Spending on home improvements is expected to increase this year in 43 of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas, according to a new report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. The report projects that on average, home-improvement spending in 2017 in these metro areas will be 6.8 percent higher than it was in 2016, slightly more than the projected 6.1 percent increase nationwide. However, the growth rates will vary widely; about a third of major metros are expected to see strong growth of 10 percent or more, while a similar number should see declines or slow growth of under 3 percent.
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