Published: Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 10:58 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, January 21, 2015 at 10:58 p.m.

LAKELAND | The local home building industry saw more improvement in 2014, as construction activity reached a seven-year high.

A total 2,497 permits for new single-family homes were recorded in Polk last year, jumping 29 percent from 1,936 permits in 2013, according to county and city building departments.

Last year was the busiest for area builders since the recession.

"2014 was a great year compared to what we went through for the six to seven years prior," said Ken War- ren, president of Lakeland-based Kensington Homes, an Arthur Rutenberg franchise.

Warren said his business completed 21 home sales last year, more than double the amount it was seeing during some of the toughest years of the recession.

"Right now we have 18 homes under construction. That's a good number for a custom builder," Warren said Wednesday.

Builders say that sales are picking up as the job market improves and more buyers see signs of a stabilizing economy. In addi- tion, distressed home sales have declined and median home prices continue to rise, making it easier for builders to compete on price.

Meanwhile, economists and builders have voiced concerns about the financial challenges faced by younger generations, and how that limits overall housing demand.

Polk had 174 new home permits in December, rising about 9 percent from the year before. It was the highest total for the month of December since 2007, when 194 permits were recorded.

Read more:
2014 'A great year': Polk Home Construction Reaches 7-Year High

Custom Home Builders Dublin CA
Custom Home Builders Dublin CA Looking for custom home builders Dublin CA? You have come to the right place to find custom home builders in Dublin. We are th...

By: Kris Neville

Link:
Custom Home Builders Dublin CA - Video

Palm Coast, FL (PRWEB) January 20, 2015

Arthur Rutenberg Homes is pleased to announce that Oceanside Homes and Remodeling, llp, an independent franchisee of Arthur Rutenberg Homes, has opened a new fully furnished and professionally decorated Arthur Rutenberg Homes luxury custom home model, the Novara, in the Hidden Hammock community.

The Novara is Arthur Rutenberg Homes newest custom luxury home model in Florida. The home demonstrates what todays buyers want, blending fresh and innovative design with function and value.

This new plan features a 47' wide Great Room/Casual Dining/ Kitchen with 32' of sliding glass doors that open onto the screened outdoor living area featuring an expansive outdoor kitchen and outdoor fireplace.

The Novara features 3,096 sq ft of living with 3 Bedrooms, 3 Full Baths, Den and 3-Car Motor Court Garage. This fully furnished model located on the Intracoastal with an 85' seawall with direct boating access is available for sale at $1,150,000 million.

Located at 5 Hidden Hammock Ct. Palm Coast FL 32137, the Novara 1292 is situated in Hidden Hammock, a private gated community. This private gated community consisting of six waterfront and two interior 1/3 plus acre lots is quietly nestled on the intracoastal waterway in the heart of the Hammock community in Palm Coast, FL.

All the amenities associated with exclusive coastal living are just minutes away. Public beaches, world class golfing and full services marinas are less than 5 minutes away. Begin exploring the cultural treasures of old St. Augustine or Daytona beach just a short drive away.

The model home is open daily Monday Saturday, 10am 5pm, and Sundays noon to 5pm.

To learn more about Arthur Rutenberg Homes in Hidden Hammock, please visit or call Rodney F. Kimberley at (386) 527-5888

About Arthur Rutenberg Homes

Continue reading here:
New Arthur Rutenberg Homes Model Opened in Palm Coast, FL In the Hidden Hammock Community

Houston, TX (PRWEB) January 20, 2015

Blinds.com, the worlds largest online window covering store, has been awarded Best Of Houzz for Customer Satisfaction by Houzz, the leading online platform for home remodeling and design.

The Blinds.com team loves connecting with the Houzz community of home builders, decorators and re-modelers, Blinds.com Public Relations Manager Katie Laird said. Its a pleasure to provide custom window covering support to savvy home dcor enthusiasts and help them achieve incredible DIY designer results in their windows.

The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Design and Customer Satisfaction. Customer Satisfaction honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2014.

Blinds.com received glowing reviews from Houzz member customers, citing their personalized experiences with knowledgeable design consultants and the easy installation of custom window blinds and drapes as the highlights of their Blinds.com experience. In one customers words:

I live in an older home with a few issues like non-standard window sizes, split frames and stair step trim. Blinds.com and their experienced, knowledgeable staff took the time to communicate back and forth with me to make my window covering dream of plantation shutters come true! ~ Customer Shannon Fox

Follow Blinds.com on Houzz for custom window treatment inspiration and helpful decorating tips: http://www.houzz.com/pro/blindsdotcom/blindscom

ABOUT BLINDS.COM Blinds.com, a Home Depot company, is the worlds largest online window covering store, covering over a million windows a year since 1996. With a cutting edge online ordering system and The Window Shopper augmented reality shopping iPhone app, Blinds.com makes ordering custom blinds, shades, shutters and draperies a no brainer with huge savings and selection. Blinds.com offers installation videos, award winning customer service and a SureFit Guarantee to make buying blinds online surprisingly easy and stress-free. Go online to Blinds.com to shop or call 1-800-505-1905 to speak to one of 100+ US-based blinds experts.

ABOUT HOUZZ Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish - online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin and Sydney. For more information, visit http://www.houzz.com

Link:
Blinds.com Wins Best Of Houzz 2015 Award for Customer Satisfaction

Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) January 20, 2015

BUILDER magazine announced today the launch of the online virtual tour of The New American Home 2015. Now in its 32nd year, The New American Home (TNAH) is the official show home of the International Builders Show. The photo-realistic virtual tour will be available through July 2015 at http://www.NewAmericanHome2015.com.

The online virtual tour for TNAH 2015 demonstrates emerging trends in home design, building technology, products and materials to homeowners, builders, remodelers, interior designers, architects, Realtors and Pinterest enthusiasts.

Co-produced with The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Leading Suppliers Council, TNAH 2015 has a production floor plan that feels like a unique custom-built home. The four-bedroom, 5,891-square-foot desert contemporary home, built and designed by Las Vegas builder Blue Heron, presents a collection of takeaway ideas for every price point. TNAH 2015 looks like a custom home but can be rolled into mass production quickly and efficiently.

TNAH 2015 is designed and built to exceed Emerald status, the highest level of certification from the National Green Building Standard. Other anticipated certifications for TNAH include HERS -10, US DOE Energy Star Certified, US DOE Challenge Home, US EPA Indoor airPLUS, US DOE Build America Program, Southern Nevada Green Building Partnership, and the Water Smart Home Program.

Through the virtual tour, visitors can learn more about the homes green building features including photovoltaic panels, open spray-foam insulation, a weather-sensitive irrigation system that automatically adjusts usage relative to the immediate climate, high-efficiency water heaters, hydronic air handlers, intelligent fireplaces, balanced daylighting and low-maintenance building materials.

TNAH 2015 is designed for a casual and modern lifestyle and includes a large, open kitchen that flows into the dining area, multiple seating and entertainment spaces, and a rooftop deck. Situated to capture views of the Las Vegas Strip and nearby mountains, the home features high ceilings and massive sliding pocket doors that open to outdoor courtyards, decks and balconies for indoor-outdoor living. The second floor includes a private casita, which can be used as a home office or as an in-law suite for a nanny or visiting guests.

Register at http://www.NewAmericanHome2015.com to take the tour, watch videos, meet the team, explore NAHB legacy homes and download fact sheets, photos, floor plans and more.

