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New Home Sales Continue Improvement

September new home sales increased 5.7% to an annual rate of 389,000, the highest level since the home

buyer tax credit expired in early 2010. The three-month moving average of new home sales has increased

steadily for over a year as more housing markets begin to see rising home prices and improving consumer

sentiment.
The months’ supply of new homes for sale fell to a seven year low of 4.5 months as the pace of sales picked

up but the inventory advanced by only 2.000. The number of completed homes for sale ready for immediate

move-in remains at a record low of 38,000 as builders remain cautious about building ahead of the market

and as credit access remains tight.
Median home price increased 11.7% from September 2011. The price increase is primarily a result of larger,

move-up homes being sold rather than an increase in home prices. Move-up buyers with equity and the ability

to pass rigid credit checks are a larger share of the market and tend to buy more expensive homes.

Some building material prices costs have increased in the past six months but home building remains

very competitive with the existing home market so the price increases are more likely a sign of different

homes sold than similar homes costing more.
There was a strong regional variation in home sales with the largest region, the South, advancing 16.8%

while the second smallest, the Midwest, fell 37.3%. The Northeast and West advanced 16.7% and 3.9%

respectively. Monthly regional data do fluctuate significantly and quarterly averages may be a better gauge

of regional activity. On a quarterly basis, the Northeast was up 18.5%, the Midwest was down 8.2%

returning to levels last seen in early 2012, the South was up 4.9% and the West was up 4% from the

second quarter to the third quarter.

Home Price Appreciation Helps Housing Move Forward on Road to Recovery

October 18, 2012 - Sparked by rising home prices across much of the nation, the housing recovery is now under way, but fiscal uncertainties and other challenges could result in a bumpy ride in the coming months, according to economists participating in yesterday’s National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) webinar on the construction and economic outlook.

“We’re seeing a more robust housing sector than many other parts of the economy,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “One of the reasons is we have finally begun to see on a national scale that house prices are picking up again.”

Crowe cited a number of other factors that are carrying the housing momentum forward. These include:

• Pent-up household formations
• Rising consumer confidence
• Increasing builder confidence in all three legs of the industry: remodeling, multifamily and single-family construction
• Growing rental demand
• More than 100 metros currently on the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index

However, Crowe offered several cautionary factors that continue to put a drag on housing activity at this time – including builders who are experiencing difficulties in obtaining production credit, qualified buyers who are unable to obtain mortgage loans, inaccurate appraisals, seriously delinquent mortgages that are at least 90 days late or in foreclosure, and a limited inventory of developed lots in certain markets.

Other causes contributing to uncertainty in the marketplace include the looming “fiscal cliff” that will trigger mandatory budget cuts and tax increases at the beginning of next year, pending Dodd-Frank Act regulations that are making financial institutions hesitant to lend since they don’t know how the new rules will affect them, tax reform, and the future role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the nation’s housing finance system.

NAHB is forecasting a 21 percent increase in single-family starts this year to 528,000 units and a further 26 percent climb to 665,000 units in 2013.

Multifamily housing starts are expected to rise 26 percent this year to 224,000 units and 6 percent in 2013 to 238,000 units.
Optimistic Housing Outlook

Expressing a more bullish outlook on housing and economic growth, Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody’s Analytics, forecast that GDP growth will range in the 2 percent range this year and next and “double that growth closer to 4 percent in 2014 and 2015.” At the same time, he expects job growth to go from two million per year to closer to 3 million in 2014 and 2015.

“A big part of this optimism is the housing market,” said Zandi. “I expect 1.1 million total housing starts in 2013, 1.7 million to 1.8 million in 2014 and over 1.8 million in 2015.”

Zandi noted a range of assumptions behind this rosy forecast, including the expectation that mortgage rates would remain very low, the availability of housing credit will improve as private mortgage lending begins to pick up, and the job market gains traction as policymakers work to resolve fiscal issues, which will ease market uncertainties.
Specifically, Zandi cited three critical fiscal policy concerns:

• The fiscal cliff. If policymakers do nothing, the combination of pending tax increases and spending cuts set to take effect in January could produce a fiscal drag of four percentage points, Zandi said, which would throw the economy back into recession. “Hiring will remain weak until this is resolved,” he said.

• Treasury debt ceiling. By late February or early March, the Treasury is expected to hit its debt ceiling. A failure to raise the ceiling would prevent the U.S. government to borrow to meet its existing legal obligations, including the issuance of monthly Social Security checks.

