Building Houses Means Building Jobs

The health of housing is key to the overall state of the U.S. economy, and housing stands poised to serve as an engine of job growth with the right policies in place, NAHB told Congress in 2014 testimony.

Testifying before the Senate Banking Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Policy during a hearing examining the drivers of job creation, NAHB economist Robert Dietz said that home building and remodeling have generated 274,000 jobs over the past 2 ½ years.

"This expansion has direct economic benefits," said Dietz. "Housing provides the momentum behind an economic recovery because home building and associated businesses employ such a wide range of workers."

Employment from new home construction and remodeling has a wide ripple effect. About half the jobs created by building new homes are in construction. They include framers, electricians, plumbers and carpenters. Other jobs are spread over other sectors of the economy, including manufacturing, retail, wholesale and business services.

NAHB analysis of the broad impact of new construction shows that building 1,000 average single-family homes generates:

• 2,970 full-time jobs
• $162 million in wages
• $118 million in business income
• $111 million in taxes and revenue for state, local and federal governments

Similarly, construction of 1,000 rental apartments, including units developed under the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, generates 1,130 jobs while $100 million in remodeling expenditures creates 890 jobs.

Currently, housing comprises about 15.5% of GDP but Dietz said the industry still has room to grow.

"Typically, housing represents 17% to 18% of the GDP," he said. "With a growing population and an aging housing stock, NAHB forecasts that single-family construction will increase 22% in 2014 to 760,000 units and multifamily production will rise 6% to 326,000 units."

Noting that 2014 should be the first year since 2007 in which total housing starts exceed 1 million homes, Dietz said this expansion will produce jobs. "In April alone, home builders and remodelers added 13,100 jobs," he said.

NAHB estimates that total housing construction over the next few years should return to just under 1.7 million combined single-family and multifamily starts on an annual basis.

How To Make It Look Like Your Home When You're Traveling

Home burglaries increase around the holidays for obvious reasons: you’re gone, and your house is empty and vulnerable. While you’re away, you want to make sure your home is as secure as possible and part of this means making it look like someone is actually there, even when you’re not.

Keep Up With Regular Maintenance

If you have dead leaves or snow covering your driveway and the mail is piling up, that’s a pretty clear sign for thieves that no one is home. As one community relations officer told CNN:

“Every year, we see a pretty big uptick in burglaries...Criminals drive through neighborhoods looking for places to burglarize. If there’s newly fallen snow that hasn’t been shoveled, they figure the home is empty.”

If you can ask a friend to house sit and take care of these tasks for you, even better. This way, stuff gets done, plus, you actually have someone in the house, so you don’t have to worry about making it look like someone’s home. If that’s not possible, you’ll at least want to make sure your home is maintained while you’re away. Aside from snow, here are some other maintenance tasks to consider:

• Yard work, like raking leaves
• Watering exterior plants
• Taking out trash cans
• Picking up newspapers
• Picking up mail

Idaho’s KTVB surveyed 86 burglars about how they break into homes. Many of them said they look for overgrown shrubs and large fences:

 

Burglars don’t want to be seen. They looked for homes with big fences and overgrown trees or bushes. “Home away from other homes, blind spots, older window frames, cheap wooden doors,” wrote a burglar.

“Large trees, bushes or shrubs around the home, or very reserved and conservative neighbors,” wrote another inmate.

It’s a good reminder to make sure your bushes and shrubs are trimmed before you leave.

Make It Look Like Someone’s Inside

Yep, it’s time to get Kevin McCallister on your home. Okay, don’t go buy a bunch of life-size cardboard cutouts, but you do want to make it look like there’s somekind of activity going on in your home.

At the very least, put your lights on a timer or leave a radio on. Timers are inexpensive and you can schedule them to turn on and off at specific times throughout the day. Better yet, use smart home technology (like the Belkin WeMo light switch or outlet) for more control over your lamps, lights, and other devices. For example, Belkin’s app gives you an “away” option so lights will turn on and off at irregular intervals, which can throw off potential burglars.

