Home Improvement Boom Is Over As Inflation, Debt, House Prices Bite
Posted in

Home Improvement Boom Is Over As Inflation, Debt, House Prices Bite

  • US home improvement surged during the pandemic as many people had spare cash and little to buy.
  • Home Depot warned the boom may be over as higher prices and borrowing costs squeeze consumers.
  • The retailer’s bosses expect lower demand to mean flat sales and an earnings decline this year.

American homeowners invested heavily in renovating and expanding their dwellings over the past three years. Here’s a closer look at the US home improvement boom, and why

Amid inflation prices Americans turn to DIY home improvement projects
Posted in

Amid inflation prices Americans turn to DIY home improvement projects

As high home prices and mortgage rates force many homeowners to stay put rather than trade-ups, a whopping 90% of homeowners are looking to make their existing living space more comfortable this year, according to a new survey.

But as inflation continues to drive up material costs, many are turning to DIY projects to save money.

For example, while the consumer-price index, a measure of inflation, moderated to 6.4% in January from a year earlier, the cost of floor coverings rose 13.1%, and the prices of tools, hardware and supplies went up by 11.8 %, according to data released earlier