President Obama's signature on health reform bill. Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy

Builders Face Health Reform Without Onerous Provision

Just one week after landmark health care legislation became the law of the land, President Obama on March 30 signed a second reconciliation bill with “fixes” to the health care measure that include the elimination of an onerous provision targeting the construction industry.

NAHB worked closely with lawmakers to ensure that one of the changes incorporated in the second “corrections” measure (H.R. 4872) would strike a provision in the original health care bill (H.R. 3590) offered by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) requiring construction firms to provide health coverage if they employ five or more workers. ...

Some Relief From Lofty Lumber Prices Is on the Way

Lumber prices in recent weeks have appeared to defy gravity, rising swiftly at a time of relatively sluggish demand from the home building sector, but NAHB economists remain confident that some relief is on the way as supply problems are alleviated.

The weekly Random Lengths composite index for framing softwood prices has exceeded $300 per 1,000 board feet since the beginning of February. The last time that price level was reached was the first week of July 2008 and the preceding month of June, when single-family homes were being started at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 655,000, compared to a rate of 499,000 this March. ...

An Italian villa is behind these doors in Pittsburgh.

BALA Design Trends and Photos: Simplicity and Exquisite Details

Simplicity of form inside and out and exquisitely detailed custom homes that bring the outdoors in are among the six design trends noted in the 2009 Best in American Living Awards (BALA) — the nation’s foremost residential design competition ― according to judges who analyzed the hundreds of BALA entries submitted.

Other hot trends seen in the BALA entries and discussed during a press conference at the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas earlier this year include:

• Creative, contemporary solutions for rental projects
• Infill projects that target specific market niches
• Green technology that is more effectively integrated with quality architectural design
• A wide variety of architectural styles, but less regionalism

A total of 67 winners in 37 categories were selected in the BALA competition, many of which exemplified one or more of the trends noted by the judges. The six major trends include: ...

Use Free NAHB Online Tools, Opportunities to Sell Homes in April

April is the last month for home owners to qualify for the $8,000 and $6,500 home buyer tax credits — and it is also New Homes Month.

The home buyer tax credits and the spotlight on new homes provide great opportunities for builders to show new customers the benefits of homeownership before the tax-saving opportunities disappear.

Late last year, the $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit was extended and a new $6,500 repeat buyer tax credit was introduced, providing an extra benefit for potential home buyers to move off the fence and into their new home.

In order to qualify for the credit, however, prospective buyers need to sign a contract by the end of April, which makes New Homes Month the perfect opportunity to get last-minute buyers into the home of their dreams before it is too late. ...

New Resources Available for Membership Day Recruitment Drive

NAHB’s Membership Defenders are back just in time for National Membership Day on May 25 to help home builders associations build their membership strength, one member at a time.

This year’s “Superhero” campaign features new tools, a lead list and other valuable resources that will enable HBAs to recruit new members and bring former members back as well as promote the power of participation.

New this campaign are National Membership Day Edit-Me Articles — five focused articles that set the stage for National Membership Day; reinforce the importance of participation; talk the talk and walk the walk; help build strong relationships; and ask for the time to build membership.

All the articles can be edited and trimmed and used in HBA publications and communications as messages from the HBA president, membership committee chair or other appropriate membership recruiters. The Edit-Me articles can be downloaded at www.nahb.org/membershipdefenders. ...