We conclude our 10 Lifestyle Trends to watch in 2012 today with single mothers and the rise of DIY

9. Single Mothers

Credit: David Bleasdale via Flickr

Among renters, single mothers were the largest growing group between 2000 and 2010, with a 30% increase in the number of heads of households, according to U.S. Census data analyzed by Property and Portfolio Research. Between single mothers and single women, the two groups combined make up almost 40% of renting households, according to The Wall Street Journal. For savvy builders willing to cater to the single-woman demographic, this is a niche market just waiting to be tapped. Just ask Charter Homes & Neighborhoods, whose Walden Crossroads community included new townhomes aimed at attracting young, first-time buyers, but found that the community’s walkability, fabulous parks, safety, and proximity to single-family homes with other children struck a chord with the single-mom set.

10. Rise of DIY

Credit: Boyce Thompson

Judging by the explosive popularity of sites like Etsy and Pinterest, the do-it-yourself trend is a force to be reckoned with. Crafters across the country are making everything from their own furniture to their own soap, and often on a not-so-small scale. Add to that the thousands of boomers turning 65 every day, many of whom will soon find themselves with more free time than they’ve ever had, and you’ve got a huge market niche in need of spaces that accommodate hobbies and projects of every kind.

Part 3 of 10 Lifestyle Trends to watch for in 2012

6. Living Smaller

Credit: Boyce Thompson

While there’s danger in prognosticating which direction the housing market will take next, the fact that, according to the Urban Land Institute, boomers and their children, Generation Y, make up half the country’s population makes it a safe bet that these groups are likely to be strong drivers of where the housing market will need to go—and both those groups are positioned to be looking for something on the small side. Projections from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies indicate that persons living alone will make up the largest share of household growth for the foreseeable future, as boomers lose spouses to either death or divorce and as the rising generation finally moves out on their own. The trend also dovetails nicely with the green movement, given that smaller homes use less material to build and take less energy to condition. And then there’s always pure practicality: Smaller homes can cost less, which means there’s a greater chance the bank will approve that mortgage application.

7. Virtual World

Credit: Julien Gong Min via Flickr

While property values in the real world may still be struggling, real estate in cyber space is climbing every day. Less than two years after the launch of the iPad, one in every 10 American adults owns a tablet computer, according to the Pew Research Center. Another 83% of adults in the U.S. have a cell phone, and half of those cell-phone carrying adults have downloaded apps onto their device—a percentage that has almost doubled over the past two years. Increasingly, technology is changing not only the way Americans live in their homes, but also how they shop for a home and what they expect from the home-buying process. As a result, savvy builders are making their homes stand out in both the physical and virtual world, with services such as mousethruthehouse.com, which allows buyers to search and tour homes from the comfort of their couch. Charter Homes and Neighborhoods found a way to leverage the popularity of smartphones by making their model homes available 24 hours a day through the use of a quick response code on model home signage, allowing shoppers to immediately connect to a virtual tour on their device. And WCI Communities has made the process of buying a new home as seamless as possible by presenting buyers with an Apple iPad and a custom-designed app that connects them with their community even before their new home is built.

Today we continue with our 10 Lifestyle Trends to watch for in 2012.

3. Single-Level Living

Seven of the 10 best-selling plans at Builder House Plans this year were designed on a single level. That’s a good sign, considering that banishing stairs is the first rule of universal design—a movement destined to become the building industry’s next imperative. But even builders not ready to give up that second story may want to take a few cues from William Lyon Homes’ Ainsley Park neighborhood in Tustin, Calif., which has gotten plenty of attention for a plan with its master suite on the ground level. While it’s aimed at older buyers, it also works well for parents looking to put a little more space between their bedroom and their teenagers’ spaces.

4. Flight to Cultural Centers

Credit: Boyce Thompson

If you take all the baby boomers in the country and add eight million, what do you get? Gen Y. This group is destined to shape the country’s consumer landscape every bit as much as their parents did, and they’re quickly coming into their first-time home buying years. So what is it they’re looking for? According to a 2008 survey by Bethesda, Md.-based real estate consulting firm Robert Charles Lesser & Co. (RCLCO), a solid 77% of them want to live in an urban core. They want to be close to their jobs, friends, and shopping venues, and according to a report by the Urban Land Institute, they want to be able to walk to get there. The urban preference is particularly strong among WINKS, women with incomes and no kids—and plenty of buying power. And while it’s certainly true that not everyone wants to live in the city, that doesn’t mean they’re not still looking for the convenience of close-by amenities, such as restaurants, bars, and shopping. Take SchoolStreet Homes, an infill project in Libertyville, Ill., about 40 miles outside Chicago, that has found success offering everything the city does in terms of walkability and access to retail, with the added bonus of better schools and more space.

