StoneDimensions

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 - Builder confidence in the 55+ housing market for single-family homes showed continued improvement in the fourth quarter of 2012 compared to the same period a year ago, according to the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) latest 55+ Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. The index increased 10 points to a level of 28, the fifth consecutive quarter of year over year improvements.

"We continue to see increased optimism from builders and developers in the 55+ housing segment," said Bob Karen, chairman of NAHB's 50+ Housing Council and managing member of the Symphony Development Group. "Those customers who had been on the sidelines waiting for more stability in their local markets are starting to make their move toward either purchasing a home or renting an apartment that is designed to more specifically suit their lifestyle."

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Cambridge, MA – With home sales picking up and contractors seeing more positive business conditions in the future, remodeling activity in the U.S. is in a position to see accelerated growth by the end of this year and into 2013, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released today by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The LIRA suggests that annual homeowner improvement spending may reach double-digit growth by the first quarter of 2013.

“Warm weather in the first quarter temporarily bumped up remodeling activity in many areas,” says Eric S. Belsky, managing director of the Joint Center. “By the end of the year, however, positive market fundamentals are expected to kick in, moving the industry out of this ebb and flow period and into a new growth phase.”

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In early 2012, the Marble Institute of America (MIA) repeated a survey originally conducted in 2008 gauging consumer sentiment on various countertop materials. The 2012 survey of 1,588 homeowners, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of the MIA, found that 76 percent of homeowners agree with the statement “Nothing beats the beauty and value of granite countertops” and 75 percent of homeowners who intend to remodel their kitchens in the next two years indicated they want granite countertops.

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WASHINGTON, June 19 - Single-family housing production increased for a third consecutive month and builders pulled more permits for both single- and multifamily construction in May, according to newly released figures from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau. The data reveals that the seasonally adjusted annual rate of single-family housing starts rose 3.2 percent to 516,000 units - the best pace since December of 2011.

"Today's report is a good sign that builders are cautiously moving to replenish their depleted inventories of single-family homes in response to increasing buyer demand," said Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. "In certain housing markets across the country, the momentum toward recovery is gradually building, though tough credit conditions and inaccurate appraisal values continue to weigh down that progress."

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Dick Laliberte, Ripano Stoneworks Ltd., Nashua, NH, visited MIA offices May 22, 2012.

He donated original 1957 and 1964 business appraisals of The Taylor Stone Company, which was established in 1898 as McDermott Stone Co., McDermott, Ohio. 

Ripano, an avid geocacher, was en route to Louisville, KY and the 10th annual GeoWoodstock event.

Geocaching is a high tech treasure hunting game, employing a GPS to hide and seek containers with other participants in the activity. 

CLEVELAND, OH, April 11, 2012 — MS International (MSI), one of the industry's largest stone distribution companies, is making it possible for the Marble Institute of America to produce a major new documentary that memorializes the global historic relationship between mankind and natural stone. Funding for the documentary will be provided by MSI.

The 35-40 minute documentary will be based on a creative concept by Mr. Manu Shah, founder of MSI of Orange, California. The documentary will trace the evolution of man and stone from prehistoric times to today's thriving use of natural stone as one of the premier decorative building materials used in commercial buildings and homes around the world.

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he list of housing markets showing measurable improvement expanded slightly to include 101 metropolitan areas in April, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI), released today. Thirty-five states (including the District of Columbia) are now represented by at least one market on the list.

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The Multifamily Production Index (MPI), a leading indicator for the multifamily market released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today, showed steady improvement in the apartment and condominium housing market for a sixth consecutive quarter.

The MPI, which measures builder and developer sentiment about current conditions in the multifamily market on a scale of 0 to 100, increased from 47.3 in the third quarter to 48.9 in the fourth quarter--the highest reading since the fourth quarter of 2005.

The index provides a composite measure of three key elements of the multifamily housing market: construction of low-rent units, market-rate rental units and "for-sale" units, or condominiums. The index and all of its components are scaled so that any number over 50 indicates that more respondents report conditions are improving than report conditions are getting worse. In the fourth quarter of 2011, the MPI component tracking builder and developer perceptions of market-rate rental properties recorded an all-time high of 64.3, while low-rent units increased as well to 55.5. For-sale units remained steady at 30.6.

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It has started!  President Michael Twiss asked members to connect with their peers, recruit a new member, and help build the MIA. 

February 15, 2012

The 2012 Grande Pinnacle Award winner Nick Blantern, Britishstoneworks LLC (Lakewood, OH), did not have to look far to secure his 1-for-1 member.  He turned to fellow stone carver Nathan Hunt of Hunt Studios (San Francisco, CA) to join the MIA. Both were involved in the 2012 Grande Pinnacle Award winning project.  Thanks Nick for expanding the number of stone carvers involved with the MIA.  Welcome Nathan! Learn more about both firms at: www.britishstoneworks.com and www.huntstonecarving.com.

Two MIA members - MIA Board Member Brenda Edwards, TexaStone Quarries (Garden City, TX) and Joe Dellacroce, Connecticut Stone Supplies, Inc. (Milford, CT) used an opportunity at StonExpo to meet with Joe Rice, Crystal Ricevuto, and Gigi Fontane, WBE Surfaces (New York, NY) to talk about sourcing stone.  The conversation evolved into the value of belonging to the MIA and now they are members!  Thanks Brenda and Joe for asking a customer (and potential customer) to join!  Welcome Joe, Crystal, & Gigi (who is also exploring the MIA's CEU Program).  Learn more about these firms: www.texastone.com, www.connecticutstone.com, and www.wbesurfaces.com.

Kevin Camarata, Camarata Masonry Systems (Houston, TX), supported the membership of Jim Campbell, Mustang Metal & Supply (Houston, TX).  Kevin, as well as a number of other MIA members, utilizes Jim as a custom metal fabricator specializing in non-standard masonry and stone, specifically granite anchors and marble anchors.  Thanks Kevin for asking one of your suppliers to get involved.  Welcome Jim! Learn more about both firms at: www.camaratamasonry.com and www.mustangmetal.com.

MIA Board Member Claus Larsen, DANSK Marble & Granite Works Srl (Carrara, Italy), supplies stone to John Donatelli, American Architectural Stone (North Plainfield, NJ).  Thanks Claus for asking one of your customers to get more involved.   This truly speaks to the global connections that are made by MIA members. Welcome John!  Learn more: www.danskmarble.com.

Learn more about the MIA's 1-for-1 program.

February 15, 2012 - Home builder confidence in the market for new single-family homes increased for the fifth consecutive month in February, rising from 25 to 29 on the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. It is the highest level the index has reached in more than four years.

“Builder confidence has doubled since September as measured by the HMI,” said NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg, a home builder from Gainesville, Fla. “Given the recent improvements in new home starts and the increasing number of markets included in the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index, this consistency suggests that the housing market is moving toward more sustainable growth.”

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