No one will soon forget 2008. It will be remembered for a vast amount of interesting news and events. Tornado's, record flooding and a nationwide failure of many of the financial institutions that we have all taken for granted would always be there.
In spite of all that our area has remained resilient. Being a second generation builder I have seen the housing market come and go in the housing industry but it has always recovered to become even better than before, this time will be no different.
I am very surprised how many people are thinking of buying or building new home, and with the smaller inventory of available homes out there, homes are being snatched up at a record pace. We are so blessed to be in this area where we have not seen a huge price run up and the home values have been steady. Now with interest rates at an all time low and the government pushing money into the system I look for a huge new building market in 2009.
I would suspect that there will be more stimulus put into the economy early next year that housing will benefit in a big way. The government is going to need to fix housing first if banks are to get healthy and foreclosures stop taking down home values in other parts of the country. http://www.nahb.org/news_details.aspx?newsID=8328
In any case we probably are all glad to see 2008 go away and be a memory instead of a reoccurring nightmare. Oh by the way for a positive outlook, "Turn off the news!!!!"
Craig
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Pushing for the finish
Its becoming late fall again. Weather will soon be a factor in every day for the next 6 months, so the big push is on the wrap up while the weather is fantastic. Nothing better I know than October in Iowa. Crisper air, calm days, the best looking grass of the year, by product the best shape the golf courses are in all year.
Sometimes it hard to focus on work except there is so much. For the next 30 days could be filled with long walks, bike riding, golf or visiting your favorite fall tourist area. But for others its time to think about a new home next year. Starting in bad weather times and enjoying it in the spring. October is one of the two best months of the year for home building starts, and in case you haven't been in the neighborhoods for awhile its as busy as it has been all year.
Here in the Cedar Valley we have been blessed not to have seen the worst of the real estate market that most other areas have been through. I was at a home builders conference a week ago and got to learn first hand how bad it is in some regions. Other areas have seen 1/2 of all home builders gone and out of business. Some members from California LA area have seen membership cut in half in less than a year.
Cedar Falls has probably one of the lowest inventories of housing I have ever seen, in all price ranges and all areas. The housing market is rock solid and fair values are being achieved daily. I would imagine that when the year is done valuations in the Cedar Valley will be up for the year, easily. While many building costs have dropped. Lumber is at a 10 year low!!!! Build now as when the market really turns around nationally prices will again surge ahead.
Have a great fall, enjoy life
Sometimes it hard to focus on work except there is so much. For the next 30 days could be filled with long walks, bike riding, golf or visiting your favorite fall tourist area. But for others its time to think about a new home next year. Starting in bad weather times and enjoying it in the spring. October is one of the two best months of the year for home building starts, and in case you haven't been in the neighborhoods for awhile its as busy as it has been all year.
Here in the Cedar Valley we have been blessed not to have seen the worst of the real estate market that most other areas have been through. I was at a home builders conference a week ago and got to learn first hand how bad it is in some regions. Other areas have seen 1/2 of all home builders gone and out of business. Some members from California LA area have seen membership cut in half in less than a year.
Cedar Falls has probably one of the lowest inventories of housing I have ever seen, in all price ranges and all areas. The housing market is rock solid and fair values are being achieved daily. I would imagine that when the year is done valuations in the Cedar Valley will be up for the year, easily. While many building costs have dropped. Lumber is at a 10 year low!!!! Build now as when the market really turns around nationally prices will again surge ahead.
Have a great fall, enjoy life
Monday, September 1, 2008
Post Parade reaction
The parade of homes was a great success and we continue to see the positive results and interest to both the Craftsman Villa homes and lot sales in Heritage Hills Estates. We had over 725 very interested people, about the same as last year, that showed great interest in the "Aging in Place" life style custom desigened for Active Adults. Within one week of the close of the parade only 3 lots are available to individuals in our 2nd Phaseand the rest have been sold to builders for their customers on a custom or build to suit basis.
