Published: Sunday, 8/3/2014 - Updated: 21 hours ago

BY TYREL LINKHORN BLADE BUSINESS WRITER

Rick Macek of Macek Custom Builders has spent the last few years focusing on renovation jobs, but hes recently started taking calls from people who are testing the waters of building a brand new home.

Until I get them signed on the dotted line you can never say, but Ive given three quotes in the last month, where in the past that would be in a year, he said. Thats pretty good. Im encouraged by it.

Area home builders such as Mr. Macek say theyre busier now than they have been in years, but the market for new construction in the Toledo area remains far below what it was before the Great Recession struck.

In 2004, nearly 1,600 new single-family homes went up in Lucas and Wood counties. By 2009, that number had withered to 268. Many established home builders took up remodeling jobs to survive. Some relative newcomers were pushed out of business.

Toledos real estate market has hardly boomed since then, but it has rebounded. During the last four years, existing homes in Lucas and upper Wood counties are selling for more money and are selling faster. According to the Toledo Board of Realtors, the average selling price through June was $116,513, up 17 percent from the same period in 2011. Meanwhile, the average home is on the market 114 days this year, down from 129 days in 2011.

Those modest market improvements are extending to new construction.

At a recent board meeting for the Home Builders Association of Greater Toledo, board president Chuck Barchick was apologetic. It was a few minutes after 3 p.m., and he was the only one there. However, he was willing to forgive the tardiness. The other members, he said, were out on job sites.

About four years ago you could have come in here, and wed have all been sitting here, he joked, gesturing to the empty chairs.

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New-home construction picks up

Denver, CO (PRWEB) August 04, 2014

In 1992, the Texas Association of Builders launched the Star Awards which represented the only statewide tribute to excellence in home building. Since then, the highly-coveted Star Awards have been presented annually to recognize builders and their contributions to the home building industry.

This years awards were presented on July 24th in conjunction with the Sunbelt Builders Show in San Antonio, Texas.

StrucSure Home Warranty is proud to congratulate the following builder members for their achievements and contributions:

Ashton Woods Homes Houston, TX Volume Builder of the Year High Volume | Sales Manager of the Year, Shawnda Lancaster

Betenbough Homes Lubbock, TX Volume Builder Best Email Message | Volume Builder Best Television Commercial

Elite Remodeling Frisco, TX Remodeler Best Bathroom Renovation Under $30K | Remodeler Best Bathroom Renovation $30K-$50K | Remodeler Best Direct Mail Piece | Remodeler Best Kitchen Renovation $65K-$100K

Foursquare Builders Austin, TX Custom Builder of the Year | Custom Builder Best Architectural Design Over $1M | Custom Builder Best Billboard | Custom Builder Best Kitchen Over $1M | Custom Builder Best Master Bathroom Over $1M | Custom Builder Best New Custom Home | Custom Builder Best Online Advertisement | Custom Builder Best Outdoor Living Space Over $1M | Custom Builder Best Print Ad | Custom Builder Best Sales Brochure

Gehan Homes Addison, TX Volume Builder Best Interior Merchandising $401K-$500K | Volume Builder Best Radio Commercial | Rookie Sales Professional of the Year, Aiden Sullivan | Sales Professional of the Year, Terry Jeffords

Keechi Creek Builders Houston, TX Remodeler Best Kitchen Renovation $101K $200K | Remodeler Best Whole House Renovation $300K $450K

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StrucSure Home Warranty Congratulates Recipients of the Texas Association of Builders 2014 Star Awards

SAN ANTONIO - An upscale subdivision on Lake Travis, complete with a water park, announced a luxury home tour that will feature seven new, state-of-the-art houses next year.

The Reserve at Lake Travis, which has its own 260,000-gallon water park for residents, opened in 2009 and hired seven custom-home builders to construct the million-dollar homes that will be on display next summer, which they announced last week.

The Luxury Home Tour is hosted by San Antonio and Austin-based Luxury Home Magazine.

"We were looking for a neighborhood in the Austin area where we could go above and beyond," said Tomas Martinez, publisher of the Luxury Home Magazine. "We didn't want to just pick a development to sell houses, but something with world-class amenities and lifestyle options ... We were blown away with The Reserve."