• Achieve fiscal sustainability. Zandi said that federal government expenditures as a percentage of GDP is 24 percent and revenues is 17 percent. He said this seven-point gap needs to be slashed to closer to two percentage points of GDP. “We need spending cuts and tax revenues to narrow future deficits,” he said. “If we can’t do that, bad things will happen.”

Acknowledging that these challenges won’t be easy, Zandi said his forecast is based on the assumption that Democrats and Republicans will eventually strike a deal on these contentious issues because each side has much to lose. Democrats, he said, don’t want to see tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and Republicans don’t like the defense cuts mandated by sequestration.

If the nation has the “political will to address the fiscal issues in a reasonable way, I think we will be off and running,” said Zandi.

A Gradual Climb to Normal

Delving into the state statistics behind the national numbers, Robert Denk, NAHB’s assistant vice president for forecasting and analysis, cited a range of differences among the states in the amount of pain suffered during the recession and the progress that is being made in recovering.

The hardest hit states -- such as Arizona, Florida, California and Nevada -- bottomed out the furthest during the downturn and still have much ground to make up.

Meanwhile, several energy producing states – North Dakota, Texas, Oklahoma, Montana and Wyoming – will be back to normal levels of housing production by the end of 2014.

On a national basis, housing starts are projected to get back to 55 percent of normal production by the end of next year and 70 percent of normal by the end of 2014, Denk said.

Housing Starts, Permits Post Big Gains in September

October 17, 2012 - Nationwide production and permitting of new homes rose sharply in September to their highest levels in more than four years, according to newly released figures from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau. A 15 percent gain brought the pace of new housing construction to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 872,000 units, while an 11.6 percent gain brought the pace of permit issuance to 894,000 units. These were the strongest numbers seen in both categories since July of 2008.

“Builders are responding to the rising demand for new homes as consumers begin to feel more confident about their local markets and put back into motion purchasing plans that were on hold during the recession,” said Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. “Yet, while September’s surge in activity is certainly encouraging, we need to remember that we still have a long way to go back to a fully functioning market -- and in order to get there, significant challenges must still be addressed in terms of credit availability and appraisal issues, as well as the increasing cost of building homes due to rising materials prices and a declining inventory of buildable lots.”

“Today’s strong report corresponds with the significant gains we’ve seen in builder confidence over the past year, and confirms our view that a housing recovery is solidly underway in a growing number of markets nationwide,” added NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “That said, we are now almost at the half-way mark in terms of what would be considered a normal amount of new-home construction in a healthy economy, and we need to see consistent improvement like this over an extended period to get back to where the market should be in terms of generating jobs and economic growth.”

The overall gain in new-home construction in September was reflected across both the single- and multifamily sectors, with the first posting an 11 percent gain to a rate of 603,000 units – the best pace since August of 2008 – and the second posting a 25.1 percent gain to 269,000 units – the best pace since September of 2008.

Combined single- and multifamily starts rose in all but one region of the country in September, with a 6.7 percent gain in the Midwest, a 19.9 percent gain in the South and a 20.1 percent gain in the West. Only the Northeast posted a decline, of 5.1 percent.

Issuance of new building permits, which can be an indicator of future building activity, also registered significant gains in both the single-family and multifamily sectors in September. Single-family permits rose 6.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 545,000 units while multifamily permits rose 20.3 percent to 349,000 units. In both cases, these were the highest permit numbers since July 2008.

Regionally, permit issuance rose across the board in September, with the Northeast posting a 6.0 percent gain, the Midwest posting a 19.5 percent gain, the South posting a 10.5 percent gain and the West posting an 11.3 percent gain.

Builder Confidence Edges Higher in October

Builder confidence rising

October 16, 2012 - Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes edged slightly higher for a sixth consecutive month in

October, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. The latest,

one-point gain brings the index to 41, its strongest level since June of 2006.

“Many builders are reporting increases in the number of serious buyers visiting their sales offices, and the overall confidence

measure is much higher than it was at this time last year,” noted NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a home builder from

Gainesville, Fla. “The concern is that, even though demand for new homes is rising, overly tight credit conditions are still

constraining new building and new purchases at a time when that kind of economic activity and the job growth it generates

are greatly needed.”

“The slight gain in builder confidence this month is an indication that, while still moving forward, the speed at which the

housing recovery is proceeding is being moderated by the various constraints such as tight credit, difficult appraisals

and more recently, the limited inventory of buildable lots in certain markets,” explained NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.

“These are the complicating factors that make it difficult for builder confidence to reach and surpass the 50-point mark,

at which an equal number of builders view sales conditions as good versus poor.”