New customers are showing up every day to look at the newest downsizing home option in the Cedar Vally area. Many of the comments that caught most peoples attention were the beautiful landscaping, 4 season room, screened in porch and wrap around deck. In particular people seemed very interested in the Built in Rain Garden in the rear yard to control rain water run off on site. They are really functional and can be exceptionally beautiful with native and wild flowers and grasses that you can plant in each one.
If the past two years are any indication this is the future of most of the building in the Cedar Valley area. Close to bike trails, close to shopping , medical clinics and a great central location. I think what make these special is that you can design your home anyway you want and still maintian the intgrety of the exterior in harmony with other home owners.
We are very excited about being able to offer this type of housing to the public in a unique yet affordable package.
My wife says its time to start planning for next year so we aren't working 20 minutes after the parade starts. Me Too
Craig the Builder
New customers are showing up every day to look at the newest downsizing home option in the Cedar Vally area. Many of the comments that caught most peoples attention were the beautiful landscaping, 4 season room, screened in porch and wrap around deck. In particular people seemed very interested in the Built in Rain Garden in the rear yard to control rain water run off on site. They are really functional and can be exceptionally beautiful with native and wild flowers and grasses that you can plant in each one.
If the past two years are any indication this is the future of most of the building in the Cedar Valley area. Close to bike trails, close to shopping , medical clinics and a great central location. I think what make these special is that you can design your home anyway you want and still maintian the intgrety of the exterior in harmony with other home owners.
We are very excited about being able to offer this type of housing to the public in a unique yet affordable package.
My wife says its time to start planning for next year so we aren't working 20 minutes after the parade starts. Me Too
Craig the Builder
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Parade of Homes Finished
Sweeping up the garage or power washing the driveway as the parade viewers march up the drive, it really is seamless. It hard to call a finish point as the viewing and hosting begins really before you are ready. I really get charged up to meet new people and relax and see what they tell us we have done rights and yes what they would do different.
I am always amazed that the news and people say that housing is having a bad time and economy, not here. There is so much pent up demand to build that new home and yet always a hesitation due to the negative talk on TV. Well being the political season you find one thing in common with housing and politics, its all Local! and so the saying in Real Estate really is true its, " Location, Location, Location. Even down to one neighborhood vs another only a block away!!!
Some people are thinking that since gasoline is so high I'll just entertain at Home and might just as well have a nice new home. In any case we have a very robust market that is only showing signs of getting stronger. To have 160 viewer on a Friday night is just unheard of and many more on the weekend. All of them seem to be looking for something a kitchen remodel a new counter top landscaping or that special custom home.
One comment i have heard from experts is doing the upgrades that you house needs and enjoying it now until a higher selling price can be obtained.
Of course kitchens are one of the highest paybacks but you may not believe it but quality landscaping is almost double the average investment. We like that idea since we handle Crestwood Cabinets and do a great deal of landscaping,
Maybe you are considering such a project and would like to see if it will enhance your selling price in the future or even today, thru our real estate marketing we can tell you what your home should sell for with the improvement vs its current value.
Pick two or more services and you may qualify for a significant discount.
Well one last day of the Parade and i know it is already a great success and we hope you had a chance to view the homes made available thru the Northeast Iowa Association of Homebuilders.
Their web site is www.CedarValleyHomebuilders.com
Thanks
Craig Fairbanks
404-0412
I am always amazed that the news and people say that housing is having a bad time and economy, not here. There is so much pent up demand to build that new home and yet always a hesitation due to the negative talk on TV. Well being the political season you find one thing in common with housing and politics, its all Local! and so the saying in Real Estate really is true its, " Location, Location, Location. Even down to one neighborhood vs another only a block away!!!
Some people are thinking that since gasoline is so high I'll just entertain at Home and might just as well have a nice new home. In any case we have a very robust market that is only showing signs of getting stronger. To have 160 viewer on a Friday night is just unheard of and many more on the weekend. All of them seem to be looking for something a kitchen remodel a new counter top landscaping or that special custom home.
One comment i have heard from experts is doing the upgrades that you house needs and enjoying it now until a higher selling price can be obtained.