Some of the builders, includingAdam Wilson Custom Homes, also construct homes in San Antonio, Martinez said, adding that the homes will range in price from $1.3-1.5 million and 3,000-5,000 square feet.

The slideshow above features renderings of these planned homes, photos of the subdivision's homes and water park.

The Reserve subdivision, which was developed by Hal Jones and Red McCombs, features three miles of shoreline, a 160-boat marina, an equestrian center and 75 home sites.

The water park features a 40-person hot tub, a swim-up bar, a lazy river, two pools and a 40-foot tall slide.

kparker@express-news.net

Twitter: @KoltenParker

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Austin subdivision prepares for Texas luxury home tour

LENEXA, KANSAS (PRWEB) July 30, 2014

Can your roof affect the resale value and curb appeal of your home? Absolutely. That's why DaVinci Roofscapes, the color leader in the polymer roofing industry, is celebrating National Curb Appeal Month in August by sharing information and tips on creating an impactful and impressive roof.

"The roof plays a major role in creating curb appeal because it can be up to 30 percent of what you see as you approach a home," says Kate Smith, president of Sensational Color. "Homeowners should make a conscious effort to blend the color of their roofing material with other elements of the home exterior to create an overall cohesive look."

Smith, who has authored the free online FRESH Home Exterior Colors and FRESH Color Schemes for Your Home Exterior guides, spends a good deal of her time advising homeowners, remodelers and builders on selecting the perfect colors for the exterior of the home.

"For curb appeal it's all about creating 'top down' color by working from the roof down through the different elements of the exterior such as siding, windows, trim and doors," says Smith. "For example, a colonial style home with a warm Autumn Blend polymer shake roof could be ideally matched with a home exterior in a neutral stone color. Then, for adding 'pops of color' for curb appeal, chocolate brown frames could be added on the vinyl windows, shutters and trim around the home. A stand-out color like pine green or marine blue could be added to the entry door to add personality to the exterior.

"However, it's important to remember that it all starts on the roof. When you're working 'top down' with unlimited color options from a company like DaVinci Roofscapes, a homeowner has an open palette for designing the perfect home exterior."

National Curb Appeal Month How important is curb appeal to homeowners? More than three-quarters of U.S. homeowners* (78 percent) report that their homes curb appeal is either extremely or very important to them.

According to the 2011 DaVinci Roofscapes Homeowners Exterior Preferences Study conducted online by Harris Interactive, 61 percent of homeowners say that when house hunting or designing their home, the most attention-grabbing exterior feature was the style of the home, followed by how the house looked on the property (43 percent).

And, when it comes to adding curb appeal to a home, color counts. Fifty-nine percent of homeowners place a lot of emphasis on the role that color plays when they think about replacing major exterior home features. Color availability is so important to homeowners that a majority of them (54 percent) are influenced to buy a specific brand of product based on the color options available from that brand.

This study shows us clearly that color influences homeowners buying patterns and decision processes when it comes to exterior home features, says Smith. People want their home to be appealing from the street and theyre looking for colorful key products --- such as the roof, door, trim, siding and windows --- that will help them create the impression they wish to convey on their home.

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DaVinci Roofscapes Celebrates National Curb Appeal Month

Harrisburg, PA (PRWEB) July 30, 2014

The week-long 2014 Sunbelt Show culminated in familiar faces, longtime builders, and excited new faces of those just entering the business. Overall, builders, remodelers, and exhibitors were pleased with the past years results and excited about whats to come next year with first time homebuyers and current homeowners looking to move up into the custom market. Linda Hepler, Account Executive for HOME of Texas (HOME), was an exhibitor at the show, located at San Antonios JW Marriott, answering questions and providing information on the many warranty, insurance, and risk management services provided by one of Texas leading new home warranty companies.