Claire Easley is a senior editor at Builder

Vincent Longo Custom Builders is humbled to announce winning a coveted GOLD OBIE AWARD at the 31st Annual Greater Atlanta Homebuilder’s Association Awards Gala on Saturday night.

The tension in the room was high in expectation of the winner of what the presenter called “the fiercest competition to date” in the category of Residential Remodeling Basement Over $75k. “We were blessed to win Gold for this category after getting edged out and winning a Silver OBIE for the Residential Remodeling Basement Under $75K. At a time when the majority of work out there is renovations we knew this year’s awards would be dominated by remodeling projects.

We are really blessed to be able to show our diversity by winning the Gold’s for the New Custom Home Over 1 Million in 2010 and now winning two remodeling categories in 2011. Thanks to all that helped make this possible!”

2011 OBIE AWARD - Silver Winner

We are so honored to have been awarded the 2010 OBIE Award for our work on the home at N. Stratford in Buckhead.  It was a very interesting and challenging project right from the start.   The property sits on a high profile corner in an area of Buckhead where residents have really taken an interest in maintaining the look and feel of the existing streetscape.  Believe it or not, the property was purchased as a renovation project for us.  The home that existed there was a large cape cod style home with many custom finishes including a solid granite foundation all the way up to a slate tile roof. 

After several months of studying the demographics, wants and needs of the market, and nagging urge to do something totally different we decided to take a full 180 degree turn.   After wrestling with the extremely tough decision to either renovate or start again (many homeowners face that same challenging question) we decided that the home would require such a large makeover both financially as well as time to complete it.   We were also very concerned that the end product would have altered the current look and feel so much that we could potentially end up with a project that just didn’t look right, I am sure you have all driven down the street and said “what kind of renovation happened to that home, they really missed it”.  In today’s market we just knew we couldn’t “miss it”  and run the risk of not being pleased with the end product. 

We decided to start fresh! After a search for just the right plan that would complement the area, existing landscape, streetscape and target buyer we settled on a wonderful design by Garrell Associates www.garrellassociates.com.  Being a Green Builder at heart, (now Certified Green Builders) we spent a lot of time with arborists and landscape architects placing the home just right on the property to be able to save as many trees and natural elements as possible.  We were able to incorporate many existing elements including existing granite retaining walls, several large hardwood trees at the rear of the property, a 38” pine, 60” oak, 42” oak, Bradford pear, very old Japanese maple, and several dogwoods in close proximity to the home.  This caused many hours of tedious work with special equipment around these trees but the end result was a home that used natural elements and old world designs and materials that made the home look and feel like it had been there for years.  We knew when we nailed it when a City of Atlanta Arborist was so pleased with the project he stated “ this should be a model for how all homes should be built in Atlanta and around Georgia.”

The inside of the home became a canvas for many ideas and expressions we had been envisioning while in the design process.  We take every home we build and renovate and give it special details with the goal of making a very personal statement while including the highest quality, the end result is a differentiation of the home from all the other homes around.  As is the case with this home and many other completed projects we continued the strong relationship with the homeowner long after completion and watched as they (as my wife says) “put the jewelry on the home” which really brought all the characteristics together working in complete harmony.  We feel this was the winning combination for this project and could very well be a winning combination for your next project. 

More photos of this project may be viewed on the ??????

This is a very interesting article about how we may look at the pricing model homes differently. This would be a great way to determine true home values in Atlanta.  I really like this idea and would like to see it used more in the future!

Traditionally, houses are priced by the seller in conjunction with the realtor using comparable properties in the area for reference. But, a South Florida real estate broker has trademarked his unique public pricing model, hoping to change the way we look at real estate.

I’m constantly on the lookout for people with great ideas, and when I find them, I like to share these new strategies with my friends. Today, I’d like to tell you about Fred DeFalco, a 30-year real estate veteran, who disputes the current method of homeowners setting the price. Only the buyer can determine how much the property is worth. After all, it is the buyer’s money. And using comparable houses in the area is often ineffective as each property is unique with features that may be difficult to put a price on and measure against the other unique features in the area.

Even though it’s a “traditional” way, I have a proven method of determining the right price for your property.

In DeFalco’s public pricing model, buyers would determine a price for the property and submit a non-binding letter of intention to the seller. The sellers don’t have to accept or deny the bid. They simply use it as a starting point for negotiations; similar to negotiations that often occur in the traditional method of purchasing a home.

However, sellers must pay $2500 or more up front for a marketing blitz that encourages the general public to guess as to what they think the house is worth. These faux offers are then used like comparable homes in the current method of selling homes to establish a benchmark price so sellers can determine which intent letter from which seller is a better offer. Since the public’s guesses are generally within 5% to 10% of an actual letter of intent to buy, it appears that the public (and by extension, buyers) know what a house is worth.

Though different, this process may help with properties that remain stagnant, often languishing on the market for months or years, often due to the seller’s delusional idea of what he thinks his house is worth, according to DeFalco.

