Builder News Labor is Top Challenge for Builders NAHB | February 8, 2016 Topping the list of problems builders faced in 2015 and expect to face in 2016 is the Cost/Availability of Labor, an issue for 76% of builders who expect it to increase in 2016 and which has increased in importance the past three years. In 2013, 53% of builders rated labor as a significant problem, followed by 61% in 2014 and 71% in 2015. An expected skilled labor shortage can constrain an improving housing market. Read more Features Most Likely to Show up in Typical Single-family Home in 2016 NAHB | February 2, 2016 • Walk-in closet in the master bedroom (avg. rating 4.9) • Laundry room (4.8) • Great room (4.7) On the other hand, builders reported the following features as the least likely to appear in homes in 2016: • Cork flooring in the living areas of the main level (1.3) Successful businesses stay on top of what their competitors are doing. For home builders, this involves knowing what features other builders are putting in their new homes. In December 2015, a nationwide survey asked builders about the likelihood that a number of features would be included in the typical single-family home they will build in 2016. Using a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 meant not at all likely to be included in typical home and 5 meant very likely, builders reported the following as the most likely features to show up in the typical 2016 home: 20 | HBRA of Fairfield County | February 2016 • Pet washing station (1.6) • Laminate countertops in the kitchen (1.7) • Outdoor kitchen (1.9) Two-story spaces (family room and foyer) also seem to be unlikely features, as well as an outdoor fireplace, a sunroom and a media room.
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