The Sunbelt Builders Show is, traditionally, one of the largest building industry events in North America and is wholly owned and operated by the Texas Association of Builders. Imagine an event powerful enough to lead an industry and reshape communities across the region. Sunbelt 2014 gathered thousands of residential construction professionals from every sector of the housing industry. Every year, more than 2,500 leaders in residential and multifamily housing, remodeling, finance and management come together to share the latest information, exchange ideas, and foster lasting personal and professional relationships. 2014 was no different.

Sunbelt 2014 focused on innovation and growth, offering a forward-thinking and fresh look at the construction industry, design, new products, and the latest breakthroughs in lifestyle trends. The Sunbelt Show was also about creating opportunities, more value, and inspiring those in the housing industry. On exhibit were innovative tools and services that strengthen the industry and help build communities. Exhibitors were available to display and educate show attendees on existing products and introduce the latest in new products and technology.

Linda met with current members and potential new members alike. Many were eager to learn how HOMEs builder warranties could positively impact their businesses, simplify their risk management, and improve their marketing strategy for 2014.

ABOUT HOME OF TEXAS

HOME of Texas is a leading provider of insured home warranties to the building industry in Texas. Builders seeking options in coverage, sensible home warranty protection, and assistance in dealing with customer service, choose HOME. HOME has been in business for over 30 years. Together with its National Affiliate, Residential Warranty Company, LLC, this dynamic home warranty company has warranted over 3 million homes. An extensive menu of choices in both home warranties and general liability insurance is available, enabling builders to reduce their liability and increase the marketability of their homes. Become a member today: http://www.homeoftexas.com.

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Sunbelt 2014 Proves a Success for HOME of Texas

(PRWEB) July 21, 2014

Arthur Rutenberg Homes opened a new fully furnished and professionally decorated model home built by Andrew Arthur Homes, an independent franchisee of Arthur Rutenberg Homes. The Asheville is Arthur Rutenberg Homes newest model home in Ohio and is located in Liberty Townships Carriage Hill community.

The model home illustrates what todays buyers demand in luxury home building; inspired design combined with function and value. The home encompasses an open, easy flowing design & large inviting living areas. This home features a large open kitchen with two level island & hidden walk-in pantry. The great room has a 12' folding glass door that brings the outside in. The 1st floor owner's suite has a beautiful ceiling detail, scenic wooded views & a large walk in closet. The master suite bath features an oversized walk-in shower, multi-height vanities & free standing soaking tub. The open spaces of this 6588 sq. ft., 5 Bedroom, 5 full 2 half Bath with an expansive Bonus Room home create a relaxing environment, enhanced throughout with stylish details that make this home one of a kind.

Located at 6197 Carriage Oak Way., in Liberty Township, OH, the Asheville model home is situated in Carriage Hill, a master planned community with seven beautiful neighborhoods, walking paths and trails, lakes and ponds, beautiful landscaping and club and pool facilities.

The model home is part of Cincinnatis 52nd Homearama home showcase from July 12th-27th. Tickets are available at the entrance.

The model home will open to the public July 28th. It will be open daily Monday Thursday, 11am 6pm, and Friday-Sunday 11pm-5pm.

Learn more about this model and other Arthur Rutenberg Homes in greater Cincinnati, OH. Call Ian Rife at (513) 600-4638.

About Arthur Rutenberg Homes and Andrew Arthur Homes, LLC.

Andrew Arthur Homes, LLC. Ohio Luxury Custom Home Builder

Passion and Communication are what sets our team apart from all the rest. Building a new home should be a positive experience and our team strives in everything we do to make sure of that. Our team takes years of industry and local knowledge and merges it with the legendary home design and resources of Arthur Rutenberg Homes.

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Arthur Rutenberg Homes Opens New Luxury Model Home in Liberty Township, Ohio

Housing The Bottom Line Other Business Features Local Stories from ThisWeek More Articles By Jim Weiker The Columbus Dispatch Sunday July 20, 2014 5:48 AM

For homebuilders, market conditions seem ideal: The demand for homes is up, prices are on the rise, and the number of existing homes for sale is down.

Why, then, are so few new homes being built?

Central Ohio home construction is off 9 percent so far this year compared with a year ago when the housing industry appeared to be starting to recover from a devastating crash.

