Nation's Building News Online

Better Homes and Gardens Building a New Home Based on Its Readers' Suggestions

A custom-engineered house being built with innovative materials and technology outside of Atlanta in the town of Cumming, Ga., will incorporate the feedback from nearly 60,000 participants … [ MORE ]

Building News From Coast to Coast

• Eagles Notes: Ex-Bird Returns to the Flock at Fortuitous Time
• Open Plans, Unpretentious Design Characterize New, Small Houses
• Massachusetts Housing Sales Hit New Highs in 2004
• Active-Adult Builders Target Urban Locales
• Homes Get Smarter in SW Florida
• All Hail the Eco-Throne
• Grant Will Help ASU With Solar House Plan
• Harwood International’s New Division Unveils $100M Condo Project

[ MORE ]

Sponsored by: Countrywide Home Loans

See how Countrywide’s Prime Rate OTC construction loan can offer more flexibility to qualified buyers.
Learn how our Home Equity Loan offers flexible payment options and the ability to reuse the funds.

Help Tsunami Survivors Rebuild Their Homes

Many NAHB members already have responded to the devastating earthquake and tsunami disaster in South Asia by generously giving to numerous relief agencies that are providing vital emergency assistance to the survivors. As the relief effort continues and moves from the acute, emergency phase into recovery, the home building industry is rallying to address the longer term need for temporary and permanent shelter in the tsunami-affected nations.

Over the years, NAHB and its members have united to help those in need, demonstrating time and again that Home Builders Care, a philosophy as well as a call to action that is emblematic of the industry's commitment to community service and charitable causes.

In response to what will be an overwhelming need for permanent shelter, NAHB and the National Housing Endowment have established the Home Builders Care/National Housing Endowment-Tsunami Shelter Fund to raise desperately needed funds.

With an initial donation of $250,000, designated by the NAHB Board of Directors at the International Builders’ Show, the fund will be directed to rebuilding efforts that provide temporary and permanent shelter for survivors.

Please help by making a tax deductible donation to the Home Builders Care/National Housing Endowment-Tsunami Shelter Fund. Money raised by the National Housing Endowment will be granted to one or more U.S. charitable relief organizations working to help tsunami survivors obtain temporary and permanent shelter.

Please direct your donation check to:

National Housing Endowment
1201 15th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20005

Checks should be made payable to the National Housing Endowment and, in the memo section, please note the Tsunami Shelter Fund.

The NAHB Senior Officers have selected Past President Bob Mitchell to oversee and guide this fundraising effort.

For more information, contact Troy Patterson at the National Housing Endowment at 800-368-5242 x8483 or Kym Kilbourne in NAHB Public Affairs, x8447.

Home Buyers Looking for High-Quality Features Even When It Means Less Space

At 2,330 square feet in 2003, the average size of the American home may be just about at its peak, NAHB research …  …[ MORE ]

We Want to Hear From You

Let us know what you think about the new NBN Online. On everything from the news we are covering to how it is being delivered, we are waiting to hear from you. Click here to contact the editors. To manage your subscription, please see the links below.

Housing Snapshot

The cost of fixed-rate mortgage financing was down just a tad last week. "Interest rates will likely remain calm," predicted Freddie Mac Chief Economist Frank Nothaft. The Commerce Department on Friday released figures on growth of the Gross Domestic Product, which was 4.4% for the year but only at an annual pace of 3.1% in the fourth quarter, below market expectations and down from 4% in the third quarter. The Fed will release its policy statement this week, "giving financial markets a better sense of what future actions the Fed may be contemplating," said Nothaft. "All of this will help determine where mortgage rates will be in the near future." Lumber prices demonstrated some weakness last week, clouded by severe weather conditions in the Northeast, Midwest and California. The cost of framing lumber rose slightly to $384 per 1,000 board feet, up from $382 during the previous week, according to Random Lengths, and higher than its year-earlier price of $354. Plywood and oriented strand board prices continued to move down, with the panel composite price declining from $396 per 1,000 square feet to $375. The price was $484 a year earlier. Random Lengths also reported that with OSB leading the way, the U.S. production of structural panels hit another record in 2004. [ MORE ]

Mortgage Interest Rates

30-Year Fixed-Rate: 5.66%
15-Year Fixed-Rate: 5.14%
1-Year ARM: 4.18%

Housing Starts - Dec. 2004*

Total: 2.004 million
Single-Family Starts: 1.678 million
Multifamily Starts: 326,000

New Home Sales Dec. 2004*

1.098 million

Existing Home Sales Dec. 2004*

6.69 million

* Seasonally adjusted annual rate

Sponsored by: National Association of Home Builders

Reach 100,000+ Builders & Contractors
Search 2005 International Builders' Show Exhibitors
Think Green -- Attend the National Green Building Conference
Members Save at BuilderBooks.com