Of course kitchens are one of the highest paybacks but you may not believe it but quality landscaping is almost double the average investment. We like that idea since we handle Crestwood Cabinets and do a great deal of landscaping,
- Rain Gardens
- Retaining walls
- Berms and rock garden type
- High quality kitchen renovations
Maybe you are considering such a project and would like to see if it will enhance your selling price in the future or even today, thru our real estate marketing we can tell you what your home should sell for with the improvement vs its current value.
Pick two or more services and you may qualify for a significant discount.
Well one last day of the Parade and i know it is already a great success and we hope you had a chance to view the homes made available thru the Northeast Iowa Association of Homebuilders.
Their web site is www.CedarValleyHomebuilders.com
Thanks
Craig Fairbanks
404-0412
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Heading down the stretch
As we push hard to get our parade home done for the 20th its always a stressful time. But there is always a point when you can see the end and know it is all going to work. No one else sees it only the contractor, I've been here many times and can see that everyone is doing there job to the best ability possible. Frustrating yes satisfying much more. It takes many pieces of a puzzle to make it all work, hours have been spent just designing making selections and
then like magic the landscaping gets completed and the carpet and floor coverings go in and then you know, ya thats what I was looking for. Those landscapers and carpet layers get all the credit, and yet as a customer you know that it was by your direction that it happened. Your dream caused everyone to meet step up and make your dream happen.
Then when a customer allows you to show off their home in the parade of homes, now that is special. Many people think that it is the builder who gets to show off and yet without that quality customer your effort and work would never have a chance to get noticed.
Our parade of homes model opens at 301 Spruce Hills in Cedar Falls next Wednesday the 20th of August. We will look forward to seeing you there. With that I would like to express my appreciation to all of the customers who for the last 12 years have made a parade home possible to exhibit what is possible in custom home building thru a common effort. It is hard yet satisfying at the same time for all builders who participate.
It seems like such a short time ago that the parade started and building in the Cedar Valley was very slow. The Parade of Homes seemed to propel the housing boom some 12 years ago that we saw here until last year. Now we are seeing the interest picking up tremendously as the predicted total collapse of the home market never materialize here in the Valley.
Many of the new building has been for the Boomer generation looking to build that final home. When almost 60% of head of households in the area are over 45 it just makes sense why that is happening. Maybe this type of home is just what you have been looking for.
Hope to see you there this next week thru the 24th.
Craig the Builder
Build Buy or Sell Homes.com
Got Energy!!????
Previous Post July 2008
My daughter Laura and husband Peter just had their 2nd child in the Netherlands. Baby is healthy and all are doing well. Every time I think of my daughter living there it brings to mind how great it is to live in the good old USA. They have to constantly be aware of even the most insignificant use of energy. What is costs them to drive anywhere, heat and cool their home and would have most of us on our back begging for the good old days of the energy costs we are dealing with today.
This is a great lesson on how not to deal with energy other than conservation. Most of their energy in controlled by Russia for their natural gas heating. They are powerless to make any change at all unless it is to accept what prices are dictated to them. They had no energy plan until it was already to late and it became a finite source. Are we here in the US headed to that sub standard of living or will we finally stop playing political games and do what needs to be done to make us self sufficient.
There are many debates out there and none of them are totally right or totally wrong about energy solutions. All of the ideas that are being kicked around should be considered and used to get us out of the mess that we have created for ourselves. The only debate worth having is how to take the politics out of the equation. All I see so far are silly statements on both sides that if you asked them to prove what they are saying, none could do it. You seem to be able to say anything you want with no science data to back it up.
Most of our home building customers are educated enough to realize this is a fact and that they are going to start today to incorporate as many energy saving systems, methods and better construction principals into their homes to reduce their consumption. They have all realized that the payback for better insulation products, geothermal and ICF( Insulated Concrete Forms) is going to continue to shorten the payback period for the extra costs that are incurred.
Last year we completed a ICF home that was built as a duplex and uses geothermal heating and cooling and am told that their heating and cooling bills average $40.00 per month.
