Susan Bady | ProBuilder

Susan Bady

Susan Bady has been writing about the housing industry for 30 years. She is senior editor of Professional Builder and Custom Builder magazines, and produces the Design Innovation e-newsletter. Bady has also written for such consumer magazines as Cabin Life and Better Homes and Gardens’ Home Plan Ideas.

RELATED STORIES

Demographics

More Housing Options for Mature Boomers

Baby Boomers approaching their 70s will need a wider range of housing options, including those with on-site health care

Dr. Davis Senior Residence in San Francisco

Build to Rent

Momentum Builds for Build-to-Rent

Communities of newly built, single-family homes are being developed exclusively for renters by choice

Greenway in Surprise, Ariz., by Christopher Todd Communities

New-Construction Projects

Southern Accents: Home Designs of the South

Historically designed to handle the sultry climate, homes in the South maximize outdoor living while respecting regional traditions

Design

Gearing Up for Generation Z

It's time to start planning for the post-Millennials who will start buying homes en masse within the next 10 years

Student housing at Middlebury College, Vt., responds to the needs of Generation Z

Awards

Lagoon House, Project of the Year / Gold Award, Custom Home

A Marin County, Calif., home connects to its coastal location

Lagoon House, Seadrift, Calif, 2018 Project of the Year Award

Infill Housing

Right-Size Infill

Small-scale infill projects, walkable to everything, are a sweet spot for the local and regional builder

Exterior of Alki Point rowhomes in Seattle

Home Design

Small Lot, Big Impact

Buyers will gladly accept smaller lots in exchange for smartly designed single-family homes in walkable locations

Oakdale at Mordecai, in Raleigh, N.C., with rear-loaded garages and diverse architectural styles is built by Robuck Homes and designed by GMD Design Group.

Off-Site Construction

No Compromise With Prefab Housing

Add energy efficiency and design sophistication to the benefits of using prefab and modular construction

Single-Family Homes

Production Home Builders Let Buyers Have It Their Way

Luxury production builders are luring buyers with prep kitchens, hidden rooms, casitas, and more

Interior of Pardee Homes' Granny suite at Artesana

BALA Best in American Living Awards

Gather Inspiration From the 2017 Best in American Living Awards

These four Best in American Living Award winners point the way to market success with exquisite design and site sensitivity

Front elevation of BALA winner Waterleaf custom home in Michigan

Affordability

The New Face of Affordable Housing

Forward-thinking affordable housing embraces social interaction, revitalizes the community, and looks like market-rate

affordable housing_market-rate housing_Clark Commons street elevation dusk

Outdoor Living

Outdoor Living Takes Center Stage as Homeowners Bring the Inside Out

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Americans are bringing the inside outside, furnishing porches, patios, roof decks, and courtyards for use 365 days a year

Outdoor living on the roof deck at TRI Pointe's Carlisle at Parasol Park

Planning + Development

The Patch: an Agrihood in the City

A conceptual design from KTGY Architecture & Planning aims to bring the benefits of locally grown food to existing urban neighborhoods

Aerial view of The Patch urban agrihood homes clustered around urban farm

House Styles

A Warmer Spin on Modern Architecture

Modern homes have come a long way from the cold white boxes of the 1920s, and buyers are snapping them up

Exterior of Skye Palm Springs Plan 1 mid-century modern

The Design Side

Go With the Flow

When we are completely focused on a task, we’re said to be “in the zone.” I call it being on a roll, and once it kicks in I can write for...

Planning + Development

Agrihoods Draw Homebuyers Back to the Land

Agrihoods—communities centered around working farms—are attracting homebuyers with a keen interest in fresh, local food

Agrihoods develop housing around a working farm to offer the benefits of the farm to homebuyers

BALA Best in American Living Awards

Seven Trends From The Best In American Living Awards

Enormous kitchen islands, lavish outdoor rooms, and blended architectural styles are three major design trends in housing this year

BALA winning home mingles modern and Craftsman elements on its exterior

Affordability

Much Ado About ADUs—a Popular Housing Alternative

Whether they're for extended family or a source of rental income, accessory dwelling units are a popular alternative in high-cost housing markets

Multifamily

Finding the Right Mix for Mixed-Use Projects

Mixed-use residential development is flourishing in key urban and suburban markets experiencing significant population growth. See how developers get the right mix of housing, retail, and other amenities to energize the surrounding neighborhood

Successful mixed-use housing development projects require a local approach

The Design Side

NextHaus Alliance Promotes Resilient Design

NextHaus Alliance is a team approach to designing and building custom homes that are not only sustainable, but resilient

The Design Side

Looking at the future with Charter Homes & Neighborhoods

The Lancaster, Pa.-based home builder talks design trends and creating new neighborhoods in the dynamic Pittsburgh market

Construction Quality

High Performance + High Design Homes

High performance and high design are achievable in a new home as long as the design and construction team collaborates with trade partners and other experts at the start of the project

Trendmaker Homes_Lakes at Creekside_home exterior

The Design Side

The Privilege of Judging BALA

Judging the Best in American Living Awards is one of the best things a housing professional can do.

House Styles

The New Craftsman Home Style

Key elements of Craftsman style are being incorporated into new homes with modern floor plans

Exterior of new Arts and Crafts-style home design

House Styles

Contemporary Design Changes With the Times

Contemporary design has permeated the consciousness of homebuyers and changed the elevation lineup for many builders

Aamodt Plumb Architects, Prairie-style contemporary new home, lakeside elevation

Home Builders Institute's Schools to Skills Grant Application Open Through December

As Mortgage Rates Rise, Buyers Lose Purchasing Power

Renters Are Choosing Single-Family Homes for These Features