With the industrys annual Parade of Homes now underway in Delaware County, builders say they are busy and optimistic. Two issues, though, have prevented them from fully capitalizing on rising consumer demand.

First, very little central Ohio land has been cleared, rezoned and platted for subdivisions during the past several years. In addition, lenders burned by the crash have kept builders on a short leash, preventing them from trying to get ahead of demand by building homes without buyers.

Adding to the challenges is a lingering nervousness from the housing recession, during which central Ohio home construction dropped by more than 80 percent from a peak of 11,693 in 2003 to a trough of 2,432 in 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Theres a bit of an adjustment in the industry now, said Tim Shear, vice president of custom-home builder Coppertree Homes. The most important word is the B word: balance. You want to grow but not get too big that you cant manage.

Nonetheless, larger builders are jockeying to position themselves for what they see as optimum conditions for growth.

Were all talking to the same landowners, said Jon Jasper, who manages the Columbus region of the Cincinnati homebuilder Fischer Homes. Every builder who has the capacity to develop is knocking on doors.

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New home construction in central Ohio ready to rebound

Home and Garden More Home & Garden On The House By Jim Weiker The Columbus Dispatch Sunday July 20, 2014 5:08 AM

The annual Parade of Homes, which kicked off yesterday in Delaware County, offers an unlikely quandary for a homebuilder: Do I try to sell the home before the parade?

Of course the answer must be yes. After all, no builder even the most comfortable can afford to sit on a million-dollar home indefinitely.

But selling a home before the parade can carry a big price, as veteran builders know.

For builders, the homes serve as million-dollar billboards. They want the houses to shout, not whisper, and they dress them accordingly, with features and designs that might be over the top for average homeowners.

If the home isnt finished when it is sold, buyers are likely to want it decorated the way they want it, which isnt necessarily the way builders want their advertisement displayed.

In addition, bringing a buyer into the process midstream can turn a cruise to the finish into a mad dash of fits and starts as buyers ponder each wall color, doorknob and faucet.

Its a blessing and a curse, having a buyer, said Lee Simonides, director of sales with

3 Pillar Homes, which sold its parade model a few months ago. Having a buyer certainly slows the process down. ... Every day there is a change.

Simonides was happy to sell the parade home, but the sale required several changes, including redesigning the secondary entrance. A few weeks ago, as the home was being finished, Simonides was still waiting for a decision on the lower-level flooring.

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On the House: Selling home before tour can cause headaches

Residential Construction, Custom Home Builders in Sebring FL 33870
Our mission is to provide services to our customers by creating successful partnerships and maintaining the highest level of professionalism, honesty and fai...

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Residential Construction, Custom Home Builders in Sebring FL 33870 - Video

AN OCEANFRONT home at Point Vernon has been named the 2014 Burnett Wide Bay House of the Year.

The Master Builders Burnett Wide Bay Housing and Constructions Awards was held at Maryborough's Brolga Theatre last night and Fraser Coast builders were well-represented among the winners.

Hervey Bay builders Colin J Clark - Essentially Residential built the award-winning home, which also won several other awards for the swimming pool and tiling at the home, best bathroom, outdoor living and landscaping and individual home $626,000-775,000.

Scarness business Nelson Family Homes Pty Ltd won the 2014 Burnett Wide Bay president's award as well as the award for best display home $276,000 - $375,000 and the excellence in sustainable living award.

The custom-built home reflected a modern coastal theme, demonstrating value for money, innovative design and sustainable living, according to a statement from Master Builders Queensland.

Murchie Construction's Hinkler Central Flood Refurbishment was the winner of the 2014 Burnett Wide Bay project of the Year, while up-and-coming Tinana builder Dirran Knight won the 2014 Burnett Wide Bay Rising Star Award.

Master Builders' Sunshine Coast and Burnett Wide Bay regional manager, Michael Hopkins, congratulated the winners of each category.

"The standard we have seen this year is incredible and demonstrates the impeccable talent and expertise of our industry," Mr Hopkins said.

"The awards provide an opportunity to recognise this talent, and it is great that after 27 years, they continue to be sought after by the state's top builders and tradespeople."

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Here it is: the house of the year