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Week of November 15, 2004

Front Page

* The New American Home Weathered Florida's Hurricanes, Will Be Ready for Tours
* Enter the Innovation in Workforce Housing Awards — Entries Due Nov. 19
* Three States Pursue Innovative Programs to Spur Affordable Housing
* Housing Snapshot

President's Message

* The Elections Provide a New Foundation for Achievement in Housing

Business Management

* Reward Your Superintendent With Non-Traditional Incentive Plans
* Smart Solutions: Be Sure Your Software Solutions Are Industry-Specific

Environment

* Home Owners Outside Austin Rescue Displaced Slider Turtles

Seniors Housing

* Seniors Public Housing in Minneapolis Features Universal Design
* Universal Design Helps Speed the Approval Process, Create Interested Buyers

Small Builders and Remodelers

* Ten Simple Ways to Improve Your Business
* Commitment — It’s What Makes Planning Work

State and Local

* Builder Initiatives in Five States Receive NAHB Grants
* Mississippi Gov. Barbour Lauds Industry for Boosting the Economy

Green Building

* Forest Service Researchers Develop Water-Resistant Soy-Based Wood Adhesive
* Enter the 2005 National Green Building Awards — Entries Due Dec. 15

Labor

* HBI Awarded $1.5 Million National Youthbuild Grant

Building Quality

* Free Monthly Online Newsletter Focuses on Housing Quality-Related Issues

Building Products

* Framing Products Meet the Challenge of Building Tall Walls

Builder's Engineer

* Are Collar Ties a Remedy for a Sagging Roof?

Building News Coast To Coast

Association News & Events

* Chicago Carpenters Donate $100,000 to Support ‘Building Homes of Our Own’
* Museum Looking for Help to Launch Bob the Builder Exhibit Tour
* Children Young and Old Receiving Entertaining Introductions to Home Building
* NAHB/NOD Award to Honor HBA Program That Helps People with Disabilities
* NAHB Winter Board Meeting Schedule Announced
* Member Advantage: WorldPointssm Platinum Plus® MasterCard® Credit Card
* Awards Programs Deadlines
* Calendar of Events

NBN Back Issues

 

The New American Home Weathered Florida's Hurricanes, Will Be Ready for Tours

Try as they might, the hurricanes that huffed and puffed and hammered Central Florida … [ MORE ]


Building News From Coast to Coast

[ MORE ]

Sponsored by: Countrywide Home Loans

Learn how Countrywide®'s National Builder Division works locally to speed up the closing process.
Discover how Countrywide can qualify almost any homebuyer with its wide selection of ARMs.

Enter the Innovation in Workforce Housing Awards — Entries Due Nov. 19

Builders, architects, designers, developers and land planners nationwide are invited to submit entries for the Innovation in Workforce Housing Awards. The deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 19.

This new award recognizes outstanding communities across the nation that provide decent and affordable homes for nurses, police officers, schoolteachers and other service personnel close to the places where they work.

Communities on which there has been work between Jan. 1, 2002 and Oct. 29, 2004 are eligible.

Award winners will be announced at the 2005 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, FL, Jan. 13-16.

For more information, including eligibility requirements and an application form, click here, or e-mail Kym Kilbourne at NAHB or call her at 800-368-5242 x8447.

Entries must be postmarked no later than Nov. 19.

Enter the Innovation in Workforce Housing Awards — Entries Due Nov. 19

Builders, architects, designers, developers and land planners nationwide are invited to submit entries for the Innovation in Workforce Housing Awards. The deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 19.

This new award recognizes outstanding communities across the nation that provide decent and affordable homes for nurses, police officers, schoolteachers and other service personnel close to the places where they work.

Communities on which there has been work between Jan. 1, 2002 and Oct. 29, 2004 are eligible.

Award winners will be announced at the 2005 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, FL, Jan. 13-16.

For more information, including eligibility requirements and an application form, click here, or e-mail Kym Kilbourne at NAHB or call her at 800-368-5242 x8447.

Entries must be postmarked no later than Nov. 19.


Three States Pursue Innovative Programs to Spur Affordable Housing

Several states that have been successful in pushing new affordable housing initiatives shared information about their innovative programs and policy strategies during the Fannie Mae Foundation’s annual housing conference …  …[ MORE ]


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Housing Snapshot

Mortgage interest rates nudged up slightly last week following the fourth Fed increase in the federal funds rate this year. But rates continue to be extremely affordable, which bodes well for new home sales and single-family housing construction. The general economy continued to pick up steam as retail sales grew by 0.2% for the month, according to the Commerce Department. Though retailers posted higher-than-expected sales, most of the sales favored high-end stores over discounters, suggesting that lower-income consumers are still feeling the pinch of energy prices. Jobs increased by 337,000, the best showing since March. About a fifth of those new jobs were in construction, and many of them were a result of the hurricanes that lashed Florida. Overall, consumer confidence in early November rose to 95.5, up from 91.7 in October. There was good news on the lumber front as well. Framing prices fell $7 for the week to $348 from $355 per 1,000 board feet, according to Random Lengths. A year earlier, the price was $333. Random Lengths' structural panel composite price, which includes oriented strand board, dropped from $322 per 1,000 square feet to $321, compared to $544 a year earlier. [ MORE ]

Mortgage Interest Rates

30-Year Fixed-Rate: 5.76%
15-Year Fixed-Rate: 5.16%
1-Year ARM: 4.16%

Housing Starts - Sep. 2004*

Total: 1.898 million
Single-Family Starts: 1.540 million
Multifamily Starts: 358,000

New Home Sales Sep. 2004*

1.206 million

Existing Home Sales Sep. 2004*

6.75 million

* Seasonally adjusted annual rate


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