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www.NAHB.org
Week of November 29, 2004

Front Page

* NAHB Stands Ready to Protect Any Challenges to Tax Incentives for Housing
* Entries Sought for National Green Building Awards
* Multifamily Construction Pays for Itself, NAHB Economic Impact Model Demonstrates
* Housing Snapshot

President's Message

* Participating on the Home Builder Research Panel Is Easy and Rewarding

Housing Politics

* FHA Multifamily Loans and PATH Among Winners in 2005 Spending Package
* Legislation Strengthens Home Loan Guarantee Program for Veterans

Housing and Economics

* New Single-Family Home Sales Continue at a Brisk Pace in October
* Existing Home Sales Lose Little Strength in October

Builders' Show

* Golf, Spas and Nightlife — Orlando's Got More Than Theme Parks

Seniors Housing

* What Builders Should Know About Boomers
* Attend 'Designing for the Active Adult' and Hone Your Designs for the 55-plus Market

Small Builders and Remodelers

* Change Order — A Form That Will Guarantee You Make Money

Business Management

* National Register Takes Aim at Construction Equipment Thefts

Sales and Marketing

* Sell Yourself: Buyers Buy From People They Trust
* First Marketing 20 Club to Be Launched Early Next Year

Research

* Affordable Home in Tulsa Able to Withstand Tornado-Force Winds
* Home Building Industry Needs to Do a Better Job of Addressing Barriers to Innovation
* Tour of Sustainable Apartments in San Francisco to Feature PATH Technologies

Building Systems

* Log Home Builder the First to Be Awarded ENERGY STAR Rating
* Web Site Demonstrates Adaptability of Log Home Design

Construction Safety

* Portland Cement Excluded From Proposed OSHA Rule on Hexavalent Chromium

Housing Finance

* NAHB Task Force on Housing Finance Reform Seeking Input from Association Members

Labor

* Appropriations Bill a Mixed Bag for Construction Training Programs
* Residential Construction Training Series Extends to HVAC and Plumbing

Building Products

* Sears Acquisition Furthers Retailer’s Leadership in Appliance Business

Builder's Engineer

* Soil Settlement — The Most Common Structural Failure?

Building News Coast To Coast

Association News & Events

* Get WorldPointssm Rewards When You Charge
* Awards Programs Deadlines
* Calendar of Events

NBN Back Issues

 

NAHB Stands Ready to Protect Any Challenges to Tax Incentives for Housing

As conjecture about possible tax changes proliferates in Washington before the start of the second Bush … [ MORE ]


Building News From Coast to Coast

[ MORE ]

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Entries Sought for National Green Building Awards

Entries for NAHB’s 2005 National Green Building Awards are now being accepted from home builders, remodelers, developers, nonprofit organizations, the academic community, industry experts and others involved in green building efforts. Winners will be announced at the 2005 National Green Building Conference in Atlanta, March 13-15.

Award applications are being accepted for these six categories:

  • Green Advocate of the Year, which recognizes builders, groups and individuals for significant achievement in resource-efficient new home construction over the past year
  • Green Program of the Year, which acknowledges home builders associations, municipal governments and other institutions for new and existing green building programs
  • Green Project of the Year — Single-Family, in recognition of green design and construction in attached, detached (affordable and production) and custom-built/luxury homes
  • Green Project of the Year — Multifamily, honoring affordable housing and luxury condos and apartments
  • Green Project of the Year — Remodeling, acknowledging modifications and improvements to existing homes using water conservation methods, ventilation systems, energy-efficient products and other green techniques
  • Outstanding Green Marketing Award, recognizing the sales and marketing campaigns of a product and a housing development that best advance the ideals of environmentally friendly, resource-efficient residential construction.

For information about the awards and applications, click here.

Entries must be received by Dec. 15. A $250 fee is required for entries in all categories except Green Advocate of the Year and Green Program of the Year (new program).

Entries Sought for National Green Building Awards

Entries for NAHB’s 2005 National Green Building Awards are now being accepted from home builders, remodelers, developers, nonprofit organizations, the academic community, industry experts and others involved in green building efforts. Winners will be announced at the 2005 National Green Building Conference in Atlanta, March 13-15.

Award applications are being accepted for these six categories:

  • Green Advocate of the Year, which recognizes builders, groups and individuals for significant achievement in resource-efficient new home construction over the past year
  • Green Program of the Year, which acknowledges home builders associations, municipal governments and other institutions for new and existing green building programs
  • Green Project of the Year — Single-Family, in recognition of green design and construction in attached, detached (affordable and production) and custom-built/luxury homes
  • Green Project of the Year — Multifamily, honoring affordable housing and luxury condos and apartments
  • Green Project of the Year — Remodeling, acknowledging modifications and improvements to existing homes using water conservation methods, ventilation systems, energy-efficient products and other green techniques
  • Outstanding Green Marketing Award, recognizing the sales and marketing campaigns of a product and a housing development that best advance the ideals of environmentally friendly, resource-efficient residential construction.

For information about the awards and applications, click here.

Entries must be received by Dec. 15. A $250 fee is required for entries in all categories except Green Advocate of the Year and Green Program of the Year (new program).


Multifamily Construction Pays for Itself, NAHB Economic Impact Model Demonstrates

New multifamily construction pays for itself, according to a new …  …[ MORE ]


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Housing Snapshot

Last week brought good news on sales of new and existing single-family homes in October, but economists believe the market has crested and will start slowing down a bit as the Federal Reserve continues to exert upward pressure on interest rates. The cost of fixed-rate financing was largely unchanged last week, and Freddie Mac Chief Economist Frank Nothaft said that a year ago those mortgages were expected to have surpassed the 6% level by now, but have been slower to rise because of the economy's "soft patch" this spring. He predicted that further increases in mortgage rates are inevitable. They will rise, he predicted, to "a still home buyer-friendly range that will cause home sales to cool relative to their current record highs." Adjustable-rate loans were up last week, rising from 4.17% to 4.27%. In other economic news last week, the Commerce Department reported a 0.4% drop in factory orders for durable goods in October, led by a decline in new orders for automobiles and parts. The bad news, however, was partly offset by a larger increase in orders in September than initially indicated. In worrisome news for those planning their European vacations but favorable news for U.S. manufacturers, the dollar fell on Wednesday to an all-time low against the euro and may have some further distance to fall. The holiday shopping season appeared to get off to an auspicious start on the day following Thanksgiving, but before the weekend was over WalMart and some other retailers were grousing about slow sales. Retail sales are expected to be somewhat slower than last year, when they were up 5.1%, but it's the last 10 days before Christmas that analysts say really count. In a three-day rather than five-day week, Random Lengths reported somehat disappointing numbers from the lumber price front. Framing lumber rose from $357 to $361 per 1,000 board feet. Random Lengths' structural panel composite price rose from $334 to $340 per 1,000 square feet, compared to $500 a year earlier. Sales on oriented strand board were strong enough, it said, to keep upward pressure on prices. [ MORE ]

Mortgage Interest Rates

30-Year Fixed-Rate: 5.72%
15-Year Fixed-Rate: 5.15%
1-Year ARM: 4.27%

Housing Starts - Oct. 2004*

Total: 2.027 million
Single-Family Starts: 1.645 million
Multifamily Starts: 382,000

New Home Sales Oct. 2004*

1.226 million

Existing Home Sales Oct. 2004*

6.75 million

* Seasonally adjusted annual rate


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