Derived from a monthly survey that NAHB has been conducting for the past 25 years, the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing

Market Index gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations for the next six

months as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” The survey also asks builders to rate traffic of prospective buyers as “high to very high,”

“average” or “low to very low.” Scores from each component are then used to calculate a seasonally adjusted index where

any number over 50 indicates that more builders view sales conditions as good than poor.

Following substantial increases in the previous month, the HMI components measuring current sales conditions and

sales prospects for the next six months each remained unchanged in October at 42 and 51, respectively. Meanwhile,

the component measuring traffic of prospective buyers increased 5 points to 35, its highest level since April of 2006.

Builder confidence continued to improve in three out of four regions in October. Looking at three-month moving averages,

the HMI gained two points in the Midwest and West to 42 and 44, respectively, and three points in the South, to 39.

A three-month moving average for the Northeast’s HMI held unchanged at 29.

Editor’s note: The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index is strictly the product of NAHB Economics, and is not seen

or influenced by any outside party prior to being released to the public. HMI tables can be found at www.nahb.org/hmi. More information on housing statistics is also available at http://www.housingeconomics.com/.

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Stock home plans

by: Alice Wynn

DALLASDESIGNGROUP.COM (DDG)

09-01-2011

What are some of the benefits of buying stock home plans?  The primary benefit of buying stock home plans is that they offer an incredible value for a relatively low cost.  Plans that have been previously designed can be offered online for a reduced fee because the initial cost was paid by someone else.  The talents of the Architect/Designer are expressed in stock home plans on websites like DallasDesignGroup.com and the stock home plan buyer gets the benefit of their expertise.  There is then a built-in confidence factor. the buyer of stock home plans knows that the plans have been checked and tested. Builders have come to trust stock plans offered by reputable companies. Most stock home plans are ready for permitting and conform to national uniform building code thus saving the builder and the buyer money.  Buying from a recognized company means you will receive working drawings from experienced professionals who have been highly trained in the field of Architectural design.  You will be able to personalize your plans to create your dream home by making changes to the plans before starting the building process.  Buying stock home plans has been compared to buying a custom home without paying the custom home price. Viewing our stock home plans may enable you to find the exact home plan you want without making any changes, Visit our website to see many plans online to choose from..

- David L. Roffino-Roffino Construction, Dallas Texas

2012 house plans

by: Alice Wynn

DALLASDESIGNGROUP.COM

09-26-2011

Aging in place is the new catchy phrase for 2012 house plans.  While most of us want to think of ourselves as eternally young, the fact is that with each passing year, we do age, and our day-to-day activities change, and sometimes even the simplest tasks become harder to accomplish.  Some homeowners may choose to downsize, and others may choose to live their golden or silver years in the home they have lived in for decades.  Whatever your choice, now or in the future, there are 2012 house plans that provide design solutions to make your "Aging in Place" design easy, convenient and stylish.  One of the most important factors in 2012 house plans is adequate lighting.  This is of utmost importance and your plans should allow for as much light as possible.  A dark room makes tasks like reading a book or reading prescription labels almost impossible.  Accessibility throughout a home or condo home is crucial.  Keeping a clean and clutter-free floor plan ensures mobility for anyone, including those in wheelchairs.  An advisable dimension is 32 to 36 inches for doorways and halls with a 5-by-5 foot space for turning radius.  People aging in place may mean designing their home on one level, with no steps or staircases, and even in certain cases designing ramps and elevators.  Flooring called for in the 2012 house plans needs to be flat, non-slip, and as maintenance-free as possible for for seniors aging in place.
The flooring should also be comfortable and easy to walk on.  If carpet is chosen be sure it is installed with a firm pad and wall-to-wall, in order to avoid carpet edges that are a tripping hazard.  Opening and closing doors can be done easily with a new lever-type fixtureand loop handles for cabinets are recommended, as they are easy to grab.  At this stage in peoples lives, their home should be warm, comfortable and reflective of their many accumulated memories.

ABOUT DALLAS DESIGN GROUP

Dallas Design Group has designed thousands of custom residences in Texas, Florida, California, Georgia and across the United States. Our AIA  licensed Architects, and our building designer’s combination of experience in construction and interior space planning is important when understanding conceptual design and delivering a great product to our customers.

Our company’s designs include all types of apartments and commercial projects as well, yet our specialty is residential Architecture:

Study our Dallas Design Group home plans and you will find mastery of using space instead of wasting it and homes that are efficient yet spacious. Our design philosophy showcases open design, large closets and bedrooms larger than found in most homes. Each plan carefully integrates the flow of the home along with every aspect of design and construction.

