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

House Styles

Regional Styles With Universal Appeal

Four classic architectural styles that consistently hit the sweet spot for new-home buyers

A home exterior in Florida designed by BSB Design that's in an updated Georgian style

House Styles

Home Design: This New Old House

A certain segment of the home-buying population is drawn to new homes that evoke traditional architectural styles while offering the open floor plans and amenities that cater to a modern lifestyle

A home in the American Classic Series by Darling Homes offers a traditional home exterior with an open floor plan and modern amenities

The Design Side

The Wrights are still cutting edge

As regular readers know, I rarely miss an opportunity to mention Frank Lloyd Wright in my blog. That goes for his descendants, too. FLW’s...

The Design Side

When a house is just a house

Maybe you saw the New York Times article “In Housing, Big is Back (Not Counting the Extras).” While it doesn’t overtly herald the return of...

The Design Side

Four days in the garden of good and evil

If you’ve never been to Savannah, Ga., by all means go, especially if you love 18th and 19th century architecture. I just returned from a...

The Design Side

Isn’t it eclectic?

I’ve come to the conclusion that American residential architecture, like America itself, is a melting pot. I would even argue that the true...

The Design Side

We Built This City

I’m looking forward to the new movies being released in December, particularly the next installment of “The Hobbit.” One film I doubt will...

Kitchen + Bath

High-Style Kitchens on a Budget

You don’t have to spend a fortune to create beautiful kitchens that buyers will love. Here’s how to polish your presentation

New-Home Marketing

Urban Infill Housing Grabs Market Share

Big cities like Chicago and San Diego are starting to grow again, which improves prospects for urban infill housing. Here's a look at what Millennials and Baby Boomers are buying

The Design Side

Chicago green-home tour is an eye opener

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit a group of homes that were featured in Chicago’s first GreenBuilt Home Tour. Sponsored by the U.S....

Design

Millennials Seek Homes That Reflect Their Uniqueness

Millennials, the most recent generation to enter the home-buying population, aren?t interested in stereotypical production homes

The Design Side

This conference is a must for timber-frame lovers

On August 8-11, the Timber Framers Guild (TFG) will hold its 2013 National Conference at Champlain College in Burlington, Vt. The event has...

The Design Side

Steel cube pays tribute to Pittsburgh’s heritage

Dwell magazine recently featured a Pittsburgh home made of recycled glass and steel that stands apart in a neighborhood filled with...

High-Performance Homes

Passive House Raises the Bar

The Passive House standard is gaining traction with builders looking to build more energy-efficient and high-performance homes

The Design Side

Darling Homes knows how to stir buyers’ passions

In the June issue of Professional Builder, I discussed the American Classic Series by Dallas-based Darling Homes. Unfortunately there was no...

The Design Side

Tiny, but not without charm

There’s a 1920 California bungalow for sale in Los Angeles that is tiny (480 square feet) and expensive ($449,000) … and yet, very appealing...

Single-Family Homes

Single-Family Homes Positioned for Success

Single-family detached homes are a perennial buyer favorite, but with the housing market still in recovery, builders have to make sure the location, design, and pricing are absolutely right

single-family detached living home exterior at night

The Design Side

Gold Nugget winners take aim at the McMansion

An article that was published in The Atlantic a couple of weeks ago got me thinking about McMansions, which were ubiquitous during the...

The Design Side

Further reflections on design leadership

I recently read an article written by Bill Lurz, a former colleague at Professional Builder. Bill is now editor-in-chief of AvidBuilder.com....

The Design Side

Architecture goes to the dogs

The late Roger Caras, president emeritus of the ASPCA, once said, “Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole.” No dog...

The Design Side

Owning a Wright home comes at a price

It’s well known that Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes, while they’re architectural masterpieces, often have structural issues such as leaky...

The Design Side

Home buyers go back to the farm

One of the latest trends in community development is the farm—an integrated space for the production of organic food. I don’t think this is...

The Design Side

Is “master bedroom” politically incorrect?

A number of homebuilders in the Washington, D.C., area have stopped using the term “master” to describe the largest bedroom in the house....

The Design Side

TV shows influence home design

In an earlier blog post, I talked about being inspired by the home improvement shows on HGTV. But I know at least one builder who gets...

The Design Side

Glass House campus opens for tours

Art and architecture lovers, rejoice: Tour season is about to begin at architect Philip Johnson’s Glass House campus in New Canaan, Conn....

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