This year our parade home is geothermal with a closed cell foam used in the exterior walls and a soft foam used in the attic. You can already tell in the humid summer that it is cooler inside with out even have the systems up yet. I am anxious to see the energy bills on this one. It incorporates other methods that are less expensive than the ICF homes.
The location of this home is in Cedar Falls at 301 Spruce Hills Dr. It is one of our Craftsman Bungalow style Villa Homes. The parade states August 20th and continues thru the weekend. We hope to see you there to appreciate the amenities these homes have to offer.
Craig Fairbanks
Owner
Build Buy or Sell Homes
My daughter Laura and husband Peter just had their 2nd child in the Netherlands. Baby is healthy and all are doing well. Every time I think of my daughter living there it brings to mind how great it is to live in the good old USA. They have to constantly be aware of even the most insignificant use of energy. What is costs them to drive anywhere, heat and cool their home and would have most of us on our back begging for the good old days of the energy costs we are dealing with today.
This is a great lesson on how not to deal with energy other than conservation. Most of their energy in controlled by Russia for their natural gas heating. They are powerless to make any change at all unless it is to accept what prices are dictated to them. They had no energy plan until it was already to late and it became a finite source. Are we here in the US headed to that sub standard of living or will we finally stop playing political games and do what needs to be done to make us self sufficient.
There are many debates out there and none of them are totally right or totally wrong about energy solutions. All of the ideas that are being kicked around should be considered and used to get us out of the mess that we have created for ourselves. The only debate worth having is how to take the politics out of the equation. All I see so far are silly statements on both sides that if you asked them to prove what they are saying, none could do it. You seem to be able to say anything you want with no science data to back it up.
Most of our home building customers are educated enough to realize this is a fact and that they are going to start today to incorporate as many energy saving systems, methods and better construction principals into their homes to reduce their consumption. They have all realized that the payback for better insulation products, geothermal and ICF( Insulated Concrete Forms) is going to continue to shorten the payback period for the extra costs that are incurred.
Last year we completed a ICF home that was built as a duplex and uses geothermal heating and cooling and am told that their heating and cooling bills average $40.00 per month.
This year our parade home is geothermal with a closed cell foam used in the exterior walls and a soft foam used in the attic. You can already tell in the humid summer that it is cooler inside with out even have the systems up yet. I am anxious to see the energy bills on this one. It incorporates other methods that are less expensive than the ICF homes.
The location of this home is in Cedar Falls at 301 Spruce Hills Dr. It is one of our Craftsman Bungalow style Villa Homes. The parade states August 20th and continues thru the weekend. We hope to see you there to appreciate the amenities these homes have to offer.
Craig Fairbanks
Owner
Build Buy or Sell Homes
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Parade of Homes push ( Final Green Touches)
This time of year is just a blur with the Homebuilders parade of homes coming starting next Wednesday the 20th. Our biggest push right now is installing 3 rain gardens and the burms required to make them work properly.
For the last 2 days we have been stripping out the clay and installing new top soil and compost to make the yard absorb the rain water that comes off the home roof and from slope run off. The object is to get the water back into the ground water and filter it as quickly as possible to keep it form being contaminated. Our last step is to install the materials into the rain garden that will facilitate this process when the big rains come. Its sort of a holding area when bigger rains come. Its a lot of work but virtually eliminates standing water problems or running water on your neighbor that is always an argument point between neighbors.
The cost to install them is not terribly expensive but is labor intensive. You are able to control the rain run off from the roof right away and get it directed to the best location to avoid things like having it sit close to the foundation where it has a chance to seep into the basement at unprotected waterproofed areas.
One thought that I had was: "why are these not being installed in existing homes where water is a problem!!!" its a much easier fix this way than trying to regrade the yard every year to solve a water problem that may not go away.
Sometimes the best solution is not fight the problem but accept it and use the issue to make something that looks great and good landscaping will add instant value to your home. Most landscaping projects will add double the value of cost to the value of your home. Most interior home improvement efforts may make your home sell faster but are at best a break even.