If you really want to get clever, hook your TV or computer up to the outlet, too, and make it sound like someone’s home watching a show. You could also loop random barking and growling sounds, which might seem silly, but in that KTVB poll, most burglars said they’d stay away if they heard a big, loud dog. One burglar called it a “deal-breaker.”

Also, via YouTube TV, you can link your phone to your home computer or TV to play videos remotely even if you’re not on the same WiFi network. Of course, there are apps that allow you to control your computer remotely, too. TeamViewer is our favorite.

When you can control electronics and lighting remotely, it’s pretty easy to make it look like there’s activity in your house. You might also consider leaving a car in the driveway. Again, KTVB reported:

As a homeowner, this is one of the best precautions you can take. Almost all of the burglars said they’d think twice if there was a car in the driveway.

“Most of the time that is a sure-fire sign of someone being home,” wrote an inmate.

Sure, some burglars might see through this, but it’s better than not doing anything and making it obvious your home is empty.

When you can control electronics and lighting remotely, it’s pretty easy to make it look like there’s activity in your house. You might also consider leaving a car in the driveway. Again, KTVB reported:

As a homeowner, this is one of the best precautions you can take. Almost all of the burglars said they’d think twice if there was a car in the driveway.

“Most of the time that is a sure-fire sign of someone being home,” wrote an inmate.

Sure, some burglars might see through this, but it’s better than not doing anything and making it obvious your home is empty.

Be Careful About Broadcasting Your Plans

You may want to reconsider broadcasting your plans or checking into places while you’re away or at least set your social media handles to private. This might seem like overkill, but according to officials, criminals don’t just stake out your neighborhood and home, they can easily check your social media handles, too.

“Social media is a great thing for people but it’s a great thing for criminals too,” said Holliday. “Criminals stake out the Internet.”

Plus, in many cases, the burglar may be a person you’ve interacted with that has easy access to your online information. You may not even realize you’ve enabled Facebook or Twitter to tag your location, so that’s something to watch out for, too. Along the same lines, your out of office reply can be a dead giveaway that you’re gone and your home is empty. You can filter your vacation responder to only send to certain people in your contact list or from certain email addresses.

Obviously, there are a lot of things you can (and should) do to protect your home while you’re away. Set up surveillance. Install a security system. Ask a neighbor to check on things. Making it look like you’re home is just another way to deter potential thieves, but it’s an easy enough tactic to implement.

Home Protection Tips From Ex-Burglars

Nobody knows what deters burglars more than burglars. Here’s what former thieves recommend you do to safeguard your home from break-ins.

Kyle Iboshi, investigative reporter at KGW News in Portland, Oregon, surveyed 86 inmates currently serving time for burglary about how they broke in and what homeowners can do to deter other burglars. It came down to four big deterrents anyone can do:

1. - Keep your property visible with good lighting, and keep your bushes and trees trimmed.
2. - Always leave a TV or radio on when you leave, and keep at least one light on. This was one of the most commonly mentioned deterrents in the survey.
3. - Keep an extra car visible in the driveway if possible. Almost every ex-burglar surveyed said that seeing a car in the driveway kept them away.
4. - Get to know your neighbors so they can report any suspicious activity to you.

Other tips include getting a dog—a big one, not a small one—posting a security system sign (which doesn’t always work), and getting a visible security camera. 

Inexpensive Upgrades to Boost Home Value

1. Break Out the Paint

A quick, inexpensive way to increase the value of your house is to paint. A fresh coat of paint can make rooms look like new. But don’t get too wild when choosing paint colors. Your best bet is to stick to neutral shades because they will appeal to a greater number of potential buyers. However, not just any neutral shade will do. A Zillow study found that it’s best to steer away from colors such as dark brown and terra cotta when it comes to interior paint colors. If you do choose to use these colors for the interior, your home’s price might sell for $469 (when using dark brown) or $793 less (when using terra cotta) than Zillow’s price estimate. Homebuyers generally don’t care for these colors.

2. Upgrade Appliances

Know that you don’t have to go out and buy all new appliances that match exactly (and if you’re working with a tight budget, this isn’t a great idea, anyway). The experts at Kitchen.com say it’s OK if your appliances don’t perfectly match, as long as they don’t compete.

