The Washington Post regularly tracks housing sales and prices throughout the Washington area each Saturday in the Real Estate section, comparing information collected for each residential Zip code from each time period last year with that for the corresponding time period in 2010.
The chart and map this week compare condominiums sales figures in the Washington-area from January through March 2009 with those for the corresponding period in 2010, showing the total number of sales, the median prices and the changes in the medians. The median is the point at which half of the sales prices were higher and half lower.
The sales and price information, collected by The Washington Post, is based on sales recorded in local government offices. That information is in the chart on the right. It excludes some types of transactions, particularly those that are not at market price.
As with any statistical compilation, the greater the number of transactions, the more reliable the statistical trend. Moreover, at any given time there may be more sales activity in certain market niches or price ranges, for instance starter homes or high-priced houses, than at other times, and this may influence a median price from year to year.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Toyota, Panasonic venture into green-housing sector
TOKYO - In what promises to be a fascinating contest between industry leaders in relatively unfamiliar territory, two of Japan's manufacturing giants, Toyota Motor Corp. and Panasonic Corp., are attempting strong advances in the housing sector.
Both firms believe that there are huge opportunities ahead for energy-saving technologies, with the introduction of the smart grid - a next-generation power network that will optimize supply to residential and other properties - likely to accelerate demand for such products.
Toyota and Panasonic have been pushing their subsidiaries to do more to exploit the growing preference for environmentally friendly homes.
Toyota has integrated certain operations with subsidiary Toyota Home with a view to adapting automobile-manufacturing techniques to the housing sector.
In October, Toyota announced a new design concept for homes, including recharging facilities for plug-in hybrid vehicles. "At long last, the integration of automobiles and homes has arrived," Senta Morioka, president of Toyota Home, said at a news conference.
The design makes use of Toyota's electric battery technology to maximize the power efficiency of both the building and the vehicle, the company said.
And Panasonic has combined its most advanced technologies in an experimental "eco home" built by its PanaHome Corp. subsidiary in July.
Hoping to put the eco home on the market in fiscal 2011, PanaHome said its employees have been researching the eco home's performance by actually living in the experimental structure.
PanaHome's goal is for the home to produce zero carbon dioxide emissions. It will feature a roof covered with solar cells, an interior lighting system based on organic electroluminescent devices and walls equipped with vacuum insulation, as used in refrigerators.
Both firms believe that there are huge opportunities ahead for energy-saving technologies, with the introduction of the smart grid - a next-generation power network that will optimize supply to residential and other properties - likely to accelerate demand for such products.
Toyota and Panasonic have been pushing their subsidiaries to do more to exploit the growing preference for environmentally friendly homes.
Toyota has integrated certain operations with subsidiary Toyota Home with a view to adapting automobile-manufacturing techniques to the housing sector.
In October, Toyota announced a new design concept for homes, including recharging facilities for plug-in hybrid vehicles. "At long last, the integration of automobiles and homes has arrived," Senta Morioka, president of Toyota Home, said at a news conference.
The design makes use of Toyota's electric battery technology to maximize the power efficiency of both the building and the vehicle, the company said.
And Panasonic has combined its most advanced technologies in an experimental "eco home" built by its PanaHome Corp. subsidiary in July.
Hoping to put the eco home on the market in fiscal 2011, PanaHome said its employees have been researching the eco home's performance by actually living in the experimental structure.
PanaHome's goal is for the home to produce zero carbon dioxide emissions. It will feature a roof covered with solar cells, an interior lighting system based on organic electroluminescent devices and walls equipped with vacuum insulation, as used in refrigerators.
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