Below are the 4 most recent journal entries recorded in chrstanmarie's InsaneJournal:

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
6:03 am	The housing recession isn't over The worst is more than for the real estate market -- at least according to Wall Street. Shares of house builder Lennar were up much more than 6% Monday after the business reported a stronger-than-expected profit for the third quarter (it reported a loss a year in the past) as well as a 14% improve in product sales. Other builder stocks moved greater too. The information that the recession that started in 2007 officially ended a year ago helped boost stocks too. But although traders are popping champagne corks, it's better to acquire a closer appear on the Lennar (LEN) report. The past three months may have been decent, but the future looks less promising. For that housing market, a minimum of, it doesn't look like the recession is more than just yet. Lennar admitted as a lot, saying that new house orders throughout the quarter were down 15% from the same period final 12 months. Inside a statement, Lennar CEO Stuart Miller conceded that while his firm was holding up better than some rivals, "high unemployment and foreclosures have continued to present challenges for the national housing marketplace." The spate of foreclosures is especially problematic since it continues to add to the housing glut. And until the number of homes on the market comes down, it is tough to imagine how product sales and prices will improve all that dramatically. "For real estate to turn a decisive corner, the inventory overhang has to dissipate. That might acquire one to three years," stated Adrian Cronje, chief investment officer of Balentine, an investment firm based in Atlanta. We'll know more about just how challenging things are in housing later this week. The government will probably be releasing figures for house starts, constructing permits and new home product sales in August. The National Association of Realtors will probably be reporting the latest statistics on existing house sales. Dan North, chief U.S. economist with Euler Hermes, a leading credit insurer in Owings Mills, Md., said that it is one factor to say that the worst may be over for real estate. It's another to declare that the market is actually improving. "The economy and housing marketplace may have bottomed out but that does not mean issues are great," he said. "Foreclosures and underwater mortgages are still a large problem due to the absence of meaningful cost appreciation." The great news, if you will, for individuals prepared to purchase is that costs are down and mortgage rates stay low. But anyone that wanted to acquire advantage of that could have already done so earlier this 12 months when there was a tax credit for homebuyers. That expired in April. "Conditions are favorable for individuals that are ready to buy. But a large chunk of demand for real estate was pulled forward because of the tax credit. I still believe we're in a slump," said Terry Clower, director from the Center for Economic Development and Research on the University of North Texas in Denton, Tx. Source: CNN Money News (Comment on this)
5:59 am	Turn home into castle at the Builders Home & Remodeling Show The 30th Annual Builders Home & Remodeling Show, produced by the Home Builders Association, will spark the imagination as 200 companies present information, products, services and ideas to give a house revitalized appeal from Oct. 1 to 3 at the St. Charles Convention Center. To make it easy to accumulate dreams under one roof, the welcoming show and seminars are free, plentiful parking is free and the location is conveniently off I-70 at Fifth Street in St. Charles. "This is the second year for the Mills Apple Festival at the show," said Ellen Viehmann of the House Builders Association. "The foods made with apples fresh from the orchards in Marine, Ill., and the pumpkin painting for kids are big family hits." Mills Apple Farm lets guests sample apples, apple pie and cider, and brings made-from-scratch pies, turnovers, cookies and other delicious treats for purchase. Its pumpkins, while they last, are free for kids age 12 and under to paint. Games and temporary tattoos for the kids also are part of the apple fest on the upper level of the show. To celebrate the Mills Apple Festival, at 1 p.m. on Sunday, judges will bring their sweet tooth to the 2nd Annual Apple Dessert Contest, sponsored by the Home Builders Association, Suburban Journals and STLmomsanddads. Information about entering the contest is elsewhere in this magazine. "Two floors of programs, booths and fun give the home and remodeling show its special appeal," Viehmann added. Returning to share their expertise will be Matt Fox and Shari Hiller, hosts of HGTV's "room by room," the longest running decorating show in network TV history — 14 years and more than 350 episodes. With a complementary approach at "Home Improvement — His Way, Her Way" seminars, Matt covers energy-saving products and tips, while Shari shares fall and winter holiday decorating and craft projects. Presentations will be at 1 and 6 p.m. Friday; noon, 3 and 6 p.m. Saturday; noon and 3 p.m. on Sunday. The