If you’re up for bucking the norm, white and stainless steel are both neutral colors, so you don’t have to worry about them clashing. What you should keep in mind is that when one appliance doesn’t match the others, it stands out. You can use this to your advantage and create a strong focal point: Designers often do this with the cooking area by choosing a gourmet range or artistic hood with a different style, color or finish.

3. Change Door Knobs

When it’s time to put your home on the market, details matter. One detail that often goes unnoticed is door knobs. You can add a bit of flair by replacing old doorknobs around your home and on kitchen cabinets. The best part is, a simple door knob upgrade doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Home renovation expert Brittany Cramer said one thing you should keep in mind when updating door knobs is the home’s era. “One of my favorite pieces of advice to give folks is to consider the era of the home before purchasing and installing accessories. You might be a lover of that wrought iron, Tuscan look, but will that style suit your home?” said Cramer.

4. Replace Light Fixtures

Another inexpensive DIY project is to replace home lighting. Updated light fixtures can give any home a lift. The right light fixture can make your home look not only brighter but also modern. In addition, consider replacing outlet switch plates.

Maintenance Tips to Save Big Bucks

1. Inspect your roof every six months

A few things to look for:

• Loose or missing shingles and tears in the shingles
• Cracks in flashing (the metal or plastic seal around your chimney and roof)
• Moisture, mold, or leaks in your attic’s wood panels.
• Bubbled paint on the walls or ceiling stains (which can be signs of water damage)

2. Inspect your HVAC system every six months

• Start with the thermostat and check all functions for correct operation. Make sure that both the heating and cooling systems turn off at the preset temperatures.
• Turn off the circuit breakers that power both the furnace and air conditioner. The circuit breakers are in the electrical service panel. Leave both units off until after the HVAC inspection.
• Check for loose electrical connections.
• Listen for any squeaks or noises when manually inspecting moving parts.
• Find the condensate drain and check for clogs. Condensation that builds up during HVAC use must drain properly to prevent rust from forming on internal parts. Clogged condensate drains also contribute to bacteria and mold growth in the home.
• Smell for gas leaks near all gas fittings, if your home uses gas. Inspect heat exchangers or burners for cracks, abnormal discoloration or deterioration.
• Review the system for dirt and debris. A buildup of debris and dirt affects the system’s efficiency. Use a small portable vacuum to remove any dust buildup.
• Look at the air-conditioning coils for an accumulation of dirt or dust. Vacuum the coils to improve cooling efficiency.

3. Inspect your pipes every year

Especially if you have an older home, it may be worth inspecting your sewer lines every year. Find a plumber in your area that will inspect your lines. They’llrun a camera down the pipes and tell you if there are any clogs or obstructions. This typically costs about $150.

4. Check for termites to avoid structural damage

Some common signs of termite damage include:

• Buckling wood
• Swollen floors and ceilings
• Termite poop, which looks like coffee grounds
• Visible mazes within walls 
• A scent similar to mildew or mold

5. Inspect your water heater annually 

Water heaters are easy to forget about, but when they fail, they can cause a lot of damage. If pipes burst or start to leak, they can cause mold growth, or worse, flood your floors or ceilings. If the leak has caused enough damage to walls, floors, and ceilings, they may need to be replaced. According to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, water heater failures cost an average of $4,444 after the deductible.

It’s useful to know the signs of a problematic water heater:

• Water doesn’t get as hot anymore
• There’s rust in the water from your faucets
• Your water heater makes popping sounds when it’s heating
• Puddles and rust are forming near your water heater.

Americans Take On More Mortgages As Housing Recovers

More Americans are buying houses and taking on mortgage debt at a time when higher home prices are also boosting their ownership stakes.

The trends, revealed in a Federal Reserve report Friday, reflect the healing of the U.S. housing market nearly a decade after the real estate bubble burst.

The Fed's quarterly report on household wealth showed that Americans' net worth climbed 1.2 percent during the April-June quarter, to $89.1 trillion. Stock and mutual fund portfolios increased 2.3 percent to $21.2 trillion. Housing wealth rose 1.9 percent to $25.6 trillion. The value of checking and savings accounts, as well as pension entitlements, also climbed.