But, how we purchase properties isn’t going to change drastically anytime soon, so your best bet is to learn to read the market. I can help you determine the right price for your properties to avoid languishing properties. Or, if you’re buying, I can help you determine the right price to pay for your potential property.

Credit for content to Peter Vekselman and Fred DelFalco

My top 5 list of great local Atlanta websites that provide great inspiration for your new custom home or renovation projects.

1.  http://www.homeimprovementmag.com/georgia-atlanta  great magazine with terrific articles that inspire, great place to find local Atlanta Handymen and specialized services.  The magazine has terrific photographic illustrations that get you motivated. 
2.  http://www.atlantahomesmag.com/  this great magazine and website takes Atlanta living to the next level.  It gives you a great Q & A section about homes and lifestyles.  It really is a one stop source for finding out some really great home features and functions articles and includes fun places to see whether it be residences or scenery. 
3. http://www.garrellassociates.com/  Michael Garrell and James Klippel are premier home designers in Atlanta and are by far my personal favorite for their mountain designs. Besides supplying stock home plans they can also design custom homes from 1800sqft to beautiful luxury custom homes to over 10,000 sqft.  Check out all the cool pictures and designs of homes most of the photographs are of custom homes in Atlanta…
4.  http://www.myinsidesign.com/  great website and even cooler showroom in Dunwoody, GA.  This helps provide access to some of the best interior and exterior designers in Atlanta in one place.  Go get inspired by their numerous rooms of design details which include kitchens, bedrooms, theater,  etc.
5.  http://www.harrisondesignassociates.com/  one of my favorites websites to visit to get inspired to get out and work.  Their architecture goes to the next level and they are world renouned.  Drive down most roads in the wealthy areas of Atlanta and their designs will grace the landscape.  Fun to day-dream looking at Bill Harrison’s site!

This should get you started, and if you have your favorites, please list them in the comments, I’d love to know about them!  Happy browsing!  Vincent

September and October are two of my favorite months of the year for many reasons – the hot weather is gone, the college football season gets into full swing, the changing colors of the leaves, and the excitement of the holidays that will soon be upon us.  One thing that I have also found, being a builder, renovator and property owner is that it is a great time to get home maintenance items done before old man winter strikes… 

• Clean the gutters and make sure downspouts are open. If there is a blockage of the downspouts the water can back up under the shingles leading to wood rot and potential water damage inside the home.  Heavy leaves can also cause additional strain on the gutter connectors to the home, causing them to perform inadequately or even fail thus effecting performance and durability.  
• Check for drafty windows and doors.  This could save a tremendous amount of money in energy costs when the weather gets cold.  The fix can be as simple as adding silicone around unsealed joints and replacing faulty weather stripping. 
• Winterize or insulate exterior faucets and water lines. If you have an automatic sprinkler system you should have it drained and serviced by a professional if you are having trouble.
• Remove, clean, and store summertime screens.
• Have a professional servicing of your heating system. You would be amazed at how the price skyrockets on an emergency service call, especially when it is below zero out.
• Get your fireplace inspected and cleaned before you begin to use it for the winter, especially if you are a frequent user.
• Vacuum your heat registers and air return ducts. Or better yet, have a professional team clean you air duct system. If you have owned your house for several years, you may be surprised at the amount of dust and debris that can build up in your ductwork.
• Close foundation vents on a crawly space. If the vents are left in the open position it can be a major source of heat loss in the cold months.  Some vents will shut automatically and some need to be closed manually. 
• Seal any large crack in concrete in your sidewalk or driveway to protect against the potential of water infiltration into the crack and the risk of freezing and causing the cracks to worsen or even heave the concrete. 

A little preventative maintenance and some prior planning can mean fewer headaches this winter.

We are honored that Atlanta Home Improvement Magazine selected one of our Custom Kitchens in Buckhead to be the featured cover article for the September issue.  It is our utmost desire and goal to design kitchen features, including lighting, to satisfy the ever-growing daily roles of today’s kitchen.  We understand that it is where all your guests want to gather whether it is a intimate gathering on a weeknight, a family reunion, or that big holiday party.  We believe it is ever important to plan, select and place lighting to meet the needs of each individual homeowner.

Here’s what we did:

• Purposefully placed ample lighting in areas most frequently used
• Made sure the kitchen lighting was on dimmers that have multiple light bulbs to go from very bright when you are prepping or serving and to candlelight when you are “setting the mood”
• Used an odd number of fixtures on focal lighting, i.e. centrepiece/island, to create that proper design look
• Flanked the centrepiece lighting with recessed ceiling lighting to allow for flood spot lighting to illuminate walkways and specific work zones
• Added cabinet lighting to show off those special items homeowners accumulate over the years
• Finished off with under-cabinet task lighting which illuminates countertops

Make sure to pick up a copy of the magazine to read more.