the government-sponsored tax credit.

Beazer Homes currently has over 20 new home communities throughout the Indianapolis area. For more information, visit Beazer.com.

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