ROCK ISLAND - An improved economy is sparking a positive outlook for the 2018 construction season around the Quad Cities.
Inside the QCCA Expo Center, Village Home Stores is getting its booth ready for the weekend show. The Geneseo-based family business expects a busy year.
"We're lucky to be in a part of the country where building is still booming," said Elizabeth Round, on Thursday, February 1. "But remodeling is huge for our business as well."
New home construction is helping places like Eldridge, Iowa, to grow.
"The more the economy's booming, the more housing goes up," said Bill Dobbs, The Eldridge Lumberyard.
That boom encourages buying and selling, too. Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors logged its best year ever in 2017.
"You can tell that people are spending a little bit more, doing a little fancier stuff," Dobbs continued.
That's encouraging for Wausau Homes. The custom builder, with a location in Eldridge, already signed three projects in January.
"I think there's a good outlook for this year," said Wausau Representative Mark Lee. "A lot of people are interested in building again."
It all sounds good to Village Home Stores. It touts long-term benefits from this building boom.
"If you're doing this project for resale versus if you're doing the project to be in this home forever - that's a quality of life investment," said Round.
An investment good for both homeowners and communities around the Quad Cities.
The QCBR Home Show runs at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island from February 2-4, 2018. Admission is $8 for adults and free for kids 16 and under.
