Happy Thanksgiving!

A very Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Park Ridge Builders. We so value our home buyers and the relationships that we have made through the years. Thank you for choosing Park Ridge.

Builder Confidence

Each month for the past 25 years the National Association of Home Builders and and Wells Fargo send out a national survey to builders trying to gauge their confidence levels in current and future sales.  Builders are asked to determine how they see the housing market now and how they predict it will be in six months.

November's numbers are in and builder confidence has stabilized after dropping off the past two months. Even with the lower numbers the past two months, the previous 6 months in a row saw more builders optimistic about the market than before.

Consumer interest in new homes remains steady because of low interest rates and pricing although it has been dampened by policy and economic uncertainty.

Increased builder confidence is a positive sign for the recovering housing market at this time and going forward into 2014.

Thanksgiving Safety

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and plans for the big meal are well underway!

According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving Day is the busiest day for home fires, of which the leading cause is cooking.  Keep your holiday safe and happy this year by following these tips below.

- Stay in the kitchen when you're cooking. Don't leave food unattended.
- Keep children away from the stovetop - by at least 3 feet
- Wear short sleeves while cooking
- Have pot holders and kitchen towels sit away from heat sources
- Make sure the floor is clear from toys and pocketbooks
- Keep all lit candles above the reach of children and make sure they are blown out when the evening is over
- Test all smoke detectors and fire extinguishers

Follow these safety tips and keep your home and family happy this Thanksgiving! 

708 Mural Lake - The Hamptons

Bath Design

The bathrooms of yesteryear were often overlooked as functional rooms without much style.  That has changed greatly over the years with the importance of the master bathroom following only the kitchen in resale evaluations.

So what to today's baths look like?  Here are some of the trends builders and remodelers across the nation are reporting.

White and off-white remain the top color schemes followed by beige or brown. Rising in popularity are colors in the grey family.

Granite has typically been the go to surface material but quartz is narrowing the gap dramatically.

Ceramic tile flooring remains the most popular floor option followed by natural stone flooring.

New bathrooms are better lit - both with natural and artificial light.

Grab bars, once only installed on an as-needed basis are being requested more frequently. Many at-home accidents occur in the bathroom and as the Baby Boomers age they are planning ahead with safety in mind.

His and hers vanities are extremely popular even in smaller baths. Storage options are essential with more drawers and dividers being incorporated into the layout.

What would your dream bathroom look like?