Walter Knoll Holiday Floral Stage, new to the show, is perfectly timed for cooler weather and new perspectives on house décor. Four seminars on both Friday and Saturday and three more on Sunday will offer innovative ideas by the world-class design team and answer the challenges of every house decorator. Scott Mosby, KMOX's Home Answer Man, will provide information about house improvements and assist guests with advice from other providers of building, remodeling, repair and upkeep throughout the house. Thompson Price of Thompson Price Kitchens, Baths, House will help beautify those wellused areas of the house while keeping them practical. Areas outside the home will be tended, too. "Mole hunter" Jeff Holper will help get rid of little critters so it reflects a homeowner's care. Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County will offer great bargains at a Building Products Warehouse Sale. The public can access merchandise at deeply discounted prices, similar to the Habitat ReStore in St. Peters. Proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County. Source: STL Today (Comment on this)
5:54 am	Builders install solar systems, homeowners can lease them More home builders are putting photo voltaic panels on new houses and have come up with a novel way of generating solar much more affordable for buyers. Builders Lennar and Toll Bros. not too long ago opened new home developments in California in which photo voltaic panels are included at no upfront cost to purchasers. Solar companies personal the methods, and also the new homeowners lease them from the company. Solar businesses have offered photo voltaic lease programs for owners of existing houses for several years. Now, the option is spreading to new houses. WAL-MART GETS GREENER: Will double locations with solar methods. It makes probably the most sense for new house purchasers who're unable to wrap the photo voltaic program price — often $10,000 to $20,000 — into their mortgages. Builders are considering the lease arrangements as a way to make photo voltaic affordable and distinguish their new homes in a tough economy. "Most of the major builders have nosed around it," states Robert Hammon of power consulting firm ConSol. He expects new home solar — and also the lease option — to spread slowly within the next year. Most with the solar-system-buying action has been in CA, where state incentives and a 30% federal tax credit can halve the price, says Lynn Jurich, president of photo voltaic business SunRun. And now California also is the center of the budding solar home-lease business for: •Toll Bros. Eighteen of 20 home buyers not too long ago chose the solar-service option at Toll's development in Yorba Linda, Calif., says Jim Boyd, regional president of Toll, which expects to expand the plan to three other California developments. "It's an additional function of a new home which will help us sell." Toll has partnered with SunRun to offer 20-year leases. For a house that would have a $150 electric bill, the photo voltaic plan would save about $50 a month, Jurich says. When the lease expires, home owners can renew, purchase the panels or remove them. Leases can transfer with home sales. •Lennar. In June, Lennar rolled out photo voltaic lease options for several developments in Fresno and Southern CA, after testing the concept final yr in Sacramento. Lennar partnered with photo voltaic business SunPower. Of the 260 photo voltaic homes sold, half were with leased photo voltaic, says Matt Brost, general manager of SunPower's new home division. SunPower has put solar on 4,500 new homes because 2006, largely in CA but also Nevada, Arizona, Colorado and New Jersey. Brost states 5% to 7% of new houses in CA now have photo voltaic. Source: USA Today (Comment on this)
5:51 am	Homebuilder confidence unchanged Self-confidence among the nation's homebuilders was unchanged from August to September, with those in the West probably the most pessimistic about a recovery. The National Association of House Builders' monthly builder self-confidence index held steady at 13. Any studying beneath 50 indicates much more builders view present conditions as poor. "In general, builders haven't seen any cause for improved optimism in market conditions over the past month," NAHB chairman Bob Jones said. "If anything, consumer uncertainty has increased, and builders really feel their hands are tied until potential homebuyers really feel much more secure about the work market and economy." The builder's group says the two leading obstacles to new-home sales are continued client reluctance within the face of a poor work market and the big quantity of foreclosed properties for sale. However it expects circumstances for new-home sales will enhance in the fourth quarter Country House Plans. Confidence within the West was unchanged at 8, the lowest regional reading. The South region — which includes Maryland, Virginia and also the District — was the only region to post an improvement in builder confidence, rising two factors to 14. Builder self-confidence in the Northeast fell two points to 16, and self-confidence within the Midwest fell three points to 12. Source: Biz Journal News (Comment on this)