The Title Sponsor of the home is Kohler Plumbing. Founding Sponsors are Bosch Home Appliances and Sierra Pacific. Supporting Sponsors are American Gas Association, DuPont Surfaces, JELD-WEN and Trane. Alliance Sponsors are Baldwin, Bayer Materials Science, Behr, Broan-Nutone and Progress Lighting. Participating Sponsors include 84 Lumber, Bosch Thermotechnology, CertainTeed Gypsum, Clopay, Garaventa Lift, Gladiator Garage Works, Hart & Cooley, IAPMO, Lamps Plus, LiftMaster (Chamberlain) and Kingspan Insulation (Pactiv).

About NAHB The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct roughly 80 percent of the new housing units built this year.

Read more:
Virtual Tours Now Available for The New American Home 2015

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) January 19, 2015

Builders Digital Experience, leading provider of digital marketing resources for home builders, will be exhibiting their newest builder marketing, media, and technology solutions this week at the 2015 International Builders Show in Las Vegas, Nevada in Booth C2050. The International Builders Show is the largest annual tradeshow in the world for design and construction professionals and draws more than 35,000 attendees each year.

This year, one of the highlights in the BDX booth will be the debut of several new marketing packages designed specifically for small and custom home builders. These packages include website design, listings on leading new home websites NewHomeSource.com and CustomNewHomes.com, assistance with Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and social media as well as ongoing monthly support.

The company will also be featuring new interactive kiosks for sales and design centers. The kiosks are web-enabled and use touch screen devices to engage the home buyer in the sales center while providing relevant content on the community, homes, plans and amenities. Other builder technologies being presented at the show include the Model Showcase that allows home shoppers to explore model homes in an interactive gallery online and the new iPad sales tool, salesArchitect. BDX will also showcase their popular rich media solutions that include Renderings, Floor Plans, Interior and Exterior Virtual Tours, Interactive Floor Plans, and videos.

As a company, it is important for us to create innovative marketing, media and technology solutions that help all builders connect with potential homebuyers and make the home shopping process visually inspiring and interactive, said BDX CEO, Tim Costello. At every point during the home buyer journey, there are opportunities to connect and inspire its our job to help builders take advantage of these moments.

Additionally, BDX is debuting new product enhancements to improve the experience for existing clients. A new client portal will be previewed at the show for easy access to reporting, billing, product updates and digital marketing education. And now, builders that list all of their communities with BDX have the opportunity to utilize a new application that integrates their listings onto their company Facebook page providing more opportunities to reach home shoppers.

Builders are encouraged to visit Booth C2050 at the International Builders Show in Las Vegas from January 20-22 to learn more about these solutions and discover how BDX can help them connect with consumers and real estate agents across the Internet. BDXs digital marketing experts will be available in the booth throughout the show. Builders who are not able to visit the BDX booth at the show are encouraged to email info(at)theBDX(dot)com to schedule an appointment with their BDX representative.

About Builders Digital Experience Builders Digital Experience, LLC (BDX) was founded to combine the industrys leading new home resources under one roof and offer builders innovative online marketing options, streamlined customer service and support, and greater value. In addition to the top new home listing websitesNewHomeSource.com and MoveNewHomes.com BDX offers website development, mobile marketing capabilities, interactive floor plans, photo realistic renderings, video production, email services, social media packages, and innovative sales center technologies. For more information, visit http://www.theBDX.com

More:
BDX to Showcase Marketing, Media & Technology Solutions for Builders at 2015 International Builders Show

Building on the major success of their original co-location in 2014 as Design & Construction Week, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today announced that KBIS and IBS will continue to co-locate through 2020 as one of the worlds largest gatherings focused on new ideas, products and technologies to design, build and remodel homes.

Design & Construction Week 2015, opening today and running until Jan. 22, is expected to draw more than 125,000 specifiers, builders, dealers and suppliers, more than 300 members of the media and 3,750 exhibiting brands. The announcement of this lasting partnership will be a major highlight of this opening day, as exhibitors and attendees alike have fully expressed their excitement about the partnership.

In only its second year, Design & Construction Week is already the mega-event of the industry, said Maria Stapperfenne, CKD, CBD, 2015 NKBA president. All of our professionals can come together once a year to see the newest products and design trends, build relationships and benefit from all the cutting-edge professional development.

