Will 2010 Be The Year Of The Skid Steer Loader?
A skid steer loader may be in your future, if you're in the construction industry
. That's because the housing market is starting to look up again.
That's right. Consumers are optimistic. Interest rates are... interesting. Home buyers are able once again to dream of their American dream. And with good reason. With tax credits between $6,500 and $8,000, who wouldn't be thinking about buying a new home?* Come to think of it, I could really use a house with a basement! Hmmm...
According to a recent article in The Huntington News, NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe said "the increased sales are very welcome news and sales will continue to improve" and that "the housing momentum will be carried forward by low interest rates... and budding employment growth."
That's good news for everyone involved in building homes, from the developer, to the contractors, to the guy selling skid steer loader attachments.
McGraw-Hill Construction forecasts building trends in the U.S. each year as part of its ubiquitous "Construction Outlook" report. The Business Trends blog has said that McGraw-Hill is predicting an 11% market increase overall for 2010, which means single family home production will go up "32% in dollars, corresponding to a 30% increase in the number of units" and that "multifamily housing will improve 16% in dollars and 14% in units, after steep reductions in 2008 and 2009."
Translation: construction companies will need more gear to keep up with the Joneses. And the Smiths. The Joneses just spec'ed a two-story colonial on that corner lot, and the Smiths are thinking their new baby should have her own bedroom in the duplex community near their apartment complex. The tax incentives these families receive will inevitably change hands, and when it does, construction contractors will be thinking about investing in versatile tools like the skid steer loader.
An agile, one-of-a-kind workhorse, The skid steer loader turns on a dime and comes ready to accept myriad attachments, from pneumatic hammers to sweepers to buckets to grapplers. New applications for the skid steer loader are being developed all the time. It's like the iPhone of the construction world: "There's an attachment for that."
I've seen skid steer loaders used in ways that larger, more cumbersome vehicles would have trouble. In a residential setting, the skid steer loader is small enough to transport building materials, pea gravel or soil between lots and existing houses without issue. It is also a capable grader. And because of its unique hydraulic turning capability, an operator can use the skid steer loader to deliver materials into impossibly tight spaces, then turn in its own footprint to exit. It really is in a league of its own, poised and ready to take on 2010's construction revival.
Joe Woullard is the President of the Hattiesburg Area Association of Realtors in Mississippi. "The housing market is improving. House sales are driven by the local economy. This means our economy is fairly stable," he told the Hattiesburg American. Of mortgage rates near 5%, he said, "That is cheap interest. We're concerned that might go up as the economy heats up," he said. "We're asking clients to take advantage of that while it's there. We don't think it's going any lower.
Mortgage interest rates are 8 percent lower than what our parents paid not too long ago. Tax incentives are aimed squarely at the American Dream. With so many new homes to be built this year, the skid steer loader might just be the go-to tool for the construction trade in a bounce-back economy.
(* Note: Although the housing tax credit expired in April 2010, it is actually still in place for members of the U.S. Military until April 2011. If you're a member of the military, and are still interested in purchasing a house under the tax credit, be sure to tell your lender and Realtor.)
by: Robert Leib
West Linn Tidings - Survey Gives West Linn Thumbs Up 3 Types Of Fiber Optic Cables How to Become a Technical Illustrator Seek Only Original Porsche 911 Parts: Why Should You Use Biomat? The Wrestle Ahead of the Freedom- Alcohol Withdrawal Little Boys Suits: The Ultimate Choice For Any Occasion Classic Eyeglasses in My Eyes Oregonian - Survey Reveals West Linn Residents Satisfaction The Original Driving Fear Program Break the Ice with the Smell you can almost Taste The Fancy Bus How To Know About The Evolution Of 3g...