The recent economic crisis has caused great casualties in housing market as well as in the broader financial system, making the investment a tough task among average households in the United States. Mutual funds are on continuous devaluation; stock markets show great volatility; and business expansion is lacking directions. Indeed, investing for the future has become a beautiful dream of most middle class families. 

However, there is a seemingly small but potentially valuable area where average households could put their cash in. This area is home improvement or remodeling. Particularly, it is predictable that an investment in up-scale home improvement now can potentially yield significant returns on asset value in the near future. Let's use natural stone, a type of traditionally luxury architectural materials, as an example to explain why.

Natural stone supplies in the United States have been heavily relied on importations. China, India, Italy, Brazil as well as numerous nations in the middle east are major exportation countries in global stone industry. Since the crisis began in 2008, market demands for such once considered prestige building materials in world's largest markets of the US and Europe have been shrinking in a staggering pace. This negative industrial situation nevertheless provides a great investment opportunity for the homeowners in the United States.
 
1. Shrinkage in market demand has prompted fierce competition in manufacturing sectors and drove prices down significantly.

Such competition in stone industry is much worse than average as stone industry is the closest sector to the housing market. A large majority of stone factories in China are now operating in less than half of their full capacities. They have to compete intensely for very limited orders available in the market in order to survive. This type of unprecedented market competitions have driven the prices of stone products in almost every category down to a rock bottom level.

For examples, a deluxe hand carved marble fireplace would cost $5000 minimum when economy was booming. It was for privileged few to decorate their mansions. But you can buy it now for a price as low as $2500 delivered, which is not much more than a set of regular wood fireplace mantel surround. You can also get granite floor tiles for less than one dollar per square feet if you need fairly large quantity. These extremely low prices make remodeling homes with natural stones an excellent investment.

2. China's exportation stimulus plan has further pushed overall prices of exporting goods lower.

Since the global recession started, Chinese has takes a series of stimulus actions in an attempt to stabilize export business. benefited sectors included building material and stone industry. The most important measure in the plan is vast preferential tax rebates on export transactions. The rebate rate for stone products rate been increased from 6% to 12% recently, providing stone manufacturers additional room to slash prices. Government compensations for exporters in China certainly will be conveyed to the market and benefit consumers in the United States. So it is a good time for American homeowners to take advantages of this type of indirect "Chinese government subsidizations".