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The remodeling industry should expect to see “accelerated growth” by the end of the year and into 2013, according to the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. In their quarterly forecast, called the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA), the researchers pointed to a pick-up in home sales and more positive business conditions for contractors. The LIRA suggests that annual homeowner improvement spending may reach double-digit growth by the first quarter of 2013.

Still operating during a residential construction downturn, pro dealers are increasingly turning to remodeling to lift their top and bottom line. Spending on renovations is experiencing healthy growth in 2012, according to the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. In their most recent quarterly forecast, the researchers pointed to stronger pending home sales and continuing low interest rates as contributors to an expected 5.9% rise in spending on home remodeling projects this year.

The State of the Nation’s Housing is, in a word, complicated.

Housing markets are showing signs of reviving, concluded "The State of the Nation’s Housing" report released by the Cambridge, Mass.-based Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. But we’re not out of the woods, yet. 

Spending on renovations should experience “healthy growth” in 2012, according to the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. In their quarterly forecast, called the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA), the researchers pointed to stronger pending home sales and continuing low interest rates as contributors to an expected 5.9% rise in spending on home remodeling projects this year.  

The remodeling activity report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University predicted a slight upward trend in the latter part of 2012, although home improvement spending will lag in the first two quarters.

The Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA), which measures the annual rate of change in consumer spending on renovations, projects $108.1 billion in the first quarter of 2012, a 2.5% decrease. The second quarter, with a projected $110.2 billion in projected spending, is a negative 3.5% drop on the LIRA index.

U.S. home builders were immensely profitable during the housing boom but did little to improve the efficiency of their operations, according to a book just released by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Research. In “Bigger Isn’t Necessarily Better: Lessons from the Harvard Home Builder Study,” university professors and researchers examine the period of housing growth between 1999 and 2004, relying on a detailed survey of large home builders.

Home improvement spending will remain weak through the first half of 2012 thanks to a down economy and housing market, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The LIRA pointed to a modest decline in annual homeowner improvement spending over the next several quarters.

After showing signs of recovery, spending on home improvements is expected to remain volatile and weak over the next several quarters, according to a report released today by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) projected that annual remodeling spending through the first quarter of 2012 will be down 4%. The Census Bureau’s improvements spending series, to which the LIRA is benchmarked, was recently revised downwards as well.

Remodeling activity is expected to move at a sluggish pace this year due to the stalled housing market and economic recovery, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The center’s Remodeling Future’s Program predicted annual growth slowing throughout the year with spending up only 0.2% in 2011.

The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies has named Dan Fulton, president and CEO of Weyerhaeuser, as the new chair of its Policy Advisory Board.

“I’m honored to step into the chairman position,” Fulton said. “As a longstanding member of the Policy Advisory Board, I’ve always respected the rigorous research taking place at the Joint Center. I’m looking forward to being involved on this new level.”

The U.S. home improvement industry is poised for growth, according to a new report released today by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.

The report, “A New Decade of Growth for Remodeling,” is the sixth and latest report in the Improving America’s Housing series, published by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center.