Remodeling Activity Bounces Back to 2005 Levels

Monday, October 29, 2012

Remodeling Activity Bounces Back to 2005 Levels

DAILY REAL ESTATE NEWS | MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2012

More home owners are tackling remodeling jobs once again, as the Remodeling Market Index heats up and climbs to its highest point since the third quarter of 2005, the National Association of Home Builders reports. The greater momentum in remodeling is yet another positive trend recently trickling through the housing sector, NAHB reports.

"The strength of the [Remodeling Market Index], especially in owner-occupied properties, shows that home owners are investing in remodels as home prices stabilize," says George "Geep" Moore Jr., NAHB Remodelers chairman. "As owners become more confident that investments in housing will hold their value, they are beginning to undertake projects to improve their comfort that they had been putting off."

The index showed an increase in all three of the indicators measured: maintenance and repairs, minor additions and alterations, and major additions and alterations.

"The improvement in the RMI provides more evidence that the remodeling industry is making the orderly recovery from its low point in 2009 as we've been expecting," says NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. "Although remodeling projects over $25,000 are now showing some signs of strength, they are still lagging behind smaller property alterations and maintenance and repair jobs. The recovery of the remodeling market in general, and large projects in particular, continues to be constrained by factors such as tight credit and problematic appraisals."

Source: National Association of Home Builders