Falls Church homeowners top remodeling spenders in South

Colleen Kelleher, wtop.com

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Four of the five top areas for estimated annual remodeling spending in the South are in the D.C. metro region, with Falls Church and Arlington County ranking No. 1 and No. 2 respectively, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

At the same time, Fairfax County ranked among the top four counties in the South in total county remodeling expenditures per year.

The home builders association analyzed data collected from the U.S. Census Bureau between 2006 and 2010 to estimate how much homeowners in each region of the nation spent on remodeling. The organization then applied the statistical data to the county level to come up with its rankings.

In Falls Church, homeowners spent an average of $6,099 per year on remodeling over those five years, the association says. Nantucket County, Mass., and Marin County, Calif., led the rankings for the Northeast and West, with yearly spending averages of $8,520 and $7,782. Cook County, Ill., ranked as the top spot in the Midwest, with average remodeling expenditures of $3,466.

In addition to Falls Church and Arlington, D.C. and Alexandria are in the top five for home-owner spending in the South.

Here are the estimated remodeling figures for the top counties and cities in the South:

1. Falls Church City, Va. – $6,099
2. Arlington County, Va. – $5,801
3. District of Columbia – $5,705
4. Monroe County, Florida – $5,600
5. Alexandria City, Virginia – $5,451

The NAHB breaks the owner-occupied remodeling data down for every state and county on its website.

“Residential remodeling is one of the housing industry’s bright spots, and in some parts of the country this is more true now than ever,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman George “Geep” Moore Jr., in a news release.

“Homeowners throughout the country are increasingly choosing to renovate their homes or build additions to meet their changing lifestyles.”

“Nationally, we’re forecasting a continued increase in the demand for residential repairs and improvements,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.

Los Angeles County, Calif., led the nation in total county remodeling expenditures per year at $8.4 billion. With $4.1 billion in remodeling spending, Cook County, Ill., ranked first in the Midwest. Nassau County, N.Y., topped the list for the Northeast. Nassau County saw an estimated $1.9 billion in spending.

In the South, the builders association said homeowners spent $1.7 billion per year in Miami-Dade County, Fla., on renovations. Fairfax County showed up fourth in the South, with the builders’ group estimating yearly spending at $1.4 billion. Here are the counties with the highest total estimated spending on home remodeling, according to the NAHB:

Northeast

1. Nassau County, N.Y. – $1.9 billion
2. Suffolk County, N.Y. – $1.8 billion
3. Queens County, N.Y. – $1.7 billion
4. Middlesex County, Mass. – $1.7 billion
5. Kings County, N.Y. – $1.6 billion

Midwest

1. Cook County, Ill. – $4.1 billion
2. Hennepin County, Minn. – $1 billion
3. Wayne County, Mich. – $1 billion
4. Oakland County, Mich. – $946 million
5. DuPage County, Ill. – $881 million

South

1. Miami-Dade County, Fla. – $1.7 billion
2. Harris County, Texas – $1.6 billion
3. Broward County, Fla. – $1.5 billion
4. Fairfax County, Va. – $1.4 billion
5. Palm Beach County, Fla. – $1.3 billion

West

1. Los Angeles County, Calif. – $8.4 billion
2. Orange County, Calif. – $3.4 billion
3. San Diego County, Calif. – $3 billion
4. Maricopa County, Ariz. – $2.7 billion
5. Santa Clara County, Calif. – $2.3 billion

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