Think about green first when investing in your home!!! GREEN SELLS EVERY TIME!!!!
Craig Fairbanks
Owner
Build Buy or Sell Homes
Thursday, July 31, 2008
New Green Tech learning curve
Green building has some great concepts but there is a huge learning curve for some of those applications. For instance there at least a 5 step process for getting the wells installed on your property. All of these are coordinated as individual crews. The end result in savings is huge once the payback on the system is achieved, but expect delays in getting through the process of the install. The crews who do this work are few and extremely busy. The ones who installed our latest Geo thermal home has to crisscross the entire state and the delay can be months even to get on the list. Right now there are only 2 installers who service our state for the well install with the vertical closed system which is the more desireable than the pump and dump system. I can imagine someday that all homes may be required to install such a system.
Other green items are much easier to achieve like building rain gardens or insulating your home with closed cell foam products which have now been on the market for sometime. Those benefits can be seen immediately.
Our parade of homes is fast approaching and we have much to do in advance of theat August 20th start date. The home I was talking about will be the featured home for this year. It is designed for us boomers and beyond with ADA accessability features that allow us to live longer in our home rather than going to "The Home".
The demand for this new construction and housing is huge. Did you know that in our head of house hold population over 45 accounts for more that 60% of all households in our area of Black Hawk County. That is just a staggering number that will desire what is now called "Active Adult Housing" or "Aging in Place".
The neat thing about this housing is that it works for other demographics as well. With our family sizes smaller these homes work for almost anyone and the resale for these home is huge.
We started building these units in the Heritage Hills Estates subdivision off GreenHill road area just east of Main St in Cedar Falls as single family residences with an association to cover the lawn care and snow removal. Last year at our Parade of Homes we had our best Parade ever with basicly 4 home commitments on day one. Stop out and see us at the parade or just drop in and take a look if anyone is at the site. However do not go in unassited to any of these homes for liabilty reasons.
Off to work for today
"Craig the Builder"
Other green items are much easier to achieve like building rain gardens or insulating your home with closed cell foam products which have now been on the market for sometime. Those benefits can be seen immediately.
Our parade of homes is fast approaching and we have much to do in advance of theat August 20th start date. The home I was talking about will be the featured home for this year. It is designed for us boomers and beyond with ADA accessability features that allow us to live longer in our home rather than going to "The Home".
The demand for this new construction and housing is huge. Did you know that in our head of house hold population over 45 accounts for more that 60% of all households in our area of Black Hawk County. That is just a staggering number that will desire what is now called "Active Adult Housing" or "Aging in Place".
The neat thing about this housing is that it works for other demographics as well. With our family sizes smaller these homes work for almost anyone and the resale for these home is huge.
We started building these units in the Heritage Hills Estates subdivision off GreenHill road area just east of Main St in Cedar Falls as single family residences with an association to cover the lawn care and snow removal. Last year at our Parade of Homes we had our best Parade ever with basicly 4 home commitments on day one. Stop out and see us at the parade or just drop in and take a look if anyone is at the site. However do not go in unassited to any of these homes for liabilty reasons.
Off to work for today
"Craig the Builder"
Friday, July 4, 2008
Building Green, New Concept ???
I had brief conversation with a field worker today from our excellent utility company, Cedar Falls Utilities. He had questions about green building, sustainable materials and energy efficiency that is now being incorporated into new homes.
After some thought several past images came to mind that I thought were good examples of what was done in the past and how its done today. Everyone always thinks that building green is a really hip new concept. Sorry for the 70's talk. Well for many customers and some new builders it is a new concept, but I was thinking back to when I was a young guy working with my dad. When we got done with a framing a new home if we hauled a full pickup truck load of wood and scrapes to the landfill that was it. Today we all have or are required to have huge dumpsters, 30 Cubic yards!!!, on site to contain debris and many times they are filled 3 times before a home is done. I am sure we were greener only 25 years ago.
