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Article by Guy Morris

Because the home improvements industry is such a massive part of the economy, companies in apiece sector of the business want to know who is making improvements to their home and how much they are doing on their own. One service company, Arbitron, uncovered some interesting facts during their survey efforts.

The surveys and studies revealed that almost half of adults in 75 cities crossways the nation prefabricated home improvements in a 12-month period. Consumers in smaller economic markets tend to spend more on home improvements than residents and homeowners in the larger cities. A close look at these figures shows that many people undertake do-it-yourself (diy) projects when it comes time for home improvements.

Apparently, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, leads the way – 59 percent of residents started a home improvement project in the year preceding the study. Following the Harrisburg homeowners closely were those who lived in Buffalo, New York and Toledo, Ohio. In these two cities, 56 percent of residents planned and started a home improvement project in that same 12-month period.

Other markets that statement for the top 10 in citizen/home improvement numbers are: Detroit; Atlanta; Syracuse; Rochester; Flint; Cincinnati; and Indianapolis. In apiece of these mid-size cities about 55 percent of residents started or finished a home improvement or remodelling project in the prior year.

At the lower end of the spectrum, the residents of Honolulu, Hawaii were least likely to swing a hammer or use a saw. According to the survey, 37 percent of residents reported being involved in a home improvement project in the prior year. This place the island city at number 75 among the 75 cities in which residents were surveyed. Other mid-size communities in which less than half of the residents started a project were: Fresno, California – 40 percent; Las Vegas – 40 percent; San Diego – 42 percent; San Francisco – 43 percent; Washington, D.C. – 44 percent; Los Angeles – 44 percent; Miami – 45 percent; Chicago – 46 percent; New York – 48 percent.

What purpose can these numbers serve in the larger economic picture? Arbitron’s Alisa Joseph states the findings show good opportunities for home service advertisers trying to reach consumers who plan to undertake a home renovation project of some kind. Joseph, who is director of income for Advertiser Marketing Services, Arbitron Inc./Scarborough Research also stated that the company’s work provides information that grants home improvement businesses to superior comprehend consumer behavior.

One of the more interesting facts uncovered by the study was the number of consumers whose projects included interior painting or wallpapering. Arbitron/Scarborough found that 25 percent of homeowners took this step. A significant number of residents of the 75 cities also selected to begin a landscaping project. Companies in the industry will be interested to find out that these types of projects were much more favourite than home security system projects (2 percent) or pool/spa additions (1 percent).

Among the fascinating details included in the survey/study:

*36 percent of those who tried the home improvement experience spent over ,000. This is an increase from 30 percent less than a decade ago.

*46 percent of “home improvement” consumers were between the ages of 35 and 54.

*63 percent were married

*55 percent have household incomes of more than ,000

*Internet users are more likely to make home improvements

*53 percent renovated kitchens themselves; 78 percent – paint/wallpaper; 76 percent – landscaping; bathroom remodelling – 61 percent; home security – 81 percent; heating/air conditioning – 76 percent; carpet/floor covering – 63 percent.

The study showed one other fascinating fact: Those who listen to Oldies/Classic Hits and All-Sports broadcasting are 14 percent more likely to have improvement projects in their plans.

About the Author

Focusing on news and information about replace storm windows, he published primarily for http://www.replacement-windows-tips.com. Sharing his passion in detailed publications such as http://www.replacement-windows-tips.com, the reviewer proofed his ability on topics corresponding to select a replacement window.

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Top 10 Luxury Home Markets To Watch for Price Increases or Reductions

The One-of-a-kind Homes Magazine has listed 25 luxury home markets to watch in 2007 in its Jan issue. According to the One-of-a-kind Homes report the 25 luxury markets will indicate where the luxury real estate market is heading to. These markets along with features that make them stand out from the rest are worth watching out for.

The following is a brief report on the top 10 luxury home markets to watch for price increases or reductions in 2007.

1. Annapolis, Maryland. The waterfront city located on Chesapeake Bay offers excellent boating and inexpensive prices compared to Washington’s luxury enclaves. With Washington and Baltimore within reasonable commute, this city is highly desirable.

