NBN Online for the week of July 4, 2005

(Plain Text Version) for full graphical version, click here.

In This Issue:

Front Page
FHA Zero-Down Loans Receive a Thumbs-Up From Builders
Will You Be the Next Winner of a Digital Camera?
HBAs, Builders Allowed to Continue Communicating by Fax
Layouts for Living
Floor Plans: Desert Jewel
Coast to Coast
Investors Buy Homes at a Record Pace
Politics & Government
Housing Tax Credits in Senate Energy Bill
HUD Secretary Commends Housing Efforts in Congress
Economics & Finance
HUD Renews Mortgage Settlement Reform Effort
Eye on the Economy
Tips
Builders’ Tip: Adding 'No Rot' Deck Rail Support
Business Management
Independent Contractor or Employee? The IRS Checks
Seniors Housing
Communications Key in Selling to Female Baby Boomers
Remodelers
Oh, to Be Young Again ― It’s a Matter of Perspective
Education
Designing Outside the Box — In an Intense Workshop
Education Calendar
Sales and Marketing
Big Builders Hooking Up With Hispanic Home Buyers
Educating Buyers Is as Easy as Gen X, Y (and Sometimes Z)
Marketing to Win the Baby Boomers' Business
Entries Sought for Sales and Marketing Awards
Green Building
Felician Sisters Convent Wins Green Building Award
Regulation
New York Builders Save $3 Million on Storm Water Fee
Commercial
NCBC 2006 Awards of Excellence Deadline Looms
Labor
Funding Report Voices Support for Training Efforts
Building Products
Red Feather Builds Affordable Straw Bale Homes
Builder's Engineer
How I Manage Projects
TV
NAHB-Produced Shows on HGTV & DIY — This Week
Endowment
Ken Klein Named to Endowment Board of Trustees
Association News
Help Tsunami Survivors Rebuild Their Homes
Put the NBN Hammer Cursor on Your Computer and Web Site
Save on DELL™ Computer Products
Save More With BuilderBooks.com Rewards
Calendar of Events

Top Story

FHA Zero-Down Loans Receive a Thumbs-Up From Builders

A bipartisan legislative proposal establishing a pilot program for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insurance of zero downpayment mortgages would significantly increase homeownership opportunities for the nation’s working families, NAHB told Congress on June 30.

Appearing before the House Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity, NAHB President David Wilson testified in support of H.R. 3043, the “Zero Downpayment Pilot Program Act of 2005,” which was introduced by Reps. Patrick Tiberi (R-Ohio) and David Scott (D-Ga.).
[MORE]

Lumber Prices Provided by Random Lengths

Framing Lumber Composite $ 385 down $ 12
OSB Composite $ 306 down $ 24
Southern Pine Plywood Composite $ 482 down $ 8
With Permission from: RandomLengths.com

Layouts for Living

Floor Plans: Desert Jewel

The Mesquite
(www.transwesthousing.com)

Bloodgood Sharp Buster Architects and Planners, Inc.
(www.bsbdesign.com)

Soaring Views, Private Sanctuaries:  Because the Mesquite, located southeast of Palm Springs, Calif. in the Montelena at Indian Wells neighborhood, includes spectacular mountain views, the home is designed so that the main living areas — the family room, morning room and master suite — all are oriented toward the mountains.

The home’s master bedroom is thoughtfully placed at the rear of the home and opens onto the outdoor living area. Buffered from the public spaces by a spacious walk-in closet and comfortable retreat, the master suite is truly a private sanctuary.
[MORE]

 

Will You Be the Next Winner of a Digital Camera?

Sign up three or more of your employees for Nation's Building News and you automatically will be entered in a contest to win a Sony digital camera.

There have been four winners already — the most recent winner is Philip Wood, of Nailman Construction, LLC in Rockland, Mass. — and you could be next.

To subscribe your employees to Nation’s Building News and be entered into the "Make Your Business Click" contest, visit our contest subscription page by clicking here

Subscribe your employees and they will begin receiving valuable industry and business news at their desktops beginning with the very next issue.

[MORE]

HBAs, Builders Allowed to Continue Communicating by Fax

Associations and businesses of all kinds breathed a collective sigh of relief last week as Congress successfully approved the “Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005,” a bill that injects some common sense into onerous Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules aimed at preventing unwanted faxes.

[MORE]

Housing Snapshot

Interest Rates  
  30-Yr. Fixed: 5.53% 15-Yr. Fixed: 5.12% 5 Yr. ARM: 5.06%
  1 Yr. ARM: 4.24% Libor (3 months): 3.55% Prime: 6.25%
Housing Starts*  (May 2005)
  Total: 2.009 million Single: 1,704 million Multi: 305,000
Home Sales*  (May 2005)
  New: 1.298 million Existing: 7.13 million  
Median Home Prices  (May 2005)
  New: $217,000 Existing: $207,000  
* Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate

 

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