U.S. # 1-(972) 907-0080 Int. 19729070080

info@dallasdesigngroup.com

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Luxury Mansion Home Plans and Designs

by: Alice Wynn

Dallas Design Group Architecture

09-04-2011

What are the words and terms used to describe home plans that have luxury features?  Some of the first words would be residential masterpieces.   Luxury mansion home plans and designs are residential masterpieces.   They are luxury plans that provide pleasures out of the ordinary.  They have a stylish appearance and advanced features are evident throughout these homes.  They are one of a kind homes. They are truly unique properties.  In many countries owning luxury mansion home plans and designs would be considered similar to owning some valuable antiques. Quality of design is apparent in luxury mansion homes. They are often considered lavish, expensive, and extremely private.  These plans lead to a sumptuous style of living where the homeowner is indulged in comfort and ease.  Many mansion home plans enjoy private drives, beautifully manicured lawns, lavish libraries, designer lighting and a chef's dream gourmet kitchen.  All of the home systems are advanced and state-of-the-art.  Quality components and materials are used in their solid construction.  Luxury mansion home plans and designs are a Dallas Design Group specialty. Contact us today for your dream mansion home plan.

DallasDesignGroup.com connects home buyers, developers, and custom home builders to affordable, house plans with the click of a mouse. Our Website makes it easy for you to find your dream home and purchase your complete set of house plans within minutes.

Dallas Design Group (DDG) has designed some of the most beautiful homes and buildings built in the United States. Each of the Architectural house plans offered on our web site is a custom home designed to a specific set of criteria. Our house plans are not “stock plans”. The house plans available on our website are custom designs that are one-of-a-kind.

WHY CHOOSE DALLAS DESIGN GROUP?

The plans – Each custom house plan is a Dallas Design Group original design. These are not “stock plans”. They are all one-of-a-kind unique designs. Many of these plans are award winners in their category. Our home designs are recognized for their superb detail, curb appeal and ease-of-use during the building process. Our House plans range in size from modest homes to large Luxury estates.

The price – We price our pre-designed house plans based on the air-conditioned “A/C” footage of the floor plan. The extra-footage such as patios, bonus rooms and garages are not factored into the price-per-square-foot. This means you get more house for your money. We also offer custom design services, please see our custom design page for more information. Custom Designs are priced based on total covered footage.

Free shipping – We offer free shipping of our house plans via Fed Ex standard.

"Room Design"

Alice Wynn

Dallas Design Group Architecture

08-06-2011

Room Design in your home plan      The key to having the number of rooms and  the size of rooms in your new home is proper planning.  Making an outline of the different rooms you want will help the Designer/Architect in your design planning process. Simply knowing how many bedrooms you need for example will help the Professional work with you to achieve your needs. The Designer will need to know the size of the rooms you need and if you have a preference for their location.  Alternative sites may be recommended to allow for a better traffic flow throughout  the home.  Often the prospective homeowner will bring sketches and pictures of rooms they like to their designer to aid in the planning.  Knowing the design style of the home plan you intend to build is very important.  Whether your plan is for a luxury house plan or a farmhouse, you will probably want to find magazine pictures that fit with your goal. If you want a focal point in your main living area, such as a large stone fireplace, be sure to convey that to the Designer.  Another focal point could be a large window overlooking the backyard or a pond or pool.  It is also important to keep scale in mind when discussing your new home plan.  Looking at magazine layouts may help you decide what size you want your living areas to be.  Many homeowners own special pieces of furniture they want to keep and use in their new home.  Be sure to specify these items to your Designer. Working together with your home planner is an exciting process and will enable you to be assured of getting the house plan you desire. Your home planner serves as your guide, leading the homeowner through the steps to accomplish their goal, and providing the room design you desire.

"Southern Home Plans"

by:Alice Wynn

CEO Dallas Design Group Architecture

08-05-2011

What are some of the things to consider when discussing with your home designer the attributes of a Southern style  luxury home plan?  One item to mention is a circular foyer. Many Southern Colonial homes had them.  That rotunda  is often seen on an axis with the front door and may even feature a Palladian-style window.  Most Southern homes exhibit a theme, a connection to nature, and to the earth and the surrounding environment.  There is a closeness, a feeling for the land or acreage where many Southern homes are built.  Southern luxury home plans are designed for comfort and for entertaining large groups of people; they have a feeling of warmth about them but also are very livable.  At the same time they are elegant and eye-catching, exuding that feel of Southern charm.  The challenge for the house plan Professsional who designs these homes is to incorporate all of the characteristics mentioned.  In Georgian house plan design each room is considered unique and has a warm feeling to it.  They are grand rooms but not pretentious.  Southern home plans are known for large dining rooms and covered porches which also accommodate outside dining areas. Southern hospitality is what many people say Southerners do each and every day reaching out to to help others and treat them as they would their own family members.  Southerners like entertaining whether it be small dinner parties or for fundraising groups or merely a neighborhood function and their house plans are designed with those events  in mind. Oftentimes, Southerners enjoy sitting out on their large front porches, visiting with neighbors and enjoying  their rocking chairs.