When we ran out of nails we didn't run down to the hardware store and buy more until we had collected bent and lost nails on the site and sat down on the floor and bent all the nails straight and used all those up. When I explained that to this service worker he had to laugh and wonder are we really greener now then we were years ago. Unless as a builder you are taking the time to recycle all of the packaging that shows up on the site, cardboard, pallets, paper, plastic, wrappers and more.
We can go back to those days if we choose to make an effort to look at products in a different way, lumber need not be looked as a disposable product. 30 years ago a builder from Omaha called all the short 2x4 left around the site beer stud. He said for everyone he used he could have a beer. If we looked at those scrapes as $$$ to be saved or recycled for areas of a home where only a short piece is needed imagine the savings in job and home costs that can be passed onto the home owner. Maybe the home owner would like to help in the process to save money or just help do more with less. Imagine the impact!!!! I can build the same house 10 times and will get 10 different uses of quantities on materials if I use 10 different framers. The expense or savings has been as much as $3,000 to $5,000 difference on just an average 1500 square foot home.
Most of the time it is just a matter of saving time or so many think, we never notice that it takes any longer to use material wisely rather than handling the scrap 4 or 5 times and then it still ends up in the landfill. Only recently have some builders in the country considered recycling the used lumber that ends up on site to turn into other uses, like grinding up pallets and other wood products to use as mulch to incorporate into the yard so it needs less water to keep in in good health.
Just a thought!!???
Like our energy prices today we will only consider how we use commodities when the cost is exorbitant!!!!! And as for the picture, thats me at age 3, the only energy used there is ONE BOY POWER, hows that for conservation!!!!!!
Oh by the way my daughter just gave birth to a baby girl Zoe' today, she lives in the Netherlands, more about that later.
Craig the Builder
After some thought several past images came to mind that I thought were good examples of what was done in the past and how its done today. Everyone always thinks that building green is a really hip new concept. Sorry for the 70's talk. Well for many customers and some new builders it is a new concept, but I was thinking back to when I was a young guy working with my dad. When we got done with a framing a new home if we hauled a full pickup truck load of wood and scrapes to the landfill that was it. Today we all have or are required to have huge dumpsters, 30 Cubic yards!!!, on site to contain debris and many times they are filled 3 times before a home is done. I am sure we were greener only 25 years ago.
When we ran out of nails we didn't run down to the hardware store and buy more until we had collected bent and lost nails on the site and sat down on the floor and bent all the nails straight and used all those up. When I explained that to this service worker he had to laugh and wonder are we really greener now then we were years ago. Unless as a builder you are taking the time to recycle all of the packaging that shows up on the site, cardboard, pallets, paper, plastic, wrappers and more.
We can go back to those days if we choose to make an effort to look at products in a different way, lumber need not be looked as a disposable product. 30 years ago a builder from Omaha called all the short 2x4 left around the site beer stud. He said for everyone he used he could have a beer. If we looked at those scrapes as $$$ to be saved or recycled for areas of a home where only a short piece is needed imagine the savings in job and home costs that can be passed onto the home owner. Maybe the home owner would like to help in the process to save money or just help do more with less. Imagine the impact!!!! I can build the same house 10 times and will get 10 different uses of quantities on materials if I use 10 different framers. The expense or savings has been as much as $3,000 to $5,000 difference on just an average 1500 square foot home.
Most of the time it is just a matter of saving time or so many think, we never notice that it takes any longer to use material wisely rather than handling the scrap 4 or 5 times and then it still ends up in the landfill. Only recently have some builders in the country considered recycling the used lumber that ends up on site to turn into other uses, like grinding up pallets and other wood products to use as mulch to incorporate into the yard so it needs less water to keep in in good health.
Just a thought!!???
Like our energy prices today we will only consider how we use commodities when the cost is exorbitant!!!!! And as for the picture, thats me at age 3, the only energy used there is ONE BOY POWER, hows that for conservation!!!!!!
Oh by the way my daughter just gave birth to a baby girl Zoe' today, she lives in the Netherlands, more about that later.
Craig the Builder
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