As we head into Spring there is positive buzz from consumers again. It started with the headlines touting “Housing starts jump in March”, “Existing-home sales up 6.8%” and “Uptick predicted in remodeling activity”.
Homeowners are beginning to jump back on the spending bandwagon. The post recession consumers are not as carefree with their spending and thankfully they are ready to invest in their homes again. Gains in housing prices and a stabilization in the employment outlook have helped homeowners refocus on renovation projects.
Reports we see from retailers show that our milder El Nino year gave people early motivation to think more about their outdoor living spaces. Sales this year have started off positive relative to the past couple years. One change from the past is that folks are more value conscious than they were in the heady days of 2007. People are ready to shape their landscape with a classy paver patio or retaining walls, but they want their projects to be affordable at the same time.
Outdoor living spaces are a very reasonable investment. A budget number builders use to estimate the average cost per SF in a home is $135/SF, the cost of a deck $24 SF and the cost of a paver patio is even less. For the next several months the best place to be in the Northwest is outside relaxing with family and friends on the patio. Several colors and textures are available to design stunning areas that also meet the post recession consumer’s needs.
Sincerely,
Brian Healow
Dealer Sales Manager
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment