Author: hbarockford

In a recent article for Realtor.com, Mapped: Where Affordability Got Crushed After the Pandemic, author Allaire Conte explores how the U.S. housing landscape has shifted since 2019. Utilizing a new analysis from the Common Sense Institute (CSI), the report highlights a sobering reality: to maintain a 2019 standard of living, the average American household must now spend an additional $15,400 per year.

Housing remains the primary driver of this affordability crisis. While the average household currently devotes about 18.5% of its income to shelter and utilities, this figure spikes to nearly 29% in the least affordable states. The study measured costs across six domains—including groceries, gas, and insurance—and found that while every category saw double-digit increases, shelter and utilities surged by 33.9%, eclipsed only by childcare and car insurance.

The geographic divide is stark. Coastal and Northeast hubs like Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and California saw the sharpest declines in purchasing power. Conversely, 21 states (including Illinois) managed to buck the trend. In states like Kansas and Utah, income growth actually outpaced the rising cost of living. Notably, Utah serves as a model for the building industry; the state managed to offset price increases by aggressively adding new construction, accounting for 1.6% of the nation’s new building permits despite having only 1% of the population.

To dive deeper into the data and see where every state stands, you can view the full article and map here on the Realtor.com website.

Summary of article written by Lance Lambert for fastcompany.com

Zillow’s latest 2026–2027 forecast identifies Rockford, IL, as the #1 growth market in the United States.

While the national housing market is cooling to a near-flat 0.7% growth rate, our region is bucking the trend with a projected 5.4% increase in home values. This puts Rockford at the top of 400 analyzed markets, contrasting sharply with declines in the Sunbelt and Gulf Coast.

Key highlights for our local industry:

• High Demand, Low Inventory: Our market remains competitive because we have a critical shortage of available homes compared to the rest of the country.
• Economic Resilience: While 110 U.S. markets are seeing price drops, Rockford’s stability is driven by a unique balance of affordability and increasing buyer interest.
• Opportunity for Builders: With national mortgage rates stabilizing near 6% and local incomes rising, the demand for new construction in the Stateline area is stronger than ever.

In short: while much of the country is bracing for a “soft landing,” Rockford is entering a period of significant appreciation and opportunity.

[Read the full article by Lance Lambert for fastcompany.com]

Summary of article written by Allaire Conte for realtor.com

The mounting economic frustrations of the past two years have reached a breaking point, sparking a full-scale property tax revolt across the United States.

In 2026, 13 states, including Illinois, are actively debating proposals to fundamentally dismantle the property tax system. While the U.S. has seen similar movements before—most notably California’s landmark Proposition 13 in 1978, which capped rates and assessments—experts suggest the current movement is different due to its sheer scale and the number of states acting simultaneously.

Lawmakers are currently considering a range of radical changes, including:

• Full Repeal: Phasing out property taxes entirely.
• Homestead Exemptions: Carving out massive tax breaks for primary residences.
• Service-Based Swaps: Shifting local funding to other revenue sources.

The stakes for local communities are enormous. Property taxes currently serve as the backbone of local funding for schools, roads, and emergency services. Because a total replacement of this scale has never been attempted before, critics warn that dismantling the system without a “bulletproof” transition plan could lead to budget chaos and hidden costs for taxpayers.

[Read the full article by Allaire Conte on realtor.com]

By Dennis Sweeney, Executive Vice President, HBA of Rockford

Back in the 50’s, the canopy of stately elm trees covering many of Rockford’s main streets resembled the barrel-vaulted ceilings of a cathedral, and Rockford was known as “The Forest City.” Along came the Dutch elm tree disease, and those stately elm trees have disappeared.

Next came the emerald ash borer, and many local golf courses have temporarily taken on more of a links course look than the traditional Midwest appearance following the removal of the diseased ash trees.

“The Forest City” forest has been decimated.

“At the Top in Illinois” was another slogan for Rockford. It was an acknowledgement of its geographical location in the state, as well as the highest concentration of manufacturing jobs per capita in the state, before housing affordability became a ranking priority.

Given the Rockford market’s current notoriety as the fifth-best market in the nation for move-in buyers to immediately buy a house, and that we’re located in Illinois, the state with the fifth-highest out-migration in the nation, Rockford should have a new nickname: “The Affordable City.”

Two home building giants, Taylor and Lennar, have announced that they are going to build 1 million starter homes to get first-time home buyers into the market. Before anyone has seen their subdivision plans and density, floor plans, allowances list, special financing plans, price points, etc., the “Yes, buts…” have already begun.

The concern is that it will deflate the local existing home market with new homes that are less expensive and more attractive to own. But not without adapting new technology, in my opinion. Their purchasing power and mass production of identical units, with their own employees, will produce economies of scale in their production schedule, and time is money.

But these companies still need to make money. With the run-up in material costs and labor costs over the past five years, they will be hard-pressed to stick build a new house with the lot size, the living area, and the amenities that a first-time home buyer who has been priced out of the market expects in a new house and can afford to buy.

There is a technology available that hasn’t been widely used yet that might provide enough cost savings to get close to the price point needed. That is the printer technology used to “frame” new homes with robot machines pouring liquid walls, serviced by one or two technicians monitoring the machine pour. Chemists instead of framers.

These million homes could be the experimental laboratory.

By Dennis Sweeney, Executive Vice President of the HBA of Rockford

On the heels of the tragic pictures of the hurricane natural disaster in Florida and North Carolina are tragic pictures of the wildfire disaster in Southern California. The latter are stunning. For block after block, there are piles of ashes. Nothing recognizable is left of homes and businesses except the chimney. The incongruity of the video of a burning bank, with cars driving past on the street and no firefighting equipment present, was so bizarre. This doesn’t happen in the United States.

Recent year-over-year national home price appreciation statistics show the adverse impact that repeated hurricane hits have had on the Gulf Coast of Florida around Fort Meyers and Cape Coral. Year-over-year average property values have decreased. Not every property has decreased in value, but enough have decreased in value to pull down the average. That is significant.

Reasons given are: 1) cutting losses and moving to a different location 2) inability to obtain affordable home owners insurance 3) inability to obtain a mortgage 4) tired of cleaning up and rebuilding 5) any combination of the above. And Florida is considered a good state to live in for the cost of living, taxes, and public sector services and expenses.

Now comes the total destruction of communities in southern California, which like Florida is a very desirable place to live, but more expensive in terms of taxes and other public sector expenses and the cost of living. As a result of state caps on insurance premium increases following previous natural disasters, insurance companies were already pulling out of California before this disaster. This impacts the ability and willingness of the residents to stay and rebuild. Billions of dollars of property value are off of the tax rolls for years. If you can’t get insurance, then you can’t get a mortgage. And just like Florida, there will not be much that the government can do to make them change their minds.

We had a great turnout at the 2024 Builders Scramble at PrairieView Golf Club! ⛳️ It was a beautiful day on the course, and what better way to end the day than with a delicious steak dinner.
Thank you to everyone who came out for a day of golf and camaraderie. A special shout-out to all of our sponsors who make this event possible. Congratulations to all the contest and door prize winners—we hope you enjoy your prizes! 🏆

The 2024 Builders Scramble Golf Outing was held on Monday, September 9th at the PrairieView Golf Club in Byron, IL. PrairieView is a challenging 18 hole layout. Following golf, a ribeye steak dinner was served in the air conditioned PrairieView Pavilion featuring full bar beverage service with the best customer service staff you will ever meet. Following dinner, contest prize winners were announced and door prizes compliments of the hole sponsors and generous donations by HBAR members were handed out.

SCHEDULE:
10:00 AM – Registration
11:00 AM – Shotgun Start
5:00 PM dinner & awards program in the Prairie View Pavilion, w/ comfortable indoor & outdoor seating & full-service bar