2. Asheville, North Carolina. An eclectic ambiance and low-key lifestyle attracts people to Asheville which continues to remain one of the hottest places for luxury home buyers.

3. Aspen, Colorado. From a ski enclave this luxury market has grown into a platinum location. With its four-season appeal and restrictive zoning policies, Aspen is still a highly-sought after destination.

4. Atlanta, Georgia. The city offers several new upscale communities, numerous lifestyle amenities, retreats and much sought after waterfront luxury homes.

5. Austin, Texas. A strong real estate market that saw record gains in 2006, the reputable University of Texas, the scenic lakes and the great music attracts buyers to this hill country.

6. Bellevue/Medina, Washington. With prices going up at 28 percent, the market has still not peaked and several upscale neighborhoods are acquirable at a lower price range when compared to other markets.

7. Beverly Hills, California. One of the top ranked luxury markets that is perpetually in demand, Beverly Hills continues to be untarnished and idolized as the Mecca for luxury. Hollywood Hills is currently a hot market for buyers.

8. Idaho. The growing resort markets in the say garner attention for the say that is making its presence felt in the luxury home market.

9. Jupiter, Florida. The boom has arrived here after Tiger Woods’ buy of a 10-acre estate for $38 m. The market continues to surge on this exclusive island.

10. Manhattan Uptown, downtown, midtown. The luxury market is upbeat with record income of more than $5 m in 2006 accelerated by Wall Streeters. Co-ops and town houses are favorites among buyers here.

If you are interested in buying or selling a home, condo or any other type of real estate in any of these markets, be sure to seek out the services of a real estate agent to advise you about current local market conditions.

In its 4th quarter report of 2006, the real estate information site estimates the home value trends for the U. S. and 75 metropolitan areas. According to the data from http://Zillow. com, home values are now declining slightly on a year-over-year basis for the first time in a decade after years of appreciation.

Zillow’s home value data goes back to 1997 and reveals the depreciation of home value rates at 0. 48 % year-over-year at the national level. The depreciation in home value each quarter is at 4. 77 %. Zillow’s appreciation rate is based on the value of all homes in an area, including those that were sold.

Although there is a start in the over-all home price growth, areas such as Seattle and Portland are experiencing a surge in home values at good appreciation rates. Besides national home values, the report also presents comprehensive data on local market price growth and decline in 75 metropolitan areas. The Zillow report gives detailed data on home value changes for counties, cities, neighborhoods and ZIP codes in U. S. A.

The top 5 metro areas with the highest price growth, year-over-year, are:

1. Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida, with an appreciation rate of 25. 88 %
2. Yuma, Arizona, with an appreciation rate of 25. 66 %
3. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with an appreciation rate of 21. 24 %
4. Flagstaff, Arizona, with an appreciation rate of 19. 02 %
5. Ocala, Florida with an appreciation rate of 17. 56 %

The 5 metropolitan areas that have the most declining home values, year-over-year, are:

1. Panama City, Florida, with a depreciation rate of 11. 84 %
2. San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles, California, with a depreciation rate of 11. 35 %
3. Punta Gorda, Florida, with a depreciation rate of 9. 23 %
4. Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida, with a depreciation rate of 8. 99 %
5. Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina, with a depreciation rate of 8. 73 %

The Zillow national report also includes the top five most costly and least costly metro areas measured by the Zindex home value indicator.

The top 5 metro areas that are most costly are:

1. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, California at $684,459
2. Salinas, California at $654,503
3. Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc, California at $627,323
4. Honolulu, Hawaii at $626,452
5. Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, California at $545,409

The top 5 metro areas that are the least costly are:

1. Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL at $86,201
2. Peoria-Pekin, Illinois at $91,984
3. Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson, South Carolina at $96,508
4. Tulsa, Oklahoma at $97,186
5. Dayton-Springfield, Ohio at $103,729

Even within these markets, there are hot and cold housing segments of the community. Be sure to seek out the services of a local real estate agent, who can advise you about local market conditions that impact the price of homes, condos and other types of real estate.