Household wealth, or net worth, reflects the value of homes, stocks and other assets minus mortgages, credit card debt and other borrowing. The Fed's figures aren't adjusted for population growth or inflation.

Mortgage debt rose 2.5 percent in the second quarter at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, the biggest quarterly gain in more than eight years. The increase appeared to reflect rising home sales, which reached a nine-year high in June before slipping the following month. Higher sales mean that more people are taking on mortgages.

But it also reflects a return to a normal housing market. More purchases are being made by actual homeowners and fewer by investors, who frequently pay with cash. All-cash sales fell to their lowest level in nearly seven years in July.

Still, the increase in mortgage debt remains tame by historical standards. Mortgage debt jumped at double-digit rates in 2004 and 2005, toward the end of last decade's housing bubble. Americans were cashing out the equity in their homes while refinancing their mortgages and using the proceeds to support greater spending.

Home prices began to rebound in 2012, which has increased housing wealth. Ownership equity now equals 57.1 percent of the value of Americans' homes, the highest level since 2006. That figure had plunged as low as 36 percent during the Great Recession, which officially began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009.

The overall increase in household wealth documented by the Fed's report has likely been a boost to confidence. When Americans feel wealthier, they are likely to spend more, thereby providing a lift to the economy.

Awesome Projects Using Only 2 X 4s

1 Modern Bench

This bench from Modern Builds is an easy project that requires little more than
cutting the 2 x 4s down to size and using a good amount of glue and clamps.
After sealing and staining, you'll have a bench that can be used indoors or out
and will look like it cost you a lot more than it did.

Modern Bench

2 Sawhorses

Every workshop needs a pair of sawhorses and they don't get much easier to
build than this design. Each sawhorse consists of seven 2x4s cut to two different
lengths. You can use nails or screws to assemble the sawhorses and they can be
stacked for easy storage.

Sawhorses

3 Coffee Table

This DIY coffee table from A Beautiful Mess uses 2 x 4s stacked in a staggered
design. Hairpin legs lends a modern touch and a clear stain finishes off this
beautiful piece.

Coffee Table

4 Firepit Bench

These elegant fire pit benches from Ana White are made from 2x4s and 2x6s, technically,
but they were too gorgeous to not include. The table on top makes a great platform for
drinks and snacks and the storage underneath keeps bottles and bags out of the way.

Firepit Bench

5Giant Jenga

Store-bought tabletop Jenga is fun and frustration for people of all ages, but it's so... small. You can easily built set of giant Jenga pieces using 2x4s. Just make sure they are all exactly the same size and sanded down.

Giant Jenga

6Bar Stools

These beautiful bar stools from Jay Bates are built from 2x4s and assembled with lap joints. The finished look is sharper than most stools you'd find in any store, and with these you choose the height, dimensions, and stain.

Bar Stools

7 Settlers of Catan

Here's a DIY version of the popular board game Settlers of Catan that's built entirelyf from a single 8-foot 2 x 4—that includes the board tiles, game pieces, dice, robber, and everything else. The game cards are made from the wood and thin shavings.

Settlers of Catan board game

8 Wall Storage Shelves

You can never have enough storage, that's why these easy-to-build garage shelves are a no-brainer way to make use of vertical wall space.

Wall Storage Shelves

9Garage Storage Shelves

Here's another 2 x 4 storage solution. These garage shelves from DIY Design Fanatic are custom-built to fit storage boxes of the same size. This ensures that there is no wasted space and maximizes the number of boxes that can fit in the room.

Garage Storage Shelves

10

Plant Wall

Empress of Dirt designed a DIY plant wall made of 2 x 4s and burlap bags to hold the plants. It is secured against a wall, and once the plants mature you'll have a vertical green garden.

Plant Wall

11Floral Centerpiece

This floral centerpiece from Infarrantly Creative is made from a 2 x 4 frame with holes drilled into it to hold test tubes. These test tubes make great individual vases for all types of flowers.