Source: Stephanie Rosenbloom, NY Times ( Free Registration )

Suddenly, the theme in home goods retailing is “in with the old.”

With the housing market in the doldrums and inflation running at a pace unseen in nearly two decades, consumers are not buying new homes. Instead they are fixing up the ones they have, a trend that is beginning to show up in the financial reports of retailers.

“Consumer’s wallets are being pinched,” said Carol B. Tomé, chief financial officer and executive vice president for corporate services at Home Depot. “Customers are moving away from discretionary projects and are spending money on small repair projects.”

Read Full Article: Home repairs become focus as consumers feel pinched