Porch released its first Porch Data Trends Report, providing national, regional and local insights into how homeowners are spending their money, what types of professionals they are hiring, the types of projects they are completing and economic indicators such as project ROI and average project cost (APC).
The report provided landscape professional were among the most searched for professionals on Porch.com in the last 30 days, ranking as the fifth most searched behind painters, plumbers, handymen and, in fourth, roofers.
With that, painting is the No. 1 priority for many homeowners, according to the report.
Still, Porch search results revealed landscaping searches in the Midwest to be 25 percent higher than the national average, signaling the region is looking ahead to the start of spring.
While not in the top five—but in the top 10—the Porch search results revealed tree contractor searches in the Northeast were 37 percent higher than the national average as well, perhaps a result of winter conditions and related impact on trees.
Landscaping professionals, specifically, did not rank among the most popular home improvement professionals hired by homeowners before putting a home on the market, however. On the national level, general contractors ranked as the most popular hire, followed by electricians, HVAC professionals, handymen and, lastly, plumbers.
Results per regions are as follows:
- West: General contractors (32%), roofing (14%), electricians (13%), HVAC (12%) and handymen (10%)
- Midwest: Handymen (42%), electricians (15%), HVAC (12%), general contractors (10%) and plumbers (5%)
- South: Electricians (21%), HVAC (17%), plumbers (17%), general contractors (14%) and handymen (10%)
- Northeast: Handymen (46%), general contractors (16%), architects and designers (4%), plumbers (3%) and HVAC (3%)
In addition to looking at the top five most popular professional types, Porch also looked at the project ROI and APC for those that were in the No. 1 slot.
General contractors—the No. 1 professional, nationally—reported a 68 percent ROI and $53,280 APC, for instance.
As for the most popular home improvement projects completed after buying a home, landscaping projects did not rank in the top five. Nationally, interior painting is the most popular, followed by exterior painting, home inspections, appliance installation and roof repairs/replacement.
New homeowners immediately tackle painting projects because it, on average, is a lower cost project that brings a sense of personalization to a new home along with improved curb appeal, respondents reported.
The Porch Data Trends Report will be issued several times per year, using insights from the 1.5 million professionals and more than 100 million projects in its network.
“When we started to build the blueprint for Porch.com, we knew early on that the cornerstone of our experience would be data,” CEO Matt Ehrlichman said. “If you think about the home space, there is a lot of information out there. But what has never been explored with great depth is home improvement data at a national, regional, and local level that can help homeowners get the most out of their investment. For our very first Porch Data Trends Report, it was a no brainer for us to dive deep into the data to find ways that will help homeowners make informed decisions since spring and summer represents a peak time of year for home improvement, buying, and selling.”
View the full first edition Porch Data Trends Report at Porch.com.