The 2016 mega-event will be held Jan. 19-21, 2016, in Las Vegas, with IBS again occupying the Central Hall and KBIS occupying the North and South Halls. One pass will continue to provide access to both separate exhibits. NKBA and NAHB will continue to produce separate educational programming and special events. Future show dates are Jan. 10-12, 2017, and Jan. 9-11, 2018, when the event will move to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

Given the success of the last two years, our manufacturers have overwhelmingly embraced Design & Construction Week, said Brian Pagel, VP, Kitchen & Bath, Emerald Expositions. Were excited at the proposition of continuing this wonderful partnership through 2020.

KBIS, now in its 51st year, is the largest event in North America focused on the kitchen and bath segment, attracting more than 700 exhibitors. Attendees include dealers, designers, architects, remodelers, wholesalers and custom builders from more than 50 countries. KBIS is owned by NKBA, sponsored by K+BB magazine and produced by Emerald Expositions.

NKBA is proud to have created the Design & Construction week platform with NAHB, said Bill Darcy, NKBA CEO. We brought together KBIS and IBS to create something extraordinary for every segment in the residential construction and remodeling industry.

IBS, now in its 71st year, is the largest annual light construction show in the world. Builders, remodelers, developers, architects and other industry professionals from more than 100 countries attend to see the latest products and services from nearly 1,000 exhibitors in more than 200 construction categories.

Link:
Kitchen & Bath Industry Show and International Builders' Show to Co-Locate through 2020

Time Warner retail sales associate Shamara Spicer demonstrates how she uses the companys IntelligentHome system at her Wilmington home. Many new home automation systems, like IntelligentHome, that are controlled with smart phones are making their way into the Wilmington market. Below, a computer screeen displays IntelligentHome controls.

Home automation used to be a reality only for the few - usually the wealthy.

Adjusting the thermostat, controlling the lights, locking the doors and checking your homes safety via cameras and motion sensors - all from a smartphone or tablet - remains for many something theyve heard of but havent tried.

Indeed, some Wilmington-area builders say that though interest in home automation has risen among their clients, it hasnt necessarily translated into sales.

Shawn Horton of Trusst Builder Group has seen greater interest from the active adult housing market. Its something that if you point it out, they are interested. But theyre not demanding it, Horton said. The first-time buyer wont pay for it, he added.

Even in high-end construction, buyers often are interested in wiring their homes so they can fully implement automation features in the future rather than now, said Whit Honeycutt , owner of North State Custom Builders, Home automation used to be a reality only for the few - usually the wealthy.

Adjusting the thermostat, controlling the lights, locking the doors and checking your homes safety via cameras and motion sensors - all from a smartphone or tablet - remains for many something theyve heard of but havent tried.

Indeed, some Wilmington-area builders say that though interest in home automation has risen among their clients, it hasnt necessarily translated into sales.

Shawn Horton of Trusst Builder Group has seen greater interest from the active adult housing market. Its something that if you point it out, they are interested. But theyre not demanding it, Horton said. The first-time buyer wont pay for it, he added.

Even in high-end construction, buyers often are interested in wiring their homes so they can fully implement automation features in the future rather than now, said Whit Honeycutt , owner of North State Custom Builders,

More here:
Interest in remote-controlled features spikes

Custom Home Builders Cypress CA
Custom Home Builders Cypress CA Looking for custom home builders Cypress CA? You have come to the right place to find custom home builders in Cypress. We are...

By: Kris Neville

Read the rest here:
Custom Home Builders Cypress CA - Video

Custom Home Builders Cotati ca
Custom Home Builders Cotati ca Looking for custom home builders Cotati CA? You have come to the right place to find custom home builders in Cotati. We are th...

By: Kris Neville

Continued here:
Custom Home Builders Cotati ca - Video