Blog
Home / Blog
The 5 Most Popular Stories of 2021
Throughout 2021, Gallagher and Henry shared original stories on its website providing insight, information, and inspiration about the contemporary real estate world. From articles detailing notable developments in the housing market and design trend pieces to profiles of Gallagher and Henry homeowners, staff members, and communities, we attempt to provide stories that help you get to know us and enter the real estate market with added confidence and perspective.
Here are the five most popular stories published on the Gallagher and Henry website in 2021:
Construction of New Homes Is Rising. Here’s Why.
June 2, 2021
No story on the Gallagher and Henry website generated more engagement than this June piece highlighting a rise in new home construction not seen since 2006. Though the U.S. fell short of hitting projections of 1.75 million new homes in 2021, the nation nevertheless added some 1.5 million new homes to its landscape during the calendar year. For so many buyers, the dearth of existing inventory coupled with the allure of historically low interest rates and the convenience and control of choosing new construction proved too compelling an option to pass up.
Behind the Build: Ted Kielbowicz
September 16, 2021
Gallagher and Henry celebrated its 67th year in 2021, a long, healthy history made possible by folks like Ted Kielbowicz. In October, Kielbowicz retired from his role as Gallagher and Henry’s controller, bringing his 40-year career with the family-owned homebuilder to a close. In this installment of the “Behind the Build” series spotlighting Gallagher and Henry employees, Kielbowicz reflected on his start with the firm in 1981 and what he most enjoyed about working for Gallagher and Henry across four decades.
Successfully Satisfied
January 14, 2021
The second story posted to the Gallagher and Henry blog in 2021, this feature on one young couple’s decision to build in Gallagher and Henry’s Farmingdale Village community attracted eyeballs throughout the year. Chaun and Tram detailed their decision to build with Gallagher and Henry, how an attentive home inspector confirmed the quality of Gallagher and Henry’s work, and settling into their new home and the Woodridge community. The couple also noted the custom changes they made to their Calysta floor plan, which included nine-foot basement ceilings, extending an exterior wall to enlarge the home’s square footage, and redesigning the home’s second story to accommodate a fifth bedroom.
A Seller’s Market, House Hunters, and the Undeniable Appeal of New Construction
October 7, 2021
This data-rich story underscored the reality of 2021’s “seller’s market” and explained why a number of savvy buyers were ditching the resale market for new construction. With active home listings in the Chicago area down nearly 50 percent year over year, buyers were “being caught in bidding wars, forced into hurried, act-now situations, or confronting as-is properties that immediately placed their investment in peril.” New construction became an attractive antidote, offering homebuyers a more controlled, transparent, and streamlined process compared to mixing it up on the resale market.
Why a New Home Might Be the Most Affordable Home
July 22, 2021
Conventional wisdom has long held that the price of new construction far outpaces that of getting a comparably sized home on the resale market. The year 2021, however, turned that idea on its head. A low supply of resale properties, bidding wars, and a significant rise in renovation costs due to labor and supply chain issues increased the price of both purchasing and modernizing a home. At the same time, low interest rates gave buyers more purchasing power than ever before. The result? New construction, which many prospective homebuyers once dismissed as cost prohibitive, became more attainable and sensible than ever before.