Number Crunch: January 1, 2008

Abstract:

From $1 to $500 billion, this month's number crunch gives you bang for your buck

Publication Date:

Wed, 2008-12-31 18:00

10 Forbes.com [1] has a list of 10 affordable places to hide out in this economy. No. 1 on the list is Madison County, Ala. No. 10 is Johnson County, Kan. Nothing like affordability to keep people happy.

$40 billion Demand for windows and doors in the U.S. is estimated to rise 2.8 percent annually to $40 billion in 2012. Demand for windows is projected to rise 3.7 percent per year through 2012, and demand for doors will grow 2.4 percent annually through 2012. That's based on forecasts by industry research firm The Freedonia Group.

$2.1 million When President George W. Bush leaves the White House with the first lady, they will move to an affluent neighborhood in Dallas called Preston Hollow, reports The Associated Press. The home cost $2.1 million, and estimated taxes on the property are $43,984. Their new neighbors? T. Boone Pickens and retired Exxon Mobil CEO Lee R. Raymond.

4% According to the AIA [2], buildings are the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. In a new poll conducted by Harris Interactive and commissioned by Autodesk, only 4 percent of U.S. adults were aware of this.

365% Staging model homes using home technology upgrades creates consumer excitement that sells homes more quickly than non-staged homes, according to a survey by HomeGain [3]. An example of a feature would be lighting upgrades, which, the survey says, can lead to a 365 percent return on investment.

$1 Chicago Business News reports that AIG is limiting how much it pays its executives, including granting a salary of $1 — or the equivalent of a small fry at McDonald's — to its CEO, Edward M. Liddy.

44.9 The consumer confidence index for November rose to 44.9 points, up from 38.8 in October. Lets sell those houses and hope people believe in the economy — and that December's numbers show a trend.

$500 billion President-elect Obama is planning to hit the ground running in January. The president-elect and congressional Democrats are laying the groundwork of a huge, two-year economic rescue package that will total $500 billion, according to the Associated Press.

2.5 million According to CNN, President-Elect Obama's job creation plan will create 2.5 million more jobs by 2011. In October, 540,000 new unemployment claims were filed.