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Designing a Home Gym

by Alice Wynn

Dallas Design Group Architecture

A workout room in your home is a real GYM.  A home gym should be located in a place you'll enjoy working out with good lighting and ventilation and a fan to keep air circulating.  A mirrored wall will help you keep track of your form. Be sure to install equipment that will ensure a well-rounded fitness routine.  The designer used to create this real Gym in your home design will need to know the detailed list of equipment to be installed in order to create a functional floor plan layout.  Determining the size of the room, the square footage required for proper placement of the fitness machines etc., as well as incorporating the room in a convenient place for access is best left to a trained designer.  Most basic setups start with a set of dumbbells and free weights. Dumbbells with stands will save space  and will provide a built-in progression. Home gyms should be designed and incorporated in the overall design of the home.  The home plan will reflect the needs, goals and habits of the clients. In new houses designing a  home Gym, and incorporating it in the house plan, will help ensure a well-rounded fitness routine for the owners and add to the resale value of the home. As Americans have become more fitness conscious in recent years, many people are requesting to add a home gym to their new home design. Builders and developers are starting to pick up on this theme and add them in community centers as well. When you think of a home gym designer, think of Dallas Design Group Architecture. Contact us at 1-972-907-0080 or info@dallasdesigngroup.com, or visit us on the web @ www.dallasdesigngroup.com and begin designing a home gym.

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Mediterranean Home Plans

by: Erich Wynn

07-09-2011

Dallas Design Group Architecture

What can you expect to find in a well designed set of Mediterranean home plans? The answer to this question is as diverse as the architect's and designers who design them, however there are some common elements. When you think of a mediterranean home plan, usually you are thinking of a stucco exterior and a tile roof. Often times these types of home designs incorporate special ceiling treatments such as groin vaults, barrel vaults, along with arches everywhere. Arches can be used as accent elements both indoors and out. Mediterranean home plans sometimes have arched balconies and patios, along with arched entryways and doorways. Another popular feature in many Mediterranean home plans is an entry courtyard or rear lanai. These features along with outdoor structures including swimming pools, pergolas, and arbors often compliment a Mediterranean home plan. Inside a Mediterranean home plan you may find  Travertine floors, Terra Cotta tile, stone or stucco walls, tumbled marble in the kitchen along with many other custom design features. Mediterranean home plans often feature high ceilings and wide doorways. They are designed to emulate the classic styles of Europe, found in many towns in Italy, and other locations throughout Spain and Portugal and Greece. You also will see classic examples of Mediterranean home plans along the french riviera in France. These styles have become extremely popular in the United States over the last several decades and for good reason. This type of architectural style is outstanding and energy efficient as well. These styles have become popular in Florida, Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico. To see a beautiful selection of mediterranen home please, please visit our website www.Dallasdesigngroup.com.

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"Luxury House Plan Styles"

by Erich Wynn

Dallas Design Group Architecture

06/28/2011

What are the different options in Architecture when someone is designing and building a Luxury House Plan? The options are numerous  and as varied as some of the people who build them. Many of the luxury house plan styles of architecture that are popular today were started in Europe many generations ago. Today's luxury house plan styles come from many different countries in Europe. From Italy and Tuscany, you will find Mediterranean and Tuscan style homes have become quite popular all over the world. From England, the English Tudor style and the Victorian styles of Architecture have become very well known and classic design styles for luxury homes. From France, you have French Country, French Chateau, as well as the French Castle style of Design. In the United States there are the Georgian design, The Spanish style plans and Mission style plans, as well as Southern luxury house plan styles just to mention a few. These Luxury House plan styles are just a few of the different architectural styles that Dallas Design Group Architecture specializes in. We have been designing luxury house plans for almost 40 years and are continuing that tradition.  We will help guide you throughout the Architectural design process from the start to the finish. Our luxury house plans are known for their superb details and outstanding noting as well as excellent design quality. Our company has designed luxury house plans for many individuals as well as many builders.  Call us anytime for a free estimate on your next luxury house plan purchase or design and we will be glad to help you. Dallas Design Group Architecture can be reached at 1-972-907-0080 or via email @ info@dallasdesigngroup.com.  Contact us to schedule your office appointment to meet with our talented designers.

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Luxury House Plans, Luxury Home Plans, Custom